Worlds Without End: The Prophecy (Book 3)

by Shaun Messick

  Upon reaching Skip, he fell into his arms and howled in agonizing pain and terror. “Th-the Gnols at-attacked. Th-they’re all dead.”

  Behind her, Jennifer heard Tim, who continued to whimper in intense pain. She knew that she had to help him, but her eyes were transfixed on the scene before her. After a few more seconds, she was about to attend to Tim’s injuries when two men, followed by several armed troops, walked through the fire and smoke toward Skip. Her fear of the Gnols intensified. The men, especially the leader, walked toward Skip and Sergeant Scofield with power and an arrogance that no one could defeat them. Their battle suits acted like chameleons, changing with the background as they walked.

  The Gnol next to the leader fired his plasma rifle. The bolt flashed from the barrel and hit Sergeant Scoefield in the middle of his back. He slid down to the stone steps of the pyramid, dead. Skip, seemingly undaunted, raised his gun to return fire. The lead Gnol, however, stretched forth his right hand and invisibly clutched the gun from his grip, tossing it aside. Skip whipped around, meeting Jennifer’s terror-filled eyes. He tried to run back to her, but his body was frozen. The Gnol leader, still holding out his hand, telekinetically turned Skip around and lifted him into the air. Within seconds, the leader was within inches of Skip’s face, his men standing behind him with victorious looks on their faces.

  The leader then spoke, his bellowing voice sending ripples of fear down Jennifer’s spine. “Dr. Stephen Hendricks, I have to say it’s a pleasure.”

  Skip was speechless, holding his stone-cold gaze upon the terrifying Gnol. After a few seconds, he finally responded, “Dorange Gar, I-I thought you were dead.”

  Dorange laughed sarcastically. “It seems these days, you can’t kill anyone. They all keep coming back from the dead. Your friends, Jake and Celeste. Me. And of course, Koroan Chast.”

  Jennifer’s heart skipped a beat with the realization of what Dorange had just stated. She had heard the story about Jake and Celeste’s miraculous rise from the dead. And how their so-called resurrection had transformed their bodies into ones with immense strength and power. If what Dorange was saying was true, then these monsters would have the same powers and strength.

  “K-Koroan’s alive?” Skip questioned, a hint of fear resonating in his voice for the first time.

  Dorange chuckled. “He is.”

  Skip’s head dropped in defeat, causing the pretentious smile on Dorange’s face to grow larger. “Now, tell me, Dr. Hendricks, is there anyone else alive? We have already killed everyone in that so-called army that was here to protect you.”

  Skip shook his head. “No, I’m all that’s left.”

  Dorange didn’t seem convinced. He moved in closer to Skip’s face. “Don’t lie to me. You already know what I can do.”

  Without a response, Skip’s head lurched upward, held in place from Dorange’s telekinetic grip. Dorange studied him for a few minutes. “Hmm, no inhibitors.

  Jennifer then let out a small scream and instantly pulled her head back behind the wall of the pyramid. She tried to hold back the tears as she heard Dorange’s command. “Major, there.”

  Jennifer searched frantically for any kind of weapon she could use to fend off the Gnols, whose boots beat loudly on the stone steps as they approached her position. “Tim,” she whispered. “Do you have a gun?”

  There was no response. She turned to Tim. He lay unconscious on the cold stone floor, his chest rising up and down slowly. The sound of the Gnol’s boots grew louder. Scanning Tim’s body, she found a knife strapped to his leg. She pulled it out quickly and turned around. Just as she was about to stand up, a Gnol entered through the doorway, pointing his plasma rifle right at her. Hastily, she slashed the knife down, slicing the Gnol’s wrist. The Gnol pulled back in shock, then he slammed the butt of his rifle into her nose.

  Jennifer’s vision went blurry and she fell back over the unconscious Tim. The blow, however, didn’t knock her out, which surprised her from what she knew about the strength of Gnols. He must have held back.

  With blurred vision, a bleeding nose, and now a pounding headache, she felt strong arms reach under her shoulders. The Gnol dragged her outside and next to Skip. Another Gnol dragged Tim’s limp body out as well. Once her vision cleared, she saw Skip now on his knees. His hands were bound behind his back. The Gnol that dragged her out bound her hands too.

  “There were only two of them,” the Gnol said once he finished.

  Dorange nodded. “There’s no more.” He then looked at Skip with a malicious grin. “These three will do just fine, especially Dr. Hendricks. They will be perfect bargaining chips once Adrian Palmer arrives.”

  CHAPTER 12: BETRAYAL

  Marshall Islands . . .

  Huge droplets of rain began to fall from the thick, black billowing clouds overhead. The drops slammed down hard on the hood of the spy’s cloak as she pulled out the communicator that Dorange Gar gave her when they had first devised their agreement. Her stomach churned with nervous anticipation as the message scrolled across the screen.

  Be ready. Our forces are in orbit above Earth. I am sending a team to extract you and the child.

  The spy swallowed the lump in her throat as she questioned what she was about to do. At first, she thought the butterflies in her stomach might have been a warning to her that what she was about to do was wrong. But just as quick, she swallowed and closed her eyes, pushing away any doubts for the decision she had made. There was only one thing she needed to do now - to separate Calum from Celeste.

  *****

  Celeste stood under the cover of the balcony that extended out of the back of the bungalow that she, Jake, and their newborn son occupied. She leaned on the wood railing, marveling at the torrential rainstorm that pounded the island. In the distance, flashes of brilliant lightning strikes illuminated the night sky, followed by heart-pounding claps of thunder. The storm was spectacular to witness, providing her with some distraction from the knot that had formed in her stomach after her interaction with Nichelle.

  Never in her life had Celeste had any reason not to trust her lifelong friend. Even when Nichelle was loyal to the Empire, Celeste knew that she could always rely upon her. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case anymore. Their relationship was falling apart, and Celeste couldn’t understand why. Would Nichelle really reclaim her loyalty to the Gnol Empire? Or was Celeste simply being too paranoid? Whatever the case was, something was amiss.

  She closed her eyes, rubbing her temples. The mental anguish from the strain in her relationship was causing her head to pound. Exhausted, she walked back into the bungalow, climbed into bed, and into the comforting arms of her husband.

  Just as she was about to fall asleep, Calum let out a startling scream and began to cry uncontrollably. Jake jolted awake. “Wh-what’s going on!”

  “Shh. It’s okay,” Celeste said. She then picked Calum up from his crib and cradled him into her arms as he continued to sob. “Go back to sleep. I’ll take the baby to the front room.”

  Jake nodded groggily, plopping his head back onto his pillow. Celeste, patting Calum as he continued to cry, slid out of the room and closed the door behind her. She made her way through the darkness, past the small kitchen, and into the front room. She turned on the small lamp that was resting on a table next to another rocking chair. After sitting, she began to rock Calum, hoping he would go back to sleep. “Shh.”

  But it was useless. Calum continued to cry almost as if he was startled awake from a nightmare, or as if he was in pain. His behavior seemed odd. While he exhibited typical infant behaviors, he had never fussed like this before. Consequently, she decided to try and nurse him again. That, however, did not provide him any comfort either. Fearing something else might be wrong, she held him closely over her shoulder and began patting his back again. After a few more minutes, he finally settled down, nestling his tiny, soft face into her neck. “Shh, it’s okay,” she whispered into his tiny ear.

  As soon as the comforting words left her lips
, a tingling sensation rippled through her body and words entered her mind. The words were not her own, however. And even though the words came to her as if a man was speaking, she knew with one hundred percent surety that the words were the thoughts of her infant son.

  Mother, soon I will forget my first estate. You must raise me in righteousness so that I may complete my mortal mission. This is my fear. That I will forget.

  “We won’t let you forget, Calum,” Celeste whispered. “Your father and I love you more than you can imagine. You are the chosen one, and we will do the best we can to raise you to be the man you are destined to be.”

  Calum began to fuss again, whimpering. Please, Mother, please do not let them take me.

  “Take you?” Celeste asked. “Who will take you?”

  Macaria.

  “Macaria? . . . It’s okay, Calum. She cannot harm you. She is just a spirit, trapped on another world far away from here.”

  Mother, please. Please help me to remember you and Father.

  The concern Celeste had about Nichelle’s loyalties were instantly replaced with concern for her son. While it was a miracle in itself that she could communicate with him telepathically, it didn’t surprise her. After all, he was the creation from parents with transfigured bodies, in addition to the fact that he was half Gnol and already possessed telepathic abilities. She marveled at what Calum could actually become as a full grown man.

  The baby stirred again. “Shh . . .”

  In an instant, a jolt of electric energy surged throughout Celeste’s body, causing her to close her eyes from the pain. After a few seconds, the pain subsided and she opened her eyes.

  To her surprise, she was no longer in the bungalow. She could still feel the warmth of her newborn son cradled in her arms, his heart beating rapidly. But as she looked down, she found herself standing alone in an open field, her arms empty. “This is a vision,” she said to herself.

  She looked up toward the horizon. The sky was red and purple with a smoky haze. It looked as if a gigantic explosion had just occurred. She then turned to her right and saw the skyline of what used to be a great city. The magnificent skyscrapers, at least what remained of them, were in ruins, thick smoke billowing from their charred interiors. “Where am I?” she muttered to herself.

  An authoritative deep voice echoed from behind, “The city was Zion.”

  Startled, Celeste whirled around. Standing just a few feet from her was a man. He was dressed in a white leather battle suit, accentuated with red and black trim. The suit was stained with the blood of the innocent. Shimmering silver armor covered his forearms and the tops of his hands as well as his knees, shins, and the tops of his feet, which were covered with black battle boots. A symbol Celeste did not recognize was carved onto each piece of armor. A silver cloak covered the top of his skintight suit. It extended to just below his knees and was held together at his waist with a red sash stitched with gold lace. The cloak’s hood covered the man’s head, revealing only a shadow of his face.

  The man held his hands down to his sides. Clutched in each hand were the royal swords of the Gnol Empire. Each blade was extended. But the swords were different from the typical swords Koroan had fashioned for himself and his generals. Rather than blue plasma energy undulating through the blades, red energy beams swirled around the blades like venomous snakes wrapped around their prey.

  Her eyes darted from the destructive weapons back up to his shadowed face. Despite his bellowing voice, the man was not that much taller than Celeste. The man’s physical presence was not herculean, but he was toned almost to perfection. Notwithstanding, what frightened her the most about this man was his presence, his aura. It commanded respect, fear, and devotion. And if one were to defy his presence, he or she would regret such an act.

  “Wh-what city did you say?” she questioned timidly.

  The man stepped closer to her, causing her to take a step in retreat. His voice echoed through the air. “Zion,” he replied defiantly as the glowing blades retracted back into their handles. He then placed them into their holsters on each hip.

  Celeste glanced back toward the burning city and then back to the man. “B-but how is this possible? God would never let this happen.”

  “Your God has forsaken you. You now serve the rightful god of this galaxy.”

  As soon as the words left his lips, darkness flooded in, enveloping the entire landscape and what remained of God’s great city. A deep, foreboding sense of despair and doom washed over her like a thick black blanket, suffocating her of all hope. Even though blackness surrounded them, she could see herself and the man, but she could feel a powerful presence amongst them. It was the dark angel, the fallen one; he who had lost his first estate.

  Celeste’s body began to quiver in indescribable horror. “Wh-who are you?”

  The man didn’t respond and continued to keep his head down, hiding his face in the shadow of his hood.

  Celeste stepped closer to him, feeling an inexplicable connection to him, even though he terrified her. Again, she asked, “Who are you?”

  This time, the man retreated backwards, almost as if he was trying to hide from her. But he stopped and slowly pulled the hood off of his head. He raised his head gradually. Celeste froze in shock when the man’s blue eyes met hers. A tear trickled down the side of his face as he tried to remain formidable.

  “C-Calum,” Celeste muttered.

  The anguish on the man’s face transformed into anger. “That is not my name!”

  The darkness encircling them began to dissipate as Celeste became more courageous. She took one more step and grabbed the man by the hand. He tried to pull away, but he held on. “No. Your name is Calum. That is the name your father and I gave you. It represents who you are, your true self. It means ‘dove’ from an ancient language from Earth.”

  “No!” the man said with scorn. “My name is Cain. My mother gave me that name.”

  Despite who the man claimed to be, Celeste knew deep in her heart that this man was her son. “No,” she replied, shaking her head. “I am your mother. Your father and I named you Calum.”

  The man tried to maintain his stoic presence, but his knees buckled, and he fell into Celeste’s arms. The man nestled his face into her neck, sobbing. “D-don’t let them take me, Mother. Help me to remember who I am.”

  Celeste held the man tightly. “Did you do destroy Zion?”

  “Y-yes. Don’t let them, Mother. Please.”

  Celeste then closed her eyes, summoning every ounce of telepathic power for which she was capable. After making the mental connection with Calum, she transferred all of her memories, both good and bad, into his subconscious mind. There was a brilliant white flash of light, causing her to open her eyes. The darkness was completely gone now, replaced by light. The dark presence was gone too, replaced by a new one. Immediately, she knew who the presence was. It was the spiritual manifestation of the true God of the galaxy. Even though the light was bright, she didn’t need to squint. It was comforting and warm.

  Calum pulled away from her, his countenance changed. He was no longer adorned in the battle suit and silver cloak that had been stained with blood. Instead, he wore a simple white robe sashed together at the waist with a red sash. “Look,” he said, pointing toward the city of Zion behind her. Celeste turned and marveled. The city was whole again. They stood on a roadway leading to the city paved in pure gold. The light of the Lord reflected off of the magnificent gold skyscrapers, creating a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors.

  She turned back to Calum. He smiled and embraced her once again, nuzzling his nose into the nape of her neck. “Thank you, Mother. Thank you.”

  Celeste opened her eyes. She was back in the bungalow, and Calum was sound asleep with his tiny face in her neck. She kissed him. “They won’t take you. You are here, safe with us. Your grandfather, Koroan, is dead, and Macaria is trapped on Gnolom.”

  Calum stirred a little as she stood to return him to his crib and she to bed. She was e
xhausted and the vision she had just witnessed drained her further. Just as she took a step toward the bedroom, there was a soft knock at the door. Celeste’s heart skipped a beat as she wondered if Nichelle had returned to speak with her again. She opened the door. But it wasn’t Nichelle. Ariauna stood in the darkness. Sheets of rains poured over her and her black rain cloak.

  “Celeste, I am sorry to disturb you so late, but I had a feeling that I needed to check on you and Calum. Is everything okay?”

  Celeste smiled, grateful that Ariauna cared so much to check on them. After all, there was a time when Ariauna Tomwon would have nothing to do with Celeste because she was a Gnol. But that was changing. She and Ariauna were becoming good friends, and Celeste was beginning to trust her more and more. “Thank you, Ariauna, for your concern, but we are okay. I was just about to put Calum back to bed.”

  “Very well,” Ariauna replied. “But if you don’t mind me asking, is everything okay between you and Nichelle?”

  Celeste gave Ariauna a concerned look. “H-how did you know?”

  “It’s obvious. You two haven’t been the same around each other. I-I hope it’s not anything that I have done?”

  “No, no, you have done nothing, Ariauna,” Celeste replied, shaking her head. She paused and then asked, “Have you seen Nichelle? We had an argument and then she went for a walk.”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Hmm,” Celeste said, growing more concerned. “I really need to talk to her.”