Darkness Awakens_Chronicles of Hunter

by Frank Perez

  The approaching swoopers screamed as one as if they were in pure agony. Luxfer was expecting this once the Queen had been dealt with. Michael, Uriel and Raphael had succeeded. He was unprepared however when Gabriel let out an almighty scream at the same time. Like somehow he was being affected by the Queen's fall.

  The forms of Michael, Uriel and Raphael appeared on the edge of his vision as he turned to see Gabriel, sword in hand, swinging straight at his exposed neck. Luxfer ducked his head and turned, avoiding most of the blow but getting a cut across his forehead for his troubles.

  Michael screamed "Gabe. What are you doing?"

  "What needs to be done, brother." Answered Gabriel, disappearing from their view.

  Michael turned to Uriel and Raphael, "Follow him. Find out what's going on." He checked on the injured Luxfer, who yelled “No. Stay here. The Brethren need to be stopped. I'll need your powers to do so. Mine are..." he whispered "slipping away."

  His vision failing him, Luxfer drew in the power of his three brothers as they held him close. Only one shot at this. Must be perfect! He smiled up at Michael, "The Brethren will be held once I finish. As soon as you see the barrier, go to Mother. She must be protected at all costs."

  "Of course, brother. We will all go together."

  "I'm going to have to disappoint you, Michael. You three will need to go alone for a little. I'll catch up with you as soon as I can."

  Michael looked down at Luxfer, unsure what that last comment actually meant but understanding that he needed to be with his Mother. She would not be expecting Gabriel to have turned and would be vulnerable. He felt his powers being drawn into Luxfer. "The Brethren will only be incapacitated for a short moment. I cannot allow this to pass for we won't get another chance."

  Luxfer took a long deep breath and looked up at his brothers. "Go now. Look to Mother and see to Gabriel." He fixed his eyes upon Michael, drawing him in "and always remember Michael. Those that choose the mantle of leadership are not always the most powerful. You have greatness in you far beyond what you currently think. Never doubt yourself. Love is more powerful than you imagine."

  With those final words of encouragement Luxfer drew within himself, toying with the power within. He sent his awareness to the final gem that he had placed in the ground and sent his power to it. Like a laser beam, his power burned into the gemstone, lighting it up in a brilliant jade green color. All around the world he could sense the other gems glowing as they received power from the first. Slightly at first but then gathering speed, lines of power pulsed around the world. The Barrier was being created and becoming more powerful as his own power dwindled. He would wait until almost the very end. When all but a sliver of power remained within him, he would transport himself outside the barrier and from there, to the waiting arms of his mother.

  Moments passed or it may have been a century. His awareness limited to maintaining his life force. He floated through the ether just outside the planet that housed The Brethren.

  The Barrier formed. Job completed, he thought to himself. Time to head back home.

  With that thought, Luxfer sent out his awareness to his Mother. She would transport him home and heal him. A smile crossed his face. It would be the first time that he'd be able to just be himself. It would be a welcome change. The smile left his face as suddenly as it had materialized. His awareness of his Mother was missing. How could a Goddess not be present? Something has gone awry! Thoughts of Michael and Gabriel came thundering back into his brain. No! He screamed whatever you've done, hold on Mother. I'm coming!

  Luxfer gathered the little bits of power left inside and willed himself to the last location where he had felt a small flicker of his Mothers power. A flicker. One small tiny candle compared to the glory of a Sun that should be there. He materialized on a plane that was awash with crackling energy. In the distance, he could see hints of a battle being fought. Darkness! He thought, the dark power. Having spent centuries watching and evaluating the Brethren, he knew their strength.

  Have I miscalculated? Did I fail to contain all The Brethren? Semi lucid thoughts made their way through his brain. Has one of them escaped already? A gentle, feather like presence touched him. Mother! She still lives, but... Barely. He stopped and concentrated on the touch. She was trying to tell him something. Dropping to his knees, he closed his eyes and focused his entire being on that tiny caress, tuning in to the words of his Mother.

  After a moment he eyed the sky, a lonely tear falling down his cheek. He sent out his thoughts, ‘as you wish Mother,’ and got up on his feet. No longer rushing, his plans had been made for him.

  *~*

  The battle raged on in his periphery as he made his way to the locations that his mother had told him about. He had already collected four of the individuals that he had been charged with, only the last one remained. He sighed. Once this is finished, the battle would end. In the dark corners of his consciousness his Mother had told him so. She was fighting a holding action against the darkness, nothing more. “But remember my son,” she had told him “darkness may win a battle here and there but the war is not lost. Free will reigns and... Unforeseen things may happen. Understand always, that I have never been prouder of anything or anyone than I have been of you. Go now and take the last individual. Tell them their purpose... and always remember-I love you, Luxfer. ”

  He reached out with his power and encased the individual before him, transporting them both to the location where he had hidden the other four, beginning of the End, he thought as he materialized in the room. The others all stood as one as they appeared within the dimly lit room. It had only taken him a few hours to collect them all, his mother’s directions explicitly correct. With a wave of his hand, he wove a solid wall of power around the group. “Listen up. I’m here to tell you about the Goddess D’HarmaSan. She has need of you.” With that, he melded their consciousness with his own being and imparted the knowledge of his mother to them.

  No longer would this universe be unknowing of her. These five would form the beginning of universal knowledge about her.

  *~*

  Michael raised his sword to take the onslaught of yet another wave of attack from Gabriel, taking the impact meant for D’HarmaSan. She was kneeling behind him, meditating.

  He looked over again at the spot where both Uriel and Raphael had last been standing. Both obliterated by a carefully placed blow from Gabriel. His heart ached at the thought but tears would have to wait. He would join them soon if he didn’t keep his wits about him. He watched Gabriel stride back across the floor. All swagger and full of pride. The color of his aura a muted gray with flashes of dark red streaks flaring through it. The same color as The Brethren. How could this be?

  Gabriel’s smile broadened, almost into a leer.

  The last of his brothers stood between him and the Witch. He looked over at her prostrated form. She’s nothing. Once I deal with Michael, she’ll be done and my Brethren will be let loose. Not just on the one planet though, this time we will rule over an entire Universe and with the Queen gone, they will all bow to me.

  Gabriel threw his head back and laughed. A deep guttural laugh. He lunged forward and threw another blast at Michael. Your powers are waning brother. You fail to see that I will obliterate you, both, and he renewed his attack.

  Michael’s knees buckled as took the brunt of Gabriels’ latest attack. He was weakening quickly now. He looked back towards D’HarmaSan. Whatever you’re doing Mother, please hurry.

  D’HarmaSan had drawn herself inwards.

  For the first time in her existence she’d been caught unaware. Gabriel had appeared behind her as she had been admiring the work of Luxfer. Turning her gaze back to Gabriel, she’d been assaulted by an aura of pure hatred. It only took her a moment to see how her child had been subverted. The dark nothingness of one of the Brethren attached to his very being-his power being augmented by the very Queen of The Brethren. Too much to handle. She’d quickly woven a defensive shield around her, a moment
before the attack. It had saved her, somewhat.

  Drained to where she had almost lost her entire being, she forced her thoughts and power inwards, protecting the last bits of her own essence. She’d felt her other children materialize in the room but could do nothing to help them. She watched stunned as Gabriel had taken out Uriel and Raphael in the blink of an eye. Their essences dissolving into nothing. Only Michael escaped the onslaught but she could feel his powers waning. If she didn’t do something, all her children would be lost. She sent out her thoughts to find Luxfer. Instructing him on what to do. It was a desperate gamble but there was nothing left to do. If the last of her children survived, there would still be a glimmer of hope. If he succumbed... nothing.

  Luxfer floated around The Barrier. He had just finished with the Five, giving them all the knowledge of D’HarmaSan that his mother had requested and explained to them how they would form the first Council of Five to lead and guide the rest. His mother had chosen wisely. There were no stupid questions from any of them. They had all taken the information in their stride and understood. They had bowed to him as he had disappeared to check on the Barrier. After this, there’s only one thing left to do. His time was coming to an end. There was only one task left for him to do. His Mother’s final instruction. He would not fail her.

  Much like D’HarmaSan had done he focused his entire being and the little of power he still had inwards. His awareness of the Universe and his own surroundings dissipated as he turned into mist, dispersing in all directions.

  Luxfer, first child of D’HarmaSan, was no more.

  *~*

  D’HarmaSan felt her child disperse.

  With silent tears she re-focused on where she was. Michael had withstood everything that Gabriel had thrown at him up to now, his power draining with every blow, whilst Gabriel seemed to get stronger. She could sense that Michael wouldn’t survive another blow. She watched as Gabriel drew his hand back to land the killing blow. Just as the force of the power leapt forth from Gabriel’s outstretched hand, she materialized, taking most of the impact herself. She looked over to where her Michael lay, broken and bruised on the floor while a laughing Gabriel stood over him. She'd been able to take almost all the hit, the bits that she had missed had taken Michael full on. Her awareness dimmed, she had done all she could.

  Gabriel sauntered over to the charred outline of the Witch and smiled. Every single one of them had been beneath him. His powers unmatched. He reached out to assess the damage done to his brother. The body lay in complete ruin. No power left within the shattered shell. He smiled to himself. It would be such a simple matter to annihilate him, but that was too easy. He reached out with his power and sucked the memories out of Michael’s head. Complete shell. He thought to himself. Let’s make sure you have a life filled with misery and hopelessness. And then, some day, I will let you remember who you are and what happened. THEN I’ll completely obliterate you. He laughed again, this would be so much fun! He flicked his wrist and sent the barely living body of his former brother to a planet on the edge of the Universe. See you soon... ish. Perhaps.

  Chapter 6

  Michael pulled his robe closer around himself to ward off the chill as he appeared in one of the lesser-known grottos of the library. He wove a subtle pattern of unseeing around himself to ensure that he wasn’t seen, even by any of the countless individuals working there.

  Known as ‘The Great Library’, the name didn’t truly describe the immensity of the building that housed every piece of knowledge in the Universe. The structure encompassed an entire planet and was overseen by millions of keepers. They were charged with ensuring that all knowledge would be collected from every conceivable planet known, enlightened or otherwise. Their entire reason for being was knowledge.

  Countless individuals had felt the call, their purpose for being.

  It was part of every Watchers role to collect and return as many copies of any knowledge throughout the Universe. Having spent so much time of his life so far guiding the younger planets, Michael had built a strong relationship with The Keeper, his mentor and former teacher Jonah.

  His mind wandered back to Hunter and Ren. That Hunter had actually seen the power as he had tried to calm Ren was on his mind. No one who had not been trained should have had the ability to do so. Between what he had witnessed with Bonnie and then with Hunter, it made little sense. His mind was being assaulted with things that should not be happening and yet, they were.

  First, the Five, then Bonnie and now Hunter. It was a mystery to him. One that he definitely didn’t like.

  He put thoughts of Hunter and Ren behind him. They would do whatever they thought was necessary to find Bonnie. He didn’t blame them. At least they’d be safe while he was off getting information from his old teacher. With The Jackal dislocated off to the nether regions of the Universe, they’d be safe from attack. Well, as safe as he could make them-for now.

  He turned his thoughts to Jonah. If anyone can make sense of this, it would be his old teacher and mentor.

  Tuning his power inwards, he opened himself to the forces that lived in the library, searching for the life force of Jonah. It didn’t take Michael long to find him. As usual, he was down in the underbelly of planet. Deep within the catacombs that stored those items that were deemed too powerful for the eyes of just everyone. This was where the bulk of the texts that had yet to be deciphered lay. There was only about one hundred individuals that knew about the catacombs, all overseen by Jonah.

  *~*

  He watched and waited until a point where Jonah was undisturbed again, alone with his books, and send forth a small message to Jonah’s awareness. “Jonah. It’s Michael. I mean, it’s your former pupil. I need to talk to you. Alone.”

  Jonah looked around him at the sound the voice. He’d only had one pupil in his entire life. One that had been deemed special. But this mind-speech was something new to him. He’d never heard about anyone alive who actually had the power to do this on their own. “Is that truly you?” he hurled the thoughts outwards, hoping that his pupil could hear them.

  “Yes. It’s me. Is there someone private where we can talk?”

  “Of course, my son. Meet me in Catacomb 5A. Three levels down from the entrance. Turn left and it will be the 5th door on your right. Give me about half an hour to get things ready and then come and meet me. I’ll lift the wards on the room so you can transport directly into it.”

  “Thanks Jonah. I’ll see you in half an hour.” With that final thought, Michael broke off the mind link between them. Meet me in the catacombs he thought, brilliant place. No one other than those that Jonah allowed could access them. Searching for a quiet corner out of the way, he slid down into his meditation pose. Crossed legs, with his palms held upwards on his knees. Half an hour would give him plenty of time to harness as much power within him as he could and allow him to heal the small wounds that he’d collected in his tussle with The Jackal. It would give him enough time to figure out what questions he would ask Jonah, without getting him into any trouble.

  When the half hour had almost passed, Michael stood and sent forth his awareness through his immediate vicinity, ensuring that all was still calm. Everything around him was ordinary with nothing even exciting taking place. He lifted his head and brought the power back within himself, filling his entire being. He pictured the room that Jonah had described in the catacombs and willed himself there. Slowly, he disappeared, and appeared within the catacomb. Travelling through teleportation always took a few seconds to complete.

  Others described to him the feeling of not being aware of anything around them until the process had been completed. Michael awareness however, was always there even if his physical body wasn’t.

  In the moments that he took to teleport, he could see Jonah standing in the room, off to one side. The pentagram drawn on the floor, in the middle of the room didn’t surprise Michael. Every room with even a small amount of power held one. It made teleporting between them easy.

&n
bsp; Michael looked into his mentor’s eyes when he was almost ready and realized his mistake. He looked back down at the floor; the pentagram was glowing pink! It was a trap!

  Disappointment was etched on Jonah’s face as he turned to the struggling Michael, “I’m sorry my son. But word has already reached us about what you’ve done to The Council.”

  “The Council? What’s happened?”

  “Come now, Michael. Even within these sacred walls we heard about what you did. Gaining access to their very chambers and assassinating them. Only Julian escaped your plot, more through sheer luck than anything else, from what we’ve been told.”

  Shaking his head, he added “May D’HarmaSan have mercy on you my son because I don’t believe anyone else will.”

  *~*

  Michael opened his eyes and looked around. The cell was small, dark and cramped. It reminded him of the room that had been assigned to him as an acolyte.

  Tiny and cramped. Enough room for a tiny cot to sleep in and no windows. Not that there’s even a cot in this one, he thought. A single solitary ward-rune covered the floor of the cell. Repeated on each interior wall and the ceiling. Upon awakening, Michael had tried to transport himself out, to no avail. Whatever the runes were, they had blunted him. He could feel the steady pull of the runes draining his power a bit at a time. A prison. He sat back down and considered his options.

  Not that there were many. The steady pull was making his thoughts hazy, like he was trying to run in water. What have I actually gotten myself into? Closing his eyes, he sought his center. I’ve never seen this kind of power before. Taking a steadying deep breath, he exhaled and turned his power inwards, focusing his entire will on the runes before him. He would study every single inch of it and figure it out. To find a minute flaw in the web that would allow him to get out.