“Let her go!”
“I think not,” Hecatan replied. “To activated the Occulus we need the blood of Sera.”
“Wait!”
Hecatan reached for her dagger. She placed her hand on Sera’s neck.
Osira gritted her teeth.
Sera squirmed as Hecatan held her.
“Move,” Osira shouted.
She lunged towards Hecatan and swung out a punch.
Hecatan vanished then multiplied into three.
Osira flailed her arms as Hecatan surrounded her. She grabbed a clone by the hair and swung it forward in front of her. Osira pulled out her knife and thrusted the blade in its shoulder.
Sera fell to the ground. She looked at the roof of the prison as Hades and Pontus continued their battle. A wave of water flung off the titan and crashed inside the chapel.
Osira vanished. She held up her hand and created her shroud. The outside of Obsidian shook.
Appearing behind a clone, Osira stabbed it in the back. The clone dropped to the floor.
“One way or another…” it spoke. “The orb will be released.”
Osira dropped her knife.
Another replicate stood behind her. It pierced its blade into her back. It looked down at the blood that pooled at the edge of its blade. It then looked down at Sera and disintegrated.
“Time is up!” Hecatan uttered as she slumped before Osira. “No more games.”
Osira fell to her knees. As water pooled around the chapel, she reached up her hand and secured the shroud.
Hecatan smiled as she turned to Sera.
Sera reached out her arm as she looked over at Osira. A wave of water rushed over the shroud. Tears washed her face as she looked at the woman. Osira closed her eyes and looked away.
“Ethan and I will find you,” she uttered.
Hecatan lifted her hand. The blade inside Osira levitated and flew towards Sera.
“Your mother will not survive and neither will the barrier...”
Hecatan coughed.
“Do it now!” she groaned.
“Mom?” Sera uttered.
Sera held the blade against her wrist. She scored her flesh and blood trickled to her fingertips. She panted heavy as she held the Occulus. She looked at her mother as blood dripped on to the orb.
“It needs more...” Hecatan spoke as she trailed off.
She extended her hand and summoned the knife. It flew away from Sera and plunged into Osira’s neck.
Osira lowered her head. She dropped her arm and slumped to the floor. A wave of water rushed inside the force field.
Hecatan gazed upon the incoming tide. She closed her eyes and embraced the cascade.
QUANTUM
Arrive
Beneath the watery depths, blood seeped out of Sera’s wrist. She reached up towards the surface, but the flood had consumed her. As Hecatan’s lifeless body floated beside her, Sera gasped as she approached. Hecatan’s skin was blue in tint but pale in color. A calmness had cradled her face as she descended. Sera’s leg had brushed against something. Bubbles populated her face as turned around and saw Soldier. She reached for her throat and franctically kicked out her legs. With little fortitude, she began to sink faster. As her head hit the chapel’s floor, Sera closed her eyes and expelled her last breath.
***
The beam from the Occulus seared into the Egress. It grew in width and permitted Tartarus to stretched through its gate. He summoned his minion and charged towards Pangaea.
***
Hades and Zeus persisted their assault on Pontus. The water god lashed out his tentacles as he reached for the last child of Chronos to be released. A blue sprite hovered out of Obsidian but Pontus snatched the diety and pulled it into the lava.
Lightning and fire engulfed the titan. Lava spewed from out of the volcano. As it poured onto the mainland, everything in it’s path caught fire, including the prison walls.
***
Sera remained on the chapel floor as her aura left her body. It stood above her and stared at the lifeless child that lied beneath. As it looked up, the light of the flames attracted the spirit and it ascended towards the surface. The Occulus glowed at the bottom of the abyssal water. Sera’s aura disappeared.
The crackling of fire brushed over Sera and her physical body floated towards the surface.
A fiery hand reached out to caressed her face. An arm was wrapped around Sera and immediately she was pulled back down again. The fiery figure picked up the Occulus and held it in one hand while holding Sera up in the other. It planted the Occulus deep in Sera’s chest, merging the two pieces into one.
“Brontus...” a soft voice spoke, “Seal this child with the Occulus... and unleash its bounds.”
The fiery figure emerged into a titan woman. She took a step back and looked down at Hecatan. Solemnly, she picked up her body.
“My darling child...” she uttered towards Hecatan. “May you now find peace.”
The lifestream released itself from Sera’s chest. It reached out towards the woman and wrapped itself around her and Hecatan.
“You brave little girl,” the woman spoke. “You may now rise.”
Sera’s aura leaped from out of her chest. It looked back at herself again. This time it noticed that bubbles had left from Sera’s mouth.
“Who are you?” the aura spoke.
It turned towards the woman.
The woman leaned in and smiled with fire blazing in her eyes.
“I am Rhea, the Titaness of Motherhood.”
She pressed her hand against the aura’s chest.
“And you, my dear child... are my successor.”
Rhea pushed the aura into Sera’s body.
Sera eyes opened and a blinding white light emulated from them and her mouth. She spread out her hands and parted the water around her. As the body of Soldier laid dead on the chapel floor, Sera stared at him and shouted.
***
Zeus struck Pontus with another bolt of lightning. As the bolt struck his chest, the titan erupted in a thunderous roar. The blue-colored sprite spilled from his grasp and a horde of terrors raced towards the spirit with ravenous intent. Hades swung his flail and engulfed the demons in flames.
***
Sera clenched her fist and approached Soldier. Rhea walked next to her and they both looked up at the behemoth, Pontus.
“I have given you life...” Rhea uttered. “The power of the Occulus is now yours to control. With it, you possess a strength... a source of power. Unlike any other that has come before you, you can manipulate the realm and control beyond the Egress. None shall exist, nor shall perish. All this is true, if you will it to be.”
Sera nodded her head. Rhea disappeared with Hecatan in her arms. An amulet fell to the ground in their place.
Sera looked back at Soldier. She turned towards Pontus again and lifted up her hand. A portal appeared above Pontus’ head. As Sera spreaded her fingers apart, a cyan energy poured from out the rift.
Pontus cried out.
She distilled the titan. Separating his chemical makeup, oxygen molecules scattered in mosaic. Sera held the particles in suspension. She gazed up in the sky.
Zeus released a lightning bolt. It struck the titan and the molecules ignited. Pontus exploded leaving an arc of light that erupted over Obsidian.
The horde of possessed stormed inside the prison. Their shrieked echo in the hallways as they made their way towards Sera. She lifted her other hand and ripped the terrors from their host. The rotted humans dropped to the ground in unison.
Sera clenched her fist as she held the terrors in the air. She pried open Hade’s flail. Converging the demented souls into a ball of dark matter, she flung the demons into the helm.
A horned-faced being emerged from the sky. Massive in size, it opened its mouth and released more minion.
“Gaia!” the creature boomed.
It reached down for Soldier.
Sera twisted her wrist, summoning the lifestream to expe
l itself from the creature’s hand. The creature bellowed an omnious groan and released its grasps. It groaned again. This time followed by a roar that toppled the mountains.
“Return to your home...” Sera shouted at the beast. “Remove yourself from this world!”
The creature raced towards her.
Sera took possession of Hades’s hand. Swinging his flail, Hades cracked the creatures skull and the helm flew open. As the dark matter seeped from out of the weapon, it reached out to the creature, trapping Tartarus and his legion.
Sera swung the flail again. She collected the demons with the dark matter and wrangled up Tartarus.
“Hades!” she ordered. “Bring me his aura.”
Hades hesitated as he stared down at the little girl. Zeus approached him and opened his hand. The blue sprite fluttered from it and flew besides Hades. It emerged into a god and appeared with a trident. The three gods stood next to each other, shoulder to shoulder. They towered over Sera.
She looked up at all three with an omnious stare. Her eyes burned bright and she gripped her fist.
“Do as I ask...” she commanded.
She reached out her hand.
Her blonde hair was wild as it draped down her face.
A tight tug pulled at the back of her dress.
Sera glanced over her shoulder. Her lip trembled and she lowered her hand.
[Sera] an unfamiliar voice spoke telepathically to her.
Soldier stood before her. He wagged his furry tail.
“My guardian,” she whispered. “Your voice... it’s in my head?”
Soldier looked up at Tartarus then stared back at Sera.
[We must not waste time. I am Kali Ma and you are the key to freeing my son.]
“Ethan?” Sera uttered. “What are you talking about?”
[Ethan is missing... Kaos as well... the balance of the universe-]
Soldier shook his head.
[Jubilee! Wait!]
“What’s going on?”
[Try your best to recognize my voice. I am in this form... I am your father.]
“Leo?” Sera uttered.
Hades looked down at the both of them. Tartarus broke free from the terrors and punched Hade’s face. The fire god stumbled and Tartartus charged forward.
Sera waved her hand at Hades and the god swung his flail at Tartarus’s leg. She then manipulated Zeus to grab the primordial’s arms.
“Your power is magnifient,” Soldier uttered in Leo’s voice. “You can release me, Jubilee. We can be free... as a family.”
Sera approached Soldier but kept control of the two gods. She lowered herself and looked at his dog tag.
“Soldier?” she uttered.
She smiled to herself.
Leo shook his head.
“No!” he sneered. “I am not this beast! Kill this body... Pull me from this misery!”
Sera took a stepped backward.
“Enough!” she uttered.
Soldier growled at her. Foam dripped from his mouth as he barked repeatedly.
“Find Ethan!” Soldier spoke mimicing Kali’s voice. “He will guide you...”
Soldier bowed his head.
“I will kill you all...” Leo growled. “He will never come near you!”
Tartarus headbutted Hades then threw Zeus over his shoulder.
Soldier continued his barking. Sera lowered her face and waved her hand at him. Soldier sat still then laid on the ground.
With incredible speed, Tartarus charged at Sera. She held out her palm.
“Somnum,” she uttered.
Tartarus continued forward. Coming close to colliding with Sera, she lifted her arm and created a dirt barrier. Tartarus smashed through, but soldier emerged biting the primordial’s face. Tartarus grabbed him and crushed the dog with his hand.
Sera looked up at the gods. They turned their backs and walked away.
“Help him,” she yelled.
She waved her hands but the gods stood side by side. They didn’t respond.
“Fine!” she shouted. “I will finish this once and for all... Resurgemus!”
Tartarus held Soldier. He opened his palm and dropped the dog from his hand. As Soldier fell to the ground, a green light flash from his body and the aura of Gaia emerged. Tartarus approached her.
Sera summoned Zeus. With hesistation, the thunder god threw a lightning bolt. The bolt charged up as it zipped towards Tartarus. Gaia deflected the strike. A resounding boom thundered across the landscape. The bolt bounced towards Sera and struck her in the chest.
Gaia reached for Tartarus’s hand.
She glanced over her shoulder and looked down at Soldier.
“The time has come for our union...” she spoke in an ancient tongue.
“Before I go...” she continued. “You must revive my creation.”
Tartarus stared at Soldier. He turned towards Sera and a dark mist escaped from her mouth. Sera choked as it was expelled.
“Nyx,” Tartarus uttered. “You will surfice as a sacrifice.”
Soldier lifted his head up and expelled a breath.
Tartarus held on to Gaia. He pulled her close and ascended towards the sky.
Sera laid on her back. She struggled to lift up her head as she clutched her chest on the mainland.
“No!” she cried out.
The gods looked down upon her.
“Why did you let them leave?” she bellowed.
Soldier stumbled as he rose to his feet. He looked at the sky and let out an onmious howl.
Sera stared at him.
He walked over to Sera and sat on his hind legs.
“You have shown them remarkable power,” he uttered. “But in return, they do not know you’re safe.”
“I don’t care what they think.”
Soldier looked up at the gods. He turned towards Sera.
“They need a home. They are scared-”
“No!” Sera concluded.
Soldier growled at her. He turned away and howled at the night sky.
“All is not lost,” he uttered. “Steel your resolve.”
Soldier walked near the amulet.
“What are you doing?” Sera asked him.
“Giving you the tools you need,” he replied. “Ethan is gone...”
A tear rolled down Sera’s cheek. She immediately wiped it away.
”...But Angela is not!”
Sera closed her eyes as more tears began to welled up. She took in a deep breath.
“My mother...” she spoke. “I can’t... she’s gone.”
Soldier walked towards Sera. He dropped the amulet in her hand then put his cold nose on her face.
“Your real mother awaits you.”
Sera opened her eyes. She sat up and turned a dial on the amulet. A portal opened up and she rose to her feet. She waved her hand in front of the portal.
“Find her, Sera,” Soldier insisted. “With her guidance your journey can begin.”
Sera glanced down at the amulet then nodded her head.
“I’ll do it!” she uttered. “I’ll rebuild Obsidian for the gods.”
Zeus approached her slowly. Then Hades. Then Posiedian.
She opened the rift wider. Putting her hand in the portal, it pulled her in.
***
Sera fell on a patch of grass and hit her head against a stone plate. She held her face and leaned against the stone as she rose to her feet. Looking down at the stone slab, she noticed that it was a tombstone.
Angela Mason
Loved in this world
and in the next
23 years lived
Sera placed her hand upon the tombstone. Bowing her head, she quickly removed her hand and looked around. Standing in the garden of the Belmont Estate, Sera noticed she was alone. There were no other graves present.
She looked back at the mansion. Fire and chaos destroyed its exterior leaving the building barely recognizeable. Sera took a few steps toward the mansion then opened another rift.
&
nbsp; ***
Beneath the labyrinth of corridors in the Belmont estate, Sera approached a laboratory located in the basement. She stared at a metal door that was torn from its hinges.
The robot, she thought to herself. It ripped through here. She looked at a nearby wall. She struggled to read the words.
[ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK]
Sera continued forward.
A cyrogenic chamber stood in the middle of the laboratory. Sera approached it, cautious not to disrupt the woman it held inside. Attached to hoses and other apparatus, the woman has held in suspension. Sera approached the chamber’s door and pressed her hand against the glass.
“Mother,” she whispered as she looked at the woman.
Anglea pressed her hand up against the glass next to Sera’s hand. Her face looked up and her eyes opened.
EPILOGUE
Bernard adjusted his glasses to the tip of his nose. He squinted a few times as he stared upon the barren wasteland. In the dark cover of night, Bernard gripped his steering wheel and sped up his pod. Sweat dripped from his shaky palms.
Keep moving, he thought to himself.
He pushed the idle red. Sparks erupted from the dashboard and he quickly covered his face. As smoke rose out from the rear side of the vehicle, the mobile pod came to a halt.
“Shit...” he repeated banging his hands on the steering wheel.
Bernard lowered his head and took in a deep breath.
“I’m far enough,” he whispered.
A clash of thunder jolted him upward. He scrunched in his chair and pushed his glasses onto his face. He looked up and noticed the sky broke with a subtle orange glow. He watched in amazement at the deities and their work. He sat up in his chair and cried.
“It’s over,” he murmured, “I’m free at last!”
He cracked himself up as he wiped a tear.
Bernard leaped out of the hatch of the vehicle. For miles on end, the wasteland was empty and bare.
“They’re gone,” he uttered, raising his arms in delight.
“THEY’RE GONE!” he shouted.
He took a step forward and tripped in the sand. Hitting his head upon the ground, his eyes closed.
***
The bustling drone of electricity awoke Bernard. He opened his eyes and stared out at the sky. He blinked rapidly as he searched for his glasses in the sand. He extended his arm and heard a crack beneath him. He picked up his glasses and put them on his face. He tossed them aside realizing he broke them.
Raising Sera- Lineage Page 32