Chapter 14: Confrontation and new life

The weather had turned as solemn as Karen's and Elisabeth's mood during the drive to Magnesia Springs. The sun disappeared behind dark ominous clouds giving the world a gray dull appearance that took the warmth out of the land and out of the heart.

A light mist began to fall, and Karen switched on the wiper blades. She glanced into the rear view mirror and saw the big white Cadillac following several car lengths behind. She became aware of her breathing and was surprised at how nervous she was. When dealing with normal situations and even with men, she had experience and was usually confident and in control but as the car got closer to their destination, she felt each accelerated beat of her heart, and her palms became damp. This was new, this was for more than anything she had ever fought for. This was not for herself, this was for all the good things in the world, something she had never participated in before. "God give us the strength." She prayed for the first time in her life.

Karen entered the tent first, with Elisabeth just behind her. Art and Louie, both looking bored following the women. What little was left of the afternoon afforded them only a dim view of the interior, but they could see a flickering through a narrow opening coming from behind the velvet drapes as if originating by candlelight.

Karen led the way toward the back of the tent and the flickering light. She stood silently before the drapes for several seconds considering what to do, when suddenly the deep booming voice of reverend Bishop, coming from the room beyond, and filled the massive tent, "Do come in," the voice commanded. "It would be a shame to do otherwise. You have come such a long way."

At the sound of Bishop's voice Art said. "What the fuck is all this bullshit? Come on let's get this shit over with." He pushed past the women and pulled the drapes aside.

Karen knew she had to react quickly and sent a mind probe out to the second of the gathering of four, Elisabeth.

Elisabeth felt the probe drive into her brain but didn't understand it. It was like a finger probing and searching into the deepest recess of her mind. For a brief moment it frightened her, then she understood ... it was Karen and the probe was a gift from her enlightenment.

The first two of the four were now one, with but one single purpose, and one single thought. Elisabeth turned and walked toward Karen, not so much as in a trance, but more of an understanding of intention.

Elisabeth began to feel secure in the blanket of mind melding. The two as one seemed to possess a will strong enough to tumble down walls, or even move mountains. Yes, they could wield the sword. Yes, they could send him back to the hell he had come from.

Art, not knowing anything of what was taking place in the minds of the two women, took on a plan of action reserved for mortal humans. He took two steps into the room then stopped in his tracks. The room was large, much larger that it should have been, maybe two hundred or three feet in length as if the back wall of the tent had been pushed out into empty space. The room was entirely devoid of any furniture except for two tables set on opposite sides of the room against the left and right canvas walls. Each table held three lighted black candles, giving an eerie ghost like quality to the room.

Written on the wall he was facing was the word "SUSEJ", in large blood scrawled letters just above an upside down crucifix. Just below the cross he could see the faint outline of a door-sized opening pulsing with an iridescent green color. Standing on either side of the door were two men, both dressed in white robes and seemingly in a trance. But what had stopped him in mid stride was not so much the room itself but reverend Bishop the man. He stood tall and impressive in the center of the room dressed in black robes, with his arms folded across his chest. Bishop's eyes glowed the color of fire, and his face, once human, now displayed not even the slightest quality of being mortal.

Art sensed more than heard Louie, and the two women enter the room behind him. They, too, stopped short at the sight of Bishop.

The frequency of pulsing by the door seemed to diminish just a little, then the voice of Bishop boomed out once again, the words spoken were not the sounds made by man, but rather the sounds of demons. "It has been some time," the deep voice boomed, "since last I stood on the battlefield."

The body that at one time belonged to Bishop suddenly burst into flames of orange and white that completely encircled him. The flames neither disturbed Bishop nor his black robes. The voice boomed at them again. "You have unwittingly both helped and hindered me in my quest of soul reclaim. My time has come to regain what once was mine." The flames turned into a glow of red that remained around his body.

Karen could feel the probe binding her to Elisabeth weaken, and she concentrated on pushing Bishop into the pulsing door with its power. Bishop remained where he was, but he had wavered backward ever so slightly.

Art didn't know or even care, for that matter, that a struggle was taking place between this thing Bishop and Karen on some higher plane, but he could feel his legs had become sluggish and would not respond to his demands. Somewhat over the shock of seeing Bishop, he moved his hand toward his .45 Automatic, but like his leg's his arm's only moved in slow motion.

The thing that was Bishop was surprised by the strong force imposed by the probe, but spoke again and taunted them. "You feel secure wielding the sword of light. Perhaps you would care for a playmate." He leaned back on his heels and the pulsating of the door intensified and a naked creature that looked like a small deformed human came through the door. The thing was three feet tall with a massive lump on its back and arms that hung to the floor. Its body was covered with a thick slime that dripped down its short skinny legs then onto the floor. It's discussing testicles hung like a pair of hairy bee hives between its legs. It moved very slowly toward Elisabeth calling her name. "Elisabeth. Elisabeth. I am for you, Elisabeth. Come Elisabeth let me fuck you as my master did. You enjoyed taking a cock up your ass. Didn't you?"

Elisabeth became so frightened she lost the probe. All she could think of was running away, but her legs failed her.

Bishop could feel the force of the sword falter, and he laughed, a hideous sound of exhilaration.

Karen's probe drove into Elisabeth's mind, but it found nothing. She drove deeper but only found black. Karen plunged farther and thought, "For that girl Elisabeth ... That dear girl he violated ... Elisabeth, for the girl..." ... light ... brighter now, and then ... the probe.