CHAPTER 34 - THREE HANDS

Adel stood before the elite Commando’s of the Druid Priestess. Adel was inspecting them carefully. Sister Letum, the former Iris Denmont, was in command. Adel stood before an array of black and white clad Sisters of the Order. All were at attention. Sister Persequor-Persequi Adel’s Chief of security and enforcement, and her personal bodyguard stood beside Adel as Adel fingered the brilliant white leather scapula of one of the detachment. Adel was looking for the slightest flaw. Any hint of error or defect could not be tolerated. The Commando Squad had spent a lifetime in training and today would be one of their most critical assignments before the anticipated Dark Moon of Resurrection. The Commando’s were ready, their taught muscles rippled under their form fitting habits.

Adel had decided that an inspirational homily was in order.

“My Sisters in the Faith of She Who’s Name Cannot Be Mentioned, today is the beginning of the end of moral corruption, the resurrection of the old faith, and the casting off of this sham religion with which we mask our true intent. In a few days all shall bow down before the True King, and the despicable and perverse New Rome shall be reduced to ashes, ruin, and the bones of the sinners and those who do not accept the true faith shall perish.”

Adel paused for the full promise of her words to be understood.

“Soon you will depart on a mission in which the holy name of Our Order shall begin to toll the list of names of those few who shall be saved and those many who shall perish. But before that day, we must act swiftly, with determination, and with purity in our hearts, to bring the day of resurrection and atonement by the night of the dead moon.”

Adel sensed the rising emotions of her most elite acolytes.

“Today you journey into the vile and evil world of Second Life to perform a sacred task. You are to escort the Chosen One to the Capital City for her execution.”

Several of the commando sisters gasped.

“However, we escort the Chosen One not to an execution, but to glory. The glory of the Three Hands, of the fire of salvation, of Her cleansing dagger, and the restoration of the True Kings. The eyes of virtual life shall be upon you. You shall perform your duties magnificently, both in the visible support of the wretched and sinful New Rome, but also in pulling down the pillars of evil and perdition that hold up this fragile hollow husk of a ‘civilization’ before you. Execute well your duties my Sisters. Deliver Small Ben, of the Chosen Bens, to our sacred grove on the night of redemption and blood, and we shall be free.”

Adel paused and then on her knees said, “Let us prey.”

All in the assembly fell to their knees, and genuflected toward the altar. All except Sister Persequor-Persequi who approached the altar and pulled away a large white curtain. The commando’s trembled in awe; some began weeping, for there before them was the long hidden Veil of Temple. In the center of the Veil stood Circe with the dagger of compassion clenched in her fist and surrounded by the tigers of love and redemption.

Within the chapel, the senior girl’s chorus began to sing the ‘te deum’ of the Druid Sisters. A requiem for the soon to be dead and the few to be saved.

"We praise Her : we acknowledge Her to be the Goddess.
All the earth must worship her : the Mother everlasting.
Her Angels cry aloud : the Heavens, and New Rome trembles.
Her Incubus and Sucubus : continually do praise her.,
Holy, Holy, Holy :
The Goddess of True Faith;
Heaven and earth are full of her Majesty :
of Her glory.
The glorious company of the Sisters : praise Her.
The goodly fellowship of the Saints : praise Her.
The noble blood of the Martyrs : praise Her.
The holy Order throughout all the world : do acknowledge her.
Everlasting death and destruction to New Rome in Her name ;"

Sindy moved into the penthouse as advised by The Chair. The Lupine News Corporation was a huge conglomerate and to manage the many headed hydra required that the Chairperson be at the center of the media empire, the cockpit of the news machine, and the nexus of blackmail. Sindy had little time to admire the enormous spa and rooftop gardens of the penthouse. But she needed some caffeine to steady her frazzled nerves, and to help her face the long afternoon and night of ensuring a free and responsible press. She poured a cup of coffee from a silver and gold perpetual coffee urn labeled “real stuff.” She looked for the creamer. There was none. But a little ring of powder indicated that there had been some creamer recently. Strange she thought.

She sat down at Ruprecht’s crowded desk. He had been working on something realized Sindy. On the floor lay the thick purple 25 volumes of Warwick’s Short History of Second Life, third edition, together with the 14 volumes of the supplement. Three volumes lay open on Murdstone’s desk together with a pile of old and very old clippings and what looked like parchment manuscripts written in an ancient script. She started reading one of the open volumes and noted that Murdstone had written heavily in the margins in his tell tale green ink. Sindy read the open chapter title – Coronation Rites and Rituals of the True Kings by the Hand of Circe. Bound to put me to sleep thought Sindy. But then she noticed that Murdstone had familiar names written in the margins with green arrows pointing to various ritual assignments from the Coronation Ceremony. One name she instantly recognized – Captain Ed Hallard. The marginal notes circled Ed’s name several times and a bold stroke connected it with one of the “Three Hands of the Righteous”. The hand had a name, it was called the Hand of the Life Giver and it had a bloody history. Sindy read carefully.

As Sindy read she began to comprehend old legends and whispers about destroying the Yellow Revolution of a thousand years ago, and cancelling the Concordat of Abdication, and the returning Muffin, that is the Monforte dynasty to the throne. Madness thought Sindy. Muffin would never agree to this.

But she suddenly began to doubt her certainty. What would she do if offered the return of the throne so long denied to the family? The offer of complete, unfettered, absolute power. The power to fix Second Life’s problems, to make virtual reality a truly better reality, to ensure peace on the virtual earth and good will to all avatars. A land of milk, honey, and love. If offered such an opportunity Sindy knew she would take it.

She read on about the bloody ceremony. It was awful. She glanced again at the desk and there was a single page of closely written notes in green ink. After all, she though, Ruprecht had once been a journalist so naturally he would keep good notes.

She read carefully.

The Ceremony -- moonless night on the sacred mountain of the 14 faiths ???. Druid grove. Election eve??? Need crown and jewels.

The Three Hands –

The Hand of the CHOSEN ONE
· Some ancient family
· Knows the ancient prayer
· Gives crown to the Hand of the Life Giver for Coronation Act
· Got to find the family!!!


The Hand of CIRCE -- the Druid Goddess -- Name can’t be spoken unless King is on throne
· The Druid Priestess – extinct?
· Has Circe’s dagger – some ancient relic. Where?
· Blood sacrifice of the Life Giver at the end of the coronation

The Hand of the LIFE GIVER – to be sacrificed by the Hand of Circe.
Sacred Stone, well of blood???
· A person who had given life to the Heir Presumptive
· Before 1223 BSL it’s the queen mother, but mothers got upset, it became an ignorant mid wife or nanny
· Person who places crown on the Monnforte’s Head.
· Ed Hallard ? He’s the only one alive who can possibly be the life giver -- shipwreck.


Heavy thought Sindy. In fact revolting.

This Sindy decided was real news. The new moon was only days away. It would be the eve of the elections in Second Life. Think of the papers they could sell. On the other hand Ed was at risk. But Ed would never agree to this. But, no where in the notes did it say that the Life Giver knew of the entire coronation procedure. In fact it hinted that the Life Giver was kept in ignorance until the actual blood sacrifice. Sindy spent the entire evening reading and rereading Warwicks description of the horrid rites.

She pushed back from the desk, and rubbed her eyes. “Im really tired,” she said to no one. “Exhausted.”

Then on the edge of the desk she spotted a contract and a check. She would have paid no immediate attention but the number of zeroes was astounding. A billion lindens. As a responsible executive she thought I need to get this into the bank. Then she saw the signature.

She froze. The scar began to throb. She was short of breath. Not again she thought, as she willed herself back into control. She grabbed the contract and read quickly. The Order had purchased all the advertising space in all of the Lupine News Corps media outlets, including its Newspaper, tout sheets, blogs, racing forms, and spam generators. Even Feeble Magazine coverage had been purchased. Why would the order want this she wondered?

And then she knew. The hymns. The hymns she had been forced to sing in Chapel at the School for Wayward Girls. They sang of She whose name could not be spoken. The prayers too. The coming of age ceremony held in the chapel and the references to the tiger’s love. Sindy collapsed in the chair. It was the Order. They were the Druids of old, and Adel was the Druid Priestess determined to restore the Monforte’s to the Throne and obtain absolute control over everything. The events of the past few days made complete sense.

As Sindy began to comprehend what the notes and records said, she realized that the events of her life to this date also made complete sense. She was nothing more than a pawn. A tool directed by Adel and The Order to ensure complete control of the press during the coup. And knowing Adel and The Order this was no relatively peaceful coup, such as the Yellow Revolution. No. This would be a coup of revenge, of anger, and of hatred long suppressed. Old wounds would be cleansed in blood. The blood of the innocent as well as the guilty. Sindy knew that in Adel’s mind all were guilty and all must be punished by the wrath of Circe.

What can I do?, wondered Sindy. I cant let this happen, but my salvation depends on obedience to Adel and the Order.

Sindy had been raised well by the Order. Since childhood she was instructed in the ways of faith and redemption. In her heart she knew what she would do. Sindy had no way out. And on Sunday she had confession. Confession with the Mother Superior – Adel Flossberg.