DETAILS

In the living room of his mansion on Maljardin, Jean Paul begs to be free of the portrait and begins to question the curse. Raxl enters and pleads with Jacques to free Jean Paul from the curse, but the only response is the sound of thunder and the flash of lightning.

Jean Paul asks Raxl why she seems so upset. Raxl informs Jean Paul that Dr. Mencken is dead. They both descend into the crypt where Raxl tells Jean Paul that Dr. Mencken’s body is in Erica’s former coffin. Dr. Mencken’s body has bruises on it as if he had been in an accident, but Jean Paul remembers nothing of this. Raxl informs Jean Paul that he said Dr. Mencken had been drinking, but she knows that he never drank. Raxl asks Jean Paul why he set Jacques free. Jean Paul is confused, saying that all he recalls finding was a conjure doll, and Raxl informs him that his finding of the doll and the removal of the pin was how Jacques was freed. Raxl asks Jean Paul to remove Alison from the house and also inquires where the doll and pin are.

At that moment, Jacques possesses Jean Paul and he refuses to answer Raxl’s questions. Jacques speaks to Erica in her cryogenic capsule and thanks her for being frozen so that he may continue to live. He then dusts his coffin.

Later, Jean Paul finds himself standing in front of the painting of Jacques Eloi DesMondes. As he goes to sit on the couch, Alison enters the room and stares at the painting of Jacques. Jean Paul asks her if anything is wrong and then offers her a brandy, for “medicinal” reasons. Alison explains that she is upset that Erica has not had a proper burial. While she is talking, Jacques again possesses Jean Paul. Alison comments on the resemblance between Jacques and Jean Paul and mentions that Raxl had told her that Jacques was the embodiment of evil and that he had possessed Jean Paul’s soul. Jean Paul (Jacques) dismisses this theory and explains that Jacques was actually a scholar, navigator and engineer, and the person who brought wealth to the family. He tells her that legend states that Jacques buried a fortune in the Coral Caves beneath the island.

Jean Paul (Jacques) goes on to say that he was an admirer of Jacques, telling Alison that Jacques would act as he is acting if he were in his place. He tells Alison the story of the death of Jacques’ wife Huaco, saying that they were watching the sunset on a cliff when the wind blew her over the edge and into the sea.  Jacques tried to save her but couldn’t. He mentions to Alison that Jacques chose to join his wife in death rather than live without her. Jean Paul (Jacques) also mentions that Jacques’ wife had a sister, Raua, who looked remarkably like Alison, and subtly attempts to romance her.

Alison falls asleep, and dreams of the past, where Jacques Eloi DesMondes is holding a dinner party with his wife, her sister and a male guest, D’Anton. Huaco has just borne Jacques a son, and she and D’Anton leave the room to go see him.  As they leave, Jacques looks longingly at Huaco’s sister, Raua. Raxl (the same Raxl as in the present day) notices this and is reluctant to leave the room, but Jacques dismisses her. After Raxl departs, Jacques embraces Raua and kisses her deeply. He expresses his desire for her and she tells him of her love for him. Jacques comments that love belongs to those who take it.

The scene returns to the present day, where Alison wakes from her dream to find Jean Paul (Jacques) hovering over her. Before Jean Paul can say anything, Raxl enters and escorts Alison to her room. Jean Paul tells Alison to take happiness where she finds it. Once Alison is gone, Jean Paul (Jacques) muses that Alison is falling into the clutches of the Devil – him.  Raxl overhears this and begs him not to have it be as it was 300 years ago. Jean Paul (Jacques) says he hasn’t the powers of a god, only of the Devil.

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