The Invisibles #7

The Marquis de Sade's 120 Days of Sodom is revisited at the Castle of Silling, where all morality is violated and people become mere possessions of four wicked men. Meanwhile, the Invisibles have been scattered in part 3 of the 4-part "Arcadia."

• The Banker

• The Judge

• The Bishop

• The Duke

These four archetypes have locked themselves up in Silling Castle along with twelve women, eight men, and sixteen "lost souls". The archetypes have sealed the castle for four months; during those four months THEY ARE GODS. No one is allowed to leave, and the four in charge will satisfy every perverse desire in defiance of God and man. The castle doors slam shut. A voice proclaims that "it begins".

Elsewhere, King Mob is frustrated that he, Boy, and the Marquis deSade did not end up where they had hoped. Instead of returning to the windmill where their physical bodies are; they are currently in a representation of the "Arcadia" painting by Poussin. There is no sign of the other Invisibles. King Mob doubts that the enemy has the skill to disrupt their travels; they're just going to have to follow their trip through the ontic sphere and hope that it takes them home.

After walking a while through snow, they arrive outside a castle. The Marquis is surprised because he recognizes it as the castle from the book he wrote while in prison: "120 Days of Sodom". King Mob tells the Marquis that the ontic sphere is manifesting based on their subconscious; the best way to deal with it is to consider it a dream. Boy tells the others that she hates time travel, and she's worried about the rest of the group.

At the windmill in 1995, Orlando EATS Jack's little finger that he cut off last issue. Jack wakes up with a scream. He tries to run from the demon, but Orlando informs him that he likes it when they struggle. Jack yells for the others to help him; finally Lord Fanny awakes. She tells Orlando to put Jack down. Orlando retorts with a smart comment, asking her if she's going to stab him with her high heel... which Fanny does; right in the demon's head.

In the past, Percy Shelley stands out in the rain mourning the death of his daughter. Lord Byron tries to get him to come inside, but Percy is inconsolable. He feels that Byron's cynicism has been proven correct, and that he is just a dreamer. While Percy and the Invisbles were planning a utopia, his child was dying. It is a sobering experience for him.

The "Gang of Four" are satisfying every conceivable desire and are enjoying their dominance over the others. King Mob and his crew are left with little recourse but to watch. Boy feels the whole thing is sickening. The Marquis tries to explain that he was wanting to show the consequences of hypocrisy. KM scoffs and tells him to come off it and admit that he's a pervert. The Marquis somewhat sheepishly admits that is true, too.

In another place, Ragged Robin approaches a church where outside a man sits playing chess. The man tells her that she is at Rennes-le-Chateau. Robin recognizes the name, but she can't remember from where. The chessman explains the history of the cathedral. Of how a priest names Berenger Sauniere became obsessed with the legends of the Templars and began to restore the church. Sauniere found two mysterious parchments hidden within some of the cathedral's pillars, and thinking that they were written in code he asked for help from the church elders. While in Paris, Sauniere bought a reproduction of the "Arcadia" painting by Poussin and began to spend huge amounts of money to redecorate the church. One of his additions was a statue of the demon Asmodeus with the inscription "This Place is Terrible". Ragged Robin tells the chessman that though the place may be terrible, she thinks she handle it. She enters the cathedral.

The "Gang of Four" and their captives have been sealed in Silling Castle for four months. The Banker concludes that despite all they've done; they still have not gone enough. The Judge concludes that there should have been another member of their gang: The General. Though not there, The General has sent them a gift: an armageddon button that will destroy the world. The four force one of their surviving slaves to press the button with her tongue, and everything goes white.

The judge remains standing in a spotlight. He tells us that the reader could have stopped them, but didn't. He pronounces us all guilty before vanishing into the darkness.

King Mob and crew have returned the exterior of the castle where the snow is rapidly melting. KM remarks that it's a bit of a joke that despite all their power the characters "can't even imagine a way out of the castle". The Marquis points out that in HIS version of the story; the four returned to Paris totally unpunished for their acts. The three get in a car that is outside, and King Mob tells deSade that they're going to San Francisco.

In the past, Mary and Percy Shelley prepare for a trip to the Academy to recover from their grief. Mary tells her husband something her father said about how "suffering is a vanity". Percy replies that he has no answer for her, since he has always been vain. She tells him that poets have right to be vain; they "remake the world". Unfortunately, everyone else has to live in it.

Inside the windmill, Orlando and Lord Fanny taunt each other while Jack searches King Mob for a gun. He finally finds one and aims it at Orlando, but unfortunately the gun won't fire. Orlando takes advantage and slices Fanny with his knife. She collapses, and Orlando turns his attention back to Jack.

At the cathedral, Robin is surprised to find a group of Cyphermen inside. They tell the Invisible that she is too late; they have the oracle. They have the head of John the Baptist. We see the dessicated head of John the Baptist on some sort of mechanical pedestal connected to various wires.