Raising Sera- Lineage

by Andre Ellison

  Ethan nodded his head.

  "I know... I know," he shushed. "...but now is not the time to play hero. They have bigger guns and more numbers."

  Sera neglected Ethan's demand.

  "Hey!" Ethan uttered, jolting her shoulders, "Look at me... Sera stop it.”

  He grabbed Sera's head. Turning her face towards the mansion, he pointed to the lights on the trucks and the missile that flew in the air.

  She watched as Dr. Belmont received a barrage of gunfire. A creaking noise echo throughout the estate. The footing beneath Dr. Belmont gave way. As he descended to the basement floor, he extended the arm of his robot. Holding on to the floor, it gave way to the rest of the dining room, dropping him, the dog and Damien as well.

  Sera reached out her hand. She pounded of Ethan's back as tear well up in her eyes. Falling to her knees, she held her face in her hands.

  "Be strong kiddo..." Ethan replied. "He’s a smart kid.”

  Ethan held up his tracking device.

  “He’ll survive... and when he does, we'll know how to find him."

  He reached in his back pocket and gave Sera the other device.

  Ethan looked up upon a neighboring hillside. He noticed Hecatan as she stood in the distance. He lowered himself into the brush.

  Fire erupted from the mansion as the house began to crumble. Leaping from the wreckage, the dog barked as it climbed from out of the hole. It ran up the hill and sat at Hecatan’s side.

  "Look Sera..." Ethan continued. "It's your guardian!"

  Sera looked up.

  The mechanical robot flew from out of the wreckage. It soared into the air and rocketed into the sky. Two Apex Carrier Deltas gave pursuit and fired upon it. The robot exploded, screaming like a fireball as it descended to the ground in pieces.

  Ethan peered his head out as the rustling of leaves grew in the bushes nearby. He held on to Sera’s hand.

  “We’ve gotta move, Sera...”

  The young girl hesitated.

  “There’s no time left!” he continued.

  He pulled her close as they went transparent.

  The Approach

  The glow of moonlight paved their way as Ethan and Sera walked down the deserted highway.

  He watched as Sera remained hunched over, feverishly planting her face on the tracking device monitor. A label that read Damien, showed a white blimp flashing on the screen.

  "Just so you know...” Ethan uttered. “...as long as that light keeps flashing... he’s still breathing.”

  Sera continued to walk.

  Ethan cleared his throat.

  "I don't know what happened back there. When I searched the mansion earlier... nobody was there. Apex soldiers, flying robots, Dr. Belmont... all I wanted was a shower and a decent meal."

  Sera looked up at Ethan, then pointed to the screen of the monitor.

  "Damien...” he replied. “...right."

  Ethan stopped walking.

  "We'll get Damien back, trust me... but first we need to regroup. With you, in your condition, and me without an army, there's no way we can get him back now."

  Sera squinted her eyes. She turned invisible then kicked up a trail of dust. She turned in the opposite direction towards the mansion.

  "Sera!" Ethan yelled out. "Hey!"

  He stood on the side of the road and waited for her to respond. He tapped his foot and crossed his arms together.

  "For fucksake, I'm your father, damn it!"

  Sera continued on.

  Ethan shook his head then ran up next to her. He followed the dust trail that led up to the sound of pounding feet on the pavement. He reached out his hand to her.

  "Sera, wait," he uttered. "I apologize for that. I don't want you to think that I don't care. Damien is a great kid... and I don't want him hurt...”

  He paused.

  “But we need to be smart about this. It's cool you have your vanishing act, but there are people and creatures out there that are coming straight for you."

  Ethan dropped his hands as the dust began to settle.

  "Look... I saw this woman off in the distance, her name is Hecatan. I saw the dog jump out of the mansion and return to her. If she is there and the dog made it out, as long as we have our flashing blimpy, I'm sure Damien will be fine."

  Sera tapped Ethan's shoulder. She nodded in agreement as she appeared behind him. Awkwardly, she stared at Ethan.

  "You understand me, right?" Ethan exclaimed.

  She nodded again.

  "If only that woman were here right now...”

  Ethan looked down at Sera.

  “Maybe she can get you your voice back...”

  Sera shrugged her shoulders.

  She clenched her fists in a driving motion, she gazed upon the road.

  "A vehicle?”

  Sera nodded.

  “I don't think we'll be so lucky."

  She dropped her head in discouragement. She opened her palm. She danced two fingers on top of her hand in a walking motion.

  "Yeah, kiddo...” Ethan replied. ”...looks like that's all we've got."

  Sera collapsed her shoulders and tilted her head. She pressed her face into Ethan's stomach. Opening up his arms, Ethan patted her head gently.

  "No problem, Kiddo... we can rest here if you want."

  Sera wrapped her arms around Ethan. She snuggled up against him and exhaled.

  "I made a promise to Angela once. I'm not sure who you belong to, but you were born from her. I promised her I would look after you. Hecatan told me about a city in the center of the bog. If we have to take this journey, I want you to know I am here for you. If you want to meet your real mother and father, I will protect you."

  Sera looked up at Ethan and nodded. He smiled at her as they both strobed into transparency.

  Sera's eyes lit up as Ethan laughed out loud.

  "So what do you say kiddo, are you ready to get going?"

  Sera rapidly shook her head and fell to the ground. Ethan nodded his head and sat down on the road beside her.

  "I guess that's a no then!"

  Sera rested her head on Ethan's shoulder. Pulling out the tracking device, she continued to watch the white blimp flicker. Ethan looked out into the distance. He pulled himself up as he faintly recognized the familiar shape of a woman.

  His eyes became heavy.

  “Sera,” Ethan uttered. “Sera, go!”

  He felt tired and struggled as Sera laid upon him. He looked down at her and noticed she was sleep.

  Ethan blinked his eyelids. With each passing moment, the figure of the woman got closer.

  "Angela," he uttered as the woman approached him.

  She held her crossbow to his face.

  "Hello, Ethan," Osira uttered in a soft voice. "I can't help but noticed you have something that doesn't belong to you."

  She bent down in front of him with the Soulstring.

  Ethan breath was heavy and short.

  "Who are you?" he scoffed.

  She looked over her shoulder then turned back towards Ethan. "Hold that thought sweetheart... seems like tonight is going to be a girls night out."

  She stood up.

  “I’m a jealous girl, McCall...”

  She loaded an arrow onto her crossbow.

  “Sharing is not an option,” she continued.

  The tip of her arrowhead lit up.

  Off in the distance, a hollow shriek cried in the night. As an ominous figure tackled Osira, Ethan reached out his arms towards Sera. He wrapped her up as he leaned over her.

  The arrowhead detonated and a fire erupted.

  A male figure approached Ethan. As it walked amongst the fire, it wore a crude hooded overcoat. The stench of death reeked from his presence.

  Osira released another arrow. As it detonated, a blaze of fire shot up in the sky. Ethan covered his face as sweat dripped down the back of his neck. He squinted his eyes as the dark figure approached him. Ethan pushed Sera aside.

  He noticed the scar across th
e figure’s chest. With no energy left, Ethan slumped to the ground. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

  SIGNIFY

  Lunar Eclipse

  The fire raged on. Osira ignored her burns as she continued her assault. The light from the blaze increased with intensity. Nyx blended in with the shadows and found solace in the blackened sky. Osira used the sweltering heat to leverage her attacks. She waited for her moment to strike again.

  A cold chill fell upon her back.

  Nyx materialized and appeared from behind Osira. The drop in temperature gave warning to her presence. Osira kicked the primordial goddess, hurled her over her shoulder and fired the Soulstring.

  Nyx vanished again.

  Osira held her position. As she glanced over at Erebus, she retracted her weapon and released two arrowheads. One stood in Erebus’s thigh while the other one landed in his chest. Smoke emulated from his wounds. He reached for the arrowheads and pulled them out. Blood seeped out his laceration as light peered from out of his ribs.

  “Life will cease for the protogenoi...” Osira mocked. “All beings who stand before Chronos will fall to their knees or land on their backs.”

  Osira glanced over at Nyx as she appeared beside her brother.

  “So much for immortals... Just like your brother, you will bleed from my Soulstring.”

  Nyx tilted her head in response, then rose to her feet. Levitating high in the sky, she hovered above Osira.

  “Your tongue is wicked. You speak of your gods as if a beast is superior to its master.”

  With a crack of her whip, Nyx disappeared.

  Red streaks flashed across the night sky. As Nyx unleashed a flurry of strikes, Osira fired her weapon. Missing her target multiple times, she dropped the Soulstring as the crack of Nyx’s whip struck against her knuckles. She fell to her knee and grabbed her hand. She looked at the sky as multiple lashes whipped across her face.

  Osira fell backward.

  She scurried across the open desert, crawling on her back towards the soulstring. She licked her lips with satisfaction. Wiping the stains of blood from around her mouth, Osira stared back at her opponents. A swirling shroud of darkness hovered above her in discord; Erebus stood in front of Ethan.

  Black eyes peered beneath his hooded cowl as Erebus leaned forward and gathered the sleeping child.

  Osira grabbed her crossbow. With a steady grip, she fired her shot. Erebus matched her gaze. He held the girl in his arms and morphed into a cloud of smoke. As he vanished, the arrow flew right through him.

  “Damn it!”

  She watched the cloud formation lurch pass her. Osira lowered her weapon.

  She turned around and saw Ethan.

  As he laid on the ground, she held out her crossbow. She rose to her feet and stalked him slowly. As she approached his unconcious body, she searched in his pockets.

  “Make yourself useful...” she uttered.

  She reached in his pocket and found a tracking device. Set to monitor Sera, the screen still showed a white blimp indicating her pulse and heart rate. It was blinking steadily.

  Osira looked back. With the rolling of thunder clapping in the distance, she gripped the stock of her crossbow and raised her weapon to Ethan’s face. A crack of red light flashed in the distance. Osira faced the ominous clouds and touched her lip. She paused for a moment. Releasing her finger from around the trigger, she back away from Ethan. She sprinted toward the darkness and returned to the mobile pod.

  ***

  With a hollowing scream, Osira gripped the steering wheel of her transport. As she raced down the desolate highway, a tear welled up from the corners of her eye.

  Promise me, Ethan...

  She blinked uncontrollably.

  Keep your word. Protect me from harm... even if it means from myself.

  Through the opening of the broken hatch door, she fired an arrow at the ominous cloud above her. As the arrow exploded in the distinct sky, the cloud dispersed into two parts.

  "Run all you want... that girl belongs to me!"

  She pushed her idle to the red. Her vehicle swerved over dust to the side of the road. Smoke obscured her vision as Osira came to a screeching halt.

  "Dammit!" she exclaimed.

  She banged her fist upon the steering wheel. Her head dropped down in her lap.

  Flinching at the sound of a thud, Osira looked up and was suddenly snatched out the cockpit of the pod.

  Nyx flared her eyes with a crimson red. They pierced into Osira’s eyes as she held her.

  "No one is running...” she hissed. ”I grow bored of your annoyance.”

  She grabbed Osira, and with a firm grip, headbutted her and soared into the air.

  “Finally...” Nyx uttered. “I will get my revenge on Chronos...”

  They flew with a blinding speed as they traveled down the road following the path of the highway.

  “But first...” she continued. “Let’s have a little fun, just us girls.”

  The entrance to New Gate rapidly approached the both of them as Nyx continued her descent. Holding Osira close to her body, she slammed the woman against a standing pillar. Concrete collapsed on the main road. Osira slumped to her knees as she fell to the ground. Her body was motionless. She looked up at Nyx as the goddess of night hovered above her. Dropping her head, Osira smiled then laughed.

  "Erebus warned me of an imposter,” Nyx spoke.

  Descending to the ground, she approached Osira.

  “You look like the fool I imagined you to be...”

  She leaned into Osira and smelled her neck.

  “You may have my aura somehow but my being is tied into the the stars... you will never have my reign."

  She released her whip, and her eyes erupted.

  Osira didn’t flinch. It provoked the goddess to snap her whip. Osira’s smile turned into an uncontrollable laughter. She picked herself up from the rubble.

  "Lady, you are crazy... I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about."

  Nyx flicked her whip around Osira’s throat, causing her to choke on her words.

  "Silence, usurped... what is your business with the child?"

  The whip clenched around Osira. She struggled to speak as she gripped the whip.

  “My business...” she groaned. “My business is his business.”

  “Who is he?”

  “Chronos.”

  "Chronos?" Nyx replied, delightfully dragging Osira to her. She opened a fist and a dark mist was summoned into her hand.

  "Tell me my dear... what is your deepest fear?"

  A hooded figure appeared beside Nyx holding Sera in his arms.

  "What is the meaning of this?"

  Nyx stared at her brother.

  "Ease yourself, Erebus. This is only a friendly chat between two females."

  "We must meet with Hecatan..." he uttered impatiently. "We have the missing piece of the Occulus, I can sense the girl's aura."

  Nyx picked Osira high up into the air. She stared into her eyes and pulled her in close.

  "Your fears...” she demanded. “NOW!”

  "Nyx..." Erebus roared. "We’re leaving!"

  Nyx stood motionless as Osira squirmed in her grasp. With a flash of her glowing red eyes, Nyx simmered her stare into a dark brown gaze.

  "He just bought you some time."

  Nyx leaned in and licked Osira’s cheek.

  "I have my mark on you now... I will never forget that scent."

  She clenched her whip and turned towards Erebus. Drips of water leaked out of a cracked fire hydrant.

  “This should be fun...” Osira uttered, choking as the words left her mouth. “I’ll enjoy watching the Titans kick your ass!”

  A blast of water rushed from out of the fire hydrant.

  Nyx formed into a shadows. Osira reached for her throat as she fell to the ground.

  Erebus summoned a shroud. He cloaked himself inside a dark yet transparent bubble. He held on to Sera then instantly appeared outside the fo
rce field without her. With two long blades, he held them firm at his side. He walked towards Osira and his hooded cloak dematerialized from off his shoulders.

  The ground shook from beneath his feet.

  Atlas emerged with a thuderous roar. As he lunged at Erebus from amongst the rubble, Erebus rolled out the way and scrambled backward.

  He looked up at his opponent.

  Pontus and Hyperion appeared and joined the fight with Atlas.

  Nyx appeared next to Erebus and let out a loud shriek.

  A gallow of cries echoed throughout the desolate district. Black-eyed creatures with razor-sharp teeth crept from around alleyway and abandoned structures, eager to devour their next target.

  "Give me what's rightfully mine," boomed a voice standing on top of a desecrated building.

  "Chronos..." Erebus howled. "You will never have the Occulus. I will destroy it before I surrender."

  Chronos laughed in the distance.

  "You will do no such thing..."

  He summoned his scepter. With a firm hand, he held it.

  "The fate of ‘many worlds’ is contained within that orb. Are you so shallow as to destroy all sentient life?"

  Erebus and Nyx stood ready side by side to one another. They inched they way to Sera as they walked back towards her.

  "Destroying your plans... Erenus replied, ”...returning faith to the high council... all of it would please me to no end.”

  "Brothers..." Chronos boomed. "Retrieve the Occulus... for Crious!"

  The terror demons scurried as they surrounded Nyx and Erebus. They yearned for their blood as they were joined by a horde of possessed human.

  Erebus vanished as two of the possessed lunged from behind him. He teleported above as they gazed upon Sera with ravenous intent. He reappeared, preying above their heads and drove his long swords deep into their skulls. As the two dead creatures laid upon the ground, he consumed their souls in his chest.

  He grinned with a feverish smile.

  Nyx cracked her whip. Red streaks flashed in an array of light. Instantly, a horde of the terror demons dropped to the ground. As they laid decapitated before her, Nyx eyes glowed with a crimson stare. She faded into a mist and disappeared into transparency.

  Erebus boasted his amusement, roaring with delicious disregard as he collected the auras of the tormented souls he killed. As they gathered in his chest, his wound regenerated slowly. He teleported throughout the district, wedging his swords in the bodies of terrors and ghouls alike.