Written by Ben Groenen (Raushan)

A knight and his extended entourage were just beaten to the outer gate by the racing Miguel, who was the messenger boy from Saragossa, and young Harold. Although the pair had become firm friends, they were arguing about who would go get Monaco when he came to them to find out what was about. As Miguel starts telling him of the soon-to-arrive entourage of Don Juan Carlos Vega y Galino, Romegio sends Harold into the castle to get someone of authority to greet the visitors.

Gwyn and Owain arrive just in time to see Romegio lifting up Miguel by the scruff of his neck, and immediately takes offence at what she sees as a bending, if not breaking, of the rules of the Clan. To her chagrin, she’s more than a little surprised … could one say flustered … to find that she is playing host to the Templars until Lord Tomas arrives on the scene. I heard later from Romegio that Gwyn had been trying to raise some hackles of the Templars by stressing repeatedly that the Lady Lillane was the master of this castle. She also tried to get details on what Juan Carlos has done since we last saw him, but he was definitely not forthcoming with anything about that.

As dusk approaches, all of the Clan awaken to the knowledge that Juan Carlos is come to visit. Lady Lillane exercises her rights of authority and “delegates” Monaco to deal with him. Monaco greets Juan Carlos and offers him hospitality. Monaco gave his apologies and told him that Lord Tomas and Lady Lillane were absent, and asked how may he help him. The Templar has come to see the Circle, and Monaco says that he will ask the lady Lillane’s brother, Lord Lucio after dinner. Monaco knows as wells as I do that Lucio will almost always be found in his laboratory. Lucio agrees to meet and discuss the issue with Juan Carlos here.

Returning to the hall, Rachel catches Monaco and warns that the Templar could be a great danger to Lucio and Lillane if he remembers who he is. Feeling quite a bit of trepidation, Monaco arranges for Owain and Romegio to be present at this meeting. Romegio appears to be assisting Lucio as Juan Carlos enters. While the two squires take themselves off to the side, Juan Carlos mentions that he has been instructed to see the Circle. And when he is asked who instructed him, he refuses to answer. In the strained and abrupt ending to Juan Carlos’ request and reasoning, I think my father acceded to his request just to get him away as soon as possible.

Everybody proceeds down to the Circle room, and Juan Carlos walks around the entire Circle, until he reaches the Angels disk. Stepping within it, he pauses and the next moment of awareness for most people was realising that they had just run away from the room. All vampires had not been present as we were just starting to really wake up, but Bismillah! (In The Name of God!), I can only call it an eruption of True Faith fountained from the Templar. While all humans had not felt anything, all Clan members could not help but react instinctively. Monaco could not but help create some uproar when he fled as a lion.

Only my father, the Templar and his masquerading squire remained. By the time anyone returned to the room, concerned for Lucio’s well being, we returned as Lucio opened the door from within. Facing a number of wild-eyed vampires and ghouls, surely only my father could say quite happily that he’s fine. Looking past him, we can see that Juan Carlos’ squire, Maria, has backed herself against the far-wall staring wide-eyed at her … lord who is kneeling with his forehead resting against the hilt of his drawn sword which is resting point first on the ground.

My father was beside himself with excitement and he could not help but reveal that he never knew that the Circle could restore memories … amongst other things I would have thought. I had had my suspicions of Juan Carlos, but … Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rasheem (In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful), I had not expected to see his face looking so inhuman, so … angelic. The Faith that radiated from him had increased from his normal levels, but before we could start to think of doing anything, Lucio informed us that the agreements for the Circle were still in place. Abdiel would not harm one of the Circle… but Lilith was not a member of the Circle ….

In the silence that followed, Abdiel returned to his human form of Juan Carlos and entered the central Circle and tells everyone that Cain is coming. Michael had told him and told him to come here to tell us. When I question him further, he replies that the agreement of the Circle is why he is here … to help, for Cain is coming for Lillane! Inshallah! (As God wills!)

In the uproar that follows, taking a step back, I can see that Lillane is allowing us to come up with what to do in her usual manner, but I think she knows as much (or as little) as we do. The reason of why Cain would be coming now, as opposed to any other time, is fairly obvious, I think. Lilith has sent instructions on the past and some of our future plans, and Cain obviously thinks we are now to be dealt with in some manner. Neither Rachel nor Lucio, come up with any suggestions. We can only devise of three possible things we can try before Cain is likely to get here: we can contact Lilith, we can contact Lelia, and (as Monaco suggested) we try to make use of the Horn of Ilvilon which is supposed to be able to “cure” any vampire touching it of it’s curse.

Of all the tasks before us, the borrowing of the Horn is the … easiest of the tasks. However, as everybody is preparing for the journey, Angelica comes to see Gwyn as she is preparing her horse. Angelica has heard that the Templar is an angel, and that it was the Circle that returned his memory. (Once again, Rollon has been the soul of discretion.) When Gwyn confirmed this, Angelica just nodded and started to leave the stable with a thoughtful look. It was then that Gwyn was realising that an Angelica remembering her past life might not necessarily be a good thing. Chasing after Angelica, Gwyn proceeded to try to convince Angelica not to try it, but Angelica was determined on her course. Gwyn then tried some obscure means to convince Angelica to speak to Rollon about this.

Owain had been nearby all along, feeling quite out of place amidst the conversation, but quickly realised that discussing this with Rollon would raise the worrisome issue of past lives that we were trying to avoid, so he suggested that Angelica should be asking me. When Angelica came to me and told me what she wanted, I thought a bit about it and agreed to help her. This was something that was going to happen … kismet. Being the person she was (in both lives), someone accustomed to getting their way, she would eventually do it herself. If I agreed and tried to be there, then we could try and limit the possible repercussions.

As Angelica and I go to the Circle room, I believe that Gwyn had raced to get Rollon to do something. I don’t understand why, maybe its some Christian flaw, but I can only think that bringing Rollon into the situation can only make the circumstances worse. And anything that can be said to Rollon about this could only make him angry.

In the Circle room, Angelica and Romegio look to me for instruction. Taking a leaf from Lillane’s book, I direct Angelica to the Vampire circle without telling her what to do (and I hope she doesn’t ask me what else to do, as I don’t know). Nothing happens for a little while after she enters the Circle, I think because she was waiting for something to happen, but then something does happen. Her face starts to go blank before she starts contorting her face wildly and then enters an obvious fighting stance. Shouting wildly in French and leaping in the midst of obvious combat, a combat that we cannot see, she begins taking small wounds which I heal as they appear.

Minutes pass in “mock” combat until she spins around and appears to be impaled through her lower chest. She is hunched over looking up at obviously whoever has run her through with a very surprised, shocked, betrayed expression. A grievous mortal wound has appeared, but even this I heal immediately. As she “slides” off the blade, she weakly says in French, “I forgive you”, looking directly at Rollon who had just burst through the doors, and falls to the ground … dead. Abstractly, all I can think of is that the shock of remembering her death must have been too much.

As she is falling half out of the circle, a white-faced Rollon reaches her before anyone else can even move. Looking solely at Angelica’s still features, he says quite clearly “Forgive me Lillane”, and then he bites her neck. Scratching a cut across his chest, he brings her face to his chest and lets some of his blood pool in her mouth. Romegio had done nothing as he didn’t know what to do, I did nothing because this still had the blurry feel of kismet and I couldn’t move fast enough to stop him, and when Gwyn burst into the room and rushed to stop him … it had already been done. This was like being in a ballad of the jongleurs. Some tragedy had been walking amongst us. I know I had expected that there would be some denouement with Rollon but not that she would die … but it happened.

As time begins to flow again, and the consequences are realised by all, I think about the fact that Lillane can see and know things through us, so that if she had known what could happen then she could have stopped it. So maybe, just maybe, she has some plan for all this, and when she plans she has many steps already worked out.

A dazed Rollon carries Angelica to their chamber, and doesn’t even think to stop me from following. Seeing that Rollon isn’t in a fit state to care of himself, let alone Angelica when she awakens to her new state, I take charge of them and prepare things. Rollon is stuck in his cycle of guilt for Oliver and knowingly breaking one of the two canons of the Clan. I make preparations for Angelica’s coming awakening to her new state as a Vampire and as a new person with two lifetimes of memories, and try to reassure Rollon that I will ensure that everything will be taken care of whatever happens.

And whatever will happen shortly, for Lillane sends a mental summons to everyone to gather in the great hall. When I question her about Angelica, she insists I bring her too. Entering the hall and placing Angelica on a divan, we are all gathered together bar Lillane, Tomas and Rollon. Lillane, closely followed by Tomas, strides in and comes to a halt at the end of the dais. As everyone is awaiting the next passage in this drama, Romegio sidles around to Tomas to try and convince him to speak to Lillane and plead for mercy for Rollon as he will be required for the coming confrontation. However, Tomas says that he has already tried to convince her with that argument but that he failed.

Almost as if orchestrated, Rollon marches in set-faced and determined and kneels before Lillane. From his knees, he draws Durandel and proffers it to Lillane hilt first. After Lillane took Durandel in one hand, Rollon bends over and presents his neck ready for his punishment. When Lillane holds Durandel aloft above her in one hand, the sword begins to keen in denial of what its being forced to do. The tableau is held for long moments, until a “meekly defiant” Romegio steps forward to humbly tell Lillane that Rollon is still required for the coming days while the Clan is in danger.

As she turns her head to look directly at Romegio, she continues to hold Durandel aloft with no apparent effort. In the blink of an eye, Lillane swings the sword around and down shaving Rollon’s hair and rests the point of the sword against the ground in front of her. As the sword is as tall as Lillane, she is looking around the hilt at Romegio with a slight smile … almost cheekily, but that’s not possible … is it? Letting go of Durandel which then clatters to the ground, again shaving Rollon’s hair, Lillane says “it’s about time you showed them you weren’t just a vintner” and the trial is over … for now.

In the days that followed, I spent almost all my time with Rollon and Angelica. Rollon’s depression over a hanging sentence suspended over him has really upset him. We are acting like close brothers … the kind who don’t fight … it just feels so strange. When I try and get a rise from him by needling him, it doesn’t feel comfortable doing so and he doesn’t respond.

Angelica’s problems are quite different. She is in flux between who she was a week ago and who she was four-hundred years ago. But we can only provide comfort or strength as required, as Angelica must find out who she is alone. At times, like when she is violent and she uses warrior moves I can’t anticipate, it is quite challenging. But she has all the memories of both lives, and she is fond and appreciative of my support and friendship. As time passes, I’m also instructing her on the changes to her life that her new condition entails.

Meanwhile, Gwyn, Owain and Romegio have been waiting for the full moon to go to request the Prince of Stars help with the loan of his relic. As they travelled, Gwyn is in one of her “moods” (I expect it’s a combination of one her companions has gotten in trouble and one of our immutable laws have been broken and there has been no immediate punishment) so Owain and Romegio ride a few horse lengths behind her quietly chattering away.

Finding Illisander, they quickly convince him to aid them and he takes them to the same cavern pool we had been to previously. Again, Prince Anwyn agrees to help and the horn is handed through the pool.

Returning to Sadaba, the only difference from before is that there is no gargoyle attack. As each dismounts in the inner courtyard, I heal them of the wounds inflicted by the ensorcelled mist. Lastly, I come to Romegio. Of all of us, he was the one who didn’t accept the rules … the one who was willing to question even when he feared punishment for questioning. Not as a reward, but as a token of appreciation, I take the liberty and … ummm, fashion his appearance slightly to rid him of the grosser imperfections. After the gloom that has visited us since news of Cain’s imminent arrival, it’s a little amusing to see everyone react to his changes but no-one is actually saying anything directly to Romegio about it. I wonder how long he went before he looked in a mirror and found out what had happened.

That night, Lucio approached some of us to say that he had been working on some more of the Elixir of Dreams that we had encountered some years before. He asked me if I wanted to try it to contact Lilith, but I wasn’t embraced yesterday. I tell Lucio that I recall he managed to get to that other realm without using the Elixir, and so he can try contacting Lilith (and maybe even Lelia, as well) without having to use the Elixir. The pouting expression of abject disappointment comes crashing down on his face when he finds that no one wants to try his concoction is too much for me to bear. Trying not to be too obvious, I suggest to him that maybe he can ask Abdiel if he wants to try it. With a renewed boyish grin and a happy laugh, he races of to ask. Aah, kids!

The next day, once again when Gwyn is preparing for an afternoon ride, she is sought out for advice. Juan Carlos’ squire, “Julio” has seen that the Circle returns memories, and has heard that it worked for Angelica, and she wants to try it herself. I can’t help but feel that Gwyn was ambushed again and wasn’t prepared. Gwyn tries to unconvincingly warn her off by saying that it has unintended results like killing, but even “Julio” can see that Angelica is still walking around.

Then Gwyn insists that they speak of this with Juan Carlos. Unlike with Angelica, Gwyn doesn’t let go of her idea, even when “Julio” tries a number of ways to get around this. Escorting “Julio” to Juan Carlos’ rooms, Gwyn takes charge of the discussion and proceeds to antagonise him so much so that he automatically disagrees with letting “Julio” try using the Circle. Also, on this day, I questioned Lucio a number of times about whether he had tried contacting Lilith and Lelia until he eventually says he tried but they didn’t answer.

About a week later, when the dawn was supposed to come at the end of a long night … it failed to arrive. There are no signs of clouds, stars or anything; it’s just absolute darkness. I can recognise that could be the obtenebration discipline being used an extremely high level. As realisation of the unnaturalness of the dark arrives, it is closely followed by an immense feeling of dread that creeps up on everyone. All of our guards and servants just bolt away to the rear of the castle and away. It is only us who can see a ground-hugging fog creep into the torchlight and throughout the castle … inside and out.

Lillane and our entire Clan are in the main hall, awaiting our visitor, looking like we are standing in a hall in the clouds. Some of the ghouls are in the gatehouse on the outer gate. They see four hooded horsemen riding up the road to the castle. But I suspect it would have been Lillane who sensed them first as they are radiating power. The lead rider gestures for the others to stop and rides forward a few feet to stop directly underneath where Monaco is standing. He then looks up as he slowly lowers his hood. No matter that nothing is said, Monaco knows in his bones that it is Cain …

Monaco follows the rules of etiquette in the hopes that Cain will also do so, and welcomes Cain and his followers to Sadaba. Cain dismounts, as does his strange followers and then begins some idle chitchat as some ghoul servants take their meagre baggage to rooms. A large, armoured man who is so dark a black skin, that it is almost blue leads Cain’s companions. The other two are an icy pale, Nordic looking woman, and a small far Easterner. I have heard of these races myself but I have never met any.

Monaco said later that he could tell that the castle was extremely exceptional compared to others of this era, almost from the future. As he was ushering them to their rooms, Monaco asked whether they required anything else but Cain said they didn’t need anything at this time. Just before he parted from them, Monaco advised that an audience with the Lord Tomas would be arranged when they were ready. When Monaco came to the hall to announce their arrival, he surprised probably everyone but Lillane and Lucio by saying that one of them was of our clan, specifically the Negro. While the rest of us were looking wide-eyed at each other, but mostly at Lillane, Lillane was sitting very tight-lipped.

When they come, our guests are very finely dressed and fail to make any uncouth comments about the angel nor the Horn of Ilvilon in our midst. Monaco announces them as Cain (of course), Dion of Kush (who is the Negro, and if my knowledge of history is accurate then he would be about 3600 years old) who Cain is very obviously treating with affection (and who is blood-bonded to him), the woman is named Ester, and although she shows extremely politeness, she does it with absolutely no warmth in her … to me, she is the one who looks the most dangerous somehow. Finally, the Easterner dressed in silks is Chao Ching Chao, the Dragon of The Northern Passes. After the announcements, they enter and direct themselves to Lord Tomas of Sadaba. Cain acts as a Spanish royal duke visiting one of his noble’s castles, and speaking the language as a native.

Giving a boxed gift to Monaco to take to Tomas, introductions are made by Lord Tomas, his wife Lillane, then Lord Lucio (at which Cain and Lucio exchange meaningful looks and call each other brother), then Rollon (who also exchanges meaningful looks with Cain, but Rollon looks like he’s more likely to do something foolish, but then Cain throws a quick glance at Lillane that only Rollon misses). If Wolfstead were present, I think he would have done something quite similar to Rollon, but probably have picked up the side-glance at Lillane. Then myself, probably Rafi if he was here, and then Gwyn, who is looking quite put out at the moment. Monaco and Angelica is next (and again Cain throws another of those strange glances at Lillane but which Angelica did catch), Romegio, Owain and finally Juanita.

Lord Tomas looks in the box, and gives thanks to Cain. Passing it to Lillane, she also thanks Cain. While there is some chitchat between the guests and our castles principals, it is quite stilted until it wanders to the castle, which brings Lucio into the conversation in a most lively fashion. However, there were some quite interesting whispers between the rest of us as not one of us knew anything about Lillane before 89AD bar Lucio, and he never said anything. We now knew that she would have known Dion about 3,600 years ago (about 2,400BC) and that usually Lillane’s not well when she’s alone, so she may not have been as controlled as we know her.

When the chitchat died, Cain yawns quite ostentatiously and says that they’re quite tired from their long journey, and Tomas takes the unsubtle hint and escorts them with Monaco back to their rooms. Meanwhile back in the hall, after Rollon and Angelica have stepped out of the hall, there is a lot of talk about the looks that Cain gave for Rollon and Angelica. Gwyn believes that Cain knows of the recent problem concerning them, but I think that it’s their past lives prior to Rollon and Oliver are continually recurring, and Cain knows them.

Once again, Romegio continues to be foolishly brave, or bravely foolish, and questions Lillane about Dion. Broodingly, she tells all of us she was in Kush for centuries. He asks her about two more things, firstly he asks what Cain wants. Still broodingly, she tells us she doesn’t know, but the last time he came calling on the family, he killed the children. Only slightly put off by this, he then asks about what was in the box. Now, Lillane looked quite clearly at Romegio and told him to have a look.

In turn, we all look and see that it contains a pearl the size of an orange. We talk about what we can recall of pearl’s and come up with some associations with dragons, wisdom, longevity, and tragedy. Whatever occult use I can think of, it’s just too beautiful to crush to dust. On Monaco suggestion, Lucio takes the box from Romegio that Romegio had unconsciously clutched more tightly. On examination, he says it’s the Pearl of Wisdom and he strongly advises that no one should touch it. But when I try to get him to say anything about it, he refuses to answer.

We think a few hours pass, but the mist and the atmosphere of dread and the absolute darkness have remained constant. Monaco takes a few of us to Lucio and asks him whether this is a widespread thing across Spain, or otherwise. Lucio gloomily tells that we have been taken elsewhere and there is a shield around the castle. Almost to himself, he says that the shield is a perfect sphere, just like the pearl. Putting his hand to his chin, he absently tells us he is going to go to his lab to think on it. After he goes, Monaco softly says that the pearl is about the same size as Lucio’s emerald; the one he uses as his token and is the centrepiece of his crown. Coincidence?

Monaco takes the sudden absence of Lucio in his stride and suggests that we try and get a Fae perspective. He asks Rollon, who reluctantly agrees to try and ask Durandel. Placing Durandel against the wall, hilt upwards, she forms with strangely cat-like grace and focuses her anger at Rollon. Monaco makes an appeal to her knowledge and she deigns to answer this gnat by saying that Cain has great allies with him. This “realm” we were in was made for this meeting by his allies. She then begins to take a few quick steps towards Angelica until Owain stepped in the way. Although he is looking almost terrified, as Durandel turns her anger on him. However, Rollon is looking like he’s thinking dark thoughts and Durandel appears as if she is being struck across the face and instantaneously turns back into a sword that clatters to the ground. Reaching down, Rollon gathers it distastefully and sheathes it over his shoulder.

Its now time for us to see what we are caught in. Armed with 10′ poles and lanterns, we go out the gates and down the road, losing sight of the castle almost immediately … even with our lanterns. After a minutes walk, we all sensed that there was something right in front of us. Poking one of the poles into the boundary, it goes in a little and then bounces back. Romegio must have been suffering from frustration or something, as he began repeatedly throwing himself at the barrier. After we got over our amazement, we restrained him and he was shivering, saying that it was very cold but very bouncy.

While we were talking away about it, I note that this reminds me of the Outer World Lake, which leads Monaco to wonder if Ester was like the King In Yellow and then maybe the Easterner was really a Dragon. They’re the allies! I must remember to soul-see them we saw them next. Returning back to the castle, we meet Tomas in the outer courtyard and tell him of our speculations. He goes to tell Lillane, Monaco, Romegio and I go to see Lucio and Gwyn wants to speak to Rollon.

As we come to Lucio, he shakes his head and regretfully tells us he hasn’t come up with anything. So we tell him about our theories regarding Ester (who she is and how she could be responsible for the “realm” we’re in) and Chao being a Dragon. Maybe Cain does want to deal with us, but he obviously wants to play with us first. Cain has blood-bonded Dion to use his knowledge of Lillane and possibly his ability to read her better than we can or make her do something rashly. Ester could perhaps be after the Circle, as well as opposing the King in Yellow’s ally; and Chao could be after Excalibur (!) or something else, as well as opposing Queen of Air’s ally.

We have a few problems before us: 1) preventing Cain from destroying Lillane and us; 2) returning us all back to Spain; 3) eliminating Cain’s henchmen from the equation; and 4) getting Angelica and Rollon out of danger of punishment from Lillane. None of us can focus on the first two problems, as we feel that they are beyond our known abilities. However, the latter two problems might be within our capabilities … somehow. I think we can link some of the third with the fourth problem.

Initially, we think that if we can get one of the henchmen to do something against the rules of hospitality, then we can have a trial of champions while keeping Cain within the bounds of hospitality. Although we are assuming that Rollon and Dion would be picked, there are no certainties. I throw in the idea that maybe Abdiel stepping forward and fighting since he hasn’t been useful yet, but Lucio says angels are never useful.

But we can use the defeat of Dion to improve Angelica’s generation. If she diablerizes him and becomes of the third generation, as we are, then this may alter the situation enough that Lillane will not punish Rollon and her. But we ask Lucio what chance does a 7-day old fourth generation vampire have against a 3600-year old third generation vampire. Squinting a bit, if she can boost her abilities, using a special potion he just might be able to make, and use something like Durandel, then she might be able to do it. Speaking to Lucio about Angelica, I try to find out how much Angelica remembers, and he says that she remembers all her past lives. He refuses to say anything further.

I go to find Angelica to convince her to join in on this plan. When I do, I can’t stay to the original idea of telling her that we have a plan, and was she interested in being in it. Looking at her face, I feel obliged to tell her all about the plan so she can knowingly make her own choice. I had been trying to convince her to save Rollon as well as herself, but she agrees only because it is such a great challenge. Which is very interesting … as Wallâhi (By Almighty God) that’s a purely knight’s response.

With our cabal reconvened with a new member, we talk of what will need to be done to get Dion to do something … precipitate, and that now Angelica should be the one to challenge him. Monaco and I are of the mind that Rollon should be told of our plans for a number of reasons, not the least of which is so he doesn’t do anything to spoil the plan. And perhaps, if Angelica is to use Durandel, then it may help to have Rollon’s concentration to prevent it from ridding itself of a rival.

But there is possibly an alternative to using Durandel … Excalibur! Some of us go to the Circle Room, and after some testing of the ability to enter another’s circle, she goes to the Briton artefact, gives it a loving caress and I hear her whisper “Hello, old friend” in French. Giving an obvious attempt and failure, she just shrugs and says she tried as she walks out. Feeling such an obviously half-hearted effort and knowing that she is a part of Excalibur’s story, I whisper “untruth” in French. Darting a quick glance and … smirk (?) at me, she whispers back “but oh contraire”.

Speechless as she walks out the door, and everyone else follows her, I find my quick wits fail to cope with the sudden revelation! Allahu Akbar! (God Is Most Great!) Rollon is the rightful King of England reborn. So all the time Merlyn has been bringing boys to try the sword has been an idle exercise in futility. While the humour at Merlyn’s expense is quite rich, it is soured in that Merlyn has continued to disrupt the lives of many a child in his pointless pursuit.

Just to summarize what else has been happening about the castle: Rachel has been assisting Lucio … to a degree, but I think she has also been distracting him. I don’t doubt that she is conscious of the effect, as well as find some amusement in it. As I mentioned earlier, Gwyn has been seeking Rollon, and has a hard time for he is not in his usual haunts. Eventually, she tracks him down as he has been trailing Cain. Apparently, his view that he is under a suspended sentence gives him leave to try and eliminate the problem to Lillane by ambushing Cain. Thankfully at the time, we would have thought, she convinces him not to.

Juan Carlos and “Julio” have tried staying unobtrusive, but they appear to have been chosen by Ester as her likely antagonists. And I fear, that most of us were expecting to leave Ching Chao to Illisander. Something that Illisander may have thought was a great idea, but I did not think this was anything but disastrous. In fact, Illisander was already eying Ching Chao with great antagonism. I first sounded him out by trying to learn if the Queen of Air had any opposition, and he talks only of the White Saxon Dragon, but that was dealt with.

When I asked him if he knew anything of eastern cultures, and he told me that they’re all shifty and untrustworthy. I don’t know why I expected the child of royalty to be enlightened and beyond such bigotry. I am only setting myself up for disappointment and other worse pains. I keep hoping that we will be able to deal with Ching Chao after we deal with Dion, and stress that to Illisander but I fear the realisation that Ching Chao is a Dragon has filled his head and drowns out anything I can tell him.

In the midst of all our plotting and planning, though came something that ruins almost all plans … when they meet the enemy! Romegio had been trailing people around and had noticed something that he found worrisome. We have never seen Tomas and Cain at the same time since the initial audience … and that maybe when we thought we were speaking to Tomas since then we might not have been. The times that he has put us off from seeing Lillane as she was “sleeping” could have been but the lies of the son of Sama’el and Eve. When he broaches the subject with the rest of us, we calmly discuss and almost race to Lillane’s apartments. Tomas again intercepts us, and again says she is “sleeping”, but this time we try and walk past him “with all due respect”.

Cain throws us all down the hall, as he instantly assumes his own form. He taunts us, and Romegio cleverly taunts him on to try and get him to tell us of his plans. Unfortunately, Cain has never been one to swallow his pride and accept any insults, and he starts stalking towards Romegio (and us) saying that we will die when he reaches us. Showing the better part of valour, we scatter.

Gwyn has rushed to tell Lucio. He has just completed the potion and tells her to bring it to Angelica, who has rushed to convince Durandel to fight with her. The rest of us have found that Dion and Cain have turned numbers of our servants into ghouls. As if we needed another sign that Cain had broken the rules of hospitality which we had hoped had bound him. Angelica went to challenge Dion, Gwyn then went to tell Juan Carlos to begin his fight with Ester, but when she rushed out into the courtyard, she saw that he was already out there facing off Ester.

However, Ester had made that courtyard ground see-through and that far below them in the midst of nothingness was something gnarly, fleshy wriggling around. Whatever she was doing, it was obviously affecting Juan Carlos and making him have a crisis of faith. Dragging her eyes from the terror below, she sees Maria is praying nearby. From behind her, Gwyn hears Rachel calling. When she goes to speak with her, Rachel tells her to take the torch to Maria. Before another thought can be born, Gwyn races to Maria. Leaving a perplexed Maria holding a torch, Gwyn returns to Rachel’s side.

Sighing, Rachel then tells Gwyn to convince Maria to set herself on fire to let her become a being who can help us. Returning to Maria’s side, Gwyn fruitlessly tries to convince Maria but fails even as Juan Carlos is suffering badly in his struggle. In whatever fit of frustration, Gwyn … sets Maria alight. La Illah Ill’Allah! (There is No God But God!) Although she struggles, Maria doesn’t have a chance and after a little time she starts to burn hotter and hotter, generating her own heat until she bursts like a star. The castle walls partially melt in this sudden furnace, let alone Gwyn. She is sorely hurt … but now Ester faces an angel and a phoenix.

I think that Romegio and Monaco were going to look in the dungeon to see if they could find Tomas or Lillane, but I’m not too sure about that, because I was racing to follow Illisander who was going to combat Ching Chao. Illisander and I found Ching Chao in the great hall, inspecting some of his new treasures maybe. I guess that maybe some challenges were thrown and Ching Chao transformed into his Dragon form. If I had a more abstract perspective, I would have been impressed in positive way, as opposed to the terrified kind of way. I tried to distract Ching Chao, while Illisander used the Horn of Ilvilon on the Dragon. I didn’t think this would be effective, and regretfully I found out I was right, but I thought that we needed to distract Ching Chao from what was happening elsewhere. I made sure that I took any damage that Ching Chao was dealing, because I knew that Illisander wouldn’t be able to survive it. But having just spent long enough proving how ineffective this melee has been, I scoop up Illisander and run. Thankfully, the only thing that follows us is a roar.

As the Family straggles together from our different ventures, we find that Rollon has been sacrificing himself against Cain. I do not doubt it was a forlorn attempt and barely caused Cain anything but amusement, but Rollon is wont to do such things when there is no one to do his thinking for him. Somehow he managed to stagger to the others, but only in time to fall into torpor. Durandel begins a-wailing and a-keening to set all nerves on tenterhooks. Not long after that, all of us felt a sharper keening, feeling jag from our hearts as we felt the loss of one of the Family. Looking around, it can only be Lillane, Angelica … or Dion. Il-hamdu Lillah (Praise Be To God), but it is Angelica who staggers down the stairs while leaning heavily against the walls and we know it was Dion who perished. Just as Rollon collapsed, so did Angelica.

In the hopes that Cain is distracted now, all who remain mobile make a rush to Lillane’s apartments and this time succeed. Now that I have time to reflect on this, I think it was surprisingly easy in fact. It was no great task to awaken our Lady Sire and she quickly was brought to full awareness of the situation. Giving instructions for everyone of the Family to be gathered into the Circle Room, Lillane proceeded there immediately. All of her Children are brought into the Room, and include Lucio, Rachel and even Illisander managed to sneak in.

Demanding for us all to enter the Circle, she calls on Rachel to say the words of summoning and begins to pour her Will and Power into the Circle. Illisander has changed into his human child form and is quaking against the far wall, and a pounding comes from the door as Durandel’s penetrating wailing continues to set all on the verge of insanity. But Lilith has been summoned, and almost instantly there is absolute silence. All who were hurt, or hungry, or harmed in anyway, have found ourselves in perfect shape. All our attention can only be on Lilith. Lillane leads us all in bowing and kneeling. Then beginning with Lillane, she studies each of us in turn.

Lillane and Lucio are greeted with some affection, but all the rest of us are examined in differing, questioning ways. I felt her inspection of me was judgemental, as if she was placing me on the side of my grandfather Sama’el. However, considering some of the other looks I could see being thrown at the others, maybe I wasn’t the last of the least. Demanding an explanation, we are silent waiting for Lillane to begin, but she also remains silent. It is Lucio who seems to find the silence the most grating, as he begins to tell her all that has occurred. I find some quiet amusement from the fact that Lilith nods sagely to everything that is said, and tells him (or us) that she already knew all that.

Shaking her head at us all, she reproaches us for not knowing that to deal with a dragon, we must use a hero and a sword. Pointing at Rollon, she commands him to draw Excalibur! He is stunned, but does so almost involuntarily. Others are also stunned, but I feel slightly cheated for I wanted this revelation to be mine, to be used to gain the most amusement. I know this is the most opportune time, and the matter is urgent, but that still doesn’t stop the feeling. With a sudden return to his normal overbearing way, he swaggers away to fight his mightiest fight against a dragon.

The rest of us follow at a more sedate pace, as we are following Lilith. As we approach the main hall, we can plainly hear lots of smashing sounds as of breaking statuary, interspersed with high screechings of pain coming from a much larger being than Rollon, until silence falls just as we near the closed entry doors to the hall. The doors are swung open from within, and a battered, but wildly grinning Rollon ushers us in. Unfortunately, the immense form of the dead dragon that he has marshalled us to suddenly turns to water in the same mass and shape of the dead dragon. Although all of us manage to keep our footing, either alone or with help, but none have avoided being drenched from head to toe. My bemusement at watching all the loose ends being tied up before me is almost overwhelmed by the urge to laugh at Rollon’s expression of mortification at what has happened to his moment of triumph and to Lilith and Lillane.

I think though, that Rollon might have been lucky in that Lilith’s blazing gaze has strangely softened and … she begins a slow … wiggle! I’ve seen many other women do this, but it is still quite shocking for Lilith to do so, to preen herself. She sashays out the door towards where all of us can now sense Abdiel is approaching. Taking a quick glance at each other, Gwyn and I can’t resist but to look at this coming “confrontation”. Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rasheem (In The Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Merciful), I can’t say it any other way but that she vamps Abdiel, right in front of Maria, and Abdiel is doing absolutely nothing to stop her.

I know that he is like the rabbit looking up at the owl swooping down on him, remembering the last encounter with her where his fellow angel fell from grace. But I also know that Maria doesn’t know anything about this, and is hurt that Abdiel is doing nothing to stop her. I feel for her, and maybe Lilith does too … or maybe she has just proved her point, for she gives him a smile and turns away and sashays back to Lillane.

Calling out in that tone that all mothers use, she summons Cain. And, as most children do, Cain shuffles into the hall in obvious reluctance but with no choice. Quiet words are spoken and she brings him firmly into her embrace, and slowly disappears as she looks over her shoulder at Lillane. Leaving us all to pick up the pieces, and put things back to rights.

Juan Carlos and his companion, “Julio” return to Saragossa, without the Dominicans and the rest of their retinue who perished in the conflict with the forces of evil – well, an evil. Gwyn and I escorted Illisander back to his realm after a little discussion on the realities of adventures and how parents consider them. I do think he was tremendously brave, and I appreciate all that he did, but it is a story that would not be good for anyone if it reached the ears of Queen Voklaynn. On our return, I joined in with Lucio’s task of rebuilding the castle and felt proud when Lucio accepted some of my architectural ideas and implemented them.

Another situation was concerning all our servants and staff. All the staff had been put through strange and dangerous circumstances where they could do nothing but suffer. When a choice was offered to them to either stay or go to other castles where equal or better positions would be found for them, I am a little surprised, but gratified, that most wanted to stay. For those of the castle retinue that had been made part of the Family, it was deemed that the responsibility for their “upkeep” should be shared amongst us.

The priest and the armourer became the responsibility of Rollon, while Angelica took Lillane’s head lady-in-waiting and the two maids. When he returned, Wolfstead would be consigned the wagon-master, the stable-master and the youngest stable-hand. It was only fitting that Rafi should look after his own lieutenant and sergeant of the guards, while I cared for the cook and the major domo (the servant master who also assisted in the kitchen).

Monaco spoke to “Julio” before she left, to find out what she was. I followed the conversation after I noticed when she couldn’t explain but had to show him. She turned into an immense feathered serpent with wings and was all aflame. Afterwards, she told us that she belonged to this sun, and when we asked if she was related in some way to the kin of Ester, she said that they were of different and differing stories. I didn’t understand that, as I guess neither did Monaco, but we accepted it. She believed Ester was an agent of something of the Outer Worlds and that there would possibly be some repercussions from her destruction … or may not.

Rachel remains with us to continue her teaching of this branch of Lilith’s Clan. From her and Lillane, we learn more of our extended Family. The family line begins with Lilith, who then Sired Lelia, who then Sired Leda, who then Sired Lillane. While Lelia and Leda also had other progeny, Lillane has eliminated Leda and all of her other progeny. Lillane has three other siblings, but their names aren’t mentioned. Rachel stresses that Lillane is very unique in Lilith’s lineage in that she is the only one who has created male progeny. She also stresses that this Clan must only dilute itself down to the 3rd generation, and that it must not be diluted any further.

Lillane is the one who explains of her past prior to the Roman era, after some careful questioning. Lillane met an Egyptian architect around the year 3,000BC … an architect who was Tyler. From jealousy, Leda killed Tyler and suffered the consequences. About 600 years later, Lillane embraced the Kush, Dion. A further 1,800 years and a Babylonian male was also embraced and then in 300 BC, a Greek female. When asked of their names, Lillane just smiled and the questioning stopped.

Monaco left for a while to begin his apprenticeship to Daffyd, the master east of Saragossa. So he missed the next visit of Merlyn where he had brought another boy stolen from his family and found the sword was in use again. I know that there were some heated arguments between Lillane and Merlyn behind closed doors, but it was Merlyn who stormed out in a dudgeon.