Pursuit of the Zodiacs

by Walsh, Nathan

  Adam and Crusix ended up on a bridge over a lake. Adam’s Supernatural Carpet became collateral damage in the melee. Its electrical compartments fought to stay online, but it failed and descended further into the belly of the lake. Crusix took full advantage of a maddened Adam, whose emotions plagued his overall performance rendering him a victim to the Demon Master Arch’s attacks. Fatigued and beaten, Adam lay in wait for death. But Abdeen intervened, striking Crusix with a compacted meteor that consumed a portion of the bridge. Engulfed, Crusix fell to the ground.

  “Abdeen! Look out!” yelled Abdeel.

  Open to attack, Abdeel pushed his Brother out of the way as Helena’s weapon emerged from the Dimension lights at full speed. It struck Abdeel, who vanished, leaving only his clothes intact.

  “No!” Abdeen desperately grabbed the chain and pulled Helena out of the Dimension. She landed on her face, dazed. Abdeen grabbed her. Infuriated, he yelled, “Where is he, you Devil! Where did you send my Brother!”

  Her mind gradually cleared. She smiled, and answered, “Your Brother lies at the bottom, in the Hellish abyss with the other pestilence I’ve sent there.”

  Abdeen retrieved his Flaming Sword, thrust it into Helena’s mouth, and removed her head.

  Abdeen saw Capricorn’s Dead Rising coming from the North of the city in staggering numbers. The breeze carried the scent of blood in the air and it led them towards the melee on the bridge. Starting with his legs, Adam chopped down at Crusix. He wanted his suffering to last eternally after envisioning his dead children. He’d trekked Galaxies to seize this moment. Overrun with Dead Rising, Adam leapt from the bridge and into the water. Crusix reached for his sword, but his injuries slowed his pace. They dined on the Demon Archangel. The cry of his torment added ecstasy to Adam’s viewing pleasure as the Dead Rising continued to sink their teeth into Crusix’s wings, flesh, and all parts of his body until nothing remained.

  Adam removed himself from the water and found a distraught Abdeen sitting down holding his dead Brother’s armor. “What’s happened here, Abdeen?” Abdeen, too overcome with grief, could not respond.

  Concerned for Abdeen, it didn’t take much for him to realize what had happened. “My apologies, Abdeen. I was not myself, I have caused an unfortunate casualty. I don’t know what to say.”

  Abdeen looked upon Adam and said, “I will reunite with my Brother again. Until then, we have a mission to accomplish. You must relinquish your anger. It only puts everyone at risk. Focus. In time, you will achieve measureless retribution. First, we must find Aries and put an end to all this.”

  “UZIEL! SOMEONE APPROACHES FROM THE EAST.”

  Two spies gave word of an incoming visitor. He handed over his telescope to the top Master Arch.

  “Bishop!” Emmanuel confirmed.

  “Yes, it is he, indeed,” Sabrina assured.

  They were over five thousand strong, and too many to hide. Despite the numbers and rank, they served no contest to a god. They accepted and came to terms with death where they stood. However, they weren’t going to be sent into the Judgment Realm without a fight.

  The emergency alarms sounded, and cannon fire burst in the air along with projectiles. Spacecraft soared, firing everything they had. But they plummeted back to the Earth engulfed in Bishop’s fire, while the others switched course and wisely evacuated into space. The Mover of Suns lived up to his title. His eyes became as black as night, the clouds parted and welcomed the Sun. It provided light upon the darkness of the Dimension where they stood.

  Camiel shouted out an order. “Those who can make it to the exit of this Dimension, do it fast. There’s no need for us all to perish here!”

  With death closing in, Camiel removed his armor due to the increasing heat the advancing Sun donated. They watched as hundreds incinerated right before their eyes.

  “Come on, Sabrina. There’s nothing we can do for them. Let’s go!” Vincent yelled as he grabbed Sabrina’s arm. They headed for the nearest Dimension exit, leaving behind the cries of more Archangels in the background. She spotted Uziel heading in the wrong direction.

  His group unfortunately miscalculated and headed for an exit impossible to reach in time.

  “No, you won’t make it! Come with us!” Sabrina shouted.

  With the same Sun, Bishop unleashed a massive meteor from its core so intense that it destroyed the Gateway, trapping them. If they hadn’t been there to witness it for themselves, no one would ever have believed Bishop’s paramount power.

  Uziel gave one final command before he and his remaining group were executed. “Farewell, Brothers and Sisters. May God sweep our enemies underneath the pillars of this Universe.”

  They exited the Dimension and closed the gate.

  Emmanuel asked, “Where’s Ariel? Any word?”

  Sabrina answered, “Not sure. He must be among the dead.”

  Vincent added, “Our entire fleet has been completely annihilated. Someone must have given up our coordinates.”

  They moved silently in formation behind the hills of this weary land that was in need of purity.

  They devised a plan for another escape. Their numbers fell drastically to only a hundred eighty-nine strong, in a land that required thousands. If the beasts detected their scent, they will take advantage of their small numbers, especially their wounded. The beasts dwelled in the fields, trees and in the mountains. They surveyed the area for the nearest exit out of the Dimension.

  They shot a signal in the air to notify any gatekeepers within the region. Moments after thinking no aid existed within this Hell, they saw two flares off on the horizon, North from their position. And so, the path was set for them, but getting there presented another problem. The Gatekeepers risked their own lives by returning a locating signal. They made it their duty to reach the safe zone before the Devils of the land oppressed everyone.

  Chapter 31

  A WAR WITHIN A WAR

  “One day the Earth will be lost again, but not during my reign.”

  — POPE ELIZABETH

  “God, deliver us from the evil that plagues this city. May the current Pope fall, and a new one rise. Evil will no longer fortify this tabernacle and be the deceiver of man. As we breach the battlefield, may our sword be mightier than any armor in opposition, and may our enemies have no repentance in the graves we will provide them. Give us the strength, oh Lord, to do your works. Amen.”

  Virtues, an Archangel and leader of this secret campaign, prayed over hundreds of Archangels. They’d been dispatched from the Underworlds and from the Heavens. A new Pope had been called for duty, and her name was Elizabeth.

  “A woman? That’s never been heard of?” Someone in the audience argued.

  “But yet it is done. We shall escort her to the Vatican, and the people will take matters into their own hands after this war is over,” Virtues replied. He sent his soldiers into an uncertain Rome. Using an unorthodox formation, they cut through serpents that had made themselves one among men.

  “You don’t belong here, Devils! Return to your Hell!” they rebuked, and spilt blood on Mortal grounds. The Devils retreated, and they rejoiced. The celebration stopped as they encountered the reasoning for their adversary’s abrupt departure. Capricorn’s Dead Rising came soaring from the fissures in the streets.

  “Attack!” They unleashed heavy laser fire and explosives, reducing the pace of these fiends, but they still advanced.

  Virtues commanded, “Remove their heads! That is the only solution I see in stopping these monsters.”

  “My God!” A soldier shouted at a distance as a Dead Rising Nephilim Giant snatched him off the street. Ranging twenty feet tall, it walked away while biting into his flesh.

  “Hand that to me.” Virtues was handed an Advanced Laser Sniper Rifle as he pursued the Dead Rising Giant eating one of his men. He caught up with the zombie and shot him in the head. The head burst open, but the brain remained intact. It still lived. Its attention navigated towards the Archangel. It tossed the dead s
oldier aside, and walked towards Virtues.

  He continued to rip the monster down, knocking it from wall to wall due to the Super weapons impact. Despite removing chunks of its flesh, the Dead Rising Nephilim Giant continued to press forward.

  “To Hell with it.” Virtues tossed the weapon aside and unsheathed his Super Sword. He pressed a button on its handle and the blade surfaced turning into a two-handed great sword. He split the Giant’s arm in half as it reached for him. Virtues unleashed his wings and went airborne, but the Giant struck him with its other arm midway through takeoff, and Virtue landed on the roof of a house.

  Stunned and unaware of the beast climbing towards the roof, Virtues fought off his vertigo. As the beast neared, it clawed for a better grip. Its brain fully exposed while the flesh hung loosely at its side. Virtues regained his equilibrium and drove his sword straight through the Giant’s brain. He pulled out his sword and the beast slid off the roof. His men chopped down the last Dead Rising minions in their route.

  “Virtues, are you alright?” the new Pope asked.

  “Yes, my Lady. The city seems lost, but let’s move forward.” Virtues descended from the roof.

  Pope Elizabeth responded, “Yes, it seems so. One day the Earth will be lost again, but not during my reign. Let’s rid this place of its pestilence.”

  “WAIT, WAIT, THEY ARE LEAVING, AND IN URGENCY TOO!”

  Alarms sounded and all of their forces gave up their posts. With their army repositioned, Michael and Raphael led them out of the Dimension and into spacecraft.

  “You are right, Exodus,” Leviticus said, while watching the proceedings through his binoculars.

  “But wait, what has caused even Michael himself to leave in such a manner?” Ezra questioned.

  Bishop emerged from the clouds.

  “The one true God himself,” Leviticus stated as he bowed.

  The rest knelt before their God as Bishop reached the roof.

  “What’s happened here?” he asked as he landed.

  “Michael was lost until Raphael intervened with thousands of enemy soldiers, my Lord,” Ezra answered.

  Leviticus added, “They are fleeing North, frightened by your coming, my Lord. If we hurry, we can catch them.”

  Bishop replied, “No need for that. Their time will come.”

  Exodus asked, “Why not now, my Lord?”

  Bishop answered, “We wait for the so-called God of Man to take the bait in Rome, and there he will be destroyed.”

  Leviticus probed, “Bait?”

  Bishop explained, “Yes, bait … the Zodiacs. After all those unfortunate fools are done annihilating one another, we will kill all who remain. There’s no need for us to intervene as of yet, and it will save us some casualties.”

  Exodus asked, “What about the Alliance?”

  Bishop said, “Between our Kingdom and Lucifer? Never. I’m certain he has already planned an end for us … also undoubtedly planned before we met at the negotiating table. To think there will ever be such opportunities offered by the likes of that serpent is preposterous. I have foreseen what this Universe will become if it is ever in his control. An alliance is unacceptable.”

  The remaining Master Archangels departed with the Mover of Suns back to their Kingdom.

  “THE TALISMEN, THEY APPROACH.”

  Daniel gave a warning after witnessing the riders through binoculars.

  “Are you certain?” Goliath replied. Daniel handed the binoculars over to him. Goliath remarked, “But there are only three of them. Where’s the fourth?”

  Daniel said, “I’m not sure, but I’m certain those three will lead us to the Pope.”

  The Talismen spun around on their black, pale and red hybrid horses. After a full stop, they analyzed their observers. “Well, we can forget about following them,” Daniel said.

  Lucille unleashed a barrage of sniper fire. But, all to no avail, as the triangular shaped illuminating shields they possessed accomplished their task. The bullets ricocheted into nearby fixtures. She used a new strategy. If she couldn’t best the rider, she’d best the horses they rode. The strategy met success. She took out the legs of their horses, and they trampled into the ground.

  “Great job, Lucille. Now is the time, Goliath,” Daniel said.

  They met the Talismen in the street. Goliath sent an off-balance Dearth plummeting into a nearby building courtesy of his new sledgehammer axe.

  Daniel engaged with Feud. Their swords collided, but neither one could find flesh … only the spark of metal clanking upon one another. Feud backhanded Daniel, who, as he fell, shot out a burst of wind against which Feud braced for impact. He stopped a few feet after his boots gripped the pavement. Daniel removed blood from his lips and armed himself with his Ring of Death Star weapon. With his forcing winds, he guided it towards his intended target. Feud pressed a button; a round gold metal Super Shield spiraled from a compartment and deflected the five pointed blades residing on Daniel’s weapon. The wind returned Daniel’s Ring of Death Star weapon to Feud. He entrapped it with an effervescence of fire and sent it crashing through a window of a nearby estate. “Use your toys on someone else, Archangel,” Feud said. Daniel clenched his teeth after losing his new weapon. Feud deflected Daniel’s sword strikes. Using another force of wind, Daniel dodged and shot Feud in the air. Daniel met him halfway and finally impaled the Talisman through his ribcage. Feud shouted in pain; and, in desperation, released fire from his eyes. Daniel shielded himself with his wings and spiraled into the street. After tumbling to a complete stop, he watched Feud flee.

  Lucille issued more firepower at Demise as he recovered. Enraged, he gave chase. Despite her level of expertise, she stood no match for one of the Lords of the Underworld. As she fled, she had seconds to decide her fortune: meet Capricorn’s Dead Rising minions as they made their sudden appearance, or meet one of the Dark Lords of the Underworld. The will to live flipped a coin, and she ran towards the swarm of Dead Rising, unraveling everything she had in her inventory. The gap she set for herself allowed her to run right through the small horde. But looking back, Demise still pursued. The Dead Rising grabbed hold and bit at him, slowing down his pace. The bites had no effect on him. He retaliated through decapitation, while barely taking his eyes off the fleeing former Dark Graduate. After destroying a good amount of Dead Rising, he continued in her direction, fully covered with ligaments and blood.

  “Damn! I might have overdone it this time, getting involved in Angels’ quarrels. This is beyond my expertise,” she said to herself while running.

  Her legs began to tire, and she heard his footsteps trailing not too far behind. An energy blast knocked Demise into a phone booth. Lucille looked up to see where her luck came from. She marked a group of Archangels perched on a rooftop with their laser-powered weapons drawn.

  One of the Archangels gave her warning. “Leave, child. He will not rest there forever.”

  Lucille obeyed the Archangel she’d never met. The Angel’s name was Remiel, a Master Arch, high in rank with Michael himself.

  Remiel continued, “Demise, what are you doing? Go back to your Underworld.”

  The Talisman brushed himself off and defiantly pointed to the street, commanding Remiel to come down and face him.

  Remiel accepted the challenge. He had his men watch his back for other opposition fighters until the contest ended.

  His wings guided him safely down the street. Demise charged, releasing death from his chest. The black mist dented cars and sent street poles crashing down. The Full Moon acted as an emergency light that guided Remiel along an escape from certain death. Demise’s black mist passed, and Remiel banged his blade across his. Remiel’s Super Sword deteriorated Demise’s armor. Remiel pierced his stomach and kicked Demise down. His body slumped against a parked car. Demise uncovered his chest again revealing his Dimension. Remiel fought against its gravitational pull. Debris, garbage and fixtures swept into his black hole. Parked cars budged. While hanging on to one of the fortifications of t
he ground, the black hole confiscated Remiel’s Super Sword, forcing him to rely on his dagger. With concern, his men observing the skirmish from the roof aimed their weapons at Demise; but Remiel motioned them to stand down. He released his grip and, at full speed, aimed his weapon towards Demises throat. He pressed a button on his shield and it expanded. The shield covered the black hole resting on his enemy’s chest due to its increase in size. He collided with Demise. Stunned by the impact, Demise never saw Remiel’s next move coming as he cut his throat.

  MEANWHILE, AT THE DARK GRADUATES’ HEADQUARTERS

  They appeared before the Children of Time, all seven of them.

  “It’s okay, Noah,” Lisa said. The tears trickling down the face of the Dark Graduate confirmed everything she had anticipated. In exchange for the safety of his own children and family, he escorted the Demons inside a confidential room of the ship to execute them all.

  Nicholas, a Demon Master Archangel, along with ten other Archangels, entered the room.

  “What is this, Noah? Why was I not informed?” Jeremiah, a Guardian Archangel, questioned the Children of Time, aware of their psychic abilities.

  “Leave us, Jeremiah,” Lisa warned the Angel.

  Jeremiah refused. “No, this is lunacy! You knew of their coming and said nothing? You must have known I would have none of it, so what’s my fate? And you, Noah, you traitor! You swore an oath to protect them!”

  Noah hung his head in shame. He had no answer for the Guardian Archangel.

  Lisa said, “You have a choice to leave. Whatever you decide will be your fate, Jeremiah. I am sorry. Soon there will be no place for us when Time transitions into Eternity. This is the only way to make sure it is assured.”

  Jeremiah protested, “No, you are confused. Something is wrong here.”

  Nicholas, the Demon Master Arch, replied, “The girl is right. Remove yourself, Archangel. We no longer need the services of the Children of Time. After we win this war, only Lucifer, the Lord of Darkness, will be in control of time. He will be the one who decides whether or not it should ever exist.”