“I believe I should have received aletter?” said the Professor.
Bill had forgotten all about theletter his mother had given him.
“Well yes, I –”
“No matter, I have it here. It wasretrieved from your room.”
The Professor pulled out the longyellow letter from a concealed pocket and opened it, reading with interest.
Bill was surprised that someone hadbeen allowed to go rummaging around in his room. But he was also curious as tothe contents of the letter. He couldn’t help blurt out: “What’s in it?”
“Nothing to concern you, merely yourmedical records,” said the Professor slipping it back into his pocket.
Medical records!... This piece of information made Billeven more freaked out than he was already. “Please just tell me what you wantfrom me,” he mumbled.
“Of course William, that is why we arehere. I think it is time for me to explain.” The Professor paced up and downthe room, looking thoughtful. “Like me, and like many other important people,you have become a member of that most serious of organisations, The UltoriusApostles.” The Professor lifted up the sleeve of his kaftan to reveal atattoo of a writing salamander. “There are secret branches of the Apostlesspread far and wide. We have members in the church, police, army andgovernment. Our sacred work is to do whatever it takes to protect society fromthe Devil’s Bane.” The Professor looked at Bill and added in a deeply sinistervoice, “They are no more than plague carrying rats and we are the exterminators.”
“You’re talking about Dark Pagans?”
“That is the common term, yes. TheApostles was formed one hundred years ago at Brimstone Manor by Lord PercyValentine, a great man who was defiled in his time and is now forced back fromquiet peace to walk with us again and suffer the curse.”
Bill was confused. “But... why are youso interested in me?”
“You are very special William. Prepareyourself for what I am about to tell you, although you may already suspect it.You are like no other creature on Earth, or any that has ever lived. Weordinary humans cannot see the beast that lurks within – the so called BestiaMarcam or Mark of Arddhu Og as the pagans call it – but you William have awonderful gift. You know where evil is manifest, you can see these creaturesfor how they really are. Have you not discussed this blessing with yourmother?”
Bill thought about the beasts he’dseen in the Dizzy Duck and the creature at the church, but he didn’t sayanything.
“Centuries ago there were many cultsbut the law of this land has laid a heavy hand upon them. Today only one cultsurvives but this is the most dangerous cult of all. They call themselves theServants of Arddhu Og and have found many ways to hide in society. They arelow, cunning and venal. They spread the filthy curse of their cult by lettingand drinking the blood of innocent people. But you shall help us root them out,every last one.”
“Arddhu Og?”
“That is their name for Satan. Thedevil possesses them with evil intent, they speak in tongues, they arepossessed by evil!”
“I don’t know anything about this.”
“But William, you do!”
“I can’t remember.”
“Have patience William.”
Bill was filled with frustration asthe questions he had long agonised over poured into his mind. “But... Who’s myfather? Where did I come from?”
He tried to think about his past,tried desperately to dredge something up, anything at all. But his mind wasempty.
“We will help you remember your past,but in our own way. You do not know how important you are, William. Your mindholds the greatest secret to aid us in our quest and we intend to find out whatit is.”
“What secret?”
“That is for you to tell us.”
“But...”
“This is what is going to happen,William. Each evening, after you have finished in the Dining Hall, you mustcome to my room. I will expect you there at seven o’clock sharp every night. Itis there you shall have your treatments.”
“Treatments?”
“We will start with hypnosis andpsychotherapy, accompanied by some injections of a special medicine.”
“I don’t like the sound of that.”
Professor Nox looked angry. “You willlisten and obey.”
“But-”
“If that doesn’t work then I’m afraidwe will have to move on to electro-convulsive therapy.”
“What!”
“Do not look so shocked young man. Youwill not be greatly harmed.”
Bill stood up. “You’re not zapping mybrain! I might lose what little memories I’ve got! I’m leaving.”
Frank grabbed his arm in a vice likegrip and pulled him back down onto the sofa.
The Professor looked very angry.“Enough! You will do as you are told or you can have the treatments atBrimstone Manor. The cellar is very well equipped.”
Bill gritted his teeth and his facereddened. He was shaking.
The Professor took a few moments tocalm down. “Now, my obstinate little friend, we must get down to our otherbusiness. We are trying to find the two pagan witches who kidnapped and abusedyou in such a foul way. They are guilty of a most heinous crime.”
“Leave the girls out of it.”
“That is impossible William. You saidtheir names were Ophelia and Lilith and they were fellow students. We havesearched the records but there are no students with such names registered atMiddenmere. Are you sure you have the names correct?”
“They won’t do it again-”
“We think they are two vain and stupidgirls who were told what to do by someone who understands the rituals, someonewho is guilty of obtaining illegal Dark Pagan knowledge. We must findthese people and take them to Brimstone Manor for questioning.”
“You can’t just go around kidnappingpeople.”
“We must do whatever it takes to trackdown Lord Valentine. Like I said, the cellar is very well equipped. We can be verypersuasive.”
“What sort of people are you?”
“I will tell you who we are William.In a very short time this Percy Valentine will become the Servant of Arddhu,evil incarnate here on Earth. He will become extremely dangerous.Innocent, God fearing people will suffer.”
Bill thought about the beast at thechurch and despite his misgivings could see how it needed to be stopped.
“It was in the church... the oldruined place in the
