Melchsee, as she approached Melmat's new lair, was prepared to give him a through tongue lashing. It had been nearly a year and a half, and the most he'd done was send a brief message that summed up as 'I'm alive', and ceased all communication after that. Unacceptable. She was patient, however, and had chosen to infiltrate his little organization and see what was going on first.

Instead of a six foot tall, porcelain skinned humanoid spirit, she had changed her form to something a little more casual. She wore torn jeans and a jacket that wouldn't have been out of place in the eighties, her hair an acid green spiked mohawk. Her features were still a little inhuman, her eyes just a touch too big, but she had her pride. She'd instructed the whelp as much as the master had, taught him everything she knew, helped him create Librorum; she was the one who had guided him through the spirit world the first time.

She knew exactly what she was going to tell him, too. That instead of a motivated, clear headed initiate in the mysteries, they had instead needed to rely on a stoned buffoon and she had wasted much precious time whipping him into shape. She would take special pleasure in telling him that Ben was a much better student, regardless of how subjective the truth of that statement was. Then she'd insult whatever ill-thought out plan he had put together, tear it all down, put him back in his place and tell him what the real plan was.

The church, because that's all it could be at this point, had two armed guards at the door. They were dressed in robes that did little to conceal the body armor they were wearing. It was the good stuff too, not that kevlar garbage they gave to police, the kind of body armor you can only get from a military R&D research facility. At least he had set up competent security. Upon seeing her approach, one of them used a radio pinned to his robe and spoke into it.

“I'm hear to join up with your little club,” she said, standing boldly infront of the guard “Let me in.”

“Someone's coming out to meet you, Ma'am,” the guard on the left “The high priest isn't in, his second is-” he stopped talking, putting a hand on his earpiece “Right. Head on in, he's waiting.”

Melchsee frowned a little, giving both guards the stink eye, then walked through the front door. A man in white robes stood off to the side, ready to escort her.

“I'll take you to. . .” his eyes went wide, and his face went white “please follow me.” She knew immediately that he'd seen through her disguise. That wasn't easy, and took years of training.

“Hurry it up,” she snapped, and they started walking. Their procession through the complex attracted stares, and she could tell a full quarter of them had also seen her true nature right off the bat. It was making her a little uncomfortable, and also curious; she'd never seen this many people at that level of development gathered together in one place; not outside of their ancient and venerable culture, in any event.

They reached a back office, and the door was opened for her. She gave everybody the stink eye again and entered. Melmat's second in command was prostrated on the ground in a bow, stiff as a board.

“The high priest told us to expect a visit from you,” he said “and now you are here. I must extend his apologies in his absence, and if you would permit me, I can offer an explanation in his stead.”

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She stared him down for a full minute, not saying a word. Really took stock of Melmat's 'second in command', then promptly deflated.

“Rise,” she said, sounding tired “Tell me what's going on here.”

“Melmat has prepared a report for you, please read through it and then we can talk.” He handed her a stack of typed papers about the size of a manuscript. Melchsee took the document and began rapidly flipping through it, eyes resting on each page for but a moment before moving on to the next one. She read with no expression on her face, and in under a minute, she was finished. Without warning, fire consumed it, burning bright and hot, and she dropped it on the concrete floor.

“That clears some things up,” she muttered, then she made eye contact “So, thing's didn't work out with Molwes, I take it?”

“I never got the chance to find him, Melmat tracked me down and offered to teach me himself. After his initiation at that backwater college, how could I say no? If you don't mind me saying, I think I made the right choice.”

“Melmat is an infant,” Melchsee said without heat “and Molwes would have served you better in the long run. He is a wonderful teacher, even if his personality leaves something to be desired,” she rolled her eyes “To say nothing of his assistant. Have you taken a name yet?”

“I'm just Frank for now. It's not my original name. Please forgive me, but I doubt I could have ever achieved the power I have now under Molwes's instruction,” Frank said.

“No, you would have nothing like the power,” she said the word with distaste “you've been taught to use. That's the point, and I'll tell you why. Molwes would have instructed you in the philosophy and traditions of the mystery schools. It would have been years before he taught you even the smallest trick you've learned here, and do you know why?” Frank frowned, and said nothing. “It is because these powers are dangerous, and careless use of them risks exposing these secrets to the world at large. The buddists, an excellent recruiting ground, would call the teaching of Siddhas without any religious training an abomination. When they find us, they'll capture Melmat and put the rest of you to death. They'll burn the earth to cinder for what's been done here, and that's no exaggeration. ”

She waved her hand in the direction of the rest of Melmat's church.

“I'll make it clear. You people are not monks, or priests, or masters. Melmat is training you as soldiers.” Frank made eye contact and kept it, the first time he bothered to show Melchsee that he had a spine. Melchsee smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Your master is doing very well, and you should be proud. We don't need priests and calm monks meditating on enlightenment. We need people who can stand against what's coming out of the dungeon. More than that, we'll need them to stand against the might of the powers of the earth.”

“Who, the Buddhists?”

“No, don't be dense. What's the oldest civilization on earth, Frank?”

“I can't say for sure, but the Chinese have the longest history in civilization. It's been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times, but they've recorded most all of it, at least three thousand years worth.”

“No, it's not the Chinese. It's us, Frank. We're the oldest civilization on earth, a secret civilization. Our recorded history stretches back almost twenty five thousand years, and some of the most carefully guarded bits from long before that. From master to student, an unbroken chain of tradition and teaching. When nations fall, when society crumbles, we remain and the conquerors come to us for guidance. Every secret, every trick of every nation passed and forgotten, all of their wisdom is in our hands. We are the keepers and the shepherds of the earth. And what we've done here, the thing we've summoned, this little school? They will be utterly relentless in our destruction, be assured of that. Nearly two thousand years ago was the last major rebellion against their order, when a man walked about in broad daylight teaching these powers, as you've called them. They crucified the man responsible, and have spent thousands of years slowly and methodically destroying his work. They desire nothing greater than the masses to return to the quiet slavery that was the norm for most of history.”

“No pressure,” Frank said, eyes wide, his clever mind making connections almost faster than he could keep up with.

“No pressure,” Melchsee repeated, eyes soft.