They organized a search of the vicinity. As they searched the woods, they marked strange eyes lurking in the darkness. Just as curious, a few of the creatures advanced, exposing their true forms. Similar to a velociraptor, but seven feet in size, and each revealed three eyes.
“What do you make of them?” one of the Archangels asked.
“Hybrids. Take caution,” another replied.
Grenad’s men lacked the required training for this habitation. In fear, they fired upon them, which only angered the beasts, bringing forth more atrocities. The enormity of their numbers broke Grenad’s front line.
Grenad watched his front line fall apart from within the spacecraft. “I’ve had enough of this. Let these beasts feel the firepower from our craft.” Grenad paced towards the control room.
Zachariah interjected, “Wait, won’t you hit our own men?”
Grenad didn’t care. He accused his men for needlessly provoking the beasts. “Their sacrifice will not go without reward.”
Zachariah replied, “Hold on, Brother. Think this over. I highly doubt Bishop would accept any of this. Is your impatience for that promotion clouding your judgment to the point where you will slaughter your own men?”
Grenad said, “Look who’s talking? You wouldn’t be where you are today, Zachariah, without cutting corners at least once.”
Zachariah ordered the soldiers present in the room to leave so they could continue their argument in private.
Zachariah continued, “I cannot believe this shit. While we waste time arguing with one another, our men are being consumed alive by those … those things!”
Grenad agreed, “Yes, and you’re to blame. Your hesitation is prolonging the suffering of our men. I could’ve ended this threat already!”
Disgusted, Zachariah said, “This is madness. You are not in your right mind to lead this campaign. We have not found our initial target, and already we are facing the threat of complete annihilation. I’m sending a communication link to Bishop right now!”
Zachariah moved toward the communication console, but Grenad beat him to it. In front of the communication console, Grenad exposed his hands. Well aware of Grenad’s gift, Zachariah kept his distance.
Zachariah spoke, “So, it has come to this?”
Grenad replied, “Yes, Brother.”
The word “Brother” infuriated Zachariah. By the press of a button, Zachariah unsheathed his two-handed special sword and drove it toward Grenad. So incensed, he inaccurately swung the sword, completely missing his intended target as Grenad stepped aside. The sword cleaved the communications console in two, destroying it. Deeply embedded in the console’s steel frame, he pulled at his sword, but he could not get it loose. He left the sword lodged in place while Grenad charged.
Grenad took a weird combat stance and thrust his hands in Zachariah’s direction. “There’s nothing you can do against my hands of death, Zachariah! Haah!”
Zachariah kept dodging the thrusts. “I wouldn’t rejoice so soon. Those hands have yet to meet flesh.”
“YOU’RE ALL GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!”
Feud forewarned the others as he and Dearth retreated into the Underworld.
Remiel and his group joined their colleagues.
“Brother! What a way to reunite again!” Remiel shouted as he embraced both Daniel and Goliath.
Daniel responded, “It’s good to see you, too. But these days I must ask, what brings you here, Remiel?”
Remiel answered, “I understand. We are on a secret campaign as well, although yours isn’t much of a secret any longer. We are to meet Virtues at another location.”
Goliath asked, “Virtues? He’s here as well?”
Remiel answered, “Yes, big man. Best of luck on your campaign, Brothers. However, we cannot idle here any longer.”
Before they left, Daniel asked Remiel, “Have you seen a woman during your travels? She had on a Dark Graduate symbol.”
Remiel replied, “Yes, I told her it would be in her best interest to leave. This is a war between Devils, Archangels and Gods. We have come upon a cycle that doesn’t include Mortals anymore. If she strikes some importance to you, and you see her again, advise her to stay far away from here. It will only get worse as the night progresses.”
Remiel left them to reflect. No one responded to their communication devices, so they would have to locate the rest of The Pursuers with another method. They used their ears as compasses and followed the sounds of conflict in the sky.
“THAT’S THE LAST OF THEM.”
Virgo, Aries and Taurus finished ridding the street of Capricorn’s Dead Rising minions. They had not the slightest idea where the Pope, Pisces or Scorpio resided due to the confusion in the city. So, they headed out for answers. They ordered the Dark Graduates to scan the perimeter, and they reported suspicious behavior.
“As if this night hasn’t been fucked up enough!” Taurus replied.
The Dark Graduates found a massive sinkhole to the North, not too far from their location.
Virgo had only one thought: “Capricorn?”
Taurus said, “It’s certainly possible. There’s excessively more damned here than the living. I’m sure he’s regrouping. That little bastard must be stopped.”
Both assumed wrong. The Dark Graduates reported thousands of Lucifer’s soldiers surfacing from the sinkhole. Among them was Guardian Demon Archangel Troy. His Demon Train deployed hundreds more.
“Isn’t this a pleasant surprise?” Taurus joked as he welcomed Troy.
Troy said, “By strict orders from the Dark Lord himself, I must take the remaining Zodiacs to the Great Pyramids of the Sun and Moon.
Aries said, “I am not going anywhere without my Son.”
Troy ignored her. “How many Zodiacs are in the vicinity?”
“There’s the three of us: Capricorn, Scorpio and Pisces. But I’m afraid Capricorn has yet to see the Scroll,” Virgo said.
Troy asked, “Where’s the Scroll?”
Taurus replied, “It doesn’t matter who has the Scroll. They have made their choice. We will have to cope with the numbers we have.”
Troy said, “I see. I’ve implemented a special team to gather the remaining Zodiacs. You three board the train.”
Two red beams moved along Troy’s chest and onto his forehead, but were without fire. Aries approached Troy with fire in her eyes. “You must not have heard me the first time, Devil. I am not leaving this place without my Son! Take that news however you want. Next, I will be adding fire to those beams.”
Troy looked unsteady as he asked, “Where is your Son? I will have some of my soldiers safely escort him back here. But first, you must get onboard the train, please.”
Virgo answered, “He is located at the Pope’s underground stronghold, just West of here, a short distance away.”
“The streets are too dangerous for a normal escort. I will get the boy myself,” Oseem, a Demon Master Archangel, stepped forward. Well-respected, and quite dangerous, he once had four arms, but two were removed courtesy of Remiel during an old heated encounter. “I will go to the Pope’s underground stronghold and retrieve the boy. Maybe, I’ll even come across Remiel.”
With no more disputes, he headed off towards the Pope’s underground fortress.
Virgo and Taurus boarded the train and awaited Oseem’s return. Aries still refused to board and sat patiently outside for her Son.
Troy encouraged everyone not to trouble her and to leave her to her thoughts.
“What the Hell happened here?” Oseem arrived at the Pope’s underground stronghold to find countless bodies of Reptilians, Hybrids and Demons scattered about.
He reached the big hall not too far from the Pope’s resting quarters. Oseem ordered his group of Demon militia to scour the area for Aries’ Son.
They found one reptilian soldier on the verge of death. Oseem interrogated him. He mentioned overhearing an argument between the Pope’s half-Reptilian, half-Vampeer heir and The Pursuers before they killed h
im. The news of Aries’ Son’s death shocked the Demon Master Archangel and his men. Oseem grabbed the dying Reptilian for confirmation. He knew this news would complicate matters for him on his return back to the train without Aries’ Son. He didn’t think it would be wise to return at all.
Oseem slapped the Reptilian soldier conscious. “Who gave the order to kill Aries’ Son?”
“The Pope, he issued the order.”
Terrified, the Reptilian soldier trembled at the sight of a figure observing everyone in the hall. Oseem identified the entity with fire in its eyes. He dropped the injured Reptilian soldier. It was one of Aries’ replicas. She dispatched it without detection and instructed it to trail them. Distraught by the news, Sunbeams paraded about every corner of the Popes underground fortress.
“Damn. That Pope is a damned fool,” Oseem departed as his men engaged with Aries’ replica.
As he retreated, Oseem contacted Troy over his communications device. Troy could hear the cries of men being slaughtered in the background.
Oseem warned Troy of Aries’ Son’s death. The news ignited Aries’ core, and her chest glowed. All was lost and no one was safe.
From inside the train, Virgo inquired, “What’s wrong with her?”
Troy closed the doors to his train and started the engine. “If you have any force field capabilities, it would be wise to put them to use right now! She’s just been informed that the Pope had her Son eliminated!”
Both Taurus and Virgo looked at each other in disbelief.
Virgo asked Taurus, “Did you know of this?”
Taurus replied, “No! That Son of a bitch! He ruined the alliance!”
The news devastated Aries. She fell to the ground and screamed in rage. She heard the sound of Troy’s Train of the Damned escorting those whom she believed were partially responsible into the Underworld.
“Can this train go any faster? She’s in pursuit!” Virgo shouted as she fended off her fire assaults using her Virgin Light force field that deflected and blinded Aries. But a determined Aries unleashed more intense Sunbeams that penetrated Virgo’s force field, and Sunfire engulfed the back cart of the train.
Aries crashed to the ground. They assumed Oseem was the one responsible.
“Oseem must have eliminated one of her replicas, providing us time to escape,” Troy confirmed, as he closed his communications device.
Taurus added, “Of course, despite her being a Zodiac, simply sending one of her replicas wouldn’t be enough for Oseem. That Archangel is in a class of his own.”
Virgo added, “Indeed, she would have to meet him personally in order to eradicate him.”
The train picked up speed, and an ever-widening gap deprived Aries of vengeance. She stopped and resurfaced back in the city in search of the Pope.
Chapter 33
THE INJECTION
“Everything shook violently upon the Mosquito’s landing, and it was not long before its legs became the new pillars of the Earth. After consuming the evils that plagued mankind, it moved on to other constellations in search of more Earths to restore.”
— THE DREAM OF A WATCHER
Rome became collateral damage in a war between supernatural forces. Fire destroyed buildings and homes, mutilated corpses scattered about the deserted streets, and the casualty count was believed to be in the millions. The prudent citizens evacuated Rome, never to return. The populace, still in the midst of the Pursuit of the Zodiacs, needed a protector. The living had become the walking dead, Devils and Demons made a home among men. And, as if Immortality weren’t enough, Archangels took the liberty of following their own paths to power. Betrayal took its toll on all opposing sides.
“Look at this place, it’s in ruins,” the newly appointed Pope Elizabeth spoke as she ascended from her special craft.
“It will take some time to restore Rome, my Lady. But, we’ve made it,” Virtues responded.
With the new Pope’s blessing, Virtues initiated the restoration of Rome. He dispatched Angels to stand guard along the perimeter. The bell signifying the induction of a new Pope delivered hope to a war-torn city. Virtues men took out blueprints and reconstructed the Cathedral.
They couldn’t help but gaze upon a phenomenon moving in their direction.
“No one engage. Let her pass,” Pope Elizabeth wisely instructed her men.
Her tears were like acid dripping upon the pavement, sizzling on impact as she passed. Lost and alone, Aries’ search for vengeance kept her sane.
From the moment they laid eyes upon her, the Archangels knew victory was impossible against this force, but their obligation to protect the new Pope kept them grounded. After surveying the vicinity, she lost interest and departed.
Pope Elizabeth observed, “It seems this whole Pursuit has taken its toll even on the strongest of us. Nevertheless, our whole objective could’ve been a complete failure at her will. We need to be more steadfast with our campaign.”
Virtues agreed, “Yes, my Lady.
Confused and faced with a perilous decision, Cancer looked on as The Pursuers and Zodiacs mercilessly fought one another. Allowing Gemini’s execution gained their approval, but the acceptance of three more Zodiac deaths was an even harder deed to grasp.
“Stop this, all of you! We can come to terms!” Cancer cried out. But no one heard him except Natenal.
“I’m sorry, but your words serve no purpose, Zodiac. They have made their decision. It’s time to make yours,” Natenal replied.
Cancer replied, “I’m sorry as well, Pursuer. They are my blood.” Natenal covered himself with his own wings as Cancer blasted him with a burning meteor powered by the Moon.
“Natenal!” Zodeen shouted. He was taken off guard by the sight of his leader being struck down. Pisces grabbed and carried Zodeen into the sewer where he was crushed alive, drowned and devoured by her newly discovered ability, the ability to alter herself into a giant hybrid snake. Zodeen perished.
“Nooo! Cancer, what have you done!” Levi shouted. In rage, he threw a beaten Libra off a rooftop. She used her wings to cushion the impact of the fall.
“Damn him! We should’ve eliminated him in Africa when we had the chance!” Timius, also angry at what had unfolded, made the mistake of leaving himself open to Aquarius’s Water-Bearing Sword. She thrust it in his direction, but Simeon interceded. The impact of her sword colliding with his shield sent them careening in opposite directions. In desperation, she dispersed a gust of wind, and they ended up at the base of a building. “Are you two ok?” Irisan removed herself from her post and gave them cover. She took down wandering Dead Rising trying to capitalize on the two downed Pursuers.
“I’m alright,” Natenal assured his Brethren as the smoke cleared. His pitch-black wings were indestructible, another gift granted by God to one of his most trusted soldiers. He unsheathed his unique Hevil sword and injected it with the remaining fire that enveloped the Pursuer. There was some concern in Cancer’s eyes, but that did not stop his next attack. His eyes became black, mirroring the eclipse that began to form. “You left me with little choice. Fuck all of you. What’s important is the survival of my kind!” Cancer shouted.
A new form of darkness coated the atmosphere. This darkness had even the Demons trembling and seeking shelter.
More concerned for the well-being of his Race, their once trusted acquaintance moved in on Natenal, whose countering sword inflicted lacerations to Cancer’s body. The Moon pulsated, and his wounds healed. Cancer caught Natenal mid-air with pressurized water at close range, knocking the forerunner into the side of a parked van, crumpling in much of its passenger side. Stunned, Natenal raised up.
Levi intervened, “What disappointment you bring this night, Zodiac.” Levi, the one who had vouched for his new Zodiac companion, approached the scene.
Levi said to Natenal, “If it must be anyone, I ask that it be the one that assured his loyalty. I was wrong.”
Natenal agreed, “Very well.”
A group of Demons from a
massive sinkhole came across their first share of Archangels. The thirst for blood compelled their every move. Natenal met them in the street, while the rest of The Pursuers fought with Zodiacs.
“So, it has come to this, Zodiac?” Levi asked.
Levi and Cancer took their fight to a location not too far from the skirmish between the other Zodiacs and Pursuers.
“Yes, I’m afraid it has. It all makes sense. The more Zodiacs who fall, the weaker the rest become. We are here to survive regardless of what we were birthed from,” Cancer answered.
Levi commented, “You were born of evil. Your choice in pursuing its reputation is yours, but know there will be more like us to stop you. Your fellow Zodiac has sided with darkness, and your protection over them only encourages Lucifer’s agenda … and his agenda must be stopped at all costs.”
Cancer responded, “They can change!”
Levi said, “They are already lost. Can’t you see? It’s best that you fight with us before it is also too late for you.”
Cancer replied, “Aid in killing my Zodiac Brothers and Sisters? You’ve already taken one right in front of me! It is clear now. You said you were sent down upon the Mortal Realms of this Universe to warn us of an evil threat, Pursuer. But it is you who are the threat!”
Cancer engaged. The Moon pulsated while Cancer erupted the alleyway with more meteors. Levi parried and blocked them as they soared in his direction, punishing the alley walls. They crumbled and burst into flames. One clipped him on the arm, the force of which spun him into a wall. His rock-like skin prevented him from being injured; he closed his eyes while punching through the last meteor. The smoke cleared, and he reopened them. Cancer was right there within range to send him tumbling across the street with paralyzing pressures of water. Levi retaliated by releasing heavy-duty spikes manufactured from the rocks on his body.
Pursuit of the Zodiacs Page 44