“But Merlin’s a fictional character, right?” Eun asked.
“Yes and no,” Lazarus said. “The standard depiction of Merlin first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s
Historia Regum Britanniae
and was basically an amalgamation of actual historical and legendary figures. What Geoffrey did was combine the stories of Merlinus Caledonensis with the tales of Aurelius Ambrosius to create the character he dubbed Merlin Ambrosius. It’s Caledonensis that concerns us at the moment. Supposedly, he was a bard who went mad after seeing the horrors of war. He abandoned civilization and escaped into the woods, becoming a wild man who embraced nature magicks. He created The Unnervum, fashioning it out of what he called The Tears of God—a silvery fluid that fell from the sky not long after he went into the woods. The material hardened over time and became a perfect sphere, one that gave him visions of other times and places and which could also absorb the darker passions of those who came near it, leaving them feeling refreshed and ready to embrace the beauty that God had created.”
Eun shook his head, amazed once more at how strange the world really was. “Okay. So Lowenstein had this crystal ball, and it figures into the suicides because—?”
Catalyst smiled. “Because The Unnervum absorbs those negative emotions automatically. Over the years, it has become a huge storehouse for them. And it’s like a magnet, the more powerful it becomes, the more it draws those negative emotions towards it. In other words, having it in this city makes Sovereign all the more appealing to those of negative intent.”
Samantha spoke up, looking confused. “But if it leaves you feeling more hopeful and refreshed, then why isn’t Sovereign the happiest place on earth?”
“Because at some point it stopped doing that. It absorbs negative energy but it doesn’t leave behind anything in its place. The evil stuff just starts to build up again and then The Unnervum absorbs it and then the whole cycle continues once more.”
Samantha glanced at Lazarus. “Then why haven’t we found this thing and destroyed it? Or at least moved it away from Sovereign? If this story is true, then we’ll never be able to clean up the city, not as long as that horrible storehouse of evil is out there.”
“Because it’s not that simple,” Lazarus said. “Even if we could destroy it, all that would do is unleash all the stored up energy that’s contained within it. That would be very, very bad.”
“So where the hell is this thing?” Morgan asked.
“It’s buried beneath City Hall,” Lazarus responded.
The silence that followed was so pronounced that Andre had to chuckle. “Sorry, I know it’s not funny but the looks on your faces! Yes, Lazarus is correct. The current City Hall was built in 1868 after the big fire that torched most of downtown. Lowenstein believed that The Unnervum was becoming a danger. Dark forces wanted it. If they could harness its contained power, they would have become very powerful. So he made sure it was buried beneath the foundations of City Hall, where he thought no one would ever be able to get it.”
“He sounds like an idiot,” Morgan murmured. “Now we have a ball full of negative energy right beneath the mayor’s office? No wonder this town is the way it is.”
“Nevertheless,” Lazarus said, obviously ready to move on, “The Unnervum may be intensifying the visions that those poor souls have been receiving.” He fixed Catalyst with a steely gaze. “You said we need to find the source of the visions in order to stop them. Do you have a suggestion about how to do that?”
“I do, actually, and it does involve The Unnervum. My powers may be fading but if I could put my hands on that thing, I think I’d be able to get enough of a boost that I could not only receive one of those visions, I might see well past what they did. All the way back to the source.”
Samantha looked concerned. “First, that sounds very dangerous for you. Second, how are you going to reach it? You just said it’s buried beneath the foundation of the building.”
Morgan picked up the newspaper that he’d been reading earlier. He hurriedly flipped to one of the interior pages and spread it out on the table before them. He tapped an article and said, “This! That’s what you’re planning, isn’t it?”
Andre’s grin spread even wider. “You are correct,
mon ami.
”
Samantha leaned forward and scanned the newspaper type. The article’s headline was
Sewer system undergoing reconstruction. Parking around City Hall may be affected.
According to the reporter who wrote the piece, workers would be going right under downtown to make some much-needed repairs and improvements. Aloud, she said, “You think we could access it from below?”
“I’m almost positive, but I also know that The Ghost Finder would not simply allow it to be buried in concrete. He would leave other defenses around it as well. Accessing it may prove dangerous.”
Sensing excitement, Eun sprang to his feet. “Good thing you’ve come to the right group for some assistance, then! Let’s head to the sewers!”
Morgan looked dubiously down at his expensive suit. “I have a feeling that my dry cleaning bill for this month is going to be through the roof!”
* * *
Newcomers to the city of Sovereign sometimes commented on the odor that permeated the place. It was a heady mix of moist earth, saltwater and human sweat. Within weeks of being there, the smell became so commonplace that few of the locals were even aware of it.
Lazarus had long since stopped noticing such things. As he trudged through the ankle-deep water in the sewer system, he was reminded of it for the first time in years. The scent was so much stronger down here, as if it had seeped into the plumbing and become much worse as it mixed with the wastes of humanity.
Getting into the labyrinth of tunnels below the city had been quite simple. Lazarus had simply looked over a map provided by the water department and picked the manhole cover closest to their goal. Since the city had already begun their renovation project, the entrance was blocked off to the public but it had taken nothing more than jumping over a few barricades to gain entrance. Thankfully, the workmen were in another area of the sewers and hadn’t yet reached the portions that Lazarus was interested in.
Now the entire Assistance Unlimited team and Catalyst were moving beneath City Hall. Up above, the building was churning with activity. It was early afternoon and the movers-and-shakers were busy with meetings and pontification.
The current mayor was Rainsford Byles and he’d proven to be a staunch ally of Lazarus Gray. Unfortunately, he’d grown tired of fighting a seemingly insurmountable battle to clean up Sovereign. As such, he wasn’t seeking reelection. The field had become crowded with challengers since then, with a mysterious figure named Mortimer Quinn slowly positioning himself as the front-runner. Most people in town wondered about his somewhat murky past but Lazarus knew the truth. Quinn had once been a Gravedigger and had operated in Sovereign City not long after the town’s founding. Once Quinn’s time as a Gravedigger was over, he’d found that his extended life had slowly grown boring. Now he was finding new excitement in politics and Lazarus thought it could only be a good thing to have another friend in office.
“I think we’ve found it, my friends.” Catalyst slipped past Lazarus and placed his palm against one of the walls. “I can feel it pulsing away in there.”
Eun regarded the bricks with a wary eye. “Are you going to be able to wave your hand and make the wall disappear? Because otherwise I think we should have brought some heavy equipment with us.”
Catalyst glanced over at Eun and said, “Actually I do plan to make the wall disappear but that doesn’t mean that our work is done. As I said earlier, I imagine that Lowenstein left behind a few surprises.”
Lazarus put a hand on Eun’s shoulder. “Please take up a position near the front, just behind Andre and myself. Samantha and Morgan, I want you to stand near the entrance to the tunnel. If something comes out of there and gets past us, you’re to stop it. Do you understand?”
Morgan nodded though he looked puzzled. “Are you saying you think there might be something alive in there?”
“We’ve seen stranger things.”
“That’s true.” Morgan drew his pistol and took his assigned spot. He offered a smile to Samantha as she did the same. Both of them were using weapons that packed more than the usual ammunition. The bullets were silver-tipped and each had been soaked in holy water for several days. Those were tricks that The Peregrine had passed on to the group and it had paid off on several occasions. If they faced something that was traditional flesh and blood, the bullets did their standard work but if they squared off against something supernatural, the silver and holy water sometimes worked when more mundane things would have failed.
For his part, Lazarus was brandishing a large knife in his right hand. The blade was ancient and, according to legend, had once been used to kill a large werewolf that had been preying on young children in Manchester, England. There was nothing particularly powerful about the weapon but Lazarus had found it useful on several occasions.
Catalyst waited for a signal from Lazarus. Though it had never been stated outright, it was generally assumed that Gray was the leader of this expedition. Andre was, after all, operating on the other man’s turf.
Lazarus gave a curt nod and Catalyst went to work. The old man channeled the eldritch energy that existed within him and pushed it towards the wall. The brick shimmered and then vanished, revealing a room that was about 12 x 12 feet in size. In the very center was a surprisingly ornate pedestal upon which sat The Unnervum. The pedestal was covered in carved symbols, many of which seemed to glow with a soft blue light, illuminating the room. The Unnervum itself glowed as well, but it was a subtler thing, and within its glass confines images swirled of things both dark and frightening.
Andre paused. “Perhaps you should stay out here,” he warned. “If something dire happens to me, I’m dead already. The worst case would be that my time is up and my power would return to the ether.”
“As far as I’m concerned, death is nothing to fear. I’ve been there and back.”
“Your death was a metaphorical one, my friend. Richard Winthrop may have ceased to exist but your physical body never truly went away.” Andre flashed his most winning smile. “Besides, you are now a married man. I would feel terrible if I took that lovely woman’s husband away from her. Stay here. Watch. If I need help, I won’t hold it against you for giving me assistance.”
Lazarus took a deep breath and agreed.
Catalyst took one step into the room and then all hell broke loose. A crackling field of energy shot forth from The Unnervum, striking Catalyst with such force that he was lifted off his feet and sent flying backwards. He landed on his back, grunting as the air was driven from his lungs.
Almost immediately, creatures formed out of the air, taking on humanoid shape. There were five of them, perfectly matching the number of heroes on the scene. These monsters had two arms, two legs and a central trunk topped by a head but that was the end of their similarity to humanity. Their skin was mottled and rough like a reptile’s and their faces were smooth and somewhat moist-looking, with only tiny slits for eyes and a mouth. Their hands were long, with tapered fingers that ended in razor-sharp claws.
They were completely noiseless as they emerged from the room and attacked. Lazarus and Eun fell back, not wanting to be overwhelmed by the creatures before their companions could join the fray. It was a wise decision because Catalyst was on his feet in seconds, joined by Morgan and Samantha.
Lazarus shouted, “Be careful with your guns! Don’t accidentally shoot one of us!”
Morgan nodded and took aim at the closest of the things. He fired two shots, both of which hit home directly in the center of the creature’s forehead. The bullets sank in and seemed to be swallowed up by the goop that comprised its facial features. “Uh-oh,” Morgan mused. He glanced over as Samantha was discovering the same thing. Bullets that struck the monsters’ lower body bounced off, ricocheting dangerously in the enclosed quarters, while the ones that struck their heads vanished into the clay-like substance.
Eun was taking the more direct route. He was punching and kicking with all his might. Unfortunately, his blows were having no more effect than did the bullets. Each strike did more to hurt his own hands than anything else and when he backed away, his limbs were tingling in pain.
Lazarus’ blade struck home again and again but it, too, was useless.
Only Catalyst seemed to have any effect and even his magic blasts were only staggering the creatures. “Any ideas, Mr. Gray?” he asked, shouting over the sounds of gunfire and the grunting of Eun.
Instead of answering, Lazarus took action. He avoided the worst part of a swipe from his opponent’s claws, ignoring the stinging pain as a gash was opened up on his shoulder. He dove into the room, headed straight for The Unnervum. The monsters had seemingly emerged from nowhere but he suspected that they did have a point of origin: the same one from whence the blue energy had come.
Catalyst saw what was happening and inwardly flinched. He had wanted to be the first to handle the cursed object, not out of personal hubris but because he feared the effect it could have on the others. Still, there was no turning back now. He brought up an arm and blocked a punch from his enemy, the force of the blow sending a shock of pain that went all the up to his head. “Hold them off for a minute more!” he yelled to the others.
The advice was unnecessary. Each of the Assistance Unlimited members were doing their utmost to defeat the creatures. Samantha had abandoned her pistol and was using judo to toss her opponent to the floor. She kept it there with a flurry of kicks but she knew that the monster would inevitably rise.
Morgan, meanwhile, was in a bad way. A powerful blow to the side of the head had rocked his senses and left him dazed. Now he was trying to fend off two of them, as the one that Lazarus had abandoned had now joined the creature he’d been fighting. The two of them raked Morgan’s flesh again and again, ruining his shirt and leaving glistening red lines on his skin.