Falling from Grace
Episode thirteen
by HerrBearen - published on August 14, 2000
Grace and Dominic made their way back towards the house, but, as they were arriving at the front porch-like foyer, with it's canopy above the main door... she noticed the designs of Nymphs and Satyrs, Unicorns, Dragons, rabbits with antlers and other fantasy creatures. But, there was something odd about the relief... all of the characters looked out at the person arriving at the doorway. As if THEY were welcoming... or warning... the one entering the mansion. Their faces were twisted in agony instead of smiling or laughing. All... except... one Sylph. Her hair was wild in the wind. Her hands reached toward the sky. Her arms outstretched. A weird, toothy grin on her face. But, the teeth looked like they were pointed. Not just two of them, but, all of them were pointed. Like a Zuni Fetish doll. Grace felt a cold wind blow down her neck. Or... was it the wind? The plants next to the main door didn't move and Dominic was in front of her.
"Uh... let's just get inside, shall we?" Grace said nervously, trying not to sound too disturbed.
As they entered into the foyer, Grace noticed the smell of oranges or lemons again... definitely something citrus. Only this time Grace didn't se any baskets of potpourri lying about. "Must be the fruits and nuts in the dining room.", she thought to herself.
As they entered into the massive Dining Hall, Doctor Sebastian was setting bowls of different nuts, berries, fruit, and a bucket of freshly made yogurt on the table.
"This yogurt is from the village, but, made under the directions of the Lama Chadrel. He specified the manufacture to be..."
"Hold it right there, buster!" Grace interrupted the Doctor. "Will you tell me just how and why you know of the Lama Chadrel.? I'm getting a bit tired of all this secrecy and half truths. Will you tell me what is going on here?" Grace was as demanding as a Drill Sergeant at Marine Boot camp... minus the cussing.
"As you wish, Ms. Nakimura..."
"And you'd better start calling me by my first name and stop being so formal, got it?" Grace was on a roll and relished the thought of being such a hot dog with this wiener.
"...Yes, M... Grace.... I have been sent by Chadrel. to teach you more about yourself and your powers as a "Hunter of Shadows" or in my language, the Urogi Lukbo. I have known Chadrel. since my Grandfather and Father brought me to him as an infant. They were with 20 men from different countries... Brazil, Egypt, America, Scotland, Germany, France, Holland, Canada, Japan, Denmark, Peru and Greece. We were to learn more about the GREAT EVIL that has a hold on this world and how to overcome it's power. After my Grandfather died, my Father took me back, to be taught by Chadrel. This was after my Mavanga gitu ceremony. I stayed in Tibet fifteen years." Doctor Sebastian spoke of the men from the other countries also being there. Men from Pennsylvania, USA and the Manos del Sol were mentioned. Which held Grace's interest immensely.
"And another from Germany was there, too. A man named Herr Wolfgang Ritter..." but, that was all the Doctor could say as Grace stood up, knocking her chair on the floor...
"WOLFGANG RITTER?!?! YOU KNOW WOLFGANG RITTER????" Grace was almost in hysterics when she heard THAT name.
The Doctor was taken aback by Grace's immediate response to hearing the name of Ritter. He was wondering why she was such a hot-head. Very moody and her mood swings were scary, up one minute and ready to bite your head off the next. He was beginning to wonder why Chadrel. had picked her to train for such demanding and spiritual work. Surely, he sees something in Grace that warrants her enlistment into the "Army of Light".
"Ms. Grace... I had only studied with Wolfgang Ritter for two years as a young man. I was only 18 years of age, when I first met him. He was a likeable fellow, but, getting too old for this rigorous work. He spoke of a lad in New Or..."
"Yeah... Gabriel..." Grace mentioned obstinately and with a look of disgust and disdain on her face. Like one who was just told they had to kiss their brother or sister.
"Uhhhh... yes.... Gabriel Knight... How did you know his name?", queried the Doctor as he seemed to be just as puzzled as Dominic, by Grace's reaction.
"He WAS my boss, in New Orleans... left for Germany for a year, to take over Wolfgang's estate... and shared a room with me in France, just a few months ago. I thought he was an obnoxious jerk when I first met him. I thought our relationship was going somewhere after we met the Baron in Munich... Nope... he used me in France and went chasing after some red hotty right after....." Grace couldn't finish, as she was now sitting down, in the adjacent chair, and weeping bitterly.
"So, that is why you called me Dr. John. And this Blake Backlash? Is he supposed to be, this... Gabriel Knight? Great-nephew to Wolfgang Ritter?", Sebastian was begging for more and beginning to see why Grace was so frightened of him, when they first met. The Doctor must have reminded Grace, somehow, of Doctor John, as according to the book he read.
"Y... yes... th.. that's r-right... Gabriel Knight... ", Grace was trying hard to compose herself, but, the heartache was too much to bear. She needed this cry... it was a cleansing cry... a cry that was that swept the cobwebs from one's feeling and lifted 50 tons of excess emotional baggage. "Those two stories were about what had happened to both of us in New Orleans and Munich... Last I've heard, he's back in Rittersberg writing a third book about Rennes-le-Château. I know he needs my help with the book... but, I just can't face him... and I don't know if I want to... =sniffff=... I love him and I don't love him... I don't know what to think anymore... th-that's why I took Baza's advice and left for training with Chadrel...", Grace was trying hard to explain what had happened in her life, but, there was no denying the flood of emotions, that swept over her like a dam break... and Grace was the village below the dam.
"And this Doctor John was from Benin? Is that correct?", Sebastian was beginning to piece everything together, now.
"Yes, the entire voodoo cult was from Benin... and Doctor John looked exactly like you. When I was in my room I saw visions of practicing voodoo in your eyes and thought that you were him... I thought I was seeing the dead returned to life." Grace said with a shudder.
"Ahhh!... Ms. Grace, I am deeply sorry... had I known... I would have never come into your room. But, you need not be afraid, Benin is on the opposite side of Africa, on the Western Coast. I'm closer to the Eastern Coast... near Lake Victoria. As for the voodoo... we do not have human sacrifices, but, we do make powerful medicines to protect us from Mrogi and koboko... or Black sorcery and Mamba. We work with herbs and bark, roots and berries, the insides of crocodiles, frogs, spiders, and the very snakes that would bite us. These marks on my hands are also the bite of the Koboko/Mamba. But, I am immune to their poison. My medicine is more powerful than their poison and Limdimi protects me from Limsasi... uh... I should say, Limdimi the Great Herdsman/Benevolent Spirit protects me from Limsasi, the Great Evil. But... what did this Doctor John try to do? The same as written in the book, "The VooDoo Murders"? Then... I was correct in assuming that "Uncle Daemon" WAS Herr Wolfgang Ritter. And then you would be... uh... Fujitsu?", it seemed the Doctor was grabbing at straws, but, the look in Grace's eyes told him that the book was true... all TOO TRUE...
Last update: October 24, 2007
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