Mary looked down at Meagan as one of her hands stroked her hair. She was worried when Meagan collapsed. But everybody told her she had just fainted. Which was understandable. Everything that’s happened since last night is a lot to take in. And then, to be told that the gods had changed her. Well, who wouldn’t have fainted?

Meagan shifted and put more of her weight on Mary’s breasts. Mary grimaced and gently moved her back to her original position. Whatever the gods changed in Meagan, they did a thorough job. She looked at the others in the room. There was her mom, Callingenia, and Ardaniahna. Her cousins had been sent to watch television or play video games. Neither needed to be here for this. She wasn’t sure she wanted to be here for this.

“So,” Mary said. “The gods changed Meagan so that we’d stay together?”

“Yes,” answered Callingenia. “Remember, the gods do not ‘play fair.’ They will do whatever they feel they need to, to get what they want.”

“Surely not all of them,” Mrs. Bridges asked.

“All of the ones that are most interested in humanity,” Callingenia said. “They never deal straight. Remember that.”

“But yet, here you are, guarding the emissary at the behest of a goddess,” Ardaniahna stated.

“Because Nyx is one scary bitch,” the succubus said. “She is a primordial goddess. That means she’s been around since the universe began. Not a lot of gods can say that and mean it.”

“But what does that mean,” the mermaid asked.

“It means that none of the other gods are willing to mess with her,” Callingenia replied. “Not unless it’s very important.”

“That’s why Zeus is afraid of her,” Carol said.

Callingenia nodded. “Yes. Nyx was around when the war against the Great Old Ones . . . oh.”

“’Oh’ what,” Carol asked. “And why does that title sound familiar?”

“Because the author H.P. Lovecraft wrote about them,” Callingenia said with a shudder. “The Time Lost Prophet scared a lot of beings with his writings.”

“What does a human author have to do with anything,” Ardaniahna asked.

“I agree with the mermaid,” Mary said. “He’s been dead for years.”

“No,” Callingenia said firmly. “He’s still alive. He’s the Time Lost Prophet. To him, his death has not occurred.”

“That explains so much,” Carol said. “I always felt a damp chill whenever I was near one of his books. And he did have a closed casket funeral.”

Mary was puzzled. She looked at Ardaniahna and could see that she was as well. “Why would that matter? A lot of people have closed casket funerals. All that means is that how they died did not leave the body in a good condition.”

“You’re right that his body was in no way viewable by those not prepared,” Callingenia said. “That was why he had two burials. One in secret and one for the public. His secret burial was in a non-disclosed location, surrounded by various charms, runes, and sigils. And that’s not counting what was carved into a blessed lead coffin.”

“Why would he have needed to be buried like that,” Ardaniahna asked. “What could a human have done to warrant that?”

“He was, is, the prophet for the Great Old Ones,” Carol quietly said. “In order for that to have happened, he would have come into contact with one of them, or one of their relics. A mortal mind is not capable of experiencing either without going mad. Those that don’t go mad are protected because they’ve invited a piece of a Great Old One to come into them. Insanity is the least of their problems then.”

Both Ardaniahna and Mary had puzzled looks on their faces.

“Their bodies start changing,” the succubus said. “Changing in ways not suitable to sustaining life.”

Both the teens’ faces grew sickly as they realized what they had been told. “Okay, I can see why they had a secret funeral for Lovecraft now,” Mary said. “But why would he do anything like that?”

“Nobody knows,” Carol said. “He started writing books well before he showed any sign of corruption.”

“But what does he have to do with now,” the mermaid asked.

“Simple,” Callingenia said. “I believe the Great Old Ones may be coming back.”

Undisclosed location in Rome

Cardinal Lucca studied the men in front of him. They were good, devout men. Men that would follow the orders of the Church without question. None of them were ranked high in the priesthood, but that was a good thing. With what was happening in the world right now, eyes were on all high ranking members of any organized religion. Everybody wanted to know what they would do regarding the so-called emissary.

“Do you understand what I am asking of you,” he finally said.

“Yes, Cardinal,” their leader said. “You want us to go to America and study this emissary. If it is pure, we come back and tell you. If it is not pure, we are then to purify it.”

“That is correct,” the cardinal smiled. “Please be careful not to let anybody know why you’re there. If it is evil, it will have numerous guards to keep away the faithful. Only the gullible and wicked will be allowed near. It won’t do for you to fail in this task.”

“We will not fail,” the man said. “We will make sure all is as it should be.”

“I know you will,” the cardinal said. “Now, time is short. Go with God.” The men bowed and left the room. Cardinal Lucca sat for a few minutes after the men left. He was sure the matter of this fake emissary would be solved soon. Then the real emissary can reveal himself. When God returned to reclaim the world, He would surely reward the cardinal. For now, he must wait for that glorious time. But he knew how the make the time pass faster.

The door opened and two men wearing dark cloaks entered the room. Between them was a smaller figure. The Cardinal smiled. Yes, he knew how to make the time pass faster.

Helmi woke with a gasp. Panting, she flailed around until she found the light switch. She tuned it on and turned to sit on the edge of her bed. As she calmed herself, she made plans. She had to call the others. She grabbed her cell phone from its charger and called her friend.

“Älä viitsi, Kaarina. Nosta puhelin.” [Come on, Kaarina. Pick up the phone.]

“Moi,” a groggy voice answered. [Hello.]

“Lopuksi,” Helmi said. “Kaarina, ala soittaa muille. Meidän on ehdittävä ensimmäiselle lennolle Amerikkaan.” [Finally. Kaarinna, call the others. We need to catch the first available flight to America.]

“Mikä? Miksi?” [What? Why?]

“Freya on antanut meille tehtävän,” Helmi explained as she started gathering her clothes. “Meidän on suojeltava lähettilästä. Hän uskoo olevansa vaarassa!” [Freya has given us a mission. We must protect the emissary. She believes she is in danger!]

“Todella!” Kaarina exclaimed. Now fully awake. [Truly!]

“En valehtelisi tästä.” Helmi assured her friend. [I would not lie about this.]

“Jumalia ylistetään.” Kaarina cheered. “Alan soittaa muille. Sitten voimme tehdä suunnitelmia.” [The gods be praised. I will start calling the others. Then we can make plans.]