“Yes, please, lead on.” The young man replied hurriedly, his monetary worries taken care of for the moment.
He then did whatever manual labour was asked of him, and after an evening meal; he fell asleep, partly due to his exhaustion following his travelling by foot across Yorkshire, and then his honest labour, and partly due to a weak sleeping draught slipped into his third pint of free beer.
Accompanying Parkston on his trip to Edwinstowe was his wife Marjorie, Moira and Johnathan Towers. Towers, a giant of a man, was a member of the coven, and one who would provide the necessary muscle for the task ahead. They drove down to Edwinstowe in Parkston`s Mercedes GL SUV, a spacious and very luxurious vehicle. Marjorie and Simon Parkston sat in front, with Moira and Towers sitting behind them. Moira had cut her hair short and dyed it a dark shade of black, to this she had added the full Goth look in both clothes and makeup. Black lipstick, black eye shadow on her eyelids, dark eyeliner both beneath and above her eyes, a dark mascara, and finally a pale face powder to highlight her new Goth look. For fun she added a facial pattern below and to the outside of both her eyes, again to enhance her new look. All of this, together with a black dress, a tight black blouse, and a hooded jacket, hid her quite adequately from the forces of law and order, who she knew must be looking for her, especially after the death of Alice Kempton. She acquired the clothing from the members of the coven, the dress from one, the blouse from another and the hoodie from yet another.
They arrived at the church just a few minutes after 6pm, and leaving their vehicle they walked slowly around the small cemetery in search of the grave of Sir Edward Glairmore, it took them just five minutes to locate its weather beaten gravestone; it lay beneath a large Yew tree. They then spent the remainder of the day resting in and around Sherwood Forest. They spent part of the evening dining at a nearby public house, and then they moved on to listen to a local band playing folk music at another public house.
It was 2 am on a cool morning that saw them return to St. Mary`s Church, a northerly wind was gusting strongly, and helping them for once, as it meant that they were alone on this moonless night. They clambered over a small wall, and then they headed directly over to the grave of Sir Edward Glairmore. Towers was set to digging up the old grave, while the others kept watch for any late night walkers, it took Towers just five minutes to unearth a wooden chest. He reached down and pulled the heavy chest up from the grave.
“Put it down over here Johnathan, let`s make sure it is what we are looking for.” Parkston said pointing to a fallen gravestone.
Towers just nodded and following orders, put the heavy wooden chest on the gravestone beside the grave of Sir Edward Glairmore, they all stood there looking down upon it in awe, for despite its age the wooden chest seemed to be in perfect condition. Parkston was the first to move, and he soon had the lid open, inside the old wooden chest they saw a heavy bronze artefact that resembled a large soup tureen, but one with a row of coloured gem stones on the side with which to activate it, and alternative settings could be selected dependent upon which stone was pressed. They felt a strange power emanating from it, even though it must have been hidden in the wooden chest and then buried for a century or more. The power ran through their bodies rather like a light electrical current, touching their brains and making the excitement they felt all the more intense. Parkston looked at his wife; his eyes open wide in wonder. “I have read about it, but never did I dream to actually possess it.” He said in amazement. Parkston then made to reach down and take the artefact out of the chest, however; Moira stopped him.
“Hang on there Simon, the book that I read states that whosoever wants to own the Mist of Glairmore must first perform a mass to Hekate, to touch it otherwise is supposed to be highly dangerous.” Moira warned. “We should take it back to Parkston in the wooden chest; there we can perform the ceremony at our leisure, and the coven must be present, for only those at the ceremony will be unaffected by it when we use it.”
Parkston looked at her and nodded. “OK, Moira.” Then he turned to Towers. “Johnathan if you would carry the chest to the car please, while I fill in the grave.” Parkston asked his friend.
He then picked up the spade and quickly pushed the soil back into the grave, only then did he make for the wall by which they had entered the graveyard. The others were already there, Towers had handed the chest across the wall to Moira, who carried it part of the way back to their vehicle, until Towers caught up with her and took the heavy chest back. Simon Parkston likewise soon caught up to his wife and friends, and then the four Satanists quickly got back into their vehicle, and returned to Parkston manor house with their loot.
**********
Morning was upon them by the time they reached home, so they decided to leave the ceremony of the Mist of Glairmore until midnight; instead, they all went to bed to get some much-needed sleep. When they finally awoke, it was time for lunch, which they had in lieu of a missed breakfast. The day soon passed; the sun seemed to whizz across the sky to set, leaving the moon to rise slowly into the darkening sky. The members of the coven had been warned to gather in the underground temple at midnight, when a special black mass would be conducted. Midnight came and the thirteen members of the coven, plus Moira were gathered near to the altar. Upon the altar black candles had been lit, they were set in golden candlesticks at either end of the altar, and incenses were burning in a bronze bowl in each corner of the altar. Lying unconscious upon the altar was the body of the young traveller, once again drugged, but this time with a stronger potion. The old chest was set on the floor by the altar, under a spout carved into the stone lid, and Parkston now re-opened the wooden lid of the chest. A murmur went up from the members of the coven as they felt the small amount of power running through them, in the dull light given off by the many candles burning within the temple they could actually see it, it was emanating from the artefact like a silver thread that raced between them and touched each of the Satanists. A soft light now covered each of them, making this event a memorable one for each of them.
Simon Parkston then cut the throat of the young workman while reading from a note that Moira had given him, for Moira thought that if she visibly deferred to him, then it would dispel any latent fears held by Simon Parkston as to why she had visited him in his dreams.
“Hear my request oh great Goddess Hekate, Thee who sits at the left side of our Lord Lucifer; please listen favourably to our request to use the Mist of Glairmore.” His voice boomed out, echoing within the walls of the small temple.
As the blood of the young man flowed down onto the artefact, the blood seemed to permeate through the metal of the device, then the light within the hall seemed to dim, and a cold breeze blew down the stairs and in through the open door of the temple. Then a grim voice spoke to them from out of the very walls of the manor house.
“It is centuries since anyone has asked this of me, tell me, who is it that makes this request to use the Mist of Glairmore.” The voice asked, however, no demon appeared before them, although the room was even cooler than at other times when a demon had appeared before them.
“Simon Parkston, follower of the Lord of Earth and the Underworld, our most magnificent Lord Lucifer.” Parkston replied in ringing tones.
“Use my device Simon Parkston, to confound your enemies whoever they may be, but remember Satanist, each time you wish to use the device, you must sacrifice a person in my name.” The voice declared loudly, and now, for just a moment, Hekate did appear, amidst a swirl of bright orange lights, she stood just behind the altar stone and locked the eyes of Simon Parkston with her own, Parkston stood fearfully under her powerful gaze, and when she finally departed, he sank exhausted to the floor of the temple.
The light now returned to the temple, and the breeze was now warm and not the cold one of seconds earlier. His wife looked fearfully at her husband. “Simon, are you all right?”
“I will be fine thank you Marjorie, just give me a minute.” Parkston replied, although he
certainly did not look it, he looked pale and exhausted.
Moira could now feel her satanic powers growing, the energy from the Mist of Glairmore had kick started them. Feeling even more confident of herself, she now approached Parkston and his wife.
“Simon, this was just a ceremony to transfer the right to use the device to us, as the goddess Hekate has just advised us, the device must be powered up by a human sacrifice to her. At Halloween, Stephanie will make a suitable offering to it, to ensure that it sees us through our quest, for she is a virgin, and as you know, the blood of a virgin is beloved by all the denizens of hell, be they goddesses or just minor demons.” Moira said softly.
“Yes, Moira, the energy provided by a virgin`s blood will power the device up nicely, it will ensure that the Mist will hide us from the ancient gods and demons during our time in their dimension, and not begin to fade before we are safely back home.” Parkston was no longer squeamish about sacrificing his two nieces at Halloween, the lust for the power that he was after had corrupted whatever had been left of his immortal soul.
“Yes, Simon, we have the first of our artefacts, now it is time for us to acquire the second and most important of them, the Key of Tartarus.” Moira said jubilantly.
“Yes, you are right Moira, but tomorrow morning will be soon enough, when we have all rested. I will set off for London to kidnap Cassandra Ryder while you remain here and send her sister to the domain of Lord Asbaritch.” Parkston said. “Tell me, will you be able to summon one such as he?”
“Yes, Simon, Lucifer himself has told me that Lord Asbaritch will obey my summons.” Moira replied.
“Then one thing remains, we need to know the address Rob Hinds.” Parkston said while looking at one so young but already possessing the permission to call upon the great demon lords Lucifer and Asbaritch, and his feeling of respect for Moira grew ever greater.
“I already have it Simon, great thing the internet; you can find out so many things.” Moira said calmly.
**********
There certainly was not much time to sleep for Parkston and his wife, who together with Johnathan Towers, set off during the early hours of the morning for London; they aimed to arrive early enough to stake out the Hinds` apartment in Reigate. They also had to conjure up a demon, and Mrs Knightly had already prepared the necessary ingredients of the potion needed to conjure one up, she did this while the others were in Edwinstowe. Marjorie Parkston now put these ingredients into a deep glass tray and mixed them together, a yellow plume of smoke began to rise from the potion as she stirred. It soon reached the roof of the vehicle, it spread around it, thinning out as it went, and when it could travel no further, it crept down the walls of the vehicle and then began to disappear into the air around them. However, Simon Parkston called upon the demon Veigel before too much of the smoke could disappear, for otherwise this would have meant starting all over again.
“Veigel obey my call, Parkston ordered in a voice that rang loudly within the confines of the vehicle. Moments later a thin veil of smoke began to rise from the rear of the vehicle, and he now spoke again.
“Veigel come to me, I command you.” Parkston ordered the demon.
The vehicle quickly cooled, Veigel, a minor demon that he used on such occasions as this, appeared within the veil of smoke, his stunted body bent and his face terribly misshapen.
The Satanists within the vehicle were almost sick as the stench of the beast reached them, but they did their best not to show any outward sign of it.
“I am here Master, what is it that you desire of me?” The minor demon asked.
“We wish to look upon the faces of the three people who live on the third floor of this building, in the apartment at the front, make it happen now.” Parkston ordered the demon.
The demon disappeared for a minute, then within the thin veil of smoke three faces appeared. A man, a young woman, and another even younger woman. Moira had described them to Parkston, and he immediately recognised them.
“Ok everyone take a good look, we do not want to screw it up later on by kidnapping the wrong girl, or to have Lord Asbaritch turn up at an empty apartment.” Parkston told the others within the vehicle. When they were all satisfied that they would recognise them, Simon Parkston turned to the demon.
“Veigel, I now want you to place a demonic marker in the apartment where these three humans live, so that Lord Asbaritch will be able to locate it later today.” Parkston ordered. A demonic marker was usually put on people by Satanists, usually because they wanted the person to die at the hand of a demon that they then called, but demonic markers did have other uses.
Veigel disappeared from view, but again only for a moment, then he returned to confirm that he had carried out his task.
“If that is all Master, then I need paying.” Veigel`s voice now sounding much happier than before, and much less servile.
“Here take it and be gone.” Parkston commanded as the demon rushed at him and took his payment. When sufficiently satisfied with his payment he disappeared from view, leaving behind him the foul stench of hell. Parkston sat still for a moment, weakened by the lesser demon; Marjorie quickly opened all the windows to let out the stench of the demon, and before someone was violently sick.
“We now know what they look like, nothing can stop us now.” Marjorie Parkston cried out jubilantly.
They saw Rob drive off for the SIS headquarters, and later they saw Christina and Cassie leave the apartment block. The sun was hidden by the roofs of the houses by the time Christina Hinds returned home. The watchers were now rather bored; they were waiting for Cassie to make her next appearance, when she returned from college.
**********
While Parkston and the others were in London, Moira and Mrs Knightly set about making two large kegs of Rakiremanin for Lord Asbaritch.
“These must be the most important potion ever created Joanna, otherwise demons, powerful or otherwise, might decide to be awkward rather than assist us. When Lord Asbaritch smells the Rakiremanin he will do exactly as we ask, especially if we promise more when the time is right for him to take Hinds into his domain.” Moira said.
The next hour was spent in preparing the green liquid Rakiremanin, a drink that Lord Asbaritch, and many of the other demons, relished so much. Most Satanists kept the ingredients to hand if they regularly invoked the higher order of demons, and Parkston always kept a ready supply. Soon the barn that held the stolen Citroen was filled with the sweet smell of the strong alcoholic drink. Its main ingredient was white wine, and Parkston kept large casks of them in a cellar beneath the barn, then a generous mixture of molasses, herbs and spices was added to give it its exotic flavour and colour. The next batch of ingredients came under the heading of slugs and snails and puppy dog’s tails, enough to say that it took a strong stomach to drink such a concoction knowing just what was in it. Finally, a special preparation of wood alcohol was added to the concoction, it gave it strength and a certain something extra.
**********
Simon Parkston spotted Cassie as she walked along the quiet street towards the apartment block where she lived with her sister and her brother-in-law. He and his wife got out of their vehicle as Cassie walked ever nearer to them, Parkston checked to see if there was anyone else around, but the street was empty save for Cassie. Cassie saw them, but took no notice of the tall middle-aged man and a woman, who Cassie thought must be man and wife. They both smiled pleasantly at her as they made to pass her. As she passed the man, he grabbed her, and then quickly covered mouth with a rag that had been saturated in chloroform. Cassie wanted to scream, but by opening her mouth she took more of the chloroform in, she would have fallen to the floor unconscious, but Parkston held her upright. Johnathan Towers now left the vehicle and took her limp form off Parkston, who immediately looked around to check if the street was still empty. Unfortunately, for Cassie, it was a quiet neighbourhood and the coast was clear for Towers to carry Cassie to the waiting Mercedes Suv. He lay her on her side in th
e back of the vehicle and then covered her with a carpet that they had brought along, and then he joined her in the back of the vehicle. Then Simon and Marjorie Parkston got into the front of their vehicle, and they set off for Parkston manor house, Towers calling ahead to Moira to confirm that this part of the plan had been successfully completed.
**********
Night was approaching and Cassie had still not returned home, Christina knew it was pointless to call the police, for Cassie was only two hours late, but she could not help but worry, especially as Rob had told her that Moira had escaped from the psychiatric hospital. Could she be the reason why Cassie was late, the mad bitch was capable of anything. If only Rob was there, but he was working late at the office, and she did not want to bother him about a thoughtless missing teenager, especially since Cassie had forgotten her mobile phone that morning, and had obviously not bothered to borrow one with which to call home.
The mad bitch in question, Moira Bourbon, was standing within the satanic temple, which was beneath the Grand Hall; Moira had just finished preparing a charged pentagram. This is a five-pointed star drawn upon the floor and enclosed by a circle, which in a satanic pentagram is always drawn in human blood, and the correct mystical signs have been painted at the apexes of the star. To finish charging the pentagram five black candles are set at the apexes of the star and are set alight, and finally five goblets are set in the valleys of the star and are filled with red wine. Once a year the circle around the pentagram must be painted with fresh human blood. Moira used the pentagram because she was new to the satanic game, and having to call Lord Asbaritch twice in a day frayed even her nerves.
Everything was now set so she walked into a small laboratory set behind the altar and collected a heavy pewter goblet full of Rakiremanin and took it into the temple and set it upon the altar. She now lit four black candles that she had already placed at each of the four corners of the marble top of the altar, and then she set the drink alight. A green smoke slowly curled up into the air before finally reaching the ceiling of the temple and spreading quickly around the room. In the goblet was a green frothing liquid that would certainly not be touched, let alone drunk by any normal person.