“Oh, my dear!” Hera exclaimed.
She grabbed her daughter by the shoulders.
“Ethan was the reason you were taken from me.”
“Ethan is the reason you have a grandchild, mother.”
Hera removed her hands from Osira. She looked at her daughter and backed away. As she left down the hall, Osira threw her head back in frustration.
“Mom...” she yelled out, racing through the corridor. “Wait... Please!”
“No,” Hera shrugged as Osira pulled her. “You wait!”
Osira stood frozen.
“I watched you suffer as a child... I even watched you die. Now I don’t know how you’ve survived any of all that, but lately there has been a lot of things that I don’t understand. I’ve treated you with every medication... every vaccination that I could find. Now I don’t care who you find warmer in your bed... But who else is gonna make the hard decisions when their child is defenseless?”
“I pulled that trigger, mom!”
“And I was left to suffer!”
The two women stood in an awkward silence.
“Don’t hold back now...” Osira advised. “Tell me how you really feel.”
Hera stared into her daughter’s brown eyes. She shook her head in disgust.
“Look...” she spoke, reaching for Osira’s hand. “I appreciate the fact that I can now hear your voice again and bicker like we used to, but I’ve done some things... too many things, that I am not proud of. My own baggage is a burden you shouldn’t have to deal with. You and Ethan have created a child, right? Any grandparent worth their weight would realize the child’s safety trumps everything.”
Osira nodded in agreement.
“So let’s get that granddaughter of mine and give her a world worth living in.”
Hera walked to a nearby wall. She pressed a sequence of buttons revealing a cache of new age weapons and armorment.
“A little something the boys picked up,” Hera teased. “Acquired during their raid on Belmont.”
Hera touched the fabric on one of the suits.
“Here,” she uttered to Osira. “Put this on!”
Osira grabbed the uniform.
“It’s equipped with an array of armament,” Hera continued. “Your group will be able to communicate with each other via radio transmitters. It’s etched into the sleeve of the garment and a propulsion system is integrated into the boots. It can hover up to a distance of half a mile and carry a load of 300 pounds.
Osira and Hera turned as Erebus and Soldier approached them.
“Do you have something that can cover my nipples?” Erebus asked.
Hera turned to her daughter. Osira looked away.
“Where is your shirt?” Hera asked Erebus.
“I gave it to a dying man,” he replied.
“How quaint,” she uttered turning back to her daughter.
“Make sure you don’t spark up any new romances,” she continued. “I’m not sure about Ethan... but I would advice he not go without proper mourning.”
Hera turned back towards Erebus. She walked away and chuckled as she gathered with another group of soldiers.
“Did I say something funny,” Erebus spoke.
Osira passed him a suit. He held out the uniform then pressed it against his chest.
“You weight less than 300 pounds, right?” she inquired.
Erebus looked at her puzzled.
“That’s an unusual question,” he replied.
“Put the damn thing on!”
***
The group suited up their gear. They rushed towards the supply hangar and met up with Hecatan. She was deliberating with Tarquin when Osira, Erebus, and Soldier approached her.
Osira looked across the station. It was massive in size. It supported many ground and aerial vehicles along with engineers, technicians, and staff. A small group of soldiers stormed in passed her face. The main hangar gate was open. Off in the distance, a single shadowy figure appeared on the horizon. As it slumped closer to the compound, it appeared to be decomposed and rotted.
Tarquin jumped in a nearby vehicle. He reached for the radio transmitter.
“What is the situation report?” he asked.
Radio static ignited his receiver.
“The hostile has breached the outer perimeter of the compound.”
More static erupted.
“What is our engagement, commander?”
“Fire when ready.”
A young Apex sniper exhaled before looking in the magnified scope of his 50mm rifle. He pulled at the trigger. The force of the kickback buckled his shoulder. The possessed human sauntered off in the distance. Blood gushed from the back of its skull with a well-placed headshot. The demon dropped to the ground.
With a roaring cheer, the rebel soldiers celebrated. The sniper wiped the sweat from his nose. He exhaled again. Looking through the scope on his rifle, he adjusted the magnification. A few yards past the main gate, a small cluster of possessed humans gathered together. The young sniper reached for another bullet to load up his weapon. Pulling the chamber, his eyes grew wide.
“A horde is coming!” he screamed into his wrist monitor. “Thousands of them!”
“Engage!” Tarquin commanded.
A group of jeeps ignited their engines. Soldiers in the back of the vehicles fired their torrent guns at will. Anti-personnel rockets launched from the compound and infantry units rushed the main gate. Dozens of the possessed human fell to the ground or incinerated on sight. But the more that dropped, the more that would appear.
“DON’T LET UP!” Tarquin continued. “KEEP THE PRESSURE ON ‘EM!”
***
Osira hopped aboard an Apex assault helicopter. She turned around and reached out for Soldier.
“What are you doing?” Soldier barked at her.
“I’m taking you with me.”
“You go along with Erebus...” the dog replied. “I’ll get in the way if I’m in this form. I’ll stay here and protect the people with Hecatan.”
“Hecatan?” she scoffed. “Didn’t you say you were my soldier?”
Osira brushed away the hair that swept her face. She stared out into the distance on the ensuing battle.
“I don’t want to lose him again...” she spoke. “You’re the closest thing I have to him.”
Erebus hopped aboard the helicopter in front of Osira. Hecatan approached the group. Solemnly, she glanced down at Soldier.
“What is wrong?” Soldier inquired. “Are you still able to fight?”
Hecatan nodded her head.
“The Apex army is well prepared...” she uttered. “But I fear it won’t be enough against the horde. Even if they intend on giving weapons to every child, as they should, they will perish without a plan of action.”
“What do you suggest?” Soldier continued.
“Secure the girl, retrieve the Occulus... I will stay behind and provide them with the numbers they need.”
“I will stay with you then.”
Erebus laughed.
“Even with your magic...” he uttered. “...three plus one dog is not enough! That don’t seem like a victory in our favor.”
Hecatan multiplied herself into three. She pulled out her double daggers from her scabbard.
“I don’t need you to stay with me, Soldier-“
“Hecatan, wait-”
“GO!” she demanded.
She pulled the amulet from out her back pocket. Digging her blade into the amulet, she cracked it then threw it on the floor. A bright purple light erupted from the stone in the center.
“Leave now!” Hecatan shouted. “I want you all to get moving. Once I am done here I will meet you at Obsidian and regroup.”
“Regroup?” Erebus scoffed. “We already followed that plan of yours.”
Rotors spun as the pilot fired up the engine. The twin blades rotated in unison and the helicopter lifted from off the ground.
Soldier leaped aboard and climbed into Osira’
s arm.
Hecatan watched as the group ascended. As she stepped into the purple light, her clones imitated the move as well. Multiple clones of Hecatan appeared. Hecatan picked up the broken amulet. More of her replicates emerged. She commanded each clone to replicate itself into three. Each one repeating the action to the next. A hundred versions of herself soon emerged. She continued this action while the replicated army engaged in battle.
Forefront
The hypnotic beating of rotors blared as a convoy of helicopters soared in the night sky. Erebus looked out of the window. I refuse to be this, he thought to himself. He looked down at his hands. If these bare hands are all I got to defeat Chronos with, I’ll use them. He looked back out at the sky. I will get my Beloved.
Osira looked at him. She held Soldier across her lap.
“You think you’re ready for this?” she uttered.
“Are you?” Erebus rebutted.
Osira didn’t respond. She stroked Soldier’s fur and looked away.
Erebus chuckled.
“Nothing’s more important than getting my family back,” she responded. “Sera is in danger. I’m bringing her back home.”
Erebus leaned in close to her.
“I don’t care about your pitiful reunion, I want to know if you will be a hindrance.”
Soldier lifted up his head. He sniffed out the air as if something alerted him.
“Don’t be an asshole!” Osira scoffed.
She continued to stroke the dog.
“Soldier and I will be more than capable.”
“I assume you know I’m taking lead,” Erebus uttered, leaning back into his seat. “I want to make sure you and him hold your own when we get there. If I need your help, I’ll ask for it.”
Osira stared at Erebus in silence. Soldier stopped with his sniffing. He turned towards Erebus.
“So you have a plan then?” Soldier spoke.
“I fought him before,” Erebus replied. “He’s very formidable as a titan... but as a mortal... we have a chance with the lifestream present.”
“What about the Occulus?” Osira asked. “Doesn’t that maximize his powers?”
“I don’t know...” Erebus confessed.
He touched his chest that once held his scar.
“They have sung many songs about the Titan who devoured his own bloodline. Chronos consumed his children. A puncture in his chest could be enough to release them of their imprisonment. It would gain us an added advantage.”
“So your goal is to release a host of other potential problems,” Soldier barked at him. “Do you realize they may still be children inside there.”
“I’ll do the final blow,” Erebus interrupted.
He pulled out his long sword.
“Those deities can do as they wish.”
Osira looked outside of her window.
“Do nothing foolish,” she uttered.
Erebus looked at his sword and chuckled.
“I have little to live for in this form. I’ll do whatever it takes to release me of this body.”
***
The helicopter continued its route as it flew over the desolate wasteland. A sea of possessed humans spawned beneath them. Pouring out of the Abyss, terror demons entered the fold. They attacked the deformed humans, entering their bodies and mutating their flesh even more. One creature leaped into the air and gripped its claws on the bottom of a neighboring helicopter. It released its possession of the human’s body. The deformed carcass fell from the sky. More demons leaped onto the airships. They clawed at the bottom hull to possess the crews within.
Soldier looked up at Angela.
“Turn on my communicator,” he barked. “I need the pilot’s attention.”
She pressed her hand against Soldier’s body armor.
“Where is it?” she exclaimed. “I can’t find it anywhere!”
“It’s all right,” Soldier replied.
He closed his eyes. Placing his head on his paws, he laid still.
[Do not engage with the demons] Soldier told the pilot, using telepathy. [Use countermeasures instead and elevate higher].
The pilot confirmed the message. Picking up his radio, the pilot relayed the directions to the other transports. The fleet of helicopters ascended in altitude, releasing the demons from their airships. A demon slashed at one of the helicopter’s fuel tanks causing it to descend and crash into a nearby mountain. The six remaining helicopters maneuvered the mountain range. Obsidian Ward stood beyond the horizon in the center.
The demon horde climbed up the mountainside, continuing their pursuit of the convoy. Erebus realized their number was in the hundreds of thousands.
“The landing zone is hot...” the pilot direct Erebus and Osira through their earpiece. “We won’t be able to land.”
[Push forward towards the lava] Soldier replied to the pilot. [We can use their size in numbers against them].
A small group of terror demons leaped onto the helicopter again. Osira grabbed Soldier and braced herself.
“We’re approaching the prison,” Soldier barked. “Do any of you have a read on Sera’s location?”
Osira looked down at her wrist monitor. She pressed a series of buttons and a light blue screen appeared before her.
“Use thermal vision to narrow the search.”
Osira followed Soldier’s directions. A warm bluish glow appeared on her face as she typed in the inputs on her arm. A holographic image of the prison’s interior loaded up on screen. She scanned the labyrinth of prison cells and floors. No sign of life was present except for the occasional rat. In a room marked chapel, the thermal image showed a projection of Sera chained to a wall. Two other creatures, about twelve feet in height, stood guard in front of her.
An alarm flashed on the pilot’s dashboard of multiple systems malfunctioning. The terror demons continued their assault. Climbing to the top of the transport, they lunged at the rotors.
As the helicopter descended, Osira clung to Soldier. Erebus rushed toward the panel door and opened it.
“C’mon!” he bellowed, holding the door as the wind whipped past his face.
Osira held tight to Soldier and jumped out of the helicopter. Erebus followed behind them. Pressing a button on the side of their wrist, the propulsion system on their boots activated. They pushed their thrust to maximum speed.
As they soared through the air, the helicopter hit the ground and exploded behind them. The group approached the prison’s tower and crashed through a stain glass window. Landing in a dark, dank, corridor, they halted their propulsion systems.
ZENITH
Camouflage
The hallway was murky and quiet. Osira glanced at her heads-up-display. She monitored the area and found their location. The main tower of Obsidian, it read. Four rooms lined the corridor, each one with a function for administration. She adjusted her (HUD). The chapel was ahead on the next floor above them.
Soldier looked up at Erebus.
“Sera and the Occulus are close,” he whispered. “Scan the area so we can secure an entry point.”
Erebus called up his HUD. He scanned for Sera’s position. Her vital signs were dropping in increments. An alert flashed across his screen. He muted the alarm then zoomed in on the location of Chronos. The titan was chanting. He held the Occulus.
“Pontus is guarding the door,” Erebus cried out. “We will need another way in.”
“Look for it!” Osira uttered. “I’m sure there’s a vent or something we can use. We don’t want to lose our cover-”
Erebus extended his arm out. He fired two detonation mine onto the ceiling. One underneath Pontus. The other beneath Chronos.
“Dumb ass!” she squealed between clenched teeth. “What are you doing?”
“Confronting Chronos,” Erebus replied. “He has the Occulus. I’m ending this now!”
He pulled out his long sword.
“Either follow my lead...”
He pointed the sword at Osira.
; “Or get out of my way!”
Osira stared at Erebus. Soldier growled at him but Osira touched his head.
“Have you lost your mind?” she uttered, keeping her focus on the blade in front of her.
Erebus smiled.
“Your child is running out of time,” he said. “Once she is no more, the Occulus will reach its full potential. That gives me the perfect opportunity to defeat the Titans once and for all.”
Soldier released himself from Osira’s grasp. He rushed towards Erebus and lunged at him.
Erebus slashed with his long sword but dropped the weapon immediately.
[Stand down] Soldier repeated.
Erebus held his head. He discharged a projectile from beneath his wrist. A blue dart landed on Osira’s neck that pulsated with electricity. She fell to the floor in shock.
He then punched in a sequence of commands on his wrist pad. The remote mine beneath Pontus exploded first. Water rushed into the hallway, sweeping Erebus from off his feet.
Soldier jumped on Osira. He thrusted her backward and pulled her to a nearby wall. She laid unconscious as Soldier barked over her.
The water titan emerged. He turn into his humanoid form and screamed with a gurgled roar.
“Don’t do it!” Soldier ordered to Erebus.
Erebus turned on his propulsion boots. He looked down at Soldier then flew to the upper floor.
“Erebus!” the dog growled.
Waterfall
Pontus held his torso. He dropped to one knee and propped himself up with an arm. He roared again. Summoning a horde of water demons, he turned into a stream of water and raced towards Osira and Soldier.
Soldier leaped back as the water pooled at his feet. He grabbed Osira’s shoulder and dragged her into a nearby room. Osira came into consciousness. She slid up the wall and rose to her feet. Quickly, she slammed the door.
Pontus emerged from the stream of water. He formed two ice spikes from the tip of his fingertips and flung them into the room.
Soldier ran up the side of a wall and sidestepped the projectiles. Leaping off the wall, he lunged at the titan.
Pontus morphed into his humanoid form. Solidifying his body with ice, he deflected Soldier’s attack.
Osira reached for her sidearm. She fired her weapon at the horde of water demons. As they approached her, they solidified into ice creatures. Shards of ice flung throughout the room, whipping in every direction.
Raising Sera- Lineage Page 30