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12:55:00
April 8th, 2005
Tangia's Perspective

I tried what you said, I tried to let go, tried to set myself free of this nightmare. One minute I was overcome with the flood of memories, of familiar faces and then... Nothing... There was nothing there, not even myself... I don't know where I am, or where I'm not. The other's feelings are heavy on my mind, and I hear her voice, her words. My new mother... She's nearby, but that would mean... Am I free?

Dulcea stood firm, now assured that Tangia was safe, and nearby, "We'll do the test." she said calmly, a hint of Tangia's voice echoing with her own.

She closed her eyes for a moment, an attempt to sort Tangia's thoughts, her voice mixing farther with the girl's. "The greatest murder? Well, there have been a few, but I think Jack the Ripper was the most notorious, as well as being the first serial killer. It is still unclear just how many women the Ripper killed. It is generally accepted that he killed five, though some have written that he murdered only four while others say seven or more. The public, press, and even many junior police officers believed that the Ripper was responsible for at least nine brutal slayings in the late 1800s. It was the press coverage that made this series of murders a "new thing", as if it were something that the world had never known before. The press was also partly responsible for creating many myths surrounding the Ripper and ended up turning a sad killer of women into a "bogey man", who has now become one of the most romantic figures in history. The rest of the responsibility lies with the Ripper. He may have been a sexual serial killer, now fairly common 1990s, but he was also bent on terrifying a city and making the whole world take notice of him by leaving his horribly mutilated victims in plain sight, as if it were to make a statement. The Whitechapel murderer and his victim stood facing each other. When she lifted her skirts, the victim's hands were occupied and was then defenseless. The Ripper seized the women by their throats and strangled them until they were unconscious if not dead. The autopsies constantly revealed clear indications that the victims had been strangled. In the past some writers believed that the Ripper struck from behind when the victims were bent forward, their skirts hiked up their backsides while waiting to engage in a**l sex. This is a very awkward arrangement and the risk that they may scream or elude his clutch's make this unacceptable. The Ripper then lowered his victims to the ground, their heads to his left. This has been proven by the position of the bodies in relation to walls and fences that show that there was virtually no room for the murderer to attack the body from the left side. No bruising on the back of the heads shows that he lowered the bodies to the ground rather than throwing or letting them fall. Given the inclement weather and filth in the streets it is unacceptable that the prostitutes or their client would have attempted intercourse on the ground. He cut the throats when the women were on the ground. Splatter stains show that the blood pooled beside or under the neck and head of the victim rather than the front which is where the blood would flow if they had been standing up. In one case blood was found on the fence some 14 inches or so from the ground and opposite the neck wound and this shows that the blood spurted from the body while in the prone position on the ground. The experts focused much of their search on a series of letters supposedly written by the Ripper, though it is commonly accepted that none of them were actually from the madman, though it was suspected that one of the letters, which contained half of a human kidney, may have been sent by him, because the letter stated that the kidney had belonged to one of his victims, Catharine Eddowes, who suffered from Bright's disease, which would have explained the kidney's odd condition. In 1903 it was suspected that a man who had poisoned several of his wives, Severin Klosowski, alias George Chapman, just may have been the Ripper, though nothing was ever proven. The case is still cold today, and it's unlikely the mystery of the Ripper will ever be solved."

She thought for a moment, this one a little deeper in Tangia's mind, "Norse legend tells of the chariot of Freya, the witch, that was pulled by black cats that became black horses. They were exceedingly swift and surely possessed by the Devil. After serving Freya for seven years, the cats were rewarded by being turned into witches, disguised as black cats. This seems to have led to the belief in the Middle Ages that black cats were familiars of witches, and after seven years, became witches themselves. They believed if a black cat crossed your path, Satan was taking notice of you. So then when the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, they brought with them a devout faith in the Bible. They also brought a deepening suspicion of anything deemed of the devil. Comprised of Englanders and Europeans, these pilgrims were a deeply suspicious group. They viewed the black cat as a companion, or a familiar to witches. Anyone caught with a black cat would be severely punished or even killed. They viewed the black cat as part demon and part sorcery.
When the Christians gained a foothold in America they also propelled this myth forward, during a time when witches were coming into fruition in America. Sharing a sisterhood with witches in England, and rumored to use black cats as an integral part of their craft. Black cats were suddenly cast into a bad light many black cats were sought after and killed. I hope that was an acceptable answer."

She drew the memory into her mind, a faint smile falling over her face, "Unicorns... Beautiful creatures... The unicorn was suspected to have been the first creature named by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but as for the myth, I suppose it originated sometime during the Middle Ages of Europe in the form of a fable that although the Unicorn was impossible to hunt down, it was so impressed by the presence of a lovely virgin that it would run up to her and submissively lay its head in her lap, trusting her not to lead it to danger. When Adam and Eve left paradise, the Unicorn went with them and came to represent purity and chastity. Thus, the Unicorn's purity in the Western legends stems from its Biblical beginnings.The Bible also offers an explanation about why the Unicorn has not been seen for so long. During the flood that engulfed the world for 40 days and 40 nights, Noah took two of each animal to safety, but Unicorns were not among them. A Jewish folk tale mentions they were originally on board but demanded so much space and attention that Noah banished them. They either drowned or managed to swim during the flood and still survive somewhere in the world or, as some believe, evolved into the narwhale.In addition, there are seven clear references to the Unicorn in the Old Testament; although, there is now doubt about the original translations that may have erroneously named another animal as a Unicorn.The Jewish Talmud also makes many similar references to the Unicorn. In Jewish folklore it is the fiercest of all animals and is able to kill an elephant with a single thrust from its horn.Throughout history, the church has interpreted the Unicom in a number of different ways. In medieval times, it became a symbol of Christ himself, and its horn was symbolic of the unity of Christ and God. Some medieval paintings show the Trinity with Christ represented by a Unicom. On the other hand, the Unicom also appears as a symbol of evil in the book of Isaiah. Overall, however, the Unicom has come to be regarded as a pure and virtuous animal. I'm not sure if that is what you meant, please tell me if there is anything you would like me to correct."

She was silent for a short while, a rush of choices commanding Tangia's thoughts. "Balder, the Norse God of Light, joy, purity, beauty, innocence, and reconciliation, as I have reconciled with my sister... Balder was the son of Odin and Frigg, loved by both gods and mankind, friendly, eloquent, and wise, though he had very little power. His wife was Nanna daughter of Nep, and their son was Forseti, the god of justice. Most stories about the god concern his death, brought on by the jealous trickster Loki. He had been dreaming about his own death, so Frigg gained an oath from every creature, every object, every force of nature that they would never do anything to harm Balder. Thinking him invincible, the gods enjoyed themselves thereafter by using Balder as a target for knife-throwing and archery. Loki changed form, and went to Frigg, asking if there was anything that could harm the beloved god. Frigg, suspecting nothing, answered that there was just one thing: a small tree in the west that was called mistletoe. She had thought it was too small to ask for an oath. Loki immediately left for the west and returned with the mistletoe. He tricked Balder's blind twin brother Hod into throwing a mistletoe dart at Balder. Not knowing what he did, Hod threw the fig, guided by Loki's aim. Pierced through the heart, Balder fell dead. While the gods were mourning Balder's death, Odin sent his other son Hermod to Hel, the goddess of death, to plead for Balder's return. Hel agreed to send Balder back to the land of the living on one condition: everything in the world, dead or alive, must weep for him. And everything wept, except for Loki, who had disguised himself as the witch Thokk, so Balder had to remain in the underworld. When it became apparent that Balder would not be returned, the other gods dressed him in crimson cloth, and placed him on a funeral pyre aboard his ship Ringhorn, which was at the time the largest in the world. Beside him they lay the body of his wife Nanna, who had died of a broken heart. Balder's horse and his treasures were also placed on the ship. The pyre was set on fire and the ship was sent to sea by the giantess Hyrrokin. Loki did not escape punishment for his crime and Hod was put to death by Vali, son of Odin and Rind. Vali had been born for just that purpose. After the final conflict (Ragnarok), when a new world arises from its ashes, both Balder and Hod will be reborn."

Her expression looked a little pained, the memories as hard on the girl's heart as they were on Tangia. The images flashed through her mind, clear for once.

"Why can't you be more like your sister?!" the voice was that of their mother, loud and shrill as she faced the defiant Ayame, the young Tangia cowering in the corner, her hands over her ears, praying that there would be peace for once. "Shut up... Just shut up..." the voice was her own, a soft whisper in comparison, barely loud enough for herself to hear, no less her mother. She would never be able to stand up to that woman, that beast, she was far too timid, docile, the thing she hated most about herself.

Dulcea held the jewel in her hands, the feel of it resonating in her sense of Tangia, feeling the girl begin to understand.