Incident 27

by Scott Kinkade

  As Ev and Maya watched, he stretched his fingers, and his left hand burst into flames. “Cool,” Ev said.

  “Just a little trick Belial taught me. I can only do it with this one hand, though. And now that he’s dead, it looks like I won’t be able to do any more than that. Oh, well.” He almost sounded sad about that.

  He led them to the back of the cave where some sort of large box sat. It was very ornate and made of gold. Four golden rings sat at the feet of the object (two rings on each side), and two wooden staves, overlaid with gold, ran through these rings. A cover—also made of gold—with two angelic figures sat atop the box.

  “Here it is,” Arcturus said. “The Ark of the Covenant.”

  “So this is the thing you killed Heimdall for?” Maya said, not even bothering to hide the distaste from her voice.”

  “I told you—he attacked me. I was defending myself.”

  “Ease off on him,” Ev said. While not opposed to her viewpoint, he wanted to hurry up and create a new world, and he didn’t want Arcturus to think he didn’t trust him.

  After all, in the new world, no one would be guilty of murder.

  She said nothing more.

  “Now, then…” Arcturus lifted the cover off the Ark. To Ev’s amazement, a miraculous golden light emerged.

  “Are you sure this is safe?” Ev asked.

  “Perfectly. I’ve already done this once before to see what was missing.” He took the energy crystal—or Jar of Manna as it used to be called—and inserted into a slot at the bottom of the Ark’s interior. Ev had to shield his eyes from the Ark’s brilliance and could just barely see what Arcturus was doing. The crystal snapped into place, and that was that.

  “So what now?” Ev said.

  “Now, we head into Adlo to get the Rod of Aaron.”

  “What’s that?”

  Arcturus explained, “Supposedly it was a walking stick used by a man named Moses in the previous universe. Whether or not that’s true is irrelevant. All that matters is, it’s the second half of the Ark’s power matrix.”

  “All right,” Ev said. “Let’s go get it.”

  Arcturus held up a hand to stop him. “Not so fast. I’m pretty worn out from our battle with Poseidon. We’d better hold up in this cave until tomorrow. We need the rest.”

  Ev wanted to get things done already, but he understood the wisdom of Arcturus’ words. “Fine. We’ll wait.” He remembered the last time someone had told him to wait before finishing an important mission. At the Tower of Babel, after defeating the skeleton Keepers, Brandon had insisted they rest a bit before heading up to confront Belial. That was the toughest few minutes of Ev’s life. He had desperately wanted to go save Maya, but it would have been pointless to show up exhausted.

  * * *

  That night, they built a fire using Arcturus’ flame hand. They sat around it and talked. Maya sat back against the wall, away from them, but with one eye on Arcturus.

  “She doesn’t trust me.”

  “Should she?” Ev said.

  “I guess not. It’s too bad, really. I’m not the monster she thinks I am. It’s just…sometimes you have to kill people. This world’s a sick place for forcing such situations on us. Don’t you agree?”

  “Yeah,” Ev said. “This world creates men like my father and the guys who abused Maya in the Murnau Islands. It has to go.”

  “You know, there was a time when I thought the world wasn’t so bad. But after you kill so many people, your outlook takes a three-sixty. Did the Academy tell you what happened to my parents?”

  Ev nodded. “They told me you killed your father just like I did. They don’t know what happened to your mother. Or, at least, that’s what they said.”

  Arcturus smiled bitterly. “It’s funny, you know? You and I might have turned out exactly the same if not for one slight difference.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We both killed our abusive fathers. Your mother, she accepted the necessity of that act. She may even be thankful for it.

  “Mine didn’t. Despite everything, she loved my dad to the very end. When she saw what I had done, she went berserk. Before I even knew what was happening, her hands were around my throat. Motherly love? What a joke. She wanted me dead. Her own son, the boy who had just committed the ultimate sin for her. All that time in her womb, all those years raising me—gone, out the window. I doubt even you can imagine the choice I was then faced with. Either kill my mother—the parent I actually loved—or die by her hands. Well, I’m still alive, so you know the choice I made. I ran that knife as deep into her as I could get it. My hands, already stained with the blood of my father, were soaked in hers as well.”

  “Holy shit,” Ev said. He was stunned by the words now being spoken to him.

  “As I stared down at the remains of what had once been my family, it dawned on me what I had just done. I was alone now. My world—destroyed. In my childish paranoia I was convinced the cops would arrive any minute to arrest me. I needed to dispose of the bodies. We had a space underneath the floor where my dad stored his porno mags. I pushed Mom into it and closed it tight.

  “And as I expected, someone did arrive. But it wasn’t the police. It was Brandon Strong. He explained to me how he had sensed my god-potential. Apparently it had awoken upon killing my parents. That’s how I was able to move my mom’s body into the next room. She was overweight and I shouldn’t have been able to do that, but my god-strength enabled me to.”

  “It’s interesting,” Ev said. “Maya said something similar—yet way more intense—happened to her when she awoke to her powers. I wonder why that didn’t happen with me.”

  Arcturus held up a finger. “I have a theory. Would you like to hear it?”

  “Sure.”

  “Well, the difference between our experiences and yours is that no one with god-potential was present for yours. I mean, yes, Belial was in the area for Maya’s awakening, but he didn’t arrive in the immediate vicinity until she awakened.”

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “I was with you in spirit form when you had what should have been your awakening. I think my presence kept your god-energy from releasing. My own energy acted as an anchor to suppress yours.”

  “Really?” Ev was fascinated by this idea.

  Arcturus shrugged. “It’s just a theory. But it’s the best one we’re likely to get for a while. You’d have to ask a veteran god to be sure, and we aren’t on speaking terms with any right now.”

  “Arcturus…” he started. He had to stop for a moment to plan out his next words. “I’m really sorry about what happened to you. Now I see why you sought me out. We really have been through the same thing. No, that’s not right; you’ve been through a lot worse than me.”

  It was then that Maya spoke up. “Don’t believe him, Ev. He’ll say anything to win you over.”

  Ev turned around to look at her. “You’ve been saying that all day. Do you know something about him that I don’t?”

  “Not really,” she said. “I just know his type. He was a member of Zero Grade and a disciple of Belial.”

  “So were you,” Arcturus reminded her.

  “I was those things before joining the Academy. You did things in the wrong order.”

  “Is chronology really so important?” Arcturus said.

  “To me, it’s everything. What you do last is all that matters.”

  Arcturus scoffed at her. “And what about Ev? He joined the Academy and now has gone rogue, just like me. By your logic, he’s the same as me.”

  She crossed her arms defiantly. “He’s nothing like you. I’ve looked into his eyes and seen nothing but goodness. But your eyes…they’re different. Clouded. Hard to read.”

  “Hmph. If Ev’s willing to go along with me, then doesn’t that mean he has to share the responsibility?”

  “That’s why I’m here,” she said. “I’ll share the responsibility along with him. I told you—the last thing you do is what ma
tters in the end. This won’t be the last thing Ev does. He’ll come back to his senses pretty soon, and he’ll have the rest of his life to do good.”

  “Isn’t it the same for me, then?”

  She shook her head sadly. “No. You’re going to get yourself killed. I’ll protect Ev, but I won’t lift a finger to save you.”

  “Well, then it’s a good thing I don’t need your ‘protection’. Frankly, I think you’ve gotten a little full of yourself. You kill a few refghasts and you think yourself more capable than everyone else. Don’t get cocky just because Belial took you under his wing.”

  She leapt to her feet. “I’m not cocky, you—!”

  “Enough!” Ev said. “I want the two of you to promise me—no more fighting.”

  There was silence for a moment. Then Arcturus said, “Fine. For you, Ev, I’ll tolerate this…friend of yours.”

  Maya set back down. “All right. But I want you to make a promise to me, Ev.”

  “What is it?”

  “Promise that once we put the last piece into the Ark, you’ll walk away from all this.”

  “I promise. I mean, we’ll have created the perfect world, so I won’t need to do anything else.”

  She exhaled lightly and smiled. “Well, I guess I can’t ask for any more than that.”

  Ev couldn’t help but admire the strong woman she had become. When they first met, she was so nervous she could barely speak a sentence to him. But now, she was assertive, she was protective, and he was glad to have her by his side. He just hoped she and Arcturus wouldn’t end up killing each other.

  Chapter VIII

  The next morning, Arcturus showed them the crates he kept behind the Ark, pressed up against the wall of the cave. He opened them to reveal a cache of weapons.

  Ev picked up an assault rifle. “What’s the deal with these?”

  “Yeah,” Maya said. “It’s not like they’ll work on gods. The entire Murnau Defense Force couldn’t do a thing against the Nephilim in Stiftung.”

  Arcturus cradled a rifle with grenade launcher attachment in his arms. “This is a special occasion.”

  “What do you mean?” Ev said.

  “The place we’re going to be breaking into is very different than House #4. It’s a secure facility filled with Zero Grade’s latest technological advances.”

  “What technological advances? What are you talking about?” Maya said.

  He explained, “Based on your time with them, you probably think they intend to achieve their goals solely through brute force and trickery. That was Belial’s strategy, at least. In reality, they’ve invested untold resources into developing advanced technology. Case in point: the God Dampener.”

  Ev and Maya said simultaneously, “The what?”

  “An energy field that cancels out god-powers. Once you’re inside it, you’ve got no enhanced strength, speed, telepathy, flight or any other abilities you’ve been enjoying. In other words, you’ll just be ordinary humans.”

  Maya turned to Ev. “We can’t do this! If that thing’s real, I’ll have no way of protecting you in there.”

  But Arcturus said, “Relax. That’s why we have the guns. Everyone else in the facility will be under the same handicap. Zero Grade doesn’t want any super-powered fights breaking out down there; it might destroy their research.”

  “I don’t care! Ev, I don’t know about you, but I have zero experience using guns.”

  Ev felt the unfamiliar weapon in his hands. “She’s got a point. I’ve never fired a gun in my life. Even my dad didn’t use them. He just used his fists.”

  Arcturus wiggled a finger in front of them. “Ah, but these are no ordinary guns. I crafted them myself. Conjuring was always my specialty, you see. I designed them to be completely recoilless, and the bullets hone in on their targets. Just point it at the enemy and watch them go down.”

  Maya shook her head. “This is still a very bad idea.”

  Ev lifted the rifle to his shoulder and looked through the scope. He swept the cave with it. “I don’t know. I kinda like it. It feels like the first-person shooters me and Jaysin play in the dorm. You’re amazing, Arcturus. I can’t conjure to save my life.”

  “Ev, we’re talking about killing people. The Ev I know wouldn’t be OK with that.”

  “Arcturus said it best. They’re the enemy. And in case you’ve forgotten, I’ve killed before.”

  Arcturus said to her, “I think there’s something you haven’t considered. Why is Zero Grade investing so much in advanced technology?”

  “Well…I don’t know.”

  “They’re not content to rattle sabers with the Academy for all eternity. Sooner or later they will strike. They’re preparing for war.”

  She argued, “If that’s the case, we should tell the Academy where this facility is. We should have backup.”

  “Forget it,” Arcturus said. “I didn’t make enough weapons for all of them. And even if I did, I’m not about to ask for their help. They kicked me out without a second thought. They’re just as bad as Zero Grade. But if you want to help them, come along with us and watch our backs as we bring down the facility. Might as well destroy their research while we’re down there.”

  “Well, I don’t know…”

  “War is coming, Maya Brünhart. Help us minimize the casualties. I might not look like it, but I hate unnecessary deaths.”

  She took a deep inhale and exhale. “Fine. But once we put the last…thing…in the Ark, Ev’s part in this is done.”

  Arcturus made a grand gesture of bowing to her. “You have my word.”

  * * *

  The Awesome Three journeyed to the site of the destroyed house in the Tru Republic. With all the god-energy still swirling about the place like mild radiation, it wasn’t hard to find.

  Men and women in stylish suits combed the area, seemingly intent on turning over every possible piece of debris to find clues.

  “What do you think happened here?” Jorg said.

  “Upstart gods, looking for glory, or perhaps sanity lost, never to be found,” was Relm’s lyrical response.

  “Those seem like good explanations,” Priscilia said. “Perhaps the traitors were looking to make a name for themselves, or maybe they’ve just gone mad.”

  Jorg snickered. “Turncoats are always weak-minded.” They walked over to where an authoritative-looking man was overseeing the operation. “Excuse us.”

  The man turned around and did a double take. “Who are you? This is private property, not a sporting event. Go gawk somewhere else.”

  “We’re here about the bounty,” Jorg said.

  “And what bounty would that be?”

  “The bounty for the heads of our mutual enemies,” Priscilia said.

  He raised his sunglasses to get a better look at the trio. “Are you Zero Grade? I don’t recognize you.”

  “Let’s just say we’re looking to improve our lot in life,” Jorg said.

  “Peasants today, kings tomorrow, the cycle of life,” Relm said.

  The man stared at him. “What the hell’s wrong with him?”

  Jorg shrugged. “He’s just like that.”

  “Hmph. I think I’ve figured you out. You’re with the Academy, aren’t you?” They looked away, reluctant to respond. “Normally I’d capture and interrogate you to find out the location of the Academy. We can’t question exiles about it because Bethos and his lackeys wipe the location from your mind when they kick you out. But this is your lucky day. If you’re serious about joining up with us and haven’t been banished by the Academy yet, go get the heads of our enemies.”

  “What exactly did they do?” Jorg said. “It’s not that I need to know. I’m just curious.”

  He motioned to the disaster area all around them. “Just look at this place. We had a real nice house here. But then Ev Bannen came in with Arcturus Reich—he’s the other guy we want—and they absolutely destroyed the place. And look,” he said, indicating the plethora of filled body bags. “They didn�
��t spare anyone. You ever hear of Poseidon?”

  They nodded. “He was the god of the sea. A real legend,” Priscilia said.

  “Now he’s a corpse, all because of two lunatics. Not even Bethos would condone such a thing.”

  “Don’t worry; we’ll get them,” Jorg said.

  They turned around to leave. The man said, “You’d better watch yourselves. If they can kill a veteran like Poseidon, they’re not to be underestimated.”