The World in Dissonance (Volume 2)

The echoes of the past did not arrive all at once—they surfaced in fragments, like distant voices carried upon an uncertain wind. Though, time didn’t pass that much, each recollection bore its own weight. First came the voice of resolve and self-awareness: "Well, unlike Alyss n' Sonya, yer Big Sis here has no gift at all. That's why she had to compensate for it!! Not that this one’s knowledge can be compared to the Gifts of the Spirit! Nay!!! They have their battlefield where only they can shine, n' me, I just support them with the average knowledge I awakened through the many books I read!!" Followed by a darker confession: "All my life, I have been chased by Death!! Since ‘dat fateful day, I could feel its presence weightin' on my Spirit. It's always there, lurkin' in the dark n' waitin' for the occasion to harvest my Soul. This time, let's just use it to our advantage." At some point, an echo of the old and cruel era resurfaced: "Let the judge so manage the witnesses and the torture that the accused shall not be warned in advance or understand when and how she will be tortured, so that she may have no time to invoke the protection of the devil." Then, a philosophical reflection found its way into her speech—introducing to a set of choices: "As my dude Crowley once said, ’Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law...’ Two paths art presented to ya, one that leads to yer survival n' one to yer demise." Yet, amidst all of that, there remained something that transcended human doctrines: “Ya see, Lil’ Sis, Love is the greatest commandment of all, as it is taught to us in Matthew 22. It’s more than just a vulgar emotion or a delusion. Peeps often play with it without ever realizin’ how vast The Concept of Love is... Even beyond Christian teachings, its Principle stands at the Pinnacle of All Creation. It has existed since the Dawn of Existence itself—right there, at the first chapter of the Universe... Intelligent life forms without Love cannot expand... And yet, The Universe is in infinite expansion!!! Life is born of Love, and it is called a ‘Miracle’ because it is impossible to completely explain it with Science and Physics... Goin’ with The Theory of Everything (ToE), Love itself may well be a fundamental force—the very fabric of existence that binds the Cosmos, bridges separation and gives rise to connections.” And finally came the scholarly reflection—a proof of her vast knowledge of myth and history: “There are many interpretations of his myth, such as the ‘Hesiodic Catalogue of Women’ or the ‘pseudo-Apollodoran Bibliotheke’ in which his offense was that of bein’ a rival to the chief god Zeus himself for Semele, his mother’s sister. Whereas in the tragedian Euripides’s ‘Bacchae’—in which he was portrayed to have boasted bein’ a better hunter than Artemis herself—the tragedian described Aktaion’s transgression with the following scripture: ‘Look at Actaeon's wretched fate, who by the man-eating hounds he had raised, was torn apart, better at hunting than Artemis he had boasted to be, in the meadows.’ Well there are other parallelism in classical times, such as how the King of Uruk Gilgamesh gave Ishtar of her mistreatment of her serial lovers in the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ or the story of the Ugaritic hero Aqht and the war goddess Anath!” All of these fragments—scattered, profound and contradictory—converged into a single name. Dedicatus Liddel, That girl was truly one of a kind. There was far more to the world than one might expect. So long as light remained, shadow would inevitably follow—that was the nature of existence since the fall of Mankind, or more precisely, since the transgression of Adam in the Garden of Eden, as narrated by The Bible in Genesis 3. In a world where good and evil forces shaped the courses of event, that girl was standing apart—yet still faced devilish phenomena head-on, armed with nothing but her unparalleled knowledge. That young girl possessed none of the Nine Gifts of The Spirit. And so, to compensate for that—to stand beside her sisters and her closest companion—she became something else entirely. A living compendium of knowledge, forged through countless books, boundless curiosity, and an unyielding will to understand the unknown. It had been two days since the fake ritual that had ignited the Witch Hunt in Carnforth was brought to light—exposed through the combined efforts of Alyss and Sonya, alongside the group of young witches from that town. But due to some circumstances, the two girls had not yet returned to London. Dedicatus, who was clad in an attire reminiscent of a college uniform—an oversized white shirt layered beneath a loose black sweater that nearly concealed her knife pleated black skirt, and paired with black moccasins and white high knee socks—found herself on the streets of London. There, she paused to purchase a newspaper, her intent was to get herself acquainted with the latest news stirring throughout the city. “Holy Molly!! Can’t afford to lose focus now... At this rate, Imma be hella late!!”, said the girl to herself in a low tone. Fortunately for Dedicatus, the place she was trying to reach was a major intersection for London’s red bus network. And she was not far from a bus stop. What else could be said aside from her timing which was almost too perfect—the girl could see a bus from afar. The red bus of London typically stayed at a stop for 10 to 30 seconds, but she was close enough to reach the bus stop in 15 seconds. As she made her way to the bus stop, she unconsciously rolled the newspaper into a neat cylinder, her fingers tightening around it firmly. “Ah yeah!! There are far more of these scattered across the city now!”, murmured the girl to herself as her gaze settled upon the modest structure before her. A couple of years ago, it was a rare sight in The United Kingdom, yet they started to be more common in London—bus shelters made of glass and steel could be seen at some bus stop across the city. Once the Metrobus arrived next to the bus shelter, the young girl didn’t wait much to set foot in. But before fully boarding the bus, Dedicatus had to pay the driver to get her ticket, and fortunately for her, there was no queue. While many iconic Routemaster buses still operated in a driver-conductor duo, most of the bus system in London already shifted to one-person operation or OPO. One had to pay, then the driver would provide that person a ticket from a machine—usually an Almex E—in their cab. Once she had received her ticket and change, Dedicatus made her way deeper into the bus and took a seat with no passengers sitting around. Solitude came naturally to her; the girl had always found it difficult to form connections, and beyond her small circle—consisting of her sisters, Sonya and Father John—she seldom allowed anyone else into her world. Her destination was clear in her mind, Sadler’s Wells Theaters. The young maiden was awaited there, for some circumstances required her presence. Her point of departure—the stop at which she boarded the bus—lay not that far from the opera house. As the vehicle rolled through the streets of London, the theater came gradually into view with each passing moment—a unique place of quiet prestige, its façade carrying the weight of countless performances etched into its history. Dedicatus gazed at it in silence through the window, the rolled newspaper still resting loosely in her hand—her destination was drawing near, and with it, something yet unseen. . .. ... It was nearing 9 AM when the red bus finally came to a halt before Sadler’s Wells Theater (Stop UC), signaling that it was the time for the young girl to disembark. With a quiet motion, she rose from her seat, moved to the door and stepped down onto the pavement. The air carried that distinct London chill—subtle, yet enough to remind one that the day had only just begun. What awaited her there... No—who awaited her there was none other than her younger sister, Laurencia Liddel, accompanied by Father John. “Big Sis, today is a big day, you should have been more careful about the time!”, reprimanded the younger sister with a serious expression on her face. “You just managed to make it in time but still...” “Hai hai!! I know, ‘t was dumb of me to pull an all-nighter a day before the opera!! But ‘t was a matter of life n’ death situation.”, replied Dedicatus while trying to defend herself. “I know it’s for a good cause, but you should also be careful not to overheat.”, intervened the Catholic Priest going by Father John. “It won’t benefit anyone if you get sick!” “Anyway, no talkin’ business here!! Today’s program is for ya two to relax n’ enjoy the show!”, suddenly declared the young maiden. “So what we waitin’ for!? Let’s get in!!” Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Designed by the prolific theatre architect Frank Matcham, it saw its fifth incarnation open on the 6th January 1931 under the proprietorship of Lilian Baylis. For its first years, it housed drama productions, opera and ballet alike, before gradually devoting itself to the latter two arts. Thus, when Dedicatus spoke of ‘the show’, she was most likely referring to either an opera or a ballet performance. As the three of them stepped further in, they crossed paths with a figure familiar to Dedicatus—a young maiden, seemingly of the same age. From the mere way she carried herself, one could surmise she hailed from aristocratic circle. Her posture was impeccable, her gait measured and unhurried, as though each step had been rehearsed since childhood. Upon her head rested an oversized newsboy cap, matching the soft brown of her long hair. Her attire reflected a refined sensibility of the era—a tailored coat of fine fabric, fitted just enough to accentuate her slight frame. Beneath it, the suggestion of a carefully chosen ensemble spoke of wealth, tempered with restraint rather than excess. Even her gloves, delicately worn, hinted at a habit of decorum rather than mere fashion. There was an air of detachment about her—composed, distant, almost untouchable—as though she stood a step removed from the world around her. The girl went by the name of Beatrice Ashcroft. “Oh~ my... If it isn’t the self-proclaimed genius!”, said the girl, her tone as composed as it was cutting. “I must admit, it is rather a surprise to see you arrive on time for once!” “Yo Beato~ well, ya know... ain’t easy bein’ the main performer!!”, replied Dedicatus as if she was unbothered by the remark. “By the way, how does ‘t feel to lose such a major role to the likes of me!?” “It was but a mere coincidence!”, replied the girl. “The fact that someone like you was chosen over me hardly speaks of merit. A ‘Jack of all trades’ seldom compares to one born a true genius.” “Am always up for a bet, ya know!!”, replied Dedicatus with a smirk on her face. “Chess, maths, physics—well, anythin’ ya want... Just name it. N’ Imma give ya a proper beatin’ ‘till ya can’t keep up anymore!!” “Your confidence is astonishing!”, replied Beatrice, unfazed. “Very well—I shall hold you to that! We will see whether you can maintain such bravado in the upcoming special exams!” That girl was accompanied by several other performers; though none of them uttered a single word, the look in their eyes definitely spoke volumes—silent, yet unmistakable in their disdain, as though the leading role should had never been entrusted to a mere Jack of all trades, just as Beatrice had implied. “Big sis... Who was that person?”, curiously asked Laurencia. “A rival—this one ain’t sure yet!!”, murmured the elder sister to herself before answering aloud. “Well, we tread the same academic path over at Cambridge. So, ya could say we are share... a rather competitive relationship”