by J Moon
Uriel walked out of the office and locked eyes Gabriel. Finally, it hit him cold like bricks, it was her.
Uriel was the rogue angel.
So many questions ran through Gabriel's head.What could’ve turned her against her brothers he wondered? Why would she be willing to give such a dangerous weapon for a rune? What would make her betray SMITE and turn against the will of the Creator?
Uriel was with them in the great battle for Heaven. She fought strong beside him, Michael, Raphael and their other brothers against Lucifer and his followers. Why now? Gabriel needed answers, he had to talk to her. He started forward to meet her outside the office. Josephine tugged him back.
They were not alone.
A wave of pure terror washed over Josephine and she tugged Gabe’s arm again just as he stepped out of the cloak of the column.
“What is it?”
As the question rolled off his lips, there was a rippling in the air. All the small hairs on the back of the archangel’s neck and down to his hands stood up. Quickly he used his smartwatch to raise a shield. Two devastating balls of dark energy bombarded him.
Gabriel looked over to where the attack came from. Two enforcers uncloaked themselves in the darkness. Four red eyes dotted their helmets, an energy pack mounted their backs. Compared to the grunts or the strikers, enforcer armor was bulky because they had to charge more energy for their defensive attacks.
“Blue, never heard about the ones in blue.” Gabe sighed. He reached back and pushed Josephine away. “Get back!”
The enforcer on the right tapped his communication device rested on his shoulder, “The archangel has been spotted, alert Legion.”
Before Gabe could move the enforcer on the left blasted him again with energy. Tightly clutching his wrist, he kept his shield up, which buckled against the clash of the attack. It was so strong that he was pushed a few inches back. Gabe grabbed Josephine, and ducked behind the corner.
“What in God’s green earth are those monsters?” Josephine shrieked.
“Cyborgs from the League.”
“Cyborgs…. I don’t understand” Josephine said trying to make sense of it all, yet knowing nothing ever makes sense when dealing with the archangel.
“And so much for just having a look around. We landed right in the hornet’s nest. No bueno. No bueno at all.”
Gabe peaked around the corner and saw the enforcers closing in on them. One was coming straight forward from the right, as the other was circling behind.
He had to move fast.
All he needed was a split second distraction. He materialized his halo. Quickly he aligned the halo and tossed it around the corner, spinning towards the right.
One of them shot at the whirling arc with an energy bolt. Gabe rolled from around the corner, pulled Lucy from his side, and impaled the cyborg from a crouched position.
Oil covered his hand as sparks flew out from the back of the cyborg. The other enforcer was almost upon Josephine when it turned towards Gabriel.
With one hand on the helmet of the limp enforcer, and another on his sword, he charged at the other, using the limp cyborg as a shield. One after another the enforcer hurled energy blasts towards Gabe, which he used the enforcer on his sword to absorb. With a twist he freed his sword and ran full speed to the enforcer in front of him. It shot at Gabe’s head, and gracefully the archangel sidestepped. The bolt was so close he felt the heat on the right side of his cheek.
Gabe aimed and swung his sword at the head of the enforcer. It ducked and pummeled the archangel with a backhand. Afterwards it returned with a right fist to Gabe’s chin and a gut wrenching punch.
As Gabe staggered back on his way to the ground, he drew back his right hand and slashed sideways at the offered throat of the enforcer.
Again he missed. The enforcer threw fists in his direction. The archangel countered, both left and right, dodging his head with swiftness. He saw the opportunity to catch the cyborg off balance and seized it, he swept his right leg under the enforcer and tripped the cyborg to the ground. Finally, with a sudden, savage movement he brought his sword down hard. There was a satisfying groan of pain as he sank Lucy deep into the throat of the cyborg. Black liquid sprayed out, filling the air with a foul burnt oil stench.
Winded, the archangel took a moment before he spoke. “We have to grab the others and get out of here.”
He reached out for Josephine, she grabbed his hand and together they dashed back down the stairs. They had only reached three floors down before the exit on the floor above erupted with reinforcements.
“The archangel in sight. Striker team will annihilate.”
Gabe looked up and saw three striker cyborgs vaulting over the railing and descending upon them. “Go! Go!” he urged Josephine with a push.
This time he kept his sword at his side, but still readied himself for a fight. The first of the strikers attacked him with a flying kick. Gabriel parried the attack with ease, catching its foot and tossing the cyborg into the wall. He took a few steps down and another flipped in front of him. Before he could react, a foot came at his head. Gabe blocked the attack, stumbled back, and another striker was behind him.
“Gabe!” Josephine cried a few floors below him.
“Don’t worry about me. Go!”
Back and forth both of the strikers attacked the archangel at once. Almost like a dance amongst three partners, Gabe blocked kicks and elbows all together while stepping down the stairs.
He had to push further. If the League had spotted him, it wouldn’t be too long before they got close to Nia. The striker from behind aimed his foot at the back of Gabe’s head, and he sidestepped allowing it to connect with the striker in front.
Gabe tried to block the blows as best he could, but they were coming from too many directions, and he was getting overwhelmed. Gabe tapped his smartwatch and punched the striker in front of him in the chest, delivering a simple shock. That gave him a moment to uppercut the striker behind him, slam its helmet against the railing of the stairs, and toss it over.
Josephine screamed as the cyborg flew past her. The other struck him and Gabriel fell back hard on the steps, avoiding the blow. Almost as if someone pushed him, he bounced back up, and pummeled the cyborg with his fist.
A door erupted from above. Gabe looked up.
More League cyborgs.
He had to get out now. He reached into the back of the striker and ripped out its battery pack. Then he climbed up on the railing and gracefully jumped down to the bottom floor, his wings spread to slow him down to an easy landing. Josephine had just climbed down the staircase to join him below.
“Keep moving,” Gabe said as he scanned the battery pack with his smartwatch. The battery glowed, and he tossed it up towards the League cyborgs racing down the stairs towards them.
Together they exited the staircase and a loud boom came behind. The explosion ripped the doors open, sending Gabe and Josephine reeling forwards onto the floor.
Chapter Thirteen
In the darkness of the basement, something colossal arose, a shape too frightening to be real scaled up the wall. Shadows concealed the figure like a cloud as it mounted itself on the wall. Piercing through the veil of darkness, red eyes stalked them. Nia’s throat tightened. In a blur of motion, it dropped to the floor, and Nia aimed the assault rifle at the figure.
Langston shuddered. “What are we going to do?”
“Get ready to run like hell,” Nia declared. Her face blank and her palms sweaty.
“We move out when I say so,” Nia commanded. She had no idea what she was doing, she was terribly afraid. With the rifle in her hand she found courage. Enough to survive. “Ready?” she whispered as the terrible figure shouldered out of the darkness.
Langston was breathing hard next to her, his chest rising and falling deeply. Beads of sweat formed at the top of his perfectly manicured black slick hair.
“Go!” She shouted and together they lurched for the door.
Once the
y ran out to the other side, everything happened too quickly for Nia to take it all in. Several things seemed to occur at once. There was the roar of a beast, the sound of the wall crashing behind them, and the pounding on the floor as whatever was behind chased them. They were facing a long plain corridor leading back to the main elevator.
Nia thought back to her track days. Arms raised. Her strides quick and long like a gazelle. “We can make it!” She told Langston. In her mind all they had to do is reach this elevator, and keep whatever was behind them from getting in. Nia turned to Langston, “Don’t look behind. Just keep running.”
Suddenly he screamed loudly. “Oh, Sweet Jesus.”
“Damn it…. you just had to look, huh?”
“It’s a big monkey machine!”
Nia peered over her shoulder. A gleam of silver caught her eye. It stood around eight feet tall and weighed beyond five hundred pounds. A shiny metal armor replaced fur, while the roar it made as it pursued them with its knuckles smashing the floor was unmistakable. It was a Gorilla.
Half animal and half machine.
Another cyborg creation of the League. Tonight just couldn’t get any worst. Nia cursed loudly as she ran faster. Doors majestically opened to the elevator, and the archangel stood inside.
“Come on guys. Shake a leg!” He shouted.
With seconds to spare, Nia vaulted into the elevator. Once Nia dropped in, Gabe reached out to grab Langston. With a tug of his arm he yanked him inside.
“It’s an ape!” Gabe exclaimed with a childish sneer.
“Dear Heavens Gabe, get us out!” Josephine cried.
The archangel zapped the gears of the old fashioned elevator with a cone of light from his smart watch. Instantly the doors slammed shut in front of the beast and the elevator lifted with incredible speed.
“I can’t believe it... a robotic ape!” Gabe gasped.
“Not the time to be fan boying bro!” Nia snapped with her hands on her thighs, breathing out hard.
“You have to understand I have been here since the beginning of life and I’ve traveled to the end, and still I’ve never seen a robotic ape until now.”
Langston wiped the sweat from his forehead. “It’s fascinating if I say so myself…. and scary at the same time.”
Nia stood up and took another deep aching breath. “I’m so glad to see you. We have to roll up out of here. We were right. Too right. The League is here. This is their base.”
“I know. We had a run in with them.” Gabe retorted.
“I wouldn’t call it a run in. I would call it plain murder! These things... these monster machines tried to kills us.” Josephine shouted with a total disgust, only a lady of her caliber could exude.
The lift balanced out and slowed down in speed. Gabe took a step towards the front. “Don’t worry I will get you all out of here alive.”
Chapter Fourteen
As the doors of the elevator opened, Gabe placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, preparing to attack at the first sight of danger. The archangel was on high alert, his whole body tight and vibrating. Gabe raised Lucy and parted the door as silently as he could.
They all leaned out, starring. Together they walked out to the main entrance of the factory. Graveyard silence all around. Within a few paces, the SMITE matrix sent Gabe warnings, each more frantic than the previous one.
Nia looked out, “Where is everyone?”
“All the workers,” Josephine added.
“It’s like they all vanished,” Langston finished.
White light crackled in front of them and the air shimmered all around. League cyborgs appeared in the main entrance. A man dressed in a magnificent cream suit walked towards them.
Gabriel buttoned his jacket. “Mr. Carraway, I presume.”
“Don’t be formal with me, old sport. You know my name.” His human face shifted to his true appearance, and the sight of it was pure horror to the humans that stood behind the archangel. Legion’s cold eyes buried deep into the face of Gabe as he stood surrounded by grunts on the floor, and elite cyborgs in the rafters who aimed their sniper rifles to the archangel’s chest.
They were surrounded.
Gabe grinned, “Look at you all back together again. Humpty Dumpty. Ain’t that precious.”
“Back and better,” Legion declared. His voice a southern melody of gloom. “We have been tracking you archangel, and now you are within the almighty grasp of the League.”
Gabe took a step forward, confidently. “Yeah, me and my posse here just wanted to take a tour of the factory. Didn’t like what we see much. Gift shop sucks, and it’s way too expensive. I think we’ll leave now.” Gabe chuckled. “if you know what’s good for you, then you will let us.”
“The League will not be threatened. Must I remind you that you cannot destroy us archangel.”
“Did you forget about Jerusalem?”
“We do not forget. You were only able to scatter us. Now we have formed a hive of cybernetic minds. A League that is all powerful. I see no savior or no anointed with you. You cannot banish us.” Legion declared with his arms spread wide.
Gabe pulled out his fiery sword and whipped it around his head. The deadly glint of the blade reflected into the light. “But I can still harm you. Rip you all piece by piece.” The blade quivered in Gabe’s hands.
Clicks echoed throughout the room, as all the cyborgs armed their weapons.
Legion looked from the side of his head. “No, archangel you will not risk the lives of the humans.”
Gabe looked over his shoulder, and was brought back from his battle stance.
“And that is your weakness. Give us the girl before we annihilate the others.” As soon as the threat left his lips, there was the click and sounds of weapons aimed at the group of humans.
“Trust me….. that’s something you don’t want to do,” Gabe threatened. “While they are protected under the covenant of the Creator, you will not harm a single hair on their heads. If so...I will bring down his holy wrath upon you.”
If Gabe was alone, he would take on Legion and his cyborgs, but he couldn’t. Not without risking the lives of Langston, Josephine, and Nia. Their only chance was to escape, and if they were to escape, he had to think quick. He scanned around the room. There had to be a way to overcome this situation. His faith had always served him well. Gabe had to keep talking to distract the demon. To buy more time.
“So why do you need her? Nia, that is?”
“She is required.”
“Required for?” Gabe echoed with his hands flailing about.
“She is simply required.”
Nia stepped forward. “Stop playing games tin man. Why do you need me? What do I have that you could possibly want? I’m just an around the way girl from Brooklyn. I didn’t do anything to nobody.”
Gabe cracked a smile. He spotted an exit to the tunnels just behind them. Still, he kept the conversation going. “C’mon Ms. Carter, don't say that. You're quite remarkable if I say so
myself.”
“The League has no need for remarkable or regular. Nia Carter is simply required.”
“Assess,” Gabe murmured.
“There are six grunts on the floor, three Elite armed with sniper rifles in the rafters, and two enforcers. Probability of attack success without casualties ten percent.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. Thanks for nothing, he thought to himself. He looked back at Legion. “What about the black men you’ve been kidnapping? Is this where you’ve been taking them? Is this how you built your army?”
“Yes.”
Gabe was surprised at how candid the demon was. “Why them... Black men?”
“There is a power in the souls of the oppressed archangel… that is stronger in this time. Along with the abundance of sin. This era is an awakening, and that power is valuable to the League.”
Gabriel rubbed his chin. “Well that is very interesting. I’m not sure what that means, but it is coming to a stop. So if you have any of them here…
alive...they will be coming with me as well.”
“Archangel, we grow weary of your talk and banter. Hand over the girl or you will be annihilated.” Legion threatened.
As if God sent, a plan came together in the archangel’s mind. Gabe thought if he could use the smartwatch to manipulate the lights, drop a smoke matrix to distract the snipers, then he just might be able to guide the group to safety. It would be close to impossible. But the angels don’t believe in the impossible they believe in the strength of their Creator, and if he was going to do it, then his timing had to be precise.
“Like I said before. Harm one hair on her head and I will bring vengeance upon you in the name of the Lord.”
“Grab her,” Legion commanded.
As the grunts lurched into life, coming towards them, Gabe tapped his smartwatch. A cone of light shone up from the watch and the lights flickered off. There was no time to waste. With a flick of his risk he summoned his shield to block the shots of the elite snipers. The bullets reflected, darting like pellets hitting tin. In his right hand he materialized his Halo and flung it high into the ceilings. It shattered the barrels of the sniper rifles above.
“Run!” Gabe shouted as he grabbed those behind him.
With a twitch the lights came back on and he was able to find the exit he spotted before. “Head to the tunnels,” Gabe pointed to the right.
Bullets of light fired at them. Gabe rose his shield and protected the group from behind. Once the last person went out the door, he scurried behind. They ran away at a furious pace, the archangel hauling the terrified Josephine in his arms in the dark tunnels of the factory, while Nia and Langston sprinted ahead. He used the cone of light from his smartwatch as a torch.
Amidst the hissing and dripping of the pipes in the tunnels, the League grunts were waiting for them further down the long stretch. Bullets whizzed at their heads from the top of the pipeline. There was a cut in the pathway to the left. Gabe pushed them over as the grunts continued fire.