Chronicler: Julie

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Episode Synopsis

Darrek and Henry both have revelations while dreaming about how to approach the situation involving Cassilda. They meet with the group the next day and share their plans to first exorcise her, and then banish her back to Hastur. Darrek admits that while he is adept at both of these spells, he has never attempted using his magic in this way, and doing so will likely require an incredible amount of power. Despite this, he feels strongly that this plan is a viable alternative to attempting the Sadicas ritual that he found in the journal. Everyone agrees. Henry reveals the spell he discovered in the Library of Alexandria that should allow him to prevent Cassilda from using her time manipulation abilities and enable them to use the Mutari Generator to weaken her.

The group makes their plans: Matthew, Hilda, and Mack will go to the Byham theater and disrupt the play, and Darrek and Henry will make their ritual preparations at the Point with Dr. Armedt, Daniel, and the Rosicrucians, Anita and the Twilight Order, Dana, Jamie, and the Wicce, Father Bob, Yun-Xun and the Storm Dragons, the Kindred, and Danny and the other assorted Gifted who have pledged their assistance.

Darrek hands over Cassilda’s diadem to Matthew requesting that he return it if he is able. He then gives Mack the Mutari Generator with strict instructions to only shoot Cassilda with it. Mack questions Darrek’s orders, but reluctantly agrees when Henry quickly comes to his defense.

Henry contacts Dr. Armedt and asks if he has any magical items which might assist his spell. Dr. Armedt gives him a dagger that is sacred to the Hindu god Ganesha. After grabbing some other items from the house, Darrek and Henry head to Point State Park to begin preparing.

The rest of the group heads to the theater. Matthew and Hilda sneak in and see that the entire cast is wearing masks. Matthew swipes a mask and knocks out the player dressed as Aldones and stuffs his unconscious body into a sandbag after liberating him of his costume. There is a strong sense of Lyssicus everywhere, and the Yellow Sign can be seen on almost every surface imaginable backstage. Mack uses rubber bullets and a suppressed firearm to knock out the guards at the door and get inside.

The play starts. Cassilda is the first one on stage and is the only one not wearing a mask. Waves of Lyssicus begin pouring out over the audience who are completely enraptured. Matthew immediately falls into rhythm and begins speaking the lines as if he knows them by heart. He recognizes Rebecca’s voice when she starts speaking. Matthew and Hilda both notice that the players are acting as if they’ve been drugged. Hilda remains hidden in the shadows backstage, acting as part of the stage crew. She finds the goblet full of poison intended for Rebecca/Camilla, and replaces it, letting Matthew know what she’s done while changing scenery.

The story arrives at the part where Cassilda and Aldones make love. During their scene together, Cassilda whispers something into Matthew’s ear. The next scene is of the masquerade ball. The level of Lyssicus energy grows.

Backstage, a hand falls onto Hilda’s shoulder and a very familiar voice says, “Bad girl. You shouldn’t be here.”

Hilda spins around and finds herself face to face with the Joker, who is flanked by Carrie and Kay. He offers to help the group, explaining that in order for Cassilda to gain her full power, her four Heralds must be brought together…which they will be, if she kills him. He’s decided that he wants to live, but warns her that this is a one-time only offer. As he is talking, Hilda manages to move on the other side of him and, pulling out the antidote to his juice that Delia created from underneath her coat, stabs both Carrie and Kay with it. The Joker screams, “NO!”

At the same time, in the play, Rebecca/Camilla drinks the “poison” and begins to choke, but Matthew can tell that she is just acting. Cassilda realizes this also and begins to stalk the stage, furious.

The Joker charges across the stage, followed closely by Hilda. He attacks Cassilda, who blasts him with Lyssicus. He goes down onto his knees. Hilda picks him up and throws him over her shoulder, running for safety.

At the Point, everyone with the Gift feels the Hellmouth go active, and then a shock wave of Lyssicus erupt across the park.

Mack bursts into the theater and shoots at Cassilda. Matthew pulls out the diadem and moves towards her. When she sees it, she looks terrified. Looking around her and seeing her performance is in utter chaos, she suddenly disappears. Matthew can see a gateway where she was standing. He yells to Mack to get Rebecca/Camilla to the Point, and jumps through it and vanishes.

Hilda grabs Rebecca/Camilla and jumps into a waiting cab with Mack. The Joker is the cabbie. He cackles maniacally and drives recklessly across Downtown towards Point State Park, his head hanging out the window.

Cassilda suddenly appears at the Point and looks around at the assembled army of Gifted and supernaturals with a sneer. “Fine, we’ll do this the hard way.” She raises her hands and the Hellmouth rips open as her armies begin to rise and pour out of it.

Seeing that she is distracted, Darrek takes advantage of the opportunity and casts a spell that Henry has never seen him use before. He senses a large swell of Essence from Darrek as he speaks a single word which appears to disorient and confuse Cassilda.

Henry then begins his ritual. Yun-Xun moves to defend him, as his focus is entirely on getting his spell off successfully. As he casts the spell, he can see Cassilda being physically affected by it. She is visibly shaken, and her anger grows. She growls, “If I can’t do it one way, I’ll do it another,” plunges her arms into the ground, and rips Michele out of the earth. As she does this, Henry hears Kokumthena scream.

At the same time, a powerful male voice bellows, “NO!” and Raphael charges Cassilda, the Heavenly Host flooding the skies behind him. Darrek throws a wave of Soulfire at her. Matthew suddenly appears behind Cassilda and throws his shoulder into her, knocking her out of the way. He then grabs his mother and gets her to safety.

Anita (with apologies to Yun-Xun) brings her considerable necromantic powers to bear and raises the fallen Storm Dragons as zombies. They engage in battle with Cassilda’s armies.
A taxicab rolls up. Mack, Hilda, and Rebecca/Camilla spill out of the back as it fishtails away, the sound of the Joker cackling fading as it disappears.

Cassilda stands back up and unleashes a wave of madness on the group. Raphael closes and plunges his sword into her. Sam suddenly appears and furiously attacks the angel. Matthew runs over to Rebecca/Camilla and scoops her up, carrying her off to safety with his mother.

Darrek begins the Exorcism ritual, with assistance from Yun-Xun, Father Bob, and the Twilight Order necromancers. As he does, Mack shoots Cassilda with the Mutari Generator. Lightening erupts and wraps around her, visibly weakening her. The gun then shakes violently and explodes.

There is a swell of Lyssicus, and Sam plunges his hand into Raphael’s back, He screams and there is an explosion of power as Sam begins draining him.

Darrek takes advantage of this and draws on Raphael’s escaping Essence to power the Exorcism ritual. Everyone can feel Cassilda’s hold on the land and on Sam slip loose. Henry suddenly collapses. Darrek can sense the energies from him and from Cassilda being siphoned…by Aimee. He is enraged but remains focused on starting the Banishment ritual. Anita also senses it and recognizes the spell Aimee is using as the same one the Herald “Alan” was using on Hastur.

Matthew brings Cassilda’s diadem to Darrek. As the ritual reaches its climax, he raises the crown above his head and snaps it in half with his bare hands. Staring down Cassilda, he says, “In the name of the true Queen of this world, I banish you,” and speaks the true name of the goddess Sophia. A massive wave of Essence washes over everyone.

Cassilda’s form goes fuzzy and she is drawn back towards the Hellmouth. Matthew runs forward and hits her, knocking her back through the gateway. There is another explosion of power and enormous wave of Essence which knocks everyone off their feet. The Hellmouth closes and all is quiet and still for a moment…and then the sound of sirens fills the air.

Darrek rushes over to Henry and pours healing energies into him until he regains consciousness. He sits up and immediately asks where Aimee is. Darrek informs him that she unfortunately appears to have escaped in the midst of the chaos with her followers.

The police, emergency personnel, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security all flood the scene. Agent Barnes finds the group and introduces them to Agent Green, whom Darrek remembers. They thank the group for their heroic efforts in successfully preventing a serious terrorist attack by a group of radicalized students.

Just before she takes her leave, Agent Barnes grins and winks at them. “Not bad for your first assignment.”

As the group, dazed and exhausted, watches her walk away, Matthew tells the group that Cassilda revealed to him during the play that she is pregnant with his child.

Anita sighs and rolls her eyes. “Of course she is, you whore.”

Memorable Quotes and Great Moments

Re: Ideas
Darrek sits bolt upright in bed in the middle of the night, waking his wife
“Darrek, what is it?”-Emily
“I’m having a thought…”-Darrek
“I have to work a double tomorrow. I love you, honey, but I won’t be able to walk.”-Emily
Grinning mischievously “So take the day off…”-Darrek

Re: Matthew
“And then we’ll help him deal with his abandonment issues.”-Hilda
“Abandonment issues? My mother and my girlfriend were kidnapped, for Christ’s sake!”-Matthew

Re: Ritual Preparation
“I need Himalayan pink salt for the circle, and saffron as an offering for Ganesha.”-Henry
“Oh, not a problem, just grab some from the cupboard. Em’s got loads. She who controls the spice controls the universe.”-Darrek

Re: Autocorrect while texting
“The licorice is strong here.”-Matthew (when meaning to say, ‘Lyssicus’)

Re: Spices
“That’s high quality salt. It’s from Penzeys.”-Darrek
“Well, it’s all over the ground, now…”-Henry
“It’s fine. Em loves going to Penzeys. She’s so cute, just like a small child in a candy store.”-Darrek

Darrek offers Henry a Jelly Baby during ritual preparation to help calm his nerves.

Re: More ritual preparation
“Darrek? Should little Ganesha go in the North with the Nag Champa or in the South?”-Henry
Blinking “Ehm…let’s go with north.”-Darrek

Re: The circle
“That’s a fine circle.”-Darrek
“I’m quite proud of it.”-Henry
“You should be.”-Darrek

Re: Sensing the Hellmouth go active
“Oh boy…”-Darrek
“And we’ve officially arrived at worse.”-Henry

Re: Recklessness
“I’m a risk-taker.”-Mack
(Off-screen) “Oh, so that’s what we’re calling it now???”-Darrek

Re: Being quiet
“You know what else doesn’t make a lot of noise? Pistol-whipping!”-Henry

Re: The Hellmouth going active
“Guys, this is not good. I’ve been here before.”-Anita
“Darrek! The Hellmouth’s got bubble guts!”-Henry
“It needs an Alka Seltzer.”-Darrek

Re: Self-preservation
“I’d like to walk away from this with my skin intact.”-the Joker
“Skin is over-rated.”-Mike D.

Re: Decision-making
“Make your choice!”-the Joker
“I’m not attacking you!”-Hilda

Re: Shooting Cassilda
“Did I distract her?”-Mack

Re: Armies of darkness
“Two can play at that game, bitch.”-Anita

Re: Zombies
To Yun-Xun “Sorry not sorry!”-Anita

Re: The Joker
“I hate that guy!”-Yun-Xun
“I’m actually starting to like him a little bit.”-Mack

Re: Aimee
“Fucking bitch!”-Anita

Re: Cassilda’s diadem
“I thought you’d want it for your collection.”-Matthew
“Which collection do you mean? Poorly written papers? Psychological problems? Fun socks?”-Darrek
“Occult magical items.”-Matthew
“Sadly, that’s not part of my current catalogue.”-Darrek

Re: Cassilda’s secret
“What does that mean?”-Yun-Xun

Re: Complaint department
“Darrek, how do I go about filing a formal complaint against Aimee with the Rosicrucians? Because I want to do that, like post-haste.”-Henry
“Get in line.”-Darrek