Darkness Awakens_Chronicles of Hunter

by Frank Perez

  A smile touched her face, The Others! Or more specifically J’ova. She would sweetly nudge J’ova into taking this on. He was a kindly old thing but filled with wrath! Pleasure and pain.

  Just the guiding hand that these souls required and after all, they were expecting A God!

  *~*

  D’HarmaSan settled back into the form that she'd created back on Orcuna.

  She was feeling good about herself now that she had a plan on what to do. J’ova can sort out what he wants to do with the lost souls, She thought, he can get them all to dress in a tutu and play music for him all day, for all I care. As long as they’re not just piling up there, looking for a way to explode!

  Putting thoughts of the souls behind her, she stretched forth with her power trying to locate the beings that still had a spark of the power. She had felt their presence as she had moved between places whilst researching the two churches. While not as powerful as they had once been, these individuals had known of their power. Now it was time to locate them to see what she could do.

  It didn't take her long to locate one of them. He was moving down one of the dark alleys in the city, being very careful to mask his presence. With a thought, she bounded across the space in a fraction of a second, stealing up behind the figure as it wandered through a heavy steel door. She followed. The door and walls no barrier to her power as she floated through them.

  The figure made its way down a set of stairs heading to what she assumed was some kind of basement. She got a glimpse of him as he paused at the bottom step before a simple wooden door, looking back over its shoulder. Clear gray eyes looked out from a smooth face. A few wisps of blonde colored hair tumbled down his forehead. She could clearly see the power of his aura as he sent his awareness out around the room. Making sure that he wasn't followed. Once satisfied that he was alone, he entered the door in front of him with no acknowledgement. D'HarmaSan followed.

  They entered a dim, dark small room. You wouldn't be able to swing the proverbial hamster in here, she thought at least not if you wanted it to stay alive. She looked across the room at those who were already within it.

  There were four of them in total. Each dressed in a dark hooded robe that would hide their features. All four hoods had been thrown back over their shoulders for now. Looking at the four of them anyone would have thought that they were brothers.

  Of similar height to the one that she'd followed, each of them had the same gray colored eyes, flawless skin and a shock of almost white, blond hair on their heads. A look of pure happiness and joy on each of the faces.

  "Finally Michael," one figure spoke "We were getting worried when we didn't hear from you."

  The one that she'd followed here, Michael turned to the other speaker, "Something felt off Gabe. Felt like I was being watched but couldn't pinpoint anything. Took a much longer detour to get here than normal. Didn't want to risk it."

  Gabe tilted his head, watching Michael, "Watched? You can easily detect any physical presence brother, even from a hundred miles away."

  D'HarmaSan watched as the one she now knew as Michael tilted his head, in almost identical fashion to the other, "I know and that's what worried me. Nothing physical for miles around me."

  "You were always the worrier brother. Come. You're safe now with us. We can re-energize and be at peace. At least for now."

  D'HarmaSan sat down to watch the four. Each had taken a seat on the hard floor, legs crossed, and holding hands with the ones sitting on either side of them. She watched transfixed as she saw the tiniest glimmer of the power envelop each of the four. It floated around each individual and then poured into the circle that they had created. She heard them all take a collective breath, open their eyes and focus their wills on the power ball that they had just created. With an intake of breath from each of them, the ball broke apart and inhaled by each. A look of pure satisfaction breaking out their faces.

  Their auras are actually brighter and more powerful! Somehow, these four had added to their power by using and sharing their own inner power. Interesting. Why didn't I think of that?

  The pureness of their energy drew her in further. No corruption of any sort existed in it. It was a mere fraction of the power that this race had once held but the central essence of it was the same. Nothing but love. She smiled to herself.

  It's not really interfering with the experiment if I take these with me, she thought, just a ... different experiment based on the first. She tilted her head at a slight angle, almost mimicking the others, only one thing for it, she added to herself materialize and see how they react!

  Stuff that she amended to herself, I'll just take them with me. Explain things on the other side where they won't be able to run off. She smiled to herself this would be fun!

  Weaving a little of the power, she sent it out to surround her new children. J'ova could keep the rest, these four however belonged to her, and with that thought she transported all five of them to her resting plane - far away from Orcuna and all its misery.

  *~*

  D'HarmaSan watched on with pride. Her four children had just finished their daily training and were silently meditating. Her gaze swept over them as she took in their aural presence. A stunning visual display of color assailed her eyes. A far cry from when they'd first been transported here. Centuries of training with a Goddess will do that to you.

  For the first part she'd made sure that they had relearned everything that their race had forgotten about healing, both the body and spirit. Then she had moved into battle training. She knew it had to be done to rein in The Brethren but had still been loath to expose even these four to it, having seen the corruption that could be caused in people's spirits. Much to her delight, her four children had taken to it. Not so much as a slight darkening in their auras. She was so proud!

  The smile only lasted a small time on her lips, soon she thought unless my Luxfer lets me know otherwise, I will have to send the four of them to help. The thought made her sad, almost making her wish that she had paid heed to the others and not gone ahead with her experiment. But if I'd done that, I would never have seen the pure potential for love that they can all achieve! Surely that's got to be worth the price of some bad seeds!

  *~*

  D'HarmaSan looked up as the Four approached her. Not since she had been training them had she needed to summon them to her and wariness washed over their auras. They were wondering why.

  Her children had kept themselves busy by helping her to guide the inhabitants of planets as they approached enlightenment. Some of these had had to be exterminated as they were on the same path as The Brethren and she was taking no chances, other though surprised her with the speed of their growth. Even after all these centuries it still gave her a thrill.

  All that was about to change as far as her four Children were concerned, anyway. The universe would have to move on without them for a while, come what may. After centuries of watching and trying to sway The Brethren, her other child Nexus had sent through a message to her. He'd had zero impact on them and was left with no other course of action. They would have to be confined within that one world before they spread themselves throughout the rest of her universe like a disease.

  "They will fight mother," Luxfer had added, "once they know of what is happening. The Queen will have to be neutralized quickly or within weeks she will be able to create a whole new army of them."

  The Four came to a stop in front of her wondering at the summons. They had not been summoned like this for centuries. Their powers were now almost a match for their Mother's. They waited knowing that D'HarmaSan would speak to them when she was ready. "My children. The time has come. I hoped that it wouldn't be needed but Nexus tells me otherwise." She paused for a heartbeat, "you all know the story and what's required. Go now and help Luxfer. Protect and guard him while he completes what he was born to do. The Brethren must be contained."

  Gabe looked at his brothers beside him, as usual he was the first to move, an unofficial leader per se. H
e knelt before D'HarmaSan and the others moved to follow him, "we're ready Mother. The Brethren will never be allowed to leave that planet."

  D'HarmaSan's gaze went over her children, Gabriel, always assuming a mantle of leader. Michael, her most fearless warrior and the one with the most heart. Raphael, with his uncanny ability to heal almost anything and Uriel, the balancer and protector. If these four together with her beloved Luxfer couldn't stop the potential onslaught of The Brethren, then she would have to step in herself. Most definitely a last resort.

  *~*

  The Four sat in a cave on the world of The Brethren. Even with all the personal training that their Mother had given them they'd just been able to hold their own.

  For fifty years now Luxfer had been moving around the planet searching for precise points, down to the millimeter and placing a particular gem at each of them. When I finish this, he'd explained, I will power it up and a barrier will be formed. None of The Brethren will be able to breach it.

  They'd placed thousands of these gems around the planet so far. The Brethren could not go near them even though they had tried over and over again.

  Michael leaned back against the wall of the cave, another day, another host of Brethren annihilated. Another scar to my collection. The Four had battled countless Brethren of all types.

  Some were winged, black furred monstrosities that would swoop down on them from the sky, others were made of the same rock that the planet was giving them the ability to blend with their terrain. Some of these were almost mindless, heeding whatever their leaders told them to do. Others were more cunning.

  Regardless of the individual type though, all were filled with the same purpose, to kill the dreaded Robed Ones, as they called them. Luxfer was the only one that they were blind to. He wondered at that, his aura doesn't shine. Not a speck of color comes off him. Everything else shines, even The Brethren have a darkness coming off them. Luxfer however, has... nothing! Not for the first time he wondered at it and as every other time that he'd thought about it, he let it go. Nothing can be done about it, anyway. He's Mother's child the same as us. Though he keeps apart from us. Not a true brother but a brother, nevertheless.

  With a sigh, he leaned his head back against the cave wall and stepped into his center. The war continues and a new battle will soon be upon us. Time to replenish, rest and get ready. He placed his sword down beside his leg, the blade as bright as the first day that his Mother had given it to him. The Flaming Sword, he thought. A name that he'd heard The Brethren themselves use, fitting name.

  *~*

  Luxfer knelt down on the summit of the tallest mountain on the forsaken planet. He held the final gem in his hands searching for the precise spot in which to lay it down. With this final one in place, I'll be able to gather my powers and fire it up. The Brethren will be trapped here for as long as the Barrier holds.

  He looked back at his four brothers. Each was fighting a battle of their own against the Brethren. Uriel was matched with a group of Rockies as they labelled them. Huge beasts with uncanny natural cunning that would take the head off their opponent in a heartbeat if given the chance. One of them on their own a power to behold. Michael and Raf fighting as one, back to back. Michael's sword almost aflame in tune with the power of his aura. The winged demons were only ever held at bay because of Michael's sword.

  Raphael, protected from the swoopers by Michael was busy cutting a swathe through any of the Brethren who got to close and Gabe, surrounded by a plethora of mixed demons. Not unusual, he thought he always seems to take the biggest risks head on.

  Michael looked back towards Luxfer. Their time on this planet was coming to an end. Exhilaration running through his veins even though all four of them were being pressed as hard as they'd ever been, "Almost over now Uriel. A few moments more and we'll finally be done with this forsaken, dusty rock. I can't wait!"

  Uriel took a deep breath, a lull in the Brethren's attack giving him a moment of respite. He looked towards Gabe "I dare say not all of us are thinking the same brother. Gabe truly looks to be enjoying himself over there. Killing Brethren has become his favorite past-time!"

  Michael looked to where Uriel had pointed, at his brother Gabriel. To everyone else watching, it would seem that Gabe truly was enjoying himself. Only Michael knew the truth. Gabe was truly sick of the killing. He was rushing through to get to the end of things. The stress of being a self-proclaimed leader was wearing him down. Soon brother. Hold on. This should be the last battle of the war. We'll once again be reunited with our Mother and get back to our true purpose.

  Gabriel was fighting almost without heart. He was sick of all the killing. Using his powers to heal and help others always brought him joy and a sense of purpose. Killing drove him down a different path. A dark path. Each of the four brothers had known this and were trying to find their center.

  The clone twin had morphed into a tiny little imp-sized glob. He would follow the commands imparted by his Queen and immerse himself onto the robed one while it was busy fighting some of the other Brethren. The Prince Consort together with the Queen had kept the powers of the twin clones away from the Robed Ones. They did not understand that they even existed. It squirmed forwards towards the battling Robed One. It would attach itself to him and insinuate itself within the very skin of the creature. Before the Robed One could understand what was happening, the clone would be in control or at the very least, insinuating its own purpose. It would make its Queen proud.

  Gabriel turned his attention to Luxfer, "Let's get this finished already. Michael, take Uriel and Raf and take out the Queen. I'll stay here and cover Luxfer."

  Michael glanced over to Luxfer, seeking his input. "Might as well get started," he said to Raphael and Uriel after Luxfer had nodded his head, "Quicker we get started, quicker we can get home!"

  Uriel drove the spear he was using deep into the remaining Brethren's body, turning it to dust. "Ready when you are, brother."

  *~*

  The Prince Consort looked around the cave making sure that the defense of the Queen was under control. The clone, twin to the one at the heart of the battle, flanking his every move. Between the two of them, no power should be able to break through to their Queen. Without her, all was lost and The Brethren would go backwards. Unless someone powerful enough to control them comes forth, he thought and there's really only two of us with that kind of power. It glanced over the clone that had been flanking his every move, and now that I've separated the two twins, the one clone left here will not be powerful enough to do anything but bow to my wishes. It checked its power once more, ensuring that he was at optimum level. All good. This cannot continue much longer. Somewhere out there, there was another presence. It knew that and yet we're powerless to see it.

  The Queen threw out a thought to her protectors, ‘They Come! Prepare yourselves!’

  The Prince Consort eyed the clone beside him, "Ready yourself. The Robed Ones bring the war to us here." ignoring the slight bow of the clone, The Prince moved over to stand next to its Queen. "They will pay with their lives for this war. It ends now!"

  A gentle mist formed itself inside the cave. Three figures outlined amongst the color. Michael, Uriel and Raphael raised their weapons and readied themselves for the onslaught about to happen. If all went to plan they'd be in and out in a heartbeat before any of The Brethren could understand what was truly happening. A quick hop back to Gabe and Luxfer and they would then head home. "It all ends now,” Michael whispered to his brothers, "one way or another."

  Uriel looked over at Michael. Giving him a small nod he silently detached himself from within the mist. Michael and Raphael took the cue and did the same. The mist would continue to take shape in the cave but the three brothers would have already moved in on the Queen by that time and with luck, rendered her useless. Gabe's plan. Misdirection of The Brethren he'd called it. Genius is what the other brother's thought. While all the Brethren were getting ready to attack the mist, they'd appear from four angles and t
ake out the Queen. Three now, he amended. Still enough surprise to do the job.

  They watched from their vantage point as the mist finished getting solid. All the Brethren within the cave lunged forwards towards the waiting despised Robed Ones. Michael and his brothers became solid, the illusions within the mist disappearing. With a lunge of their weapons, each brother pierced the flesh of The Queen. Their purposeful strikes hitting within a millisecond of each other. All aimed at different vital parts of her anatomy.

  The Prince Consort watched his Brethren attack the Robed Ones, just before they disappeared. It's a trick! It thought, a moment before the shrill piercing scream of his Queen rendered him and every other Brethren on the planet senseless. We've lost!

  *~*

  Gabe stood beside Luxfer, a slew of The Brethren laying everywhere around him. He was sitting in a meditative pose before Gabe.

  Gabe wasn't sure of what Luxfer was doing. The gems had all been placed now, the Queen shortly to be finished with. All that was left was to power the damn stones and go home. They all deserved a break. His head pulsed and ached. Never had the darkness weighed upon him as much as it did now. It will soon be over. He thought, my brothers should hit the Queen real soon.

  He stared down at Luxfer again, his fingers clutching his sword. You truly believe yourself to be Mother's favorite. Don't you? Simple matter to turn you to dust while you sit there meditating. Blame it on the Brethren, no one would be the wiser. He shook his head to clear the vision of Luxfer lying dead before him. Scanning the horizon he noticed half a dozen more swoopers heading his way. Time to get back to work and get off this cursed rock once and for all.

  Luxfer sat cross-legged, centering himself. He needed to draw as much power within himself as he could to finish the job at hand. He would power the barrier with his own essence, leaving just enough of himself to go back to his Mother, who would ensure that he healed once more. After everything was done.