Jeremiah said, “Time and the Universe controlled by Lucifer? Ha-ha! I laugh at you Devils!”
Nicholas yelled, “Enough with you! Leave, or join the end of our blades!”
Noah departed, but his betrayal kept the Children of Time and their Guardian company. He heard the sounds of lasers, followed by iron clashing, and the cries of children being slaughtered.
“What have I become?” Noah asked himself. He could barely walk the halls.
Other Council members helped him to his feet. They watched the Children of Time grow up into their eighth year, an age they were forbidden to pass. They swore to protect them with their own lives. But these days changed even the most loyal of men.
Moments later, Nicholas and his followers exited the room with blood covering their garments. Three of his men were absent. “That damned Guardian proved a worthy adversary after all; but, the deed is done.” He left with the remainder of his men to forward the news to his Superiors.
One of the Council members returned to the room. He ran back out vomiting. Disappointment and guilt encouraged his next deplorable act. He forfeited his life by falling on his own sword.
Noah retired to his room uncertain if he should not seek the same end.
Moments later a knock came at his door.
“She lives!” one of the Council members yelled.
“What are you talking about? Keep your voice down!” He begged as he whispered.
In secret, they both ran through the halls and into the room where the Children of Time had been slaughtered. There he saw Lisa badly injured, but alive. She struggled to speak. “I guess time still has a purpose here,” she said to Noah while he held her bloodstained hand.
“Did anyone hear or see you?” Noah asked his colleague.
“No, my Lord. No one else saw her but me,” he answered.
He decided to earn penance for his sins. If he didn’t get her help, she would die. He ordered a secret medical team to come in and work. He closed the door as they underwent protocol. Only a select few knew of her well-being and had given their word to keep it undisclosed. Demons still had a presence onboard headquarters due to the alliance. They would have no qualms about killing her.
“So, what now? Are we to watch as they slay our fellow Zodiac Sister right in front of us?” Aquarius commented as she watched Pisces engage with The Pursuers.
Cancer appeared before them again with his plea. “Please … I know this is difficult to watch considering we are all of her blood, but she has chosen her path of darkness.”
Libra remarked, “I understand, but I must admit this moment is just not sitting right with me.”
Aquarius interrupted, “A Zodiac is a Zodiac. Nonetheless, I cannot accept this!”
She moved in to aid her Zodiac counterpart, as the force field Pisces generated grew weary of her adversaries’ advances.
“Nooo!” Cancer yelled as she knocked him across the street with a violent burst of wind while equipping her Water-Bearing Sword.
Aquarius yelled, “Cancer, you are a fucking traitor to your own kind! Either you fight with us, or you will fall with our enemies this night!”
Simeon warned Natenal. “The other Zodiacs seek to give Pisces aid, my Lord.”
Natenal commented, “It’s time to put an end to this Pursuit. They must be eliminated. Levi and Timius, assist Simeon. Irisan, eliminate the remaining soldiers and scan the perimeter for any Demons.”
“Yes, Sir,” Irisan replied. She departed for her obligation.
They approached the two Zodiacs. Libra strode up a street lamp, catching her pursuer off guard. Timius stopped in his tracks and made way for Levi, as his gifts gave him the ability to walk on walls, also. They meet in an awkward position and engaged.
“Come, let me see what gifts you have in your possession, Archangel,” Aquarius challenged Timius.
Timius unveiled his flying guillotine that contained a chain and built-in Dimension compartment big enough to fit heads. Once cut off, the severed head of his victim was sent to another Dimension.
“Impressive toy. I will make use of it when you’re gone. It won’t go to waste,” Aquarius boasted.
Timius said, “Enough of this chatter.”
He pressed a button unleashing the guillotine in her direction, and she shot it down with a burst of water. The pressure sent it spiraling into a nearby parked car where the blades sank into the passenger door. He pressed the button again for the guillotine to return, but it was too lodged in. He tried yanking at it, but to no avail. He was forced to abandon his weapon.
“You’ll have to do better than that, Archangel.” Aquarius ran toward him. Timius evaded her piercing icicles using a compact special shield. The ice shattered violently upon impact, backing him into a corner. He used his gift and created a Dimension under her. She countered, creating a bridge of ice to avoid plummeting into space.
“Fast, but not fast enough. Unfortunately, this must end.” Aquarius moved in with her Water-Bearing Sword. Time froze as Simeon capitalized with his gift, using his one-minute duration to design a weapon of choice on his shield. He analyzed the Zodiacs and tried to manufacture the perfect weapon that would aid him in victory. In their frozen state, he sees Natenal, Irisan, and Zodeen engaging with Pisces and her group on one end of the street, Levi and Libra exchanging gifts on the rooftop of a nearby building, and Aquarius in pursuit of a battered Timius. He did not detect Cancer anywhere, and he had little time to investigate. Simeon gazed upon the final hour of their Pursuit of the Zodiacs.
“MORE VAMPEERS? WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE? AND, ON WHO’S ORDERS?”
“Don’t be a fool, there will always be somebody to take over the Blood Lust Throne. Did you really believe for one second Queen Victoria and Dracuul would not be replaced? Those two had powerful influences within the Vampeers, and inspired many to succeed them. The endless possibilities of the Zodiacs, Archangels and other beings presently spilling blood here were imminent. Why wouldn’t they be here to take full advantage of all this power? A few samples are all they need to manufacture the perfect ingredient for Immortality. It is in our best interest here to figure out who really poses a threat: the Zodiacs, God, Lucifer, Bishop, or the Vampeers?”
The Watchers observed all of Rome. They swore an oath many centuries ago to observe the events and not intervene. Punishment for breaking their Covenant would be death, even if to save their own lives, or the Universe they toured. If evil prevailed, that was its fortune. Information obtained during their watch must remain within the Watcher’s circle. Any breach could result in all of their deaths.
Dracuul’s Nephew, Ecor, arrived with a fleet of his own. They had broken one of the most Draconian laws: illegal Time Travel, punishable by death. With a special team, he traveled to the future to pick up where his Uncle left off.
“We are here for one reason only: to obtain blood samples from these individuals, and then we leave. Am I clear?” Ecor instructed, and his followers approved.
A man appeared carrying two Scrolls. Two Special GIs accompanied him. He warned Ecor and his followers to turn back. He introduced himself as a member of the Dark Graduates and began reading one of the Scrolls.
“You’ve violated illegal Time Travel, Code c7159. You will return to your time at once or see your life forfeited.”
Ecor spoke, “What’s this? How did you find us so soon? Hmm, it does not matter.”
He motioned his men to eliminate the obstruction. They riddled the man and his GIs with advanced laser weapons increasing the death count to Rome’s war torn streets by three.
“My Lord, was that a good idea?” one of his Guides asked skeptically.
Ecor dismissed the conglomerates of the Dark Graduate’s death. “A good idea would be obtaining these samples so we can return to our time, on time, before we are out of time, and not waste any of it by waiting here as our Race goes extinct. We need to eliminate that engineered abomination that my Uncle had fallen victim to. That Tyrant is succeeding in i
ts depopulation program as we speak.”
“I smell more Watchers,” one of his men informed Ecor.
Ecor said, “Pay them no mind. They can’t interfere in our endeavors, or anyone else’s. Their protocol is a cursed one.”
The Vampeers moved into the heart of the city.
“Cursed, he said. “We’ll see which employment is a cursed one, my friend.” One of The Watchers responded to himself, as he and other Watchers moved on to other promising reports.
AS HIS DEAD RISING OBSERVED, CAPRICORN AND SCORPIO INITIATED THEIR CONTEST TO SEE WHICH ONE WAS THE SUPERIOR ZODIAC.
Scorpio unveiled the stinger incorporated into his ponytail and attacked. The swinging death trap forced Capricorn to take a few steps back. Stones arose from Capricorn’s flesh.
Scorpio mocked, “Impressive, but that obstruction will not help you obtain victory, Zodiac.”
“We shall see,” Capricorn replied.
Seconds ahead at every exchange, Scorpio proved the faster of the two. As Capricorn punched, Scorpio evaded and countered, delivering vicious stinger strikes that failed to penetrate Capricorn’s rock like skin. Nevertheless, Capricorn exhibited patience. He had confidence in his impenetrable form, and expected Scorpio to become fatigued, which eventually he became.
Scorpio transitioned to defense as Capricorn punished him for being too aggressive and stubborn. He threw him from wall to wall until Scorpio unleashed a crushing burst of water that knocked Capricorn on his stomach, and the protective casing on his skin shattered to the ground.
This surprised Scorpio. “Ah, I see your impenetrable skin has an expiration date. You are finished.”
Capricorn generated a sinkhole that instantly swallowed Scorpio sixteen feet under. He took a bad fall; but though stunned, still alive.
So intent on killing each other, neither one noticed the Pope entering the alleyway, until he yelled, “Look at you two fools fighting, and all that power about to go to waste! Your Zodiac cousins are on the other side of town fighting for their lives, and you two are set on killing each other. It’s deplorable!”
The Vampeer Pope still had yet to turn. He fought back every inch of pain associated with the transformation. Upon his arrival, the Dead Rising showed him no harm since they knew that he would soon be one with them.
Capricorn said, “It’s a miracle you’ve lasted this long, Pope.”
The Pope answered, “Ah yes, the blood’s resistance to impurity is one of the many benefits of being a Vampeer.”
Capricorn commented, “I see. Nevertheless, it appears your blood is losing its fight. I’m sure the Vampeers will not miss you once you become one of my fiends. If you’ll excuse me, I have pressing matters that need my attention.” Capricorn turned to Scorpio to finish things.
“Can’t you realize you two are equally matched? I only see the both of you perishing from this pointless melee! I promised to avenge Cameron and Julius, but even my vengeance must be put aside. You are lucky the Dark Lord has an interest in you, boy!” the Pope advised as he leaned up against one of the alley walls. His eyes lit up as the scent of something very familiar caught his attention. “Vampeers?”
One-by-one, then in twos and threes, the numbers of his Dead Rising minions decreased as special laser fire erupted in the alley. Capricorn saw dozens of Vampeers infiltrating his location and fled.
“Come back here! We are not finished!” Scorpio shouted as he gathered himself, still confined in the sinkhole.
The Pope rejoiced as familiar faces greeted him. “Ahh, you were wrong, Zodiac. It seems I still do have friends in high places that would be burdened by my passing. Ha-ha.” The Pope watched the Zodiac flee. “You, get from that damn hole and look like a Zodiac. You’re embarrassing me.”
As Scorpio ascended from the sinkhole, the Pope met none other than Ecor.
Ecor stared at the Pope and sensed his well-being, or lack of it. “It seems that your health escapes you, Pope.”
The Pope felt rejuvenated. “Not anymore now that you’re here, old friend. I know you have some special blood that will rid me of this bind. I can smell the purity of it.”
Ecor replied, “Not so fast, old friend. Let’s catch up a little. How long has it been since we last saw each other?”
The Pope answered, “It must have been decades.”
Ecor said, “Who would have thought all those years ago that you would become Pope?”
The Pope responded, “Ah yes, indeed. Can I count on a friend to save a friend’s life, or are you here to watch me expire right in front of you? Time and blood is of the essence.”
Ecor said, “You seem to have something I want. Let’s make an exchange.”
Desperate, the Pope felt himself running out of time. His vision became impaired, and pieces of his flesh decomposed to the point where he became weary of his own stench. He responded in the only way he could. “Yes, anything. I can feel myself spiraling out of my gourd. What is it you want?”
Ecor said, “All we need is a sample of the Zodiac’s blood, and you will reign another day, Pope. You give us his blood … we give you your life.”
The Pope replied, “An exchange? Blood-for-blood, and that’s it?”
Ecor answered, “Yes.”
Scorpio replied, “Nobody is getting shit from me.”
Ecor looked at Scorpio, and then back at the Pope.
The Pope knew that Scorpio could mess up the deal. “He doesn’t mean that. He’s a bit stubborn,” he said.
Meanwhile, they could hear enemy soldiers advancing through the streets.
Ecor said, “Come on. We haven’t much time. Make your decision!”
The Pope ordered Scorpio to give the Vampeers a blood sample. Scorpio reluctantly followed the Pope’s orders. He rolled up a sleeve and held out his arm. One of Ecor’s soldiers moved in swiftly, opened up a silver briefcase filled with containers carrying different classes of blood and obtained the sample from the Zodiac by using a special syringe.
Once the syringe was withdrawn and the vials of blood were given labels and safely secured, Ecor gave his old friend a vessel containing very rare virgin blood that would stop the Dead Rising infection.
The cure took mere moments. The Pope held out his arm and one of Ecor’s colleagues, a doctor, performed a quick test and certified there were no signs of Capricorn’s Dead Rising virus left in his body.
“It’s all in the blood, Dracuul would always say. Maybe he was right all along,” the Pope confirmed to himself.
Ecor said, “Yes, for us Vampeers it is evident, but for Mortals it’s debatable.”
The Pope said, “May I ungratefully ask, what is your reason for being here in Rome?”
Ecor ignored the question and motioned to the doctor. “Just a few more samples. We need to compare your infected blood with your cured blood to ascertain the difference, and perhaps develop a vaccine that might come in handy in the future.”
The Pope commented, “Don’t tell me you’re picking up where Dracuul left off? You’re bringing back good and unfortunate memories, Ecor. Nevertheless, as far as staying out of my way goes, make sure you do just that … and hurry. I promise, the night will only get worse for you and your followers if you prolong your visit.”
Ecor said, “Ungrateful indeed. I saved your life, but you give me threats. Ha! Things will never change with you, Pope. I have my own mission to fulfill back in my time. We will be out of your hair soon enough. Good luck restoring order here. You’re going to need it.”
They parted ways towards separate agendas, uncertain of who remained in an unbalanced city.
Chapter 32
DEATH IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.”
— LUKE 10:19
“I have one more service to ask of you before your promotional ceremony, Grenad.” Before liberating the remainder of his most trusted five Master Archangels, Bishop had met with Grenad and Za
charia.
Bishop continued, “Enter that Dimension and eliminate all those who remain.”
Grenad, too wise to display his anger, calmly accepted his next assignment. Bishop kept putting off his investiture as a Master Archangel, and he grew tired of the postponements.
They boarded their spacecraft. Grenad led his group into the Dimension.
Grenad said, “As if I haven’t done enough!”
“Easy, comrade. Do not let your men hear you utter such frustration. However, I completely understand,” Zacharia replied.
Grenad said, “Let’s make haste through the mist of this Dimension and run down whatever’s left of the enemy.”
Zachariah said, “Spoken like a true Master Arch. You will seize your rank, Brother, and obtain power never before seen.”
Safely inside their reinforced ship, it wasn’t long before they shared the same sky with alien entities. They resembled dinosaurs with huge beaks and a wingspan half the size of their craft flying alongside. One scanned their craft, lost interest and departed, leaving Grenad and his team to their digression.
“This Dimension is massive. It’s almost as if we’re in a completely new World. It could take days, even weeks or months, before we find them. Perhaps they’ve already fallen victim to the beasts here. Surely Bishop must have known this,” Grenad said. His frustration soared because of the enormity of their new assignment.
“You’re right. I underestimated this place. It’s been quite a while since I’ve tread through here. We must take all necessary precautions, or we’ll meet the same fate as them.”
They hovered over the surface, carefully scanning the swamps and woods for their enemies. As midnight approached, they decided to land their craft and patrol on foot to investigate a cave.
“Damn, I guess we must earn it after all. Prepare for landing,” Grenad instructed.
They landed on a clear field, out in the open, free from any threats. Grenad dispatched over a hundred heavily armored Archangels, equipped with high-powered lasers. The Archangels reported a weird scent in the air unbearable to most. It stung their eyes and skin. Grenad gave them orders to put on their gas masks along with their precision goggles.
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