Judgement (The Twelve)

by Jeff Ashcroft

  No one moved. Anvil nodded and walked with Jennings to the lift gate. “Well trained. Come up later, we will talk further and I’ll try and answer any questions you’ve got.”

  “Oh I’ve got a few, that’s for sure.”

  Once Anvil had left, Jennings gave orders that his men were to clean and prepare all military grade weapons for a field check in three o minutes. Calling Mackinnon and Edwards over he asked them to divide the Agents up into squads of ten man teams. “Put men or women who have seen action at the firing range in charge of each group. They’ll explain to each team what they saw was real. Keep twelve spare to fill in for the wounded or killed.”

  Jennings still couldn’t believe what he’d let himself in for. Even he’d seen it twice now with his own eyes. Yet he still didn’t believe it.

  MacKinnon asked, “What the hell have we got ourselves involved in boss?”

  Jennings stood up straight, “Something that’s a first even for us. I’ve never fought alongside an immortal before.”

  “But they can die?”

  “Everything dies Mike. So let’s try and keep them alive a little bit longer.”

  “What about us boss?”

  “What a way to go my friend, saving the world. Beats the hell out of old age and a nursing home”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Priest woke in the early hours; he never used a clock or watch but knew that it was four am. Rolling out of bed, he stumbled around until he found his food stained bathrobe and well worn leather slippers. Shuffling along the clean concrete floor, he made his way to the one light that was always left on and that was the one over the fridge.

  Belching as his ample stomach rumbled, Priest decided to make an omelette to tide him over until breakfast at nine. But he wasn’t alone, Chris was sitting there drinking milk and eating buttered toast with jam on.

  “Strawberry or Blackberry?” He asked

  Chris had his mouth full and waited until he could speak, “Damson.”

  Priest shuddered, “Heathen.”

  Chris watched silently as Priest started to gather ingredients for his omelette. When the omelette was ready Priest and Chris both spoke at the same time, “I had a prophecy in the night.”

  Priest’s eyebrows arched as he stopped eating, “YOU, had a prophecy?”

  Chris nodded, “I saw buildings on fire, flames and smoke everywhere. I saw people screaming, running for there lives. I saw Edge battling with his father. I saw Anvil hesitate when he had the upper hand. I saw Edge strike him down. I saw death Priest. I saw death.”

  Priests face had turned white, “Prophecies make me hungry. I was waiting until the others woke to tell them. Chris, I had the same prophecy as you! But in mine I saw you heal Edges wounds whilst Anvil lay dying, I saw you helping The Dark Chris.” Priest crossed himself, “We may have witnessed you turning towards The Dark and the beginning of Armageddon. ”

  Then Priest belched, “Omelettes good though” As if that made all the difference.

  The late autumn sun rose like any other day, but on this day, on Sunday, the sky turned red, something to do with a massive cloud of dust blown in from the Sahara desert. So the weather forecasters stated live on Television radio and in the daily newspapers.

  The people stared at the sky in awe, instead of traditional pale blue, or slate grey rolling clouds, they saw a ruddy red hue. It was something different for them to discuss at work. The nutters of course frothed at the mouth, ripped hair from there heads and wailed that the end was nigh. Others within the Government read secret reports, which stated that the experts that predicted the weather actually had no idea why the sky was red only over the UK.

  “Fucking sky!” Speed exclaimed, “Have you seen it?”

  “DON’T BLOODY SWEAR!!!” Priest roared from out of sight within the bedroom area. Dust settled fro m the ceiling onto the kitchen counter.

  Heartless grinned, “I wouldn’t piss him off if I was you.” He stage whispered.

  Anvil glared at them both, “Yes Speed I’ve seen the sky. It’s that big thing that hangs over our heads.”

  Speed zoomed round and round the room creating a mini tornado in his excitement. Slash shot a knife across the room which thudded into the wooden window frame just as Speed skidded to a halt inches away from the knife. “Stop it.” Slash ordered quietly.

  Speed glanced first to the knife, then the window, “Actually that knife of yours was moving so fucking slowly I could have plucked it out of thin air. You throw another one at me and I’ll throw it back and I’ll bet you won’t even see it, let alone catch it. Now look out of the bloody window!” He shouted the last as he threw open the heavy leaded glass window.

  Anvil and the others strode over to glance up at the sky. Anvil took one look and shouted to Priest that he was needed in a hurry. The others moved back to allow Chris to stare up at the blood red sky.

  “Today is the day.” He whispered.

  Anvils head snapped from the sky to Chris, “You sure.”

  Judgements voice filled the room, “Blood shall fill the sky and will only wash clear once we have vanquished The Chosen One in battle.”

  Anvil asked,” It will be end of The Dark?”

  Judgement answered, “Hopefully but if not it will certainly prove to be the end of the beginning.”

  Priest had arrived in a huff, “He took one quick look, crossed himself and said, “The Devil has closed off Heaven until we meet in battle.”

  The Twelve stood looking at the sky for a few more minutes, then stepping back they hugged and shook hands with each other. Chris got a kiss on the lips from Patch. Together they prepared a hearty breakfast. Sitting around the dining table, that they had never all used at the same time before. They talked and laughed at shared memories that covered thousands of years. Chris sat and listened to them all. He didn’t want to share his memories. Not the orphanage, not his step father or his short life living in a damp smelly cardboard house.

  So he listened instead, soaking up living history. There stood Anvil, as old as the hills, a Danish Bronze Age black smith, who just happened to be his biological parent. Then there was Rage, an ancient Norse warrior, with iron helm, axe and shield, fighting his sworn enemy, the Vikings. Huntress who lived and died during medieval times, a lonely female trying to provide food for her family hunting in the Kings forest with bow and arrow and subsequently hung for killing a deer. Priest, well his history was one of over indulgence yet still ancient as time itself. Now seemingly gifted with prophetic dreams direct from The Creator!

  Then there was Slash and Hot Cross, both amazing stories. Young Speed his life cut short like his own. The gunslinger called Bulls Eye and his life in the Wild West. Metal handed Heartless, so full of anger, living up to his name, searching for a promise made. But what was the promise?

  He couldn’t forget this mysterious Chameleon, where was he now? A man with no face who could assume the identity of any living person, why did he feel so important to Chris?

  Finally reality sank home. Here he was surrounded by immortal beings, once dead and then re-born and he was now one of them! He thought about The Dark and the creatures they controlled and what of the Chosen One, a young girl called Coffee? His head ached with the enormity of what he was trying to absorb. What was he to do?

  Big Ben struck noon, they heard the clock strike because the window had been left open.

  Anvil slammed his hammer against the floor, cracking the re-enforced concrete, “Gather around my friends. “

  He turned to his son, “Crossroads bone yard?”

  Chris was about to agree when Judgement spoke clearly inside his head, “Today the devils spawn shall either win or be defeated. The outcome hangs upon a knife edge. Today brother shall spare brother. The lost One shall return and the imbalance will be revealed. Today is your day. I shall not lead you for you shall lead them. Go to the place least expected.’

  Priest added, “It’s where we were told they would be.”

  Chris sho
ok his head, “No we go down to Embankment and the bridge.”

  Anvil looked into his sons eyes for ages, finally he nodded, “So be it.”

  Patch walked over and kissed Chris on the cheek, “I love you.” She whispered.

  Chris took a deep breath, filling his lungs until he thought they would burst. Closing his eyes he savoured this one last moment of calm.

  Explosively he exhaled, “Right let’s go kick some arse.”

  It wasn’t exactly what Priest had hoped for. Something more biblical maybe, but it would do.

  “Amen.” he added.

  Chapter Twenty

  Along Embankment, down inside the support structure of Waterloo Bridge, next to the river wall, a massive hole had been knocked through into the huge Victorian sewerage pipes and tunnels that crisscrossed underneath the river and the main part of the city of London.

  The tunnels ran for miles in every direction, they were maintained at a huge cost to the city but would cost millions more to replace. Wide ledges ran along on either side of a river of slowly moving human waste. Rats ran everywhere and the place stunk beyond belief. In fact some areas had high concentrations of Methane, Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulfide. Once upon a time, street lamps ran off the Methane bi product, but now only one lamp remains as a tourist attraction.

  At this moment in time, rats and gas wasn’t mans greatest danger in these cess pits of waste. Thousands of Shades filled mile after mile of tunnel and pipe. Every now and again a few ghouls were mixed in with the seething swaying Shades. Here and there giant Shades lumbered along, waist deep in the stinking mess. The Dark were in the pump room next to the bridge below the level of the river. Edge stood at The Chosen Ones side, a gleam of pure hatred in his eyes and most of it directed towards her.

  Coffee (as she asked Chris to call her) looked upon The Dark. So far they had added three new recruits. Pigswill, a fat nosed bug eyed pot bellied dwarf. His weapon was to spit acid. Ridgeback a massive hunchback like Rage, he carried a huge wooden mallet, reinforced with steel hoops on each end and Willow, a beautiful female if not for her with a scorpion like tail. Brick Heads re birth had been short lived and Coffee was beside herself with rage. She had spent days torturing Leech for allowing him to be destroyed so quickly but she allowed him to live. Chris however would not be shown such mercy.

  Coffee, gathered a bucket of stinking sewerage and walked over to a dried up shape on the ground, upending the bucket, she soaked the person from head to toe. Slowly the figure expanded and grew, finally crying out with relief.

  “Leech go soak yourself I need you strong.”

  Bowing and scrapping, Leech kissed the air before her as he sidled over to the sewer and jumped in.

  She addressed those gathered, before her, her voice was low, hypnotic and full of menace, “Brothers and sisters. Today we stand here without Shadow or Brick. for our comrades and friends ( the others never thought of each other as a comrade or friend but kept quite)…. have fallen victim to those cowards that dare call themselves The Protectorate of the Human Race. What are they protecting? Dog meat with a soul fit for eating and enslaving. We have obeyed our Master and harvested the humans slowly over time, in order that the authorities didn’t know what was happening to them. United, they could have made a nuisance of themselves. We stayed in the Dark living up to our name. Now the long wait has paid off. Today our Lord has closed the gateway to Heaven and the World is ours for the taking.”

  Edge glared at her back, ’What did she know of waiting? Newly re-born, in haste she broke the truce and tried to kill Judgement, a breaker of rules, angering the Master himself. All tortured for her hasty work, blasted two thousand miles away to the Sahara desert. Forced to Kill goat herders so they could steal there camels. Riding them to death within the In Between. Stowaways on a stinking cattle ship, then again on an iron ore carrier, hiding like petty criminals. It had taken The Dark two weeks to get back and regroup and all during that time Coffee raged and ranted, blaming Judgement. The others kept quiet or spoke in hushed whispers with Edge. Now this foolish slip of a girl leads them into war.’

  The gathered Dark hissed to please her as the Chosen One continued to talk,” In the past we have fought and killed within the safety of the In-Between. Now our Master wishes us to bring terror to these humans who have for years believed this to be there world. Today we attack the dog meat here in the capital of this puny country. Today we bring hell to Earth. We shall rejoice as they scream and beg for mercy. Feed off their fear and pain as you render them limb from limb. Enjoy the tormented wails of souls that we shall reap and enslave. Feed on the dog meat and warm flesh. Today you will hear God weep for his children. Today you will hear laughter from our Master!”

  Whilst all the Dark howled, shuddered, swayed and screamed in rapturous joy. One dared to raise his hand in question.

  Coffee turned her gaze fully upon The Dark, Total silence followed before she asked. “Yes Venom, you wish……to speak?”

  All eyes turned in amazement to the creature that for hundreds of years had never spoken a single word. In fact Edge thought Venom incapable of speech. It’s reptilian like jaw was not designed for the human speech.

  “Whatsssssss to be done with Judgement , mistresssssss not mentioned him?”

  Its mouth struggled to master the nouns and vowels but somehow it made itself understood. Its yellow slit eyes never blinking stared hard into Coffees.

  If Coffee was surprised Venom had spoke, she hid it well, not like Edge who half drew one sword, “You dare question The Chosen One!”

  Coffee half raised her arm and hissed, she thought that for a second Edge may have hesitated defending her honour but let it pass, for now. Edge backed away from her.

  “Venom my dear, you have been keeping secrets from us. Let me see if I understand fully. Are you asking who shall kill Judgement?”

  Venom just nodded this time.

  Coffee raised her hand and casually blasted Venom across the chamber. He managed to turn like a cat and collided with the far wall with hands, feet and a tail, which partially absorbing the blow. Falling to the floor in a heap, Venom shook his head to clear it and painfully turned on his side to stare across the forty five foot gap between them.

  Coffee drew herself up right. Her body expanding and grew until she cowered over them all, her voice now crackled with energy, her breath death, “When any of you address me you shall call me The Chosen One and I defy any to stare me in the eye for it is death to disrespect me.”

  Willing herself to calm down, her voice resumed its normal hypnotic level, “Venom, dear Venom. You are lucky to find me in a forgiving mood. Your question has merit and I admire you for asking. I shall be the one to destroy Judgement and his brother shall assist me.”

  Edge lowered his hand from the hilt of his sword, “Me…Chosen One?”

  Coffee chuckled, “Yes Edge, you shall strike at your brother and he shall hesitate for he is weak and seeks to turn you from us. You shall cause his downfall for at that moment I shall kill him. Don’t worry about the right moment. I shall know when to act.”

  She was too sure of herself to notice the furrowed brow on Edges face.

  Coffee turned to the Shades that stood watching her from the hole in the sewer wall, “Go now my legions. Rise up into the sunlight and feed!”

  The Shades gurgled with rapture and rushed away to obey. Turning to The Dark, Coffee smiled, “Shall we go and wait for the moment to strike my children. Edge, I shall allow you to appear to lead The Dark whilst I remain in the shadows. I shall strike when the time comes.”

  Edge, who up until now was used to being their leader anyway, simply nodded in acknowledgement. Swallowing his hurt pride he led the way into the sewers. In a split second they vanished into the In-Between place.

  The newspaper seller had been at this pitch for twenty three years, passed down to him by his father and his father before him. He enjoyed his work and hoped one day his son would follow in his foot steps. But right now he w
as taking mighty big steps and glad his son was no where near! Inky at he was known, was running for his life. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d run, but he was sure it was no where near as fast as this. With his heart pounding in his chest, he risked a quick glance backwards. The damn thing was nearly on top of him. Inky screamed, but his scream was lost in the dozens of others that filled the noon day sky. A blood red sky, that suddenly went from amazing to one of abject terror.

  Inky hit the junction hard, narrowly missing a taxi travelling across from right to left. The Shade wasn’t so lucky and was sent spinning through the air with its right hand side crushed in. The taxi skidded and crashed into a lamppost. Inky stopped to get his breath, hands on knees he sucked air into his sixty year old lungs. Still panting he glanced across to the taxi, just as another creature dragged the unconscious driver from the wreckage only to sink dull yellow fangs into his neck, Blood spurting up and across the cracked wind screen.