Salem, Massachusetts
The Witching Hour. Go figure, hm? Despite being in a major city, the Williams homestead was far enough away from the metropolis of the Salem cityscape and surrounded by trees that it was not difficult at all to look up and appreciate the twinkling lights of the stars overhead. The moon was waxing, nearing the phase of the full moon when it would be at its zenith, and those dedicated to the Craft would be at peak strength. And as the moon waxed, so did they. Fitting, as Kedron would have much rather waited for the full moon in order to perform this particular spell. Doing so in any other phase of the moon would take all the more effort and energy.
This was not a direct attack as other times had been where Ben Jordan was concerned. This was more of a message being delivered in the most entertaining way possible.
One would suspect Kedron Williams was dressed for bed, or for meager comfort, going bare chested with just a pair of black, silk pajama pant on his lower body. Not even slippers were worn on his bare feet for comfort or warmth. He was in his personal library, where no less than ten book cases lined the walls and stretched from floor to ceiling, each shelf crammed to capacity with books of varying sizes. Some thick, some with seemingly just a minute number of pages. Some were obviously old, some fairly new and well kept. Some had titles in elaborate stitching while a few had no words at all on neither spine nor cover. The only light in the room was from the moon and stars, shining through the uncovered windows as his eyes roamed each shelf, his forefinger gliding from one text to the next, until he found the one he had intended for.
It was a dark pine green, so dark that it could have been mistaken for black in this light. The only symbolism of what it was from the cover was gold stitching along the spine in the shape of a serpent wound about a blade, and the words on the cover that read, "Silens verbum," or the Silent Word. It was old, one of the oldest in his collection, and also one of his most prized. He had torn this volume from the hands of a witch in Haiti, claiming it as his own many more years ago than he cared to admit. It was also one of the darkest tomes in existence, which was why he had fought the old witch so hard in order to stake a claim to it, and it remained his ever since.
The volume was larger than most, 11x17 in size and thick in width. He cradled it lovingly like a child in his arms, and walked over to the largest window and slid it open to allow in the night air. He then walked to the center of the library's floor and knelt down onto the hard wood and set the book before him. He carefully opened it, taking caution due to it's age. The pages were worn parchment, and the penmanship elaborately portraying the infamous, and in some beliefs, 'mythical' Verbis Diablo.
His instincts were correct, as he opened the book to the required page, the words scrawled in deep red, and the artistic rendition of a black dog, or perhaps a hellhound, was sketched in the upper right corner. He blinked, and his warm, brown eyes became black as the words of the Fallen One flowed from his lips...
Kedron Williams: Emi winokre Nebratron em hemitus eni nüllaan, ratsni etsai hemitusi enis: itsi yenvagreni wesrat hor fensteru em tekhes. Itsi yenvagreni wesrat an sha’ami entsai khedekareb. Etsoo lipieem adzigrosen. Etsoon kaamplen sha’am tweraam. Itsi yenvagreni wesrat an sha’ami entsai khedekareb.....
Bar Harbor, Maine
The adoptive home of Ben Jordan, along with his bride Evie and their four legged fur baby, affectionately named Bear. It was late, just as it was the same hour in their fellow New England colony state of Massachusetts. But this little family was not in bed either, but unlike Kedron, they were not up for any nefarious purpose, but more so just to enjoy each others' company as the three walked along the edge of the huge lake that decorated their property. Ben and Evie walked hand in hand, Evie's head rested on her husband's shoulder lovingly, as their four legged boy danced and bounded about in front of them, no leash required as he never strayed far from their side.
Ben and Evie paused, staring out across the lake, taking in the appreciative view of the moon and stars dancing on the ripples beneath the clear sky, when a sound disturbed them. A low, guttural growl. Their heads turned to discover the sound was coming from their beloved Bear, a sound they could not recall having ever come from their darling boy before, and his eyes were dark and staring straight at them.
Salem, Massachusetts
He continued to recite the foul, black words and the longer he continued, the quicker the words emanated from his lips.
Kedron Williams: Emi winokre Nebratron em hemitus eni nüllaan, ratsni etsai hemitusi enis: itsi yenvagreni wesrat hor fensteru em tekhes. Itsi yenvagreni wesrat an sha’ami entsai khedekareb. Etsoo lipieem adzigrosen. Etsoon kaamplen sha’am tweraam. Itsi yenvagreni wesrat an sha’ami entsai khedekareb.....
His body grew rigid, his back arched as his fingernails dug into the floorboard on each side of the book, causing the flesh of his fingers to tear and bleed...
Bar Harbor, Maine
Ben Jordan: Bear.... buddy?
But the normal happy and loving Bear was glaring angrily at both Jordans, and his growls became angry barks, angry and intense. Slobber started to form and drip from his jowls, his claws digging into the dirt at his paws. By instinct, Evie's hand gripped Ben's arm, both their eyes wide at whatever was overcoming their boy.
Evie Jordan: Ben? What the hell is going on with...?
Ben took a cautious step forward, extending his hand toward Bear.
Ben Jordan: Hey buddy, easy there...
When Bear did the unthinkable and snapped! Only Ben's quick reflexes kept him from having his hand bitten as Bear's actions grew more aggressive, the barking louder. Ben grabbed his wife and shuffled her behind him, using his own body to shield his wife!
Salem, Massachusetts
Kedron Williams: Emi winokre Nebratron em hemitus eni nüllaan, ratsni etsai hemitusi enis: itsi yenvagreni wesrat hor fensteru em tekhes. Itsi yenvagreni...
Suddenly a glass of water was thrown directly in Kedron's face, startling him and breaking the flow of the enchantment. He sputtered and looked up in wide eyed surprise as his own wife stared down at him with a hard glare, one he was unaccustomed to seeing in her, and an empty glass in her hand.
Rinoa Williams: You promised me you would leave his beast alone!
Bar Harbor, Maine
And just as quickly as poor Bear had turned aggressive, he was just that quickly reverted back to his usual self, sweet and docile. Well, almost his usual self. He shook his head and whined quite audibly, his head hung low as if he were aware of what had happened. His head rose up and he stared at Ben and Evie with those sad, puppy eyes and he whined for them.
Ben slowly kneeled down and Bear trotted up and buried his muzzle in Ben's shoulder, just begging for love and affection. Ben was only too happy to oblige and scratched his boy behind the ears as Evie stepped forward.
Evie Jordan: What the hell was that all about!?
Kedron sat back in his favorite chair, elaborately carved, with one ankle kicked up over bended knee. One hand rested on the arm rest, and the other held a glass of red wine, so dark in rich color that it almost appeared as if it were blood.
Kedron Williams: You know, I'd like to consider myself a very good judge of character. I've been on this earth for a lot longer than any might expect, as I've taken pride in the fact that I look good for my age. I believe I can look at someone and watch their actions and tell quite a bit about them. I don't have the knack that my dear Rinoa has when it comes to people, but I get by. People, for the most part, I've found to be disappointing and corrupt. One would think, or hope, that as the years, decades ... centuries, passed by, that as times got easier with modern technology and money grew, that people themselves would grow less savage, not more so. Unfortunately it was not so.
As time went on, mankind simply devolved into what I see ruling this planet. Liars. Hypocrites. Deceivers. And the amusing thing is so many would expect me to embrace these people, but this was just about those who walk the so-called righteous path in the name of the Lord Almighty. Those who walk His path are generally the ones with the darkest souls, corrupted with self-righteous beliefs. Sometimes I am truly amazed by the fact I have found such a wondrous woman as I have in Rinoa.
And is it any wonder why I hate mankind with such a fervor, and look to the innocent beasts of the earth with adoration? And look at me, here and now, about to set foot inside of the ring with a Bulldog.
He chuckled and shook his head.
Kedron Williams: Ever since this one signed his name on the dotted line, I have heard nothing but hype about the Bulldog's past glories and all that came before his time here. But to me, he seems to be little more than a sad, pathetic man who is aging beyond his years. True, I dare say I am older than he, but the poor old sod has let himself go in body and soul. So sad is he that he reflects on his greatness, but the truth is all that glory he was so celebrated for ---?
Kedron shrugged, his empty hand waving about in a smooth arch through the air.
Kedron Williams: It is just that; in the past. Done. Over. For all his storied career highlights, for all of his championship accomplishments... it's over, Bulldog. Never again to be celebrated, only looked back on with pity as it will never be again. It will never again be for you as bright as it once was. I am not even entirely certain why you came here, unless you truly believed in your arrogance that your past would rise and repeat, and you would run roughshod over the younger generation of athletes that perpetuate SCW? Hm?
He gazed knowingly into the camera and a smirk creased the corner of his lips.
Kedron Williams: Well Bulldog, you were off to a bang up job this past weekend, when the mutt of the junkyard fell in defeat to one of the 'yung'uns.' I have bigger and better things to accomplish, and more important things to focus on than you -- hard as it may be to believe. And this week, against the Son of Salem?
He smiled brightly.
Kedron Williams: The Bulldog is about to become neutered.
