The Coming From the Shadows Series
Coming From the Shadows: Lydia
The Imperium’s Chronicles: A Tale of Resistance
Story Recap and Introduction:
Since 1819; since the Massacre at Peterloo; Britain had succumbed to the influence of the Imperium; Britain’s colonial reach, its power – it served to propel the Imperium to new heights, what had started centuries earlier in Greece as a unifying body to link various Cultist movements together, now spanned the World.
Within this organisation was various Cultist group, all working within a delicate balance – the Imperium mediated the different objectives, its council representatives chosen from its various powerful Cultist groups ensured cohesion – though, the Cult of the Minotaur – a Cultist movement started by Alfred Smythe in the 1640s – had, by the 1870s become the most dominant within the Imperium under George Smythe – or, it had been, what had once been able to control the flow of wealth through the Business Empire of the Smythe family, that could interfere in other Cultist groups – it had now collapses, barely clinging to power, the result of this – William and Lydia – two of George’s children, they had rebelled, set fire to the Smythe Estate during their desperate bid to escape – it broke George’s reputation within the Imperium – nearly crumbled his business empire – it allowed the elected leader; Victor to finally claw back power.
George Smythe – still invested in trying to maintain his power and influence sent his remaining daughter; Elizabeth Smythe to expand the Cult of the Minotaur in Japan while he reorganised his business interests across Britain’s vast imperial empire – he still held power, and he was not going to allow it to slip, not without a fight.
William Smythe had vanished – As for Lydia, she finally reunited with her Mother after 5-Years of separation caused by George’s removal of her from the family estate in 1900 – Lydia, Elizabeth’s younger twin sister – the twins born in 1890 – they were polar opposites, both in personality and physical appearance.
Lydia and her mother would flee after a Cultist attack on her London home – fleeing to Calais, here Lydia would have a strange encounter with Erin, an American Cultist sent with her older siblings to search for a mysterious Artefact in Southern Europe – though they parted ways with Erin seemingly a victor in their strange interaction.
As for Elizabeth, she would do her father’s bidding loyally to establish a sect of the Cult of the Minotaur within Japan – displaying skills in her mastery of manipulation and deception.
The Mason siblings would continue on to Bulgaria – an encounter with a Russian Anti-Cultist; Khariton and his partner however, revealed that the information they had received was lies, after a tense standoff the siblings decided to heed the warning, travelling away from the mountain to a nearby town to send word to their mother to make her away of recent events.
In Spain; Xian – an ally of Cathryn, travelled to France, intent of meeting and taking her and Lydia to safety with his own allies in Córdoba.
Chapter 1
30th of October, 1905 A.D.
Perpignan, France
The wind blew like a gale in the open of the train station; whipping Cathryn’s raven-dark hair across her face as she stepped off from the train; she gripped Lydia’s hand tight, her senses were on high alert, the city a perpetual twilight from the belching smoke of factories as it flew into the autumn winds, it created a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.
Lydia – she was like a miniature replica of her mother, her long Raven-hair which had been hastily tied back fluttered about with the wind; her silvery-grey eyes matched her mother’s; even with her youth, they held a look of the horrors she had experienced beneath her father’s cruelty that she had to endure, her face was deceptively angelic.
Behind them was ‘The Monk’ he was a silent sentinel that had been present during the attack on Cathryn’s home back in London; he had helped keep them safe then, and continues to do so now; his Tibetan-like robes made him stand out, he moved with an unsettling grace that belied the deadly skills he possessed.
Here; they finally met with the man they needed to find to seek safety; Xian, he was like a wind of hurried energy; seemingly materialising from the bustling platform; his weathered face, etched with the lines of experience, unlike Cathryn who had fallen in love with the leader of the very Cult she once opposed, who had married and gotten herself trapped – Xian had never stopped fighting, he had always expected her eventual communication, he did however feel guilty for his part in her original separation from her daughters 5-Years Prior – had he not acted the way he had, in his failed assassination attempt of George, she may not have been forcefully separated to begin with, though she may have never returned to the fight at all either – she may have simply succumbed to George’s desire to enforce her into domestic slavery instead – when he saw them, he hurried over, he was relieved.
“Cathryn!” he shouted over the bustling crowd around them; as he got closer, he added “You’ve made it” he pulled Cathryn into a brief, fierce embrace “We don’t have much time; the French Cultists; ‘The Roosters’ are here, they have no doubt already sent word of you being here back to the Imperium”
“I know” Cathryn replied, her voice low, but urgent “That is why we have travelled light” she then nodded towards her daughter “This is Lydia; my daughter”
Lydia, at 14, as Xian looked at her, was deceptively innocent in appearance, but he knew she, as Cathryn’s daughter, would be like that, she would be deceptive, she simply offered a polite nod to him; he looked into her eyes, they were like a veil of calmness that was both unnerving and a testament to the harsh realities of her young life – the horrors she had been forced to witness beneath her father’s indoctrination attempts that he forced onto her – they had left their mark.
Xian’s gaze lingered – a flicker of something akin to pity crossing his features, finally, he turned his attention back to Cathryn “We need to move; I have arranged passage south; to Spain, I have allies in Córdoba, it is our best option for now”
They hurried through the crowded streets; the Monk a silent shadow on their heels; Cathryn knew that they were being watched; she felt the eyes on them, the unseen tendrils of the Imperium reaching out, probing; every shadow seemed to hold a potential threat, every face a possible enemy.
Chapter 2
November, 1905
Bulgaria
A flickering Gaslamp cast a dancing shadow along the wall – Morgan, the eldest of the Mason siblings, he was a physically intimidating individual despite being in his later teenage years, nearing his twenties; his dark hair, short and well-groomed; his eyes as green as emeralds – he looked at a telegram, scrutinised it; it had been something they had been waiting for.
Passing it over to Jakob; his brother 2-Years his junior – a lad with brown shoulder-length hair and deep-brown eyes, raised his eyebrow as he read the telegram aloud “Meet in Madrid; urgent” he said, his looked towards Morgan “At least we know she isn’t mad for our failure”
Erin, perched atop of an old crate within the abandoned Bulgarian monastery that they had taken refuge, observed her brothers – her long hair cascaded down her back like a raven’s wing; her emerald green eyes, much colder than her brother Morgan watched her siblings with an almost detached look “The Bulgarian Cultists lied to us; why would mother be angry at us for failing” she said, her voice entirely devoid of emotion – Erin was a true product of her Cultist upbringing, unlike her brother Jakob that retained a balanced view and easy personality compared to Morgan who was more pragmatic and disciplined, and certainly more empathetic than his sister – they each represented different developments despite the same upbringing
Morgan shrugged as he nodded in agreement with Erin “True” he said “Perhaps she intends to bring us back to Wyoming herself, ensure we are safe?; who knows” Morgan thought for a moment
“Then.., we leave for Spain?” Jakob shifted his gaze from Morgan to Erin a moment before looking back to Morgan
“Yes” Morgan confirmed
Erin’s eyes gleamed with a morbid curiosity “I do wonder what mother has been up too since we left New York”
11th of November, 1905 A.D.
Córdoba, Spain
After a week of travelling; Cathryn, Lydia, Xian and ‘The Monk’ finally reached the safety of Xian’s allies at the heart of Córdoba – they found themselves in a rather unusually peaceful Public house, a safe haven from the eyes of the Imperium – a scent of wine wafted, mixing with tobacco.
Xian though had not taken any time to get rest since they arrived; he paced restlessly, his eyes occasionally flicking to Cathryn and Lydia as they sat at a table finally getting a warm meal; he saw Cathryn’s happied smiles as she interacted with her daughter, he hated what he was going to do, he knew she wanted just a moment of peace with her daughter, a moment away from all the darkness – he was going to shatter that with the truth of their reality “We can’t simply hide Cathryn; we can’t sit by, we need to prepare” he shifted his gaze to Lydia “She needs training; Now” he stated firmly, his expression hardening
Cathryn’s jaw tightened – the idea of exposing Lydia to more cruelty, more pain; it filled her with a visceral dread “She’s just a child” she turned her eyes towards Xian; she protested, her voice strained
“A child that has seen, experienced and knows more about death and darkness than most adults!” Xian snapped in a counter; his voice sharp “We do not have the luxury of sheltering her Cathryn; the Imperium, her father and his Cultists, none of them, none will show mercy”
Xian gestured emphatically “She needs to learn; to fight, to defend herself; she needs to know how to survive”
Cathryn shifted her gaze downwards; her eyes closing a moment, she was battling a wave of conflicting emotions that were threatening to overwhelm; she had tried desperately to protect Lydia at the Smythe Manor and failed, she tried even harder to live a normal life after being reunited in London in February – had the Cultists not attacked, maybe she could have done so – she wanted to shield her from the horrors of their world, but Xian was also right, and they were running out of time.
Opening her eyes, she looked at Xian meeting his intense gaze, then, she looked to Lydia “It has to be your choice, I am not forcing anything onto you Lydia”
Lydia had been silently observing the exchange; her face was an impassive mask, but, she finally spoke, her voice was soft, detached but there was a surprising firmness “I’ll do it” she said, her eyes drifting down a moment, fixating on her hands clasped in her lap “But…, I don’t want him training me” it was clear who she was referring too
Xian was taken aback; his expression a mix of surprise and anger “What?; Why?”
Lydia looked up towards him, her gaze unwavering “I don’t trust you”
The silence within the room was heavy only broken by distant murmurs of pub patrons; Cathryn looked to Lydia, then to Xian; her heart thumped against her chest, this was a dangerous game and the stakes were very high – she let out a sigh “Alright Lydia; if that is what you want, then that will be how it goes” she paused a moment “But I want you to understand; your safety is my primary concern”
Chapter 3
31st of November, 1905 A.D.
Niigata, Japan
Elizabeth surveyed the small but loyal gathering within the dojo that she had been kindly provided by a recently joined-recruit; she had made a major gain for her father, a major success – as Elizabeth pushed her blonde hair back, tying it behind her, her icy-blue eyes continued to drift amongst the Cultists she had built up; they were practising their traditional martial arts, something she found fascinating, never having seen such things before – these men had been drawn to the promise of power that the Cult of the Minotaur offered, there was still some resistance, but overall, despite being known as the ‘Blonde Foreigner’ she had brought success, using like-minded individuals and ‘Priests’ to help advance her goals, she was not the face that people met first, they were introduced to the Cult by their own, it had lowered the suspicion, made her goal easier – though even then, there had been difficulties – she had been doing this since October and had been working tirelessly, she was almost positive that it would be acknowledge by her father.
But, weeks turned to a month; all that waiting, a calm, pleasant young man approached her; kneeling down beside her before placing the telegram onto the floor between them; Elizabeth barely looked at him, but acknowledge him in his own native language as she thanked him “Arigatō”
As she read the telegram, what she had hoped, had not come; she had just been sent a simply message ‘Prepare Mexico’ – her eyes burned with anger “Is that it” she said quietly to herself
That was it; no explanation, no greeting, no acknowledgement of her success – her frustration simmered within her, anger was rising; she had done everything, she pour all her effort into this objective and all she got was a simple command on what to do next – did her father not understand the complexities of establishing the new sect in a foreign land with such different customs to their own – did he not appreciate her dedication?
She balled her fists, the anger momentarily eclipsing her usual composure; but, Elizabeth was a Smythe – loyalty and obedience were etched into her very being, and if she wanted to get revenge on Lydia, she needed to ensure she displayed and demonstrated her loyalty to her fathers orders no matter what.
2nd of December, 1905 AD
Madrid, Spain
In Madrid; Isabelle welcomed her children with a tight embrace; the luxurious villa, a courtesy of a wealth Spanish Cultist, it provided a temporary sanctuary away from New York; Benjamin stood silently, an imposing figure radiating an aura of control and power.
“Mother; what is the urgency?” Morgan queried, his voice low “You did not say much in your telegram, simply to come here and ‘urgent’ why?”
Isabelle let a sigh escape her lips; her face, while usually pale, seemed more so now, indication of worry was present in her expression “Victor was unhappy regarding the news you sent to me when I turned it over to him; he was not expecting lies from the Cult of Rila had claimed they had discovered an artefact they couldn’t acquire, but yet, your information though…” there was a pause
Benjamin slowly approached “The information you sent back regarding not being able to leave if you enter; it has been witnessed before, Victor has encountered such places, you are lucky you did not progress; so, whoever this ‘Khariton’ was that warned you, for the first time, I feel a sense of gratitude”
“Indeed” Isabelle nodded in agreement “Our loyalties to the Imperium does not mean we would want you to go blindly into a temple like that; if we never saw you again…,” she shook her head “I would not live with that; Family is as important as the Imperium’s goals”
“We now have a new objective” Benjamin adds “One that Victor believes will be a finer alternative for the trouble of the mission to Bulgaria”
“A New mission?” Jakob questions; an expression of curiosity present
“Indeed; we have received word that the estranged wife of George Smythe is here in Spain, along with her daughter; Lydia, they are now your objective, Cathryn has a history of interfering with the Imperium’s activities, she also has a history of entering the temple’s, she understands them, knows how they work, so, you are to capture the two of them”
“Before George Smythe can discover where she is and try to arrange her capture himself” Isabelle adds
Erin’s eyes lit up “A hunt?; how exciting!”
Benjamin placed his hand gently onto Erin’s shoulder; giving a light squeeze “Be aware that Cathryn is no easy target, she may have stopped fighting the Imperium since her marriage to George and having children; but, she hasn’t exactly lost her skill, we heard that a Cult in London; a rival of George’s Cult of the Minotaur, had attempted to kill Cathryn, they failed, they failed miserably”
“Indeed; so, we shall be accompanying you on this assignment, and we will be proceeding with caution; Cathryn has allies, but, our Spanish brethren will provide us as much support as we need” Isabelle told her children
“They shall also be ensuring local authorities don’t interfere” Benjamin grinned “A handy outcome for us”
Chapter 4
December, 1905
Córdoba, Spain
The cold wintery air chilled Lydia’s skin as she stood in a courtyard – they had decided that remaining at the Pub would be an unsuitable location for their intentions, the old monastery provided a perfect location for training; the stone floor was slick with dew, the air hung heavy with a scent of damp and the decay of dead leaves.
Standing in front of her; ‘The Monk’ a silent figure as usual as his robes fluttered around him – he had been putting Lydia to the test, wanting to discover what her mental and physical limits were – Cathryn stood to the side, her face was etched with a mix of concern and fierce pride; she watched as the Monk led Lydia through various tasks, a series of random movements – each was designed to gauge her balance, her agility and pain threshold.
During practise with her mother; it involved knife-work and self-defence “Higher Lydia” she would say softly; guiding her daughter; she was patient, just as the Monk was with his tasks, she shifted slightly as she looked at Lydia “Imagine the blade as an extension of you; of your will, don’t hesitate”
With the Mink’s initial assessments – he tested her with walking along narrow beams, holding uncomfortable poses for extended periods; enduring the sting of a cane against her palms; each time Lydia surprised him; each time she exceeded his expectations – her balance uncanny, her stillness unnerving.
And every flinch he had expected, never came – she maintained a stoic numbness that troubled him, it was clear she had been put through a lot of physical pain from her Cultist upbringing.
One day; the Monk decided to test her pain threshold again; bringing out a intricately carved block; from the side, Xian observed, he raised his eyebrow as he observed – The Monk simply looked to Lydia carefully “Break it” he commanded, his voice a low rumble
Lydia looked at the block, then to the Monk; there was no hesitation in her eyes, no flicker of fear, she simply took it, and with one precise and controlled motion, slammed the heel of her hand against it; the wood splintered with a sharp crack “Again” the Monk nodded slowly
Cathryn winced as Lydia broke another block, then another – her daughter’s skin beginning to redden, to bleed; but Lydia showed no sign of discomfort
“Enough” Cathryn said; her voice firm “She’s proven her point”
The Monk inclined his head in acknowledgement “Indeed; she possess a remarkable resilience” he turned his eyes back to Lydia carefully “Your upbringing has certainly been preparing you for hardships hasn’t it” he places his hand against his chin a moment “But resilience alone is not enough; you must learn to temper it with compassion, with purpose”
As days bled together; Cathryn continued to focus on Self-Defence; teaching Lydia to disarm attackers, to use her surroundings to her advantage – she taught her were to strike to kill quickly and efficiently.
Cathryn provided her further training on his to use the darkness as an advantage; she knew Lydia had already learned to move quietly, to be able to observe while being unseen; but, she would ensure Lydia had the skills to combine that with striking, she trained her to fight bare-handed.
The Monk’s training furthered too; he provided her knowledge of his own learnings from the east; providing Lydia a more graceful way of fighting instead, and a style that would be more useful for her smaller frame, he provided education on something else as well, something she at first did not understand; Acupuncture – but also, how to turn healing into a more dangerous form of fighting, being able to use the very pressure points to her advantage – allowing her to use what she learns against him so she can put what she learns to practise.
Cathryn sat beside Lydia on the steps as they took a break; she watched as she ate the meal provided, she was proud of Lydia, though hated that this was how things had to be, she promised to provide Lydia normality; but this was not it “I’m sorry Lydia” she whispered
Lydia shifted her eyes, hearing her mothers words; a moment of softness displaying in her features “For what?” she asked gently, her voice low, Cathryn shifted her gaze, locking eyes with Lydia, realising she had heard her
“I promised you a normal life; I failed that, you never escaped this, I am sorry” Cathryn watched Lydia carefully; Lydia would normally use what she learned to hide her emotions; but for her mother, she didn’t do that, allowing her to see exactly what Lydia thought, her walls and barriers were down
“There are moments of normalcy; I have you” Lydia replied simply “I wouldn’t change that, never” she spoke softly
There was a gentle hug exchanged between them; the Monk, and Xian observed quietly from a distance.
Chapter 5
18th of December, 1905
The waters surrounding Japan
The Merchant Steamer Elizabeth had booked passage on had finally begun to set sail; slicing through the choppy waters; Elizabeth stood leaning against the railings, her blonde hair whipping around her face, she had been successful, but, she felt as though she had failed – there had been no acknowledgement from her father, just the cold order to move.
“I will prove myself Dad” she said quietly; her fierce determination cutting through her voice “I will find you one day Lydia, and I will kill you” she spat
Pulling away from the railings, Elizabeth made her way to the small, cramped cabin; it was made smaller with her trunk of belongings, she was growing more irritated, but just barely managed to supress it, she had to focus; get to Mexico, send a telegram and once again wait.
The Remnants of the Smythe Estate, Southern Britain
The charred remains of what had once been a magnificent Estate, now nothing but rubble, it had been built so long ago, dating back to the 17th Century; built by Alfred Smythe.
George was enraged that this was what had become of his families heritage, their legacy; he was a man that radiated power, controlled politicians within the Empire on which the Sun never set – his face a mask of granite, his eyes; icy-blue like that of glacial ice, but they burned with his rage that was barely supressed.
He was dressed in his usual expensive dressed tailor suit; but even the fabric couldn’t hide the brutal strength that lay beneath.
Henry Price; a nervous, ferret-like man in a crumpled tweed suit hovered beside him “I am sorry sir; but, we still wont be able to organise any rebuilding effort yet; I am doing everything I can to get things sorted”
George ignored him though, his gaze fixed on the ruins “My Daughter and Son did this Henry; I am more concerned about bringing them back here to face punishment”
Henry swallowed hard “Yes Sir…, uh…, then, you would like to know that I have a report here; there was a woman matching your estranged wife in Calais; she was with a girl matching your daughter’s description, they uh…, they was with some strange monk”
George raised his eyebrow, his interest piqued “Really now?” he thought for a moment “I wonder…, where would they move too…., because I know they wont remain in France; our Imperium Brethren would be keen on her capture, the ‘Roosters’ would love any opportunity to take advantage of this situation, they have been a rival of the Minotaur for a long time now”
“I…, suspect they would travel to Spain” Henry suggested “There has been an increase in Anti-Cultist movements there as of late; a Chinese individual has been organising..”
George cut across hm “Xian” he stated firmly “I know him; he once tried to assassinate me, five-years ago” he thought for a moment “Find them; but I want them brought back to me alive, both of them, try to place one of our operatives close to the seat of Spanish power too, we should try to influence Spain as much as we can to counter Xian’s movement”
Chapter 6
Córdoba, Spain
Travelling from Madrid; the Mason family gathered at a modest villa, once again, provided lodgings from the Spanish Cultists in the area; Benjamin decided to address his children alongside Isabelle upon their arrival “We know they are here; our spies confirmed it, they have been spotted”
Isabella sat silently beside her husband; her dark eyes with their usual chilling intensity; Morgan, their son, ever the stoic type listened intently while his brother Jakob fidgeted nervously, and Erin simply stared out of the window, a morbid fascination in her eyes.
“Morgan, You and Jakob will focus on the city centre” Benjamin instructed “Question the locals, but use discretion”
Jakob nodded “What are our parameters though; do we engage them if we find them, or simply report their location”
“I would strike only if necessary” Benjamin replied “For now though; just gather what information you can, understand their movements and what allies they have”
Erin slowly turned her gaze from the window “If we do; and they resist?” her gaze, retained its usual unsettlingly directness
Benjamin’s eyes hardened as he looked to his daughter “Then you do whatever is necessary; this is no game children”
Once the Three depart; Erin separated away from her brothers, detaching without them even noticing; she went off on her own – Benjamin, turning to his wife gestured “Shall we pay our respects to the local leaders?”
Isabelle nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips “Indeed my dear; we should express our gratitude for their hospitality”
The Outskirts of Córdoba
Erin found herself roaming aimlessly towards the edges of the city; navigating its ancient architecture and labyrinthine alleyways; they held a dark allure for her, the scent of decay and the echoes of forgotten lives with her with a strange sense of peace.
Though, she found herself drawn down a particular alleyway; it’s walls stained by grime, with shadows cast by the buildings; as she peered along the way ahead of her, she saw a figure moving; a girl her own age – she was swift and agile, scaling the walls with surprising ease.
Lydia.
Lydia hadn’t noticed Erin – her focus was entirely on her practise, improving her climbing technique; testing her limits, pushing herself harder.
She landed softly against the cobblestone, as she rose back up, she noticed someone at the entrance of the alleyway; she realised immediately who it was – Erin, the girl from Calais, she stood there with a strange, almost childlike curiosity in her expression “You” Lydia said; her voice just a whisper “From Calais”
Erin smiled; it was a beautiful but terrifying display in her expression “Yes; Me” Erin moved closer, she was rather happy that Lydia remembered her from their past encounter, she locked her eyes onto Lydia’s “I thought I recognised you; the girl from the shadows”
Lydia remained silent; though her posture betrayed nothing; she felt herself tense up; she needed to be ready to act if it was needed – the last encounter had been a mental sparring match, while neither gave anything away – it had left a lasting impact – but, she did recognise Erin revelled in the darkness and squalor, that fascination she observed back in Calais as Erin moved unaware of Lydia – Lydia saw back then Erin’s strange love with the crumbling state of those living on the edge “What do you want” like her previous encounter, Lydia switched her voice entirely to be devoid of emotion
Erin tilted her head – just s Lydia had done the last time, she recognised she was wanting to hide her emotions from her voice; as she tilted her head, her long hair fell over her shoulders “Just curious” she said, her voice soft and almost melodic “I did say I wanted to meet you again; and here we are, you didn’t really speak much last time, you was so quiet”
Erin took another step forwards; she was no invading Lydia’s personal space “You’re different now that aren’t you; hmm…, even more guarded…, you are…, more interesting than before”
Lydia didn’t flinch; though she did want too – she held Erin’s gaze her expression betrayed nothing.
Erin though maintained that same terrifyingly beautiful smile; reaching her hand up and tracing her fingers along Lydia’s cheek, her touch surprisingly gentle
“Tell me…” She whispered, her voice barely audible “What secrets are you hiding”
Lydia remained silent; her eyes fixed on Erin; a battle of wills was playing out within the shadows of the forgotten alleyway; both had just entered a game of mental chess; it was now a question of who would make the first mistake.
Written By: Westley H.
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