HA SATAN (THE ADVERSARY): An Elena Duran/Corazon Negro Story 5/12
Vi Moreau (vmoreau@DIRECTVINTERNET.COM)
Mon, 16 Sep 2002 14:24:36 -0400
HA SATAN (THE ADVERSARY)
An Elena Duran-Corazon Negro Story 5/12
vmoreau@directvinternet.com & divad72@prodigy.net.mx
Ten minutes later
Heru-sa-aset had survived the battle in the streets without incident. He had
caught the Hunter thugs in an unexpected and extremely deadly fire. Only a
few managed to escape the Prince's wrath. Faced with the prospect of
admitting failure to August Medici, the chief of the Hunters, the few
survivors had faded like shadows into the black alleys of the town.
They settled into Myrddin's very comfortable Jaguar, where they could speak
freely and frankly. Myrddin drove through the empty streets, already missing
the comfortable tons of rock over his head. He glanced over at Elena, whom
he had insisted sit next to him. She was even more beautiful in person than
she had appeared on his computer monitor. With her dark hair, strong
features and slim body, she reminded Myrddin of the ageless beauties in
Camelot. She was one of the most attractive women he had ever seen, and he
already knew she was one of the most deadly -- her black eye patch was a
reminder of her warrior's legacy and her remarkable ability to survive.
"I think we should talk," said Myrddin. "Much of what I want to tell you is
based on speculations on my part. The more I know about you the better.
Please, be honest. Without your cooperation, I cannot guarantee the veracity
of my conclusions."
"I have nothing to hide, " Elena said, her only eye sparkling. "Ask me what
you will."
"Very well," Myrddin said then he paused for a moment. "During my mortal
life, I was trained as a scholar and magician by my people, the Celts. I
have always had a passion for knowledge. As an Immortal, my interests have
not changed. A thousand years ago, Methos conceived a great project, and I
have been working on it ever since. It is nowhere near complete, yet I
suspect it is one of the main reasons Lilitu wants me destroyed. I am
compiling an encyclopedia of Immortals. My work is the most comprehensive
and accurate history of our kind ever recorded. Not even the Watchers have
such files. It lists, to the extent that I was able to discover, every
Immortal who ever existed, with whatever information I could assemble about
them."
"Impressive," Heru-sa-aset commented from the back seat. "Of course, I
expected no less from you, brother. What about the legend that talks about
the coming of the Dreamer?"
Myrddin smiled. "That's an old prophecy, brother. Quetzalcohuatl knew about
it -- that was why he sent Corazon Negro to find the Black Flower five
hundred
years ago."
Elena's eye opened wide. "You mean me? I... I never thought --" She turned
in
her seat to face Corazon Negro. "Did you, mi vida?"
"Never," Corazon Negro admitted. "What do you mean, wise one?" he asked
Myrddin.
Myrddin looked at Elena. "You are Curi-Rayen, born five hundred years ago of
the Mapuche people. Your mother was a slave of the Spaniards, and so were
you, and remained so after she died, until Roderigo Rubio rescued you as an
adolescent. You died your first death falling from a horse. As a young
Immortal you met the priest Darius and the Immortal witch Cassandra. Back in
Argentina, you 'mysteriously' encountered an ancient Immortal wandering in
the lands of your father. The strange man told you the prophecy of the Black
Flower, one that should be protected at all costs." He smiled through the
rear view mirror at Corazon
Negro. "The two of you battled against two Immortal brothers from Spain;
they were sent by Lilitu to destroy you both. Years later, Xavier St. Cloud
killed Roderigo. Am I correct?"
Elena's eyes widened with Myrddin's knowledge. "I thought only the Watchers
knew that much about me-but your encyclopedia, of course." It occurred to
her that Myrddin might know more about her than she did herself. "You are
right."
"Please, forgive me if I am too harsh. I'm used to talking to my wolves;
their answers were always straight to the point and not the least bit
confusing. And they didn't chatter so much," he added, smiling. "I guess
I've lost my way with people after so many years. Anyway," he continued,
meeting Corazon Negro's eyes again in his mirror, feeling more confident,
"Your name is Ce Xochitl Yollohtzin Tliltic of the Aztlantaca People,
adopted son of Quetzalcohuatl and born more than a thousand years ago during
your people's Long Walk. You died for the first time during a hunt, in a
snowstorm. When you woke up, your people had left you. You traveled south
until you found Quetzalcohuatl. For years, he trained you and later left
you. Once your original people settled themselves in the Valley of Anahuac,
you returned to them. After the wars against the Spaniards, you were
enslaved in the silver mines, but a mysterious friar-who was secretly a
Watcher who had been searching for you-released your chains. Once free, you
traveled south for over a hundred years, searching for the Black Flower,
until you met Curi-Rayen."
Corazon Negro frowned. "You know too much about us."
"The bonds you two have shared through the centuries are beyond a common
life," Myrddin said. His eyes narrowed. "Suffice it to say that you both
serve as avatars for the coming battle. It is not surprising that Lilitu has
tried to destroy you. She understands that her rule would be never safe
unless all of her potential enemies are neutralized first. She wants to
eliminate me because I posses the truth about her and thus, maybe, realize
her weakness."
"Do you?" Heru-sa-aset asked.
"I'm not sure," Myrddin answered honestly. "I might. Before drawing any
conclusions, though, we must exchange what little each of us knows about the
hag." He looked at Elena then at Corazon Negro. "Both of you have battled
Lilitu. What can you tell me about our common enemy?"
Elena answered first. "I first found out about her back at 1985, when she
killed Quetzalcohuatl on Holy Ground. I felt Corazon Negro's pain in my
heart all the way in Argentina and I went to Mexico looking for him. He was
badly injured by the earthquake that followed the Quickening. Back at my
estancia, Lilitu sent four assassins to kill us," Elena declared. In clear,
concise terms, she described Zarach's arrival, his warning and fighting
alongside her to protect Corazon Negro and their subsequent fight against
Immortal Sleepwalkers in Haiti. Then Elena talked about Bethel, the Immortal
who had broken her Toledo sword, his father's gift to her, and had then
tortured her for more than twenty days, leaving her with only one eye.
Myrddin had no reason to doubt the truth of Elena's statements. He also felt
sure that she was not revealing all that had occurred. He expected no less.
"Unlike Curi-Rayen," Corazon Negro said. "I have dreamed about Lilitu all my
life, and I encountered her face to face once, when she killed
Quetzalcohuatl. She possesses great powers, as I'm sure you know." He
proceeded to describe his fights against Lilitu's minions, finishing when he
said good-bye to Elena. "Over the last twenty years, Zarach Bal-Tagh has
been training me as a Dreamer. I doubt that any of my experiences against
Lilitu's Headless Children will add much to your knowledge."
Again, Myrddin felt that he was being told an edited version of the events
in question. But he needed nothing more. Together, Elena and Corazon Negro's
adventures confirmed what he already suspected. They were merely adding and
corroborating details.
Corazon Negro looked at Heru-sa-aset, who had followed the conversation
closely. "I never understood Lilitu's fixation with Curi-Rayen or with me.
What common bond links the two of us together in this deadly conflict? There
are other many more powerful Immortals scattered throughout the world. Some
of them are active in the Game. What makes the two of us so special, so
unique that Lilitu has spent centuries scheming against us? I don't
understand why she fears us more than the others. Nor am I even less sure
that her logic makes any sense. For all we know, Lilitu could be insane and
have no real reason for attacking us."
"I doubt that," Heru-sa-aset said. "She is not a freak, not in that way at
least. Lilitu knows exactly what she's doing. I am pretty sure she studied
you for centuries before she finally decided to act. She is convinced that
you two are special, and can threaten her plans -- which is of course, why
you
must stay together."
"To draw her fire," Elena commented tersely.
"Yes. But you are no longer alone, my child." Heru-sa-aset admitted. "You
have protectors," he added grandly. "As Myrddin stated, Lilitu wisely sought
to eliminate her most dangerous foes from the Game before she started
playing. You were just a little luckier than she expected."
"I don't believe in luck," Elena stated. "I believe that God fights evil in
every way He can, and He is using us for His purposes."
"Faith is a wonderful thing to have, child," Myrddin said, as the others
nodded. Then he added, "Much of my theory regarding Lilitu's schemes hinges
on the ancient history of Immortals. I still need to know one thing,"
Myrddin said looking directly at Corazon Negro. "Tell me exactly what
Cassandra told you in 1998. I need to know her exact words."
Elena looked at Corazon Negro, but this time she didn't seem surprised. "You
know Cassandra?"
He nodded. "I'll tell you all about her later, my love."
"Concentrate," Myrddin said. "Remember, I need to know the exact prophecy."
Corazon Negro closed his eyes. "The Seven ones have been chosen, the new
army of light, and the two who had been apart will be as one again.. He
paused, then
continued. "Remember, Son of the Wolf, these numbers matter. Some of us are
not what we pretend to be. The Ancient Enemy fears you. The answer is in
your past. The answer is in the love you think is gone. The answer is in
your future. The eternal love that was sundered and undone shall be whole,
the two made one again. These numbers matter. This is the way to destroy the
Ancient Enemy."
Myrddin nodded, his eyes burning with an inner light. "Perfect. As I
suspected. I knew it. The mystery is clearer now."
"Well?" Heru-sa-aset asked.
Myrddin looked at him. "There are a number of Immortals capable of winning
the Game and gaining mastery over the race of mortals. As you probably have
guessed, Prince, the previous attacks to you and in my cave were
orchestrated by someone who knew where we were- obviously a traitorous
member of the Ancient Gathering!" he declared dramatically. "However, only a
very select few are capable of retaining that power at the end, and Lilitu
knows that. Elena and Corazon Negro are one being, forever. They were joined
in Elena's very first Quickening, and their souls have touched several times
since. As one just one being, reunited again, maybe they could defeat
Lilitu."
"A traitor," Heru-sa-aset whispered. "Who?"
"That, brother, we need to find out." Myrddin answered in concern.
"What's next?" Elena asked.
"First, we need to find Methos, Zarach, Naema and Aylon, then discover who
is the betrayer," Myrddin spoke in low tones. "However, there's another
matter."
"What?" Corazon Negro questioned.
Myrddin narrowed. "I need you to think as just one being, Elena and Corazon
Negro. Please, focus yourselves. Lilitu is attacking mostly Immortals that
you two care about. In your hearts, who are your most beloved friends?"
Elena and Corazon Negro stared at each other, thinking. After a moment, they
nodded at the same time. "The MacLeods and Cassandra," Elena finally
declared.
"Then we need to find them too, or they will be destroyed," Myrddin
finished.
========
Island of Nod
Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean
March 25, 2013
Naema sat alone in the study. A sheaf of dispatches, reports of the Hunters
activity from different cities, sat on the desk unread. She was not in the
mood to read them. The attack against Myrddin had failed.
The wall behind her was covered with edged weapons. There were many
swords-long blades, short swords, broadswords and rapiers, swords made of
copper, of iron, of the finest Toledo steel. Mixed in with them were
daggers. The collection included Stone Age knives crudely made of flint and
wood, ornate curved daggers used by the warriors of Islam and incredibly
sharp blades from the Italian Renaissance with secret poison compartments in
the hilts. Axes, single and double bladed, had their place, as did lances
and pikes. And there was even a section of scythes and sickles. No edged
weapon of war was missing from this veritable wall of death. Every one of
them represented a dead Immortal killed by the Hunters.
They had been August Medici's private collection. The decapitated head of
the former chief of the Hunters lay on the desk staring at Naema
glassy-eyed, alongside the reports. She had fulfilled her promise to render
him with a horrible death if he dared fail. Naema sometimes loved to do
special things to her victims; creative things. Of course, it took knowledge
and experience, two things that she had plenty of. One could say she even
took pride in her work. For example, very few people knew that a decapitated
head could continue to see for approximately twenty seconds after the
beheading. So, she had held Medici's head up to him so he could see his own
body. A little extra she threw in, no charge. She had to admit it made her
chuckle.
During his lifetime, August Medici had been an eager student of James
Horton, the founder of the Hunters, but when Duncan MacLeod had killed
Horton, Medici had clawed his way to the top of the ranks of Hunters with
one goal in mind: to eradicate Immortals from the face of the earth. For
thirty years Medici had done a good job-until tonight.
Naema sighed. Her eyes narrowed as she looked down at Medici's head, whose
blood was staining the top of the desk. Remembering Machievelli, she thought
of one truth: it is better for a leader to be feared than to be loved. Well,
now the Hunters feared her.
Naema snarled in frustration and rage at the news they had received. Right
now, the new Dreamer was about to reunite with the other members of the
Ancient Gathering. In her blind anger, she had killed August but now
realized that she had probably acted too rashly. However, for her the death
of a mortal was of little consequence, even if the mortal had been one of
her allies. Men lived and died, but the Immortals endured.
She felt the presence of another of her kind as the handle of the door at
the far end of the room turned. Naema's eyes narrowed in surprise. Leaning
back in her chair, she casually reached for the double-bladed Norse
battle-ax. The massive weapon, capped with a steel spike, was meant to be
used with both hands. Lifting it from the display, she rested the ax on the
desk. Whose motto was it: 'Be prepared?' She always was.
The door swung open. A large blond man stood at the doorway unmoving, as if
waiting for an invitation. Though steeled for deceit, Naema was not
surprised to see him, and she recognized him from the Hunters' files.
The black beauty rose from the chair, though she kept one hand on the handle
of the battle-ax. "Please enter," she said smoothly. "I am Naema. You are
looking for me?"
"Of course," said the huge stranger, stepping into the room. The door closed
soundlessly behind him.
His white skin contrasted deeply with his golden brown hair that trailed
down his back in a long braid. Naema was not interested in his hair though;
instead, his strong black aura attracted her in an almost intoxicating
manner, like the inner fire that burned in his bright blue eyes. Another
Headless Child. Good.
"I am Bjorn Wulfson," he announced. "I assume you have heard of me."
"Who among the Immortals has not?" Naema said graciously. This was good:
Lilitu still had several cards to play. She gestured with her free hand to
the chair in front the desk. She did not, however, release her grip on the
handle of the ax. "You are the Immortal son of Kanwulf. Your fame, like the
tales of your ancestors, the Berserkers, precedes you. I am honored by this
visit from a member of the Headless Children."
"Thank you, milady," Wulfson said with a grave voice as he sat. He was
polite; Naema could tell that Wulfson obviously knew the woman before him
was a member of the original Ancient Gathering, and he respected her powers.
Very good.
When he was comfortable, he continued. "My appearance here is a secret
shared by just Lilitu, you and me. After all, we are a secretive race. A
trait inherited from Lilitu, I suspect."
Naema nodded. "Perhaps, but I suspect it's more the result of thousands of
years of backstabbings, double-crosses and betrayals."
"True enough," Wulfson smiled. "No doubt you wonder why I have come to you
in such a surreptitious manner."
Naema shook her head. "I no longer wonder about such things. The Headless
Children always reveal their purposes to me without me having to guess. I
can read your mind: Lilitu sent you with a message, and a new tactic."
Wulfson nodded his head in agreement. "You are right, my Princesses. Lilitu
is interested in wiping out some Immortals in Scotland. That's why she sent
me to you."
Naema smiled. "Some members of the Ancient Gathering are in Scotland right
now." She thought for a moment. "And the MacLeods, of course."
"Lilitu wants me to take care of those two Highlander bastards. It will be a
child's play."
"Why?"
"The MacLeods are going to be the bait. The new Dreamer and the others will
try to protect them. It's a trap."
"You are ambitious," Naema whispered. "Most powerful Immortals are. I have
my ambitions as well. What makes you think that you will succeed where many
others-including Kanwulf-have failed?"
Wulfson smiled-a wide-open bear-like grin. "Lilitu gave me powerful allies,
Immortals all. They are stronger than even the forces of Hell. They are
special-Berserkers-as I am. Their strength added to my own makes me nearly
invincible."
"Nearly invincible," repeated Naema, emphasizing the first word, her grip
tightening on the battle-ax. "What is the plan?"
"Berserkers kill. That's what we do. We kill them all. Their mortal
families, their pets, everyone. Lilitu wants to erase every trace of them
from the earth. My army of Immortals will take care of that, and of the
elder MacLeod. Of course, I am going to kill the cub, Duncan MacLeod,
myself. I owe that to Kanwulf."
"What a tangled web fate has woven," Naema spoke releasing her grip on the
battle-ax. "Let's do it."
========