16254/The roots of all evil

The roots of all evil
Date of Scene:	09 May 2024
Location:	Salem, Sept. 22, 1692
Synopsis:	Lucifer and Hellequin once teamed up to teach a lesson
Cast of Characters:	Hellequin, Lucifer

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Hellequin has posed:
High winds sweep the cobbled street, showing no mercy for the poor souls standing outside. A few children seek refuge against the elements by holding their mother. The crowd is aligned along the small, thatched roof houses, their heads turned toward a hill across the river. The distance is not so far that they cannot follow the group of silhouettes moving about at the foot of a large tree. It seems that those on the hill chose this location with the express intent to be seen by the greater number of people possible.

The gloomy mood is palpable in this grey September day of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. A day that many witnesses already know will go down in History for all the wrong reasons.

Standing alone by the end of the street, far from the crowd, a man observes the scene, his eyes going from the hill to the onlookers and back to the hill. He is wearing black clothes, topped with a black hat that a hand keeps in place. Occasionally, the man glances over at the horizon to follow the sun as it moves toward the end of its daily course. Henri de Fontainebleau frowns at the scene, shaking his head in dismay.

Lucifer has posed:
Did Lucifer always wear the visage that he does in present day New York? It's likely hard to say. He certainly keeps a few features throughout the ages it seems. Those stark blue eyes, the lithe frame and exquisite posture. Only he does - at least - dress the part of 1692 Salem. As opposed to what people ought think the Devil would wear amongst the crowd he's actually in a deep blue accented with white. No hat, but he does carry a walking cane - likely more for looks than actual usage of course. It's the highlight of class, one would say!

Course, he's not just watching what is happening. Oh no. The Devil is quite curious seeing as how those who are branded with the title 'witch' are synonymously known as Devil worshipers. He might as well see his criticized cult up close and personal! A glance back to the growing crowd as his eyes sparkle before he turns to stand in the middle of the road, halfway between the town and the tree - or somewhat around that range.

And he wonders what is truly going to happen to these innocent souls branded so wrongly...

Hellequin has posed:
In this place, reeking of Puritanism, someone /not/ wearing black might get the attention of the crowd. It doesn't take much for the population of Salem to point fingers and throw accusations. But today is slightly different as the attention of the population can hardly be diverted from the goings on the hill.

Henri de Fontainebleau, by night Hellequin, is also curious about the unfolding events. Oh, not about the upcoming executions - naw, he saw so many of them already - but rather by the inhabitants themselves and their motivations and reactions. It is by keeping an eye on them, that the man in dark blue is noticed standing on the road, seemingly uncaring about the strong winds.

Is it out of concern for a fellow stranger like him, that Henri steps toward the man? Hard to say as Henri seems like beaconed to move closer to the man.

"Sir, it is dangerous to stand out here," Henri says in a low voice, trying to conceal his French accent which could send him straight to the hanging tree, "There is foulness in this town. Pray that you do not become victim to the madness."

This advice given, Henri remains where he is, maybe expecting a reply, or enjoying a better point of observation on the grim scene about to unfold on the hill.

Lucifer has posed:
"Do you think, be they witches, that they could calm the winds with but a bespoken word?" Lucifer asks, glancing over to the man called Henri who would try to advise him to stay out of the strong winds. "You are right, however. There is foulness in this town. But it is not what lies ahead at the tree. No. The foulness is elsewhere, and the spirits are not impressed with today's showing." Speaking this much more, and he makes no effort to move. Even as a gust of wind - as if to prove a point - whirls through the streets, it echoes with an eerie whistle between houses and down the hill.

It's a shame this has to happen. Lucifer cannot do anything about this. It is written in the tapestry of time, and even to pull a single thread to attempt change would unravel the whole bit. Demons would run amuck. Cats and dogs living together. Chaos everywhere. We cannot have that.

Too early for something like that.

"How do you feel about all this, good sir? Women hanging for nothing more than trying to live their lives in peace and quiet within the woods and not the township?"

Hellequin has posed:
Maybe the stranger was well advised not to wear a hat, because Henri must catch his before the wind carry it away. Hat in hand, still frowning, Henri nods in agreement at the man's statement. But to speak this way, the stranger might have a death wish?

"Sir, speaking like this would place you in these women's position, with the noose around your collar." A glance is given around, as if to make sure that none of the inhabitants are close enough to hear their conversation. For one thing, the strong winds are helping in this sense.

Considering the comment and question asked, Henri shakes his head, finally replying, "They are not witches," he states with authority. The Hellequin had kept an eye on the events in Salem, but found no traces of witchery or other behaviour that would have required his intervention. "Of all the inhabitant of this God forsaken place, they are the most innocent ones. The foulness is everywhere, it comes from the people. Accusers, judges and cowards, those should be the ones punished, not these women who will soon find solace in eternal peace, not in Hell, but in Heaven."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer gives a bit of a smirk and a nod of his head. Listening as the other man speaks and closes his eyes for a moment. Perhaps he's taken in the foulness, or just letting the wind rush over him as it blows again and again.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." He states. Well, quotes is more like it. A verse of the Bible that seems fitting enough in a time like this. "I know their innocence. I feel for them. Yet those who cast the first stone shall have their own mirrors turned upon them in due time. They will revel in their wicked ways and will know the fire upon their death." He shrugs and then looks towards the other man for another moment.

"Why do you stand so close? Are you not afraid of being dragged upon the hill to face your own demise?"

Hellequin has posed:
On the hill, a cart is driven under the large tree, its limbs floating in the wind as if trying to escape its role in the unfolding tragic farce. Two large silhouettes grab the slim form of a woman, pushing her toward the cart while another man standing on the cart grabs her to haste the process. At this moment, many women fall to their knee on the cobbled street, pressing their children against them. A few prayers can be heard, quickly uttered in low voices, unsure if praying for the tainted soul of a witch might lead to the gallows.

"Amen," Henri utters while crossing himself as Lucifer quotes the Bible. The mention of punishment by fire naturally brings back memories of the good old stake of days gone. "I wish I could just rid this place of all the sinners," Henri finally states, "But God will judge them and send them to Hell, indeed."

As to the question, there is only limited information that can be shared with a stranger. Nonetheless, some is passed along in a cryptic and not totally false manner, "I do not fear death," he says, "Every sunrise is for man to be reborn, and each night is death anew. This is how we should all view life while preparing for the eternal sleep." He pauses, looking at Lucifer as if trying to retain the details of the man, "And you, sir, are you not afraid to die?"

Lucifer has posed:
The hill is regarded for a lingering moment, even as he hears the women behind him fall to their knees. Begin to whisper prayers. It is not the woman on the hill who needs their soul saved - they are bound for a far better place than this. Hell on Earth. Isn't that why the Devil himself is here now?

"You are wise to understand that in time they will receive the punishment they deserve. Yet reservation may cause more harm than eradicating would. However, the bigger question may be, is one ready for such blood to stain their hands..." Lucifer states this as his gaze remains on the hill and the happenings - since it seems the time is coming quick.

What Henri says about sunrise and nights has him giving his own nod of agreement. Or perhaps just nodding along in an understanding that words are being spoken and heard. It is the last question that is poised to Lucifer which makes him chuckle. "Now that, dear sir, is a loaded question. However, I will simply say, no. I am not afraid to die. If one could find a way to kill me, I would perhaps even welcome it. Either way I would return to where I belong."

Hellequin has posed:
Faint cries can be heard coming from under the large tree, and again the wind seems to want to remove all sounds from the scene. The woman is swiftly hoisted on the cart, a rope passed around her neck. Another black figure seems suddenly whips the oxen and the cart is moved forward, leaving the poor woman hanging. The fight for life does not - cannot - last long and, amid more fervent prayers and rare sobbing sounds.

"Kyrie Eleison," Henri whispers, crossing himself at the sight of the first victim of the day. There are seven more to be legally murdered today.

For a moment, the Frenchman observes the scene as another victim is brough near the cart. "I would not hesitate to stain my hands," Henri groans, "They already are, better me than anyone else. Why leave their punishment to the Devil?"

If the Hellequin wanted to add something on that line, his intentions are cut short by Lucifer's latest comment. "Find a way to kill you?" he wonders, "Rare are the men who cannot be killed," like himself, "Cinis cinerem, you will die, everyone dies some day."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer says, "En nome de Patri et Fili et Spiritu Sancti..." Lucifer adds in his own, perhaps to save face, perhaps to give a finger to Heaven just because. He doesn't do the crossing of himself, but perhaps mentally he did. Who knows. His head bows for a brief moment as well. "It hurts to see the innocent fall..." This offered and then he grins. "Because the Devil was made to give them punishment. Rid the land of their stain and the Devil will show no mercy below..." As if he KNOWS.

Well. Let's be honest. He does. Know.

"The Devil never dies. The Devil lives." He turns to Henri then. "I beg the pardon of your sanctimonious soul, but I have no made a proper introduction. I, good sir, am Lucifer Samael Morningstar... The Dark One. The Malevolent Being. Or...whatever else they wish to call me...and on this day I...Bring..." Then he turns around to face the townspeople. "Reckoning...""

Hellequin has posed:
In a matter of minutes, yet another innocent soul it thrown into eternity under the large tree on the hill. Time seems to accelerate, as if time itself wanted this ignominious event to be done quickly with.

It is the many nights over the last months that made Henri uncharacteristically upset about the people of Salem? Is it this long, dragging, shameful day that makes it so that when Lucifer reveals his identity, the Hellequin is ready to believe it. Oh no, there are no horns on his head, no hoofs, no fire, no nothing remotely close to the images of the Devil. But to Henri, here and now, in Salem on this day, it makes absolutely sense that the Devil would be there.

With a shrug - as if to say, alea iacta est - Henri steps back, reaching for his waist to reveal a large sword concealed under his great coat. The sun is going down soon, there is Lucifer by his side and a bunch of idiots begging for a lesson to be learned. Even Hellequin can believe what he wants for a moment. This man is the Devil? So be it. The Devil is a son of God and off his targets list. How bad could it be to side with him, when the task is an honorable one?

"And I, sir, am Henri. For the moment." Yes, the sun. For once, the Frenchman cannot wait for the bloody sun to go down.

Lucifer has posed:
The smirk Lucifer bears turns into a Grin(tm). It's Hellish in it's own right and his eyes switch from their brilliant blue to a pitch black with hellfire literally flaming as his pupils. He steps towards the townspeople gathered and raises a hand to the skies.

As if on his own command, the wind dies down. He IS able to will magic afterall.

"People of Salem! Hear me now! For you all stand judged before the mighty Lucifer Morningstar! I hear you praying for the souls of those you think wicked. Damned. As if a simple muttering from your putrid lips will save those upon the hill being murdered for their innocence!" He shouts this and the people look upon him, tearing their eyes away from the hill to watch the one man show.

"Too long have the innocent suffered by your ignorance. By your hands. You kill them in the name of the Lord God, but I detest this immoral offering of ill-fated words. God has passed upon these women you hang a judgement of innocence! They are not witches as you call them, they are not heathens as you label them. You! All of you! Casting stones upon those when you all know that you are NOT without sin yourself..." And here he rushes into the crowd, pulling a gentleman away from his family.

"Take Sir Reginald, for example. Oh a pious one he is? No!" And he tosses the man behind him. "Adulterer! Blasphemer! He cannot keep it in his pants any more than he can keep his wife at home. Shall I lay out the whole of your sins on this day? Send you up the hill to be hung yourself? Heathens! Heretics! You shall ALL be purged and find yourself within the very lake of fire you thought you would avoid by casting your eyes away from yourselves and onto victims of innocence who have committed no crimes!"

Hellequin has posed:
It is quite possible that the group on the hill was expecting some disturbance among the population across the river, by the street below. If anything, the shouting coming from the crowd seems to incite the hangman to hasten even more. Barely the previous victim dies, the next one is brought forward.

And. The Sun. Goes. Down.

All focused on Lucifer, the population barely noticed the man by his side seemingly disappearing. For all they know, the strange man ran for his life! Maybe the group of judges with the reverends, should heed the warning and run as well before the Devil finds them.

Yet, despite Lucifer commanding the wind to abate, from a distance a rumbling sound can be heard, getting louder by the minute, like a huge thunderstorm approaching as the daylight starts to fade. The sound gets louder, accompanied by the howling of hounds, although not loud enough to cover Lucifer's thundering voice.

Lucifer has posed:
"The devil stands among us!"

"We're going to die!"

"Spare the children! Spare the women!"

Lucifer just laughs. He has noticed that Henri is gone and just as soon the thunder rolls and the hounds howl. His eyes burn brighter as the skies darken quickly - whether by clouds or the falling sun it's hard to say. "Your children will be spared. Those of you without guilt will be spared. We come for the heathens. For those with sin who dared to cast stones. Abandon all hope, ye who stand in the pavement of good intentions. It lays the best path to Hell after all..."

He has heard of Hellequin. Knows of the existence. And it may be that tonight he puts two and two together. The people begin to scramble, the ones on the hill having lost their audience. How many women dead now? Five? Six?

Could the last two be spared?

He takes one step, another, and then appears on the hill with the executioner. "You'll die too, you know...and there is a special place in Hell for the likes of your kind..."

Hellequin has posed:
He saw them before they saw him approaching, as they are still trying to run from the Devil. Run, they will not do for long. The Hellequin is a hunter. And tonight, in full regalia - large sword and helmet - and with his ethereal hounds, they will hunt. While knowing that killing non-witches or non-sorcerers is forbidden, the Hellequin can scare the feces out of them.

The inhabitant trying to run along the river are soon faced with the ethereal hounds, the view of which is enough to have the people turn around and run faster in the opposite direction.

"Miscreants!!!" comes the booming voice of the Hellequin as he rides above the thatched houses. "Pray to save your souls! PRAY!"

Cornered, most of the population do the only thing they can, which is to fall on their knee and pray. He is not into talks and speeches, and is quite content to let the Devil berate them. Satisfied for bringing some sense into the idiots, the Hellequin turns toward the hill. It seems that the sun went down too late, and there are eight bodies hanging, the last still rocking in the air as the hangman's helper used the distraction to finish the task.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer is judge and jury. He is NOT executioner. That will be Hellequin and his hounds' job. Lucifer has rules he must follow - even now - even on Earth. He cannot lie. He cannot kill. No human life shall be taken by his hand. Oh he can scare them. Compell them. But never a life be taken.

He IS still an Angel after all. And Death is not his task.

All the witches are dead. Lucifer's eyes continue to burn with the hellfire and he compells the men on the hill to simply leave. All the bodies still there, for he knows they would not be given proper burials. Just thrown into a mass grave. Lucifer will not have that. Though he will need to bring someone else in to fulfill that duty. Hell forbid he gets his hands dirty figuratively or literally.

Hellequin has posed:
As much as he wanted to - and God knows he did - the Hellequin cannot kill whoever he wants, only those deserving to be slayed are open target. If he had authority to kill all sinners, there would be no one left on Earth.

Leaving the praying population to their task of begging for their lives, the ethereal horseman approached the now deserted hill. The hounds, by a silent command of his hand, stay behind, their red glowing eyes riveted on Lucifer.

Contrary to the Ruler of Hell, the Hellequin do and can dirty his hands. Without a spoken word, riding his horse close to each hanging victim, the rope is cut by the swift movement of the sword. Each corpse is thus brough to the ground, almost delicately, and lined up. At least, their family will not have the horrible task of taking them down.

This done, the Hellequin steps back, sword in hand and silent, glancing over at the praying crowd, then back at Lucifer.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer watches as the Hellequin cuts down those hung, and he lowers his head for one more moment. "Do as you can with them...let their family find them at least modestly spared from such humiliation as to cut them down themselves." He says this and then looks back towards the town. "I think we made a point tonight. And I suppose I should get back to my throne before these souls lose their way." Not that they would, but it's an excuse never the less.

"Is it odd to say that this was a pleasure? Heh. As self-serving as it obviously is since my kingdom just got a bit fuller tonight." Offering this much more before he shifts and begins to walk down the hill.

There's no farewell. No goodbye. Nor a see you later. As there is no telling where or when the Devil may strike once more. Only time will tell as the man begins to shimmer from sight and in a final flash of what may either be wingspan or hellfire, is gone in a blink of the eyes.

Hellequin has posed:
There are still many evil doers to look after, and the Hellequin's tasks never ends. Tonight was just another night, if not just a tad more interesting and rewarding.

"Make sure to make them suffer," comes the horseman's low voice, as Lucifer vanishes.

Was it really the Devil? Yes, without the horns and hoofs, but with the eyes. Yes, the eyes were a proof. Not that the Hellequin needed any proof. His presence here tonight was planned, and he did exactly what he wanted. Teach a lesson.

And also, learn one as well.

After the night of September 22, 1692, no one else was hanged for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. The history books mention the intervention of the Governor in stopping the madness that engulfed the town. Rumors have it, that other events lead the population to see the errors and horrors of their actions.