Raising Sera- Lineage

by Andre Ellison

Dr. Belmont sat back in his chair and crossed his legs.

  "I made sure she was aware of who was in charge."

  Hunter gripped his fist and pounded it on the chair.

  "So what now..." his father contested. "You're going to wail on your old man? Look at yourself son... I simply did what needed to be done. You isolated that child. Now you want to be up in arms when I persist with other methods?"

  "That's not another method. You sedated and manipulated her. We don't know what type of effect the serum might have on Sera. For all I know, she could be like her mother."

  Hunter planted his face in his palms.

  "Angela's whole life was overcome with madness," he continued.

  Dr. Belmont leaned forward.

  "I didn't realize Angela's predicament meant so much to you."

  Hunter didn't respond.

  Dr. Belmont picked up his memorandum and passed it to Hunter.

  "Look," he insisted. "I don't know how all of this fits, but there's something I need to show you once we arrive at the manor."

  "What's this?"

  "A dossier I've been working on. A woman was found in the northern crater thirty years ago."

  Hunter opened the binder. He shuffled through the documents.

  "The Sovereign Stone Crater. Alpha Team Six swept through that area years ago," he uttered.

  "Your team was sent there to locate a particular water source, in actuality, that data collected was used to create and measure radiometric dating found on carbon samples scattered throughout the crater."

  "Meaning?"

  "I was able to analyze the samples, concluding that the Sovereign Stone Crater is the oldest location on the planet to inhabit life. The woman that I found thirty years ago, she's a living survivor of the first civilization."

  "Living?"

  "She's breathing... but more importantly her biopsy showed her radiometric dating is even older than that of the crater itself."

  "How is that possible? Could she be the source of the orb?"

  "I don't know," his father laughed. "I'll need more information to conclude that."

  Hunter closed the binder, then glanced out the window as they flew over the abyss.

  Long, dark and narrow, he thought. All questions lead to the Abyss.

  "Sir, you might want to take a look at this..." the pilot uttered over his headset. "A stream of water is falling into the Abyss."

  "It's the creature, " Hunter confirmed. "Stay above altitude and avoid all contact."

  "Wait..." Dr. Belmont insisted. "We should investigate."

  "You wanna do what now?" Hunter exclaimed.

  "Son, this might be the opportunity we need to finally be ahead of the curb. A ninety-foot tidal wave appearing from nowhere with a head and hands is a detail that we need not miss."

  "And do what exactly? The damn thing nearly leveled my city."

  "Start with your fallen team then proceed. It's been years since we've had access to this location of the Abyss. We can process their remains, look for traces of the orb's origin... hopefully, we can find out what it is that attacked the city."

  Hunter watched as the stream of water emptied itself into the canyon.

  “Fine!” he cried out. "But you are insane!”

  He reached for the intercom and stared at his father. "Pilot..." he commanded. "...land the helicopter near the abyss. We're rounding up the Alpha team."

  Oscillate

  The crackling of embers and a billow of smoke masked the labyrinth of corridors within the abyss. A solitary flame illuminated the walls of the grotto as a humanoid figure emerged from the fog. Its eyes beamed with an intense glow, the color of yellow. It approached the bustling fire and waited.

  "Hyperion..." the figure spoke. “...conserve your energy, brother.”

  From within the blaze, Hyperion exploded from out of the fire pit. The cavern grew dim as his body materialized.

  "Chronos...” the fire titan hissed. “I have searched these chambers... there is no sign of Erebus."

  "The darkness shrouds him-”

  Chronos paused mid-sentence. “But his comfort is short lived. As for now, let him find repose."

  Hyperion lit a fire in his hand.

  “And what of Hecatan?” he asked. “Her magic has imprisoned us to this new world..."

  He created a proxy of a woman in the flame.

  "When I find her, I will burn her alive like the witch that she is.”

  "Patience brother,” Chronos insisted. “First we must gather our strength. Atlas is north. Soon he will be at the crater and the Occulus is ours.”

  Hyperion approached Chronos and put his hand on his shoulder.

  "For Crious, brother!"

  Chronos returned the gesture.

  "For Crious."

  Rocks fell from the ceiling as the cavern began to tremble.

  "Brothers..." rumbled a voice beneath the cavern floor. "I've searched the crater for mother. She was not found or the Occulus thing.”

  Chronos glanced over at Hyperion. Atlas erupted from the ground and appeared before them both.

  “Without the woman or the Occulus...” Hyperion hissed, “...the flow of the lifestream cannot be dissolved.”

  Chronos approached the empty reservoir.

  "Any word from Pontus?" he uttered solemnly.

  "I sent him on pursuit of the usurper," Atlas mumbled.

  Pontus rose from the ground. Materializing from liquid to an ice form, he held on to a wound. Water dripped from his hand as he regenerated the hole near his ribs.

  "What happened to you?" Atlas inquired.

  "My divine energy... it's diminishing."

  "Those humans gave you hell, didn't they! I'm dying to smash another one."

  "We're all in danger," Chronos added. "Erebus is still on the hunt, Nyx is guarding the Occulus... we're overexerting ourselves making it easy for the lifestream to target us."

  "Wait," Hyperion stopped him. "I sense the humans...”

  Hyperion looked into the fire pit."

  "What can you see?" Chronos asked.

  "There are two of them."

  The titans stood watch as Atlas opened a portion of the cavern exposing Dr. Belmont and Hunter. Both men rose to their feet as the boulder that they hid behind was lifted. They raised up their arms in unison. Chronos approached them both and drew out his dagger.

  "Volo ad tuum," the Titan demanded.

  Dr. Belmont took a step backward. He gazed up at the twelve-foot behemoth as it raised it weapon.

  "Help me understand you?" The doctor pleaded. "I can help you... if you tell me what you want!”

  Chronos picked up the human. He held his dagger at the doctor’s throat. Hunter picked up a rock. As he threw at the titan, the stone bounced off its back and landed by the firepit.

  A thunderous roar erupted from the titan. It lifted the doctor and slammed him to the ground.

  Dr. Belmont struggled as the titan pressed the weight of his foot on his chest.

  "The orb..." Dr. Belmont cried out, "...is that what you want?"

  "Release him!" Hunter exclaimed, firing his sidearm at Chronos.

  The other Titans encircled the two humans.

  Dr. Belmont turned his face. He noticed a flower planted a short distance away from him and the titan. Sarah, he thought to himself. My beloved. He stretched out an arm and reached for the Oblivious.

  "Let him go!" Hunter shouted firing another shot.

  “No son, your only provoking!”

  Hunter lowered his weapon as the doctor held on to the flower.

  “It was your idea to come down here!”

  Dr. Belmont touched his face with the flower. Blood trickled off the flower and fell onto his nose. The titan released his foot and picked up the Oblivious.

  "Brother..." Hyperion hissed. "...that scent!"

  "Nyx," Chronos replied.

  "The human..." Hyperion continued, "...he spoke of the orb."

  "He knows of the Occulus then," Atlas mumble
d.

  Chronos backed away from Dr. Belmont and sheathed his dagger. He walked away from the human and returned to the fire.

  Hunter ran to Dr. Belmont and picked him up.

  "Are you alright?"

  "I'm fine," winced the doctor. He held his hand over his abdomen. "Actually, I might have a broken rib somewhere."

  The two of them stared at the titans.

  "I don't know what just happened, but that flower I grabbed got their attention."

  "These flowers are a pain in my ass!" Hunter exclaimed as he looked at his father. "You're bleeding," he continued.

  Dr. Belmont pulled a handkerchief from inside his coat. Frantically, he wiped his nose. "It's not my blood," he uttered.

  Dr. Belmont approached the titans with caution.

  "What are you doing?" Hunter whispered.

  "They're not aggressive now, we should be clear."

  "Clear for what?" Hunter replied.

  "Come here," a voice hissed through the flame.

  "Did you hear that, son? They're communicating with us."

  Hunter stood still as his father advanced. Another flower was laid on the ground. Dr. Belmont retrieved it.

  "So that's your plan... to tempt them with nice, pretty flowers?"

  Dr. Belmont picked up two more.

  "Great... now you can make them a bouquet!"

  "Quiet..." his father whispered.

  "Silence!" the voice roared from the flame. Dr. Belmont fell to his knee as the force of the declaration boomed over him.

  "Where is the Occulus?"

  "You mean the orb?" uttered the doctor.

  "The mercy of Chronos has been placed upon you. Hand us the Occulus!"

  Hunter helped his father to his feet. Dr. Belmont continued forward.

  "Currently, we don't have the Occulus..."

  "Then die!"

  The titans stood up at once, towering over the two men.

  "Hold up..." the doctor responded. "I know where it's located though. I can retrieve it for you."

  Chronos approached Dr. Belmont. He threw the blood stained flower at him.

  "Where's the woman? Where is Nyx?" the Titan demanded, mimicking the human tongue.

  Dr. Belmont looked at Hunter then turned to Chronos.

  "She's-"

  "Dead," Hunter interrupted.

  Chronos looked at Hunter.

  "She's dead..." he repeated.

  Hunter picked up the flower.

  "This... this blood was hers. In this very same spot, I watched her die. Your Nyx... she's dead... right along with my wife."

  Chronos faced his brothers then turned towards the doctor.

  "The person you speak of was only a host for the eternal. She possessed your wife, the same way she possessed Neoma, the creator of this false world."

  Hunter pulled at his father’s arm.

  "Do you know what this means?" he insisted.

  "That my research is right. I have charts, I have data... I have...”

  The doctor hesitated.

  “This! I need to get to my-"

  "No!" Hunter interrupted, waving the Oblivious in his father’s face.

  "You see this flower here... we can bring Angela back in exchange for the orb."

  “What...” the doctor responded confused. “But why? Why would we do that?"

  "Because my wife can be cured... and because Ethan is gone."

  "Ethan?"

  "Patience is failing," Chronos insisted in his native tongue.

  "We'll retrieve the Occulus for you, but on one condition!"

  Hunter approached the titan with the flower. Pontus, Hyperion, and Atlas encircled the human as he held it in front of Chronos.

  "You see this... this has the power to bring back life. With the blood of my wife, you have the power to resurrect her, right? I'll give you an orb for her life."

  Chronos approached the human. He took the flower from his hand and threw it in the fire. The flame erupted.

  "It doesn't work that way," Chronos scoffed.

  He walked towards the end of the cavern and pointed out two fingers. Hunter and Dr. Belmont watched in silence.

  Suddenly, the sound of feet shuffled in the distance.

  "I am the Father of Time... I command the resurrected."

  Hunter gripped his sidearm as three figures emerged from the shadow. Hunter glanced at his father in disbelief. Butch, Gabe, and Jameson slowly approached the two men. Their rotting entrails dropped on the ground as they stalked forward.

  "Not at all what I asked for," Hunter protested.

  "As you proposed... a life for a life. I agreed to your terms, so now I must receive a life."

  "You kill us, you don't get the orb," replied Hunter.

  "They aren't allowed to kill you, yet...” Chronos uttered. “They are for my reassurance. I want to make sure you complete the task that I have given you."

  Dr. Belmont stared at Gabe’s gray eyes and lead tinted skin. "We can use them as we wish?" he inquired.

  "Use them as need be. Just return with the Occulus."

  Hunter pulled Dr. Belmont away from the Titans.

  "You think we can actually find this thing?"

  "It doesn't matter if we can or can not, all that matters is that we stall them."

  "They're going to kill us either way."

  "We’ll head back to New Gate. If Leo held on to the orb, then he’s a deadman somewhere in the ruined District."

  "How can we cover that ground?"

  "I have an idea for that, thanks to our newfound companions."

  The two men left the cavern with the resurrected Alpha team. Atlas clapped his hands together and the entrance to the cavern created a makeshift blockade.

  ***

  While mice scattered the empty corridor, Hyperion continued his search of the shadows in the cavern. Light reflected off a wall exposing the body of a dead man. Hyperion walked towards it.

  "Seems like I missed a body," he uttered. "Should I burn him, brother, like I did the boys?"

  Hyperion touched the dead man with his flaming hand.

  "Chronos..." he hissed. "This human is filled with terrors!"

  "Erebus," Chronos replied.

  "Whoever he was, we need to do something with him!"

  Chronos walked over to the dead body. He placed his palm on the dead man's head. His forehead emitted a yellow glow.

  "His name is Christian Shade. He consumed many terrors as ‘The Gatherer’."

  "The boys," Hyperion hissed.

  "...and much more," confirmed Chronos.

  He pointed his two fingers at Christian, giving the body resurrection.

  "I summoned you to my legion. Now seek out the terros in this world and destroy Erebus."

  Christian opened his blackened eyes. He unleashed a shrilling screech. As he rose to his feet, a dark mist surrounded him and the shape of some tiny hands pushed from within his chest.

  "Feed upon those fears, Christian. Consume the terrors and get stronger."

  Chronos nodded to Atlas. The rock titan removed the blockade and opened the cavern's entrance.

  “Go now...” the titan continued. “...gather the souls of Erebus!”

  Christian floated off the ground. He stared into the darkness and like a gust of wind, he flew out of the cave and into the night.

  EGRESS

  Savior

  No amount of Kindle could remove this scar, Leo thought to himself as he touched the left side of his face.

  You exalted a wretched man, resurrected him into a god, and gave him a child... But to what end? I'm nobody's savior... This darkened tissue permeating my face proves a testament to it.

  Leo stared at his reflection beyond a murky mirror. He cautiously placed his hand on the glass to wiped the embedded filth. With hesitation, he picked up the white mask laid upon the bureau.

  “Neoma...” he uttered.“...can you accept the man that I've become?

  He pulled the mask over his face.

  Maybe Kal
i was right... this scar exhibits a proud trophy to all that I’ve failed.

  He removed the mask from his face.

  That darkness that possessed my body... that struck you down... that killed our child... it still breathes within me.

  He pulled the mask off his face and placed it on the dresser.

  If I am condemned to spend an eternity broken, I’m content with being a monster.

  He looked down at the white mask. The word 'Elohim' etched prominently on the forehead. Leo pounded his fist down on the dresser, scattering the mask into pieces. Throwing his old facade off the bureau, he lowered his head, refusing to look at it on the floor.

  ***

  Fixed near a stained glass window, Leo sat in silence while hours crept by. With no response from Hecatan or Kali, Leo stared at the locked door securing his room. He pulled a ball from a cradle. He chatted his teeth together and tapped his foot in rhythm with the ball’s swing. Gradually, the swinging from the cradle provoked him.

  He glanced out a window and noticed a stone fountain streaming a pool of green liquid. It collected near an aqueduct leading out to the edge of the courtyard.

  As a slight chill came over him, he blew in his hands and rubbed them together. Suddenly, the sound of the door clicked unlocked. He turned towards the door as it swung open.

  "I've had enough of this," he muttered, stopping the cradling balls.

  ***

  Leo explored the halls of the old castle. Empty and vast, the echo of his thoughts amplified over the distilled quiet. Broken only by the clank of his footsteps, the silence appeared steady and without moving. Dank and narrow archways, pierced with beams of passing sunlight populated throughout the castle. As Leo approached the foyer of the castle’s main entrance, he noticed vines of grapes grown in abundance around the walls of the stronghold. He paused for a moment, remembering his time spent as lord of House Megalos.

  He approached the streaming fountain. Green liquid flowed from out the top of the wellhead. A crystallized statue of Neoma erected high above the glorious spout. Leo gazed at her as he sat alongside the edge of the fountain. Heat emulated off the bubbling spring. Leo rolled up his sleeve and placed his cold hands into the pool.

  "Shit!" he exclaimed, snatching his arms from out of the fountain.

  "It's extremely hot," uttered Hecatan as she walked down a staircase towards Leo. Leo rolled down his sleeve. He shifted his weight as she sat next to him.