Cassandra

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"That is not your concern," says the woman. "Everyone will find out soon enough. One last thing: Do not attempt to open or discard the box, if you value the existence of this world at all."

While giving this speech, the man drags a small canoe, just big enough to hold the two women, from behind the altar. Somehow or other, it holds their clothing and any other items they brought with them to Sky's island.

"Go now," he says, indicating the direction they should row to reach Collinsport. "Say nothing of this to anyone; the Leviathans are watching."

[Mr. Handy]

"What are the Leviathans?" says Victoria, getting into the canoe, making a mental note that they never said she couldn't X-Ray the box, and it doesn't look like it's made of lead.

[SunlessNick]

Maggie gets into the canoe as well, and picks up the oars, worried that Vix's questions will lead the man and woman to choose option 3.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"What are the Leviathans?" says Victoria, getting into the canoe, making a mental note that they never said she couldn't X-Ray the box, and it doesn't look like it's made of lead.

The woman says, with a trace of anger in her voice, which has up to now been almost without emotion, "We are the Leviathans, and we welcome the One to come! Do not fail us, or all will perish!"

[Mr. Handy]

Victoria nods and begins to row, not wanting to risk trying to get any further information from them.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The two women are able to get back to Collinsport safely, with Victoria in possession of the strange box. It would be simple enough to take it to antique shop owned by the Todds; getting it X-rayed at the local clinic would take some fast talking, as is this not something the place normally does. In either case, once Victoria gets back to the mansion at Collinswood, there is a Western Union telegram waiting for her, from Angelique Rumson.

MUST MEET BARNABAS PLEASE ARRANGE SOONEST STOP NOT FEAR STOP

[Mr. Handy]

"I was thinking of going to Professor Stokes," says Victoria to Maggie. "He's an expert in the occult and would likely be able to help us. But we should meet Barnabas first. Angelique probably doesn't agree with her husband's arrangement, and she may have told Barnabas something about our particular situation."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Arrangements are made for a meeting with the newly arrived Barnabas Collins, a distant cousin of the local Collins family from England, who has moved into Old House, currently being renovated. (Barnabas apparently has quite a fortune.) He appears to suffer from some unspecified disorder, as he has retained Doctor Julia Hoffman as his personal physician. Upon receiving his guests, he is rather courtly, in an old-fashioned way, paying particular attention to Maggie, despite the two coming from quite different backgrounds.

After the usual pleasantries, he inquires, "To what do I owe the delightful presence of such charming company?"

[Mr. Handy]

"We were given a message by Mrs. Angelique Rumson," says Victoria. "She wants to meet with you as soon as possible, and she says not to fear." She shows him the telegram.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Barnabas is startled by this message, crumbling the telegram in his hands and collapsing into a chair.

Speaking mostly to himself, he says "Angelique . . . Is there to be no respite? Shall I fall prey once more to such entrapments?" To his guests, he says "What is this all about? Do you have any idea?"

[Mr. Handy]

"I think it might have to do with the Leviathans," says Victoria. "They told us not to tell anyone of the task they've assigned us, and that they're watching us."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Barnabas, already fair of skin, grows paler.

"The Leviathans! I thought that was all over, long ago . . . If they have returned, you must do as they say, at least for the moment. The future of humanity is at stake!"

After a moment, calming down a bit, he goes on.

"So she calls herself Mrs. Rumson now. Yes, I knew that fellow had married recently, but I never dreamed . . . I must contact her somehow, without letting her husband know. If he is involved with the Leviathans, he must not know that you have told me all this. Is there some way you can let her know that I am willing to see her, without Mr. Rumson finding out about it? I dare not go to her myself, or attempt to send her a message. The Leviathans will remember me, and not be pleased."

[Mr. Handy]

"I could try going back to his island and see if I can talk to Angelique alone," says Victoria, "after I complete the Leviathans' task. Are you sure I should, though? They're as evil as they come, and I don't like the idea of helping them. Maybe we could X-Ray what they gave me first. Dr. Hoffman, do you have access to an X-Ray machine?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

With some reluctance, Doctor Hoffman admits that she has quite a bit of equipment located in the basement of the Old House, necessary for her regular treatments of the disorder from which Barnabas suffers.

"If you will allow me to take possession of this . . . object, I will attempt to make an image of its interior."

Quite some time passes while Doctor Hoffman takes the X-Ray, assisted by an obviously reluctant Willie Loomis.

"That box gives me the creeps," he admits, "but whatever you say, Doc."

During the procedure, Barnabas and his guests discuss plans to contact Angelique.

"It will be necessary to reach the island by stealth," he says. "You will think me an abject coward, I know, but I am not comfortable crossing running water. Besides that, if the Leviathans have returned to Collinsport, they will be careful to make sure that I do not interfere with their plans. Let me serve as a way of drawing their attention from your activities."

A visibly shaken Willie and a pale Doctor Hoffman return from downstairs with the X-Ray. It reveals an irregularly shaped object, roughly spherical, within the box.

"This image does not reveal the fact that the . . . specimen was constantly changing shape during the procedure. I believe that it is organic in nature."

"All I know is that dang thing moved," Willie adds. "I think we made it mad."

[Mr. Handy]

"Good thing we didn't open it, then," says Victoria. "Could it be an egg of some sort? Should we still bring it where we were told? This thing would be very dangerous in the wrong hands, and I'm sure the hands that are waiting for it are the wrong ones, because the Leviathans want this done. I'm not sure what else we could do with it, though."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"From my previous encounters with the Leviathans, I know that they deal most harshly with those who oppose their will," Barnabas explains. "If the box is not taken where they wish, they will be aware of the fact, and take further measures.

"I leave it to you. You may leave the box with me, if you wish, and I will try to stand against the Leviathans, if I can."

[Mr. Handy]

"Very well," says Victoria, handing Barnabas with the box. "If you have the courage to oppose the Leviathans, I'll oppose them with you. If they are watching us, they already know that I've spoken to you anyway. What do you know about them? The more we know about our enemies, the better our chances of defeating them."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Barnabas is silent for a moment, then narrates his strange tale.

"Long ago -- longer than you would think possible -- when I was enslaved by the woman who now calls herself Angelique Rumson, and was helpless to prevent myself from serving the forces of evil, I encountered the Leviathans. They planned to use me as part of their wicked scheme. Somehow, they were forced back to whatever dark realm from whence they came; I do not know how, nor did I question my good fortune. I suspect that even Angelique feared their power, and made use of her own arcane skills to drive them away; but that is mere speculation.

"In any event, now that they have returned from exile, there is great danger. Whoever opposes them openly is destroyed. There is much I do not know about them, but this much is clear. They are an ancient race, far older than humanity itself. Although they may take on the shapes of men and women, that is not their true form, and they seek to regain the world they once ruled.

"I neither ask nor expect belief for what must seem like the ravings of a lunatic; but if my account has swayed you in any manner, I ask that you go to Angelique, secretly, and ask her to come to me. We have been both lovers and the deadliest of enemies, she and I; but perhaps now we must become allies against almost unimaginable evil."

[Mr. Handy]

"I do believe you," says Victoria. "I've seen more than enough strange things to know that things that may seem impossible are actually true. I'll try to get the message to Angelique for you. Working together, we may be able to defeat them. They were driven into exile before, so it can be done again. Perhaps Professor Stokes may be able to help us find out how it was done in the first place, and maybe even how to prevent them from returning again."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

A meeting with Professor Stokes yields little more information than the fact that the Leviathans are obscurely mentioned in various rare and nearly incomprehensible texts, privately printed and bound in extremely small numbers.

"I flatter myself that I possess one of the three or four most extensive libraries of the arcane in New England," he explains, "yet I must confess that I have never seen these strange and blasphemous works myself. What little word of them has reached me causes me to suspect that whomsoever thwarts the will of the Leviathan cult is in very great danger."

Professor Stokes proves to be something of a prophet, for, several days later, when a message from Victoria reaches Angelique via the easily bribable Portuguese sailor, and she is able to leave the island for the mainland on some excuse or other, a visit to the Old House reveals that the place is in a shambles, with none of its former occupants in residence, and the mysterious box not to be found.