Author's Note:
Thank you all for sticking with Amaretto so long! Now is when there will be some action as Amaretto and her aunt close in on he first of the three oordinates! Please enjoy and vote as well! Also, if you have any comments, please leave them. I love comments!
~ Sean
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In Which the Ring's Powers are Revealed and the Cloister is Stormed...
The Cloister of Science loomed up in Amaretto's vision as they walked stately towards the large iron wrought gates that demanded attention from anyone who came near. The gates were not just simple gates however, instead of the traditional iron bars there were small caryatids that formed the spaces where the bars should be. The caryatids were fashioned to look like tall men and women with Bunsen burners and beakers in their hands. However, on either side of the gate there were two larger statues carved from white marble with just that. A woman in a flowing Greek robe held in her hands the implements of science, a ruler, a beaker, and a large plumed helm. In the other figure, a male, he held a large wand that was reminiscent of the medical profession and also held a winged cap in his hands. It didn't take long for Amaretto to notice the small wings jutting out from the statue's ankles as well.
"They are the statues of Athena and Hermes, the gods of Science," said Katherine noticing Amaretto's gaze. Amaretto nodded her head in understanding. There was not much more time to think however as two men in bright red crimson stepped forward. Unlike the other ones that she had seen on the streets of London, these two men were not at first look, IronMen. They had oily smiles, and dark cropped black hair, and the piping that had been used to make them was much thinner than the clunking beast that Amaretto had seen in the city proper outside of the watch shop.
Also, from the back of their heels, the tall black boots were emitting a small thin stream of steam. The IronMan on the left looked at Amaretto for a moment and then turned to Katherine and then looked to their two companions. "What can we do for you today ladies?"
The voice was only slightly mechanical and sounded more like it was being produced from a speaker in the back of the man's throat. Amaretto watched the man's lips and if she hadn't looked very carefully, it would have even looked like the IronMan had actually spoken. Instead, as she watched the contraption's lips, she noticed that the lips only made the largest sounds, and so it looked a little like bad dubbing on a foreign film.
Alice smiled brightly at the IronMan and said, "We are here to tour the Cloister of course."
The other IronMan abruptly shook his head and said, "I am sorry ladies, but access is denied. The cloister is not currently open to the public at this time."
Alice made a face of disappointment. "Bloody hell, and here I was hoping to see the Cloister of Science, maybe even get a peak at Grandmother Chime."
The first guard shook his head and said, "Language most distressing to hear from a lady. Grandmother Chime is not seeing anyone at this moment as she is administering herself to the queen's presence."
Alice huffed and spun on her heel and in the process, turned her back to the facing guards. She quickly mouthed something to Amaretto and at first; Amaretto wasn't sure what to make of it. Then she realized that Alice was telling her to use the ring, so she reached back in her mind and sought out Tempus. He was there in an instant and spoke calmly and reassuringly to Amaretto.
"Don't worry; all you need to do is repeat after me."
"Everything will be okay?" Amaretto questioned.
"As long as you repeat after me, here goes. Put your hand out at the guards and say the following..."
Amaretto put her hand with the strange pearl ring on it out in front of her and then said:
"Voices of Ancients long ago past,
Spirits of Earth and reminiscent grace,
Spark of Energy here now recast,
Iron of Man you now shall erase!"
There was a slight rumble and the ring on Amaretto's finger turned a dark shade of purple. The IronMen looked at Amaretto with curious eyes until they suddenly twitched where they were standing and jerked forward in an effort to capture Amaretto. They may have been automatons, but they were still able to think partially for themselves, and had linked their now new found moment of not being able to work any longer with Amaretto's new found spell casting ability.
The IronMen jerked again and then a blast of electric fire seemed to take hold of them and they jerked backwards, their mouths hung open and their heads tilted skywards. It seemed at first as if they were screaming, but Amaretto soon saw it for steam rushing out of their mouths as such a rapid pace that they were not sure what was going to happen next. From their chest cavities, there was an explosion and boiling steam rushed down their chests as small metal objects were forcefully ejected from their hearts.
The molten hearts fell to the ground and the IronMen just stood in place, the metal pokes in their feet forcing them to continue to stand upright. Alice whistled and said, "That was bloody brilliant. I love it. Now we just have to find Mother Chime."
Johanna looked nonplussed. "We have to find Mother Chime, but we still have no idea where she is located in there."
Amaretto rolled her eyebrows and then began to push her way towards the still standing forms of the IronMen so that she could inspect them. She walked right up to them and then said, "They look like British Foot guards."
Alice smiled smugly and then said, "Those are the royal foot guards."
Katherine raised an eyebrow and said, "Where are the tall bearskin hats?"
Amaretto looked at her aunt and then shrugged. Alice spoke again in a quiet voice, "I don't think that is what we should be worrying about."
Amaretto turned back to Alice and then said, "Aren't they supposed to be human?"
Alice shrugged her shoulders and then began to inspect the mongoose pistols that she had. "They might have been at one point in time, but now, they are nothing but steam and robotic parts. I'm surprised that they are even able to still be alive."
Katherine shuddered and then said, "I don't think that they were ever truly alive once they had accepted the iron heart."
Johanna walked past all of them and looked up the hill towards the Cloister of Science. "We have to get in there now. I can feel it. I can feel the stone in the Cloister. I need to get in there now." Johanna's voice, which was usually without emotion, had tenseness to it that Amaretto could hear.
Amaretto walked over to the older woman and then said, "We will get it back for you. Don't worry. It will be alright." She patted Johanna's hand in an effort to make a comforting gesture.
Johanna simply nodded her head and then turned to Katherine. "So what is the next part of the plan?"
Katherine looked at Amaretto and then just smiled. "I believe it was to find Mother Chime. She's the one who has the Stone of Communication, and she's the one that has the first coordinate. Once we get that we can move on."
"First we need to find where she is in the cloister." Alice said absently once she was done playing with her new pistols.
Amaretto frowned and then said, "Well, that's true, but we don't have any information. Where the hell is she then?"
Katherine looked at Johanna. "I think we have our own homing device built into the woman who was originally affiliated to the stone." Katherine smiled and looked at Johanna. "Can you truly feel the stone Johanna?"
Johanna closed her eyes and then started walking towards the Cloister. Katherine grabbed onto Amaretto's arm and began to drag her along as she walked behind Johanna. Alice quickly fell into step with them as Johanna walked along the cobbled walk towards the Cloister's main doors. The three women followed Johanna and as they reached the front doors, more of the IronMen showed up.
"Johanna! Look out!" Amaretto cried out, but even then, it was almost instantaneous that Johanna suddenly had her rapier out and was slashing down though the first IronMan in front of her. There was a screech of metal and a hiss of steam. There was an unearthly shriek as the IronMan's died. Johanna's second slash into the next IronMan was blocked however. The second IronMan caught the slash down from the rapier in his hands. There was a sudden bang and a strange whizzing sound. At that moment, the IronMan staggered backwards and felt for his chest. Where he felt was a large hole and there was another small metal clanging on the ground as his heart fell and hit the ground.
Alice nodded her head in happiness. "These are the greatest pistols ever. I must say, how did you get a hold of these?"
Katherine simply patted her purse and then said, "I am not without my own little surprises."
Alice snorted and then nodded her head. "Surprises... that's meant for bawdy women and strange men who have nothing better to do than haunt them in the dark of night."
Katherine smiled and then in a slightly snarky tone said, "That is true, but I am not a bawdy woman or a strange man who hunts women in the night to eviscerate him."
Amaretto tilted her head and then said, "Are you referring to Jack the Ripper? He's here too? I thought that the difference was obvious?"
Katherine shook her head. "No, even though there are differences in how the dimensions are, the time lines can be very similar.'The Whitechapel Murderer ' is still around."
Amaretto shuddered. "That's a little creepy."
Katherine smiled and pointed to Johanna. "Let's keep going. We don't necessarily have time for all of this."
Amaretto giggled. "What is this, a bad television show?"
Katherine smacked her charge playfully on the shoulder and then shook her head.
Johanna had already closed her eyes and then began to move into the Cloister. Katherine pulled her own parasol forward and then smiled. "We need to keep moving."
Amaretto nodded and then looked at the ring on her finger. "I just wish I had a better weapon than this simple ring."
Alice patted Amaretto on the shoulder. "It's alright. I will be sure to shoot anything that comes towards you."
Amaretto looked at the IronMan with the hole in his chest. "Well, I suppose that it is nice that you know how to use that."
Alice smirked. "I suppose that it is."
Johanna walked into the Cloister at that moment, leaving all the others behind. Katherine whooped and picked up the edges of her dress and stepped lightly over the body of one of the IronMen. "Wait Johanna! Wait for us!"