Rituals, Regrets, and Really Dumb People

Chapter 8: Abominations, Realizations, and Baby Aliens, Part 3

"Why Sanctuary's necropolis?" Geraldine asked in my stead. She was quick, nervous; this was the Evil to her, so she wasn't exactly of good mind to simply follow She's word. "What do you want with it?"

She stood there quietly a moment, looking Geraldine up and down. She reached up, tapped under Geraldine's chin, which frightened Geraldine, but she did not fight it back. "Such a pretty child. Your father was a good man and you keep up with his legacy. Trust me."

"I cannot trust the Darkness," Geraldine said softly, staring at She. "You and your followers have done a lot to make me suffer."

"Maybe so, but that doesn't change the fact you all need to go there if you wish to find out how to stop Ishmael. I will not desecrate your graves or hurt your people. This is too important for old rivalries, and all payments will be paid in full one day. I just ask your patience for now, child."

"But why Sanctuary's graveyard?" I asked her for Geraldine. "Why meet there?"

"Because we need to talk to someone who has specialized knowledge of the Ancients and the locations and rituals they knew."

"We're going to talk to an Ancient?"

The Darkness shook her head no at me. "No. I will see you then."

With that, She snapped her fingers and disappeared. I looked over at Geraldine and saw her expressions; she was wary, it was as if she'd had someone walk over her grave.

"Geraldine," I said. "We won't do anything to the necropolis, I promise."

"Promise of a villain," she muttered, her eyes looking back and forth, nervous. "That's a lot of comfort."

"Please," I softly said to her, begged to her. "The world and her people depend on this. I ask you for your trust, and if not, you may strike me down. You know, you've always wanted to."

Geraldine began to frown and closed her eyes. "Okay, whatever," she was quick to say, turning around and walking out. "We'll be outside waiting for you."

As Geraldine left, Tom looked to me and spoke. "I apologize for Geraldine. She hasn't been to the graveyard to see her father in years. She always felt it would stray her from her course. A lot of us never walk to the graveyard unless we must; too much loss there."

I could understand that; I'd caused a lot of that pain and misery. "Go watch her, Tom. We'll get ready and we'll be right out. I need to talk to my men first. I need to—uh—get some new clothes too." I smelt like pea soup. We all did.

"Aye, we'll be waiting," Tom said before turning around and walking out.

"Jo," I said to my rage-i-neer—engineer. "Can you round up all the cultists and get them inside?"

"What of the men who have been captured by Sanctuary's knights?" she asked.

"Get the knights to escort them inside. I'm going to shower and get some new clothes real quick. Recommend you all to get a snack and join me down here. And get some servants to help clean this up."

"Yes sir," Jo said as she left to go round up the men.

"I'll go help her," Jason said, giving me a quick pat on my back. "You did good, Mathias."

"Thanks," I told him, watching the big guy leave. With that, it was just me, Lil, the baby, and John Wesley. "We can go take turns with my personal shower. The serving girls will watch the baby 'til we're done," I said to Lil.

"You mean we can keep him?" She asked.

"Kill, murder Sanguine," he said, clapping his hands together.