Canticles of the Prophet Zachariah:

Stone and Blood

Notes by Anthony

“Still, being told I was in the Shadowlands and believing it was an entirely different matter. I shouted Ben’s name and tried to run outside. A large, furry arm blocked my path. It was mostly black in color, with a bit of a reddish undercoat. Something that looked suspiciously like a werewolf spoke with Rose’s voice and told me to “stay.” Listeners you’ll be proud that I only screamed a little bit. She transformed back into her human, or rather vampire, self, and grew a set of furry clothes around her torso and legs. I didn’t look too closely.

“Gwen didn’t seem too concerned we were in the Shadowlands, as she has traveled between it and the real world before. She sent Prentiss out to look for Jinx, but no dice. We had all felt the Temple shift twice during the battle: once when I dreamt with Irad, and the second when Gwen inflicted her powers of Entropy on Irad. It didn’t take us too long to realize we had shifted between two planes of existence, and Jinx must have escaped to the first one that I drove us to.

“I was worried about those we left outside the Temple, but now wasn’t time to panic. We had an escape route via Gwen, but we had to learn how to pilot this thing eventually. And now it was active! The stone tick marks glowed with green and pink lights alternating at random. It reminded me of the string lights Ben hung in our dorm. It looked cool as hell and was great for small parties – we used to host movie nights since I’d brought a TV from home to help me sleep and between the two of us, we had a big collection of horror and sci-fi films. They were also great nightlights. I knew I was safe, looking up at those glittering rainbow strands. Ben was nearby.

“It took a while, listeners, but I’ll spare you the forensic blow-by-blow. Essentially, there were four consoles now lit up. Each had tiny razors sticking upwards like the worst possible caltrops. The first had symbols of different vampire clans. We’ll call that Discipline Console, for reasons that shall be revealed later. The second and third had a whole lot of tick marks and writing in Enochian that was partially lit up. I could tell it was math and numbers, but I had no idea what any of it corresponded to. Rose suggested it might be binary. Henry had told her about the Nosferatu’s work with computers. We’ll call those the Coordinate Consoles.

“The fourth had five symbols, one in the center and four in each of the cardinal directions. The bottom or “Southern” symbol was lit and looked to Gwen like Necromancy. The Northern symbol looked to Rose like “waves of spirit.” The Eastern symbol looked like Earth, and the Western like a brilliant, shining light. The middle felt calm and peaceful. If you haven’t guessed, the Symbols corresponded to the Gateways. If we were in the Plane of Death, then the Temple was also designed to travel to the Material Plane, the Spiritual Plane, the Plane of Light, and somewhere in the middle. An Interstitial Plane? That must have been where we dropped Jinx off.

“And so, we had the Planar Console. Asa opened his third eye to watch the console. He saw Damien standing before the Planar Console. The Material Plane was lit up. Damien’s hand hovered above the Symbols for a moment before walking away in Obfuscation.

“So, it seemed we had our answer. We could travel to these five planes, so long as we could turn the ignition and hit the gas. We’d done it accidentally with Irad directly, but that seemed like driving a car by shooting lighting into the engine. Joan interrupted as we excitedly jabbered around the Planar Console. She requested we go back. Irad was possibly unstable. She didn’t know how much blood it needed to operate. I studied her face, but nothing turned grey at that remark. Perhaps admitting she doesn’t know something doesn’t risk a paradox.

“That’s when Gwen pointed out the flaw in our plan. See, the Temple had left Earth and come to the Shadowlands. What had it left behind? A clearing? A crater? What would happen if one of our friends entered the space the Temple returned? Listeners, I’m just going to pretend I have a heart and a stomach since both seemed to drop somewhere below the Earth’s mantle at those words. How could we warn them? Make sure the landing pad was cleared? 

“Gwen could tear a hole in the Sudario, but I let her know I wanted to try something first. I pulled the compact mirror from my pocket. It seemed forever ago that Desirée had lent it to me. I could feel the tattered grey threads of the cobweb. They were frayed and splintered, but present. I could feel Joan strongly, but she wasn’t the only one in the room. Prentiss was, too. 

“Listeners, I know she is a monster. Believe me. I saw the house she quote-unquote raised Comet and Jinx in. I sat in the goddamn toilet chair and hugged the China doll she gave to Jinx. I witnessed what she had done to Nathaniel’s mind. I have no illusion that Prentiss ever deserves grace or forgiveness. And yet, a thread still connected me to her. Prentiss was completely under Gwen’s control and couldn’t harm anyone without her permission. She was alone with only Gwen and the other wraiths for company. Had death changed her perspective? Could Prentiss offer her Children the apologies and closure in death that she had denied them in life?

“I pulled on the threads connecting us. She looked at me disdainfully. To be fair, I’m not much to look at, and Prentiss seemed to prefer the ethereally gorgeous, skinny types. It was strange to speak with her. This was the first time I had seen her or heard her voice, but she’d haunted Rose and Jinx and Comet for years. She had also followed us as an unseen wraith the past few days. 

“I could tell you what she told me, but honestly, she doesn’t deserve the airtime. Prentiss is an asshole. One of those who thinks she’s better than everyone else, and if something goes wrong, it’s never her fault. It’s everyone else who disappointed her. Again, I wondered why Cedric Embraced her. Perhaps she was different before the Malkavian insanity took hold. Perhaps she was kinder before she was given the power to be cruel. 

“You listening to this, Prentiss? I’d tell this to your face if I could see you. No pain that has ever been inflicted on you justifies the suffering you inflict on others. It never does. Comet is a good kid. Jinx probably was, too, before you got your claws in her. Cedric might have been an absent father, but did you ever try letting him in? Asking for help? He’s been good to me and Ben. Kind. He doesn’t deserve you. None of them do. And they’re better off with you out of their lives.

“Ugh. Sorry, Rant over. I needed her help. She was connected to Cedric and Comet by blood. Her threads were stronger than mine. In return, she asked for a favor. I said I wouldn’t hurt any of my friends. She agreed. For the record: I will uphold my end of the bargain. Even if it is with a monster. I am a vampire of my word. 

“Together, we reached out to the Material Plane. Comet and Cedric were first. Then Benjamin. Then, more. Three or four I did not recognize. They were torpid. Something was wrong with their minds, though. A sickness lurked under their skin. It didn’t rest easy with them.

“I stepped into the Cobweb cornfield. Ben and Cedric were there. Comet ran from the farmhouse. Cedric’s eyes narrowed as he said: “is there anyone with you?” Prentiss was a shimmering specter barely visible to the eye. She whispered: “do I look strange to you?” There was malevolence and mirth in her voice. Rather than giving Comet closure, I’d granted her the chance to torment him one last time from beyond the grave. Comet’s eyes went wide. His lips trembled and he took half a step back. He was so scared of her. Listeners, let’s add bringing Prentiss into the Cobweb to my list of top ten regrets since being murdered. 

“Top of the list is, well, you know. Ben was so happy to see me. I was happy, too. Ben explained what had happened at the Temple while we drove from the Crossroad Tavern. Vousette had been badly mauled. Comet and Cedric had given her blood, so she was stable. But Nana Kahenta hadn’t made it. Vousette said it was okay, though. Nana was with the Spirits. And without Nana’s sacrifice and Gwen’s Skeleton army, everyone would have perished.

“I shared our plan to bring the Temple back and warned them to stand far away. They agreed and I cut the connection. I could still see Prentiss as a wavering outline in the Temple. I tried to ignore her. The rest of us compared notes. I was the least hungry amongst us, and Rose could donate if I needed. I sliced my hand on the “Earth” symbol on the Planar Console. I felt a sudden suction as my blood coursed into the Temple. I barely remembered to lift my hand in time.

“So, we’d set the destination. Now, the gas. I approached the funnel. I tried not to let the few hints Joan shared sway me. It looked like one of those science museum Spiral Wishing Wells where you toss a coin in and the centrifugal force takes hold. Great way to spend all your pocket change in an afternoon. The funnel led directly to Irad. It made sense we had to put blood in to make it go, right? I sliced my hand. Again, the suction took hold, but I pulled back quickly.

“The Temple shifted, and then there was a noise at the door. Ben. He raced in and hugged me tightly. His throat rumbled against my shoulder as he spoke: “I thought you were dead. I thought you left me. I’d understand.” I shook my head, careful not to dislodge him. “No, never,” I said, “I’ll never leave you.”  We didn’t really hug before I died, but now it felt like the most natural thing in the world to hold him in my arms. 

Cedric gave Rose the bad news. I hadn’t told her about Vousette or Nana Kahenta. It seemed cruel to do so when she was still in the Shadowlands, unable to help or mourn. Cedric led Rose and Gwen outside. We started to follow when Asa and I noticed the Temple was still visible. It was no longer Obfuscated, and the Sisterhood’s fire was out. We ran back inside. Ben and I pressed blank pages to the Discipline Console and rubbed our pencils across the pages. A tiny piece of Enochian writing showed up under a razor. It said: “Disciplines of Caine.”

“That’s when we realized these weren’t symbols of the clans. They were Disciplines. I pressed my hand against the main razor and thought of jumping into the Shadows. Nothing seemed to change. Then the suction was all around me. It roared in my ears. I tried to yell over it. I remember falling, and Ben screaming my name. I don’t remember hitting the ground.”