The Last Days_Conclude [Book 3 of 3]

by Chris Ayala

"I'm…I'm…just a wee bit…scared, mademoiselle."

  Royal's mouth dropped. "Scared? Are you kidding me? Scared?"

  Pierre didn't say another word, his head down like a puppy that just made a mess. Royal looked around to see that same twiddling of fingers with others. One man puked into a bucket, another man chewed his fingers until they bled, and yet another sat on a tree hump with his leg shaking like an earthquake occurred under his foot. This was the warriors against the Union? She didn't seem pleased.

  Next to her, a porter from the South Asia boat spoke into a bullhorn. "Will everyone with ticket letters H through J please line up in –"

  Before the porter finished, Royal snatched the bullhorn from his mouth and spoke into the loud speaker. "Scared? Really?" Pierre looked away, even more embarrassed now. She turned to other people. "Are you scared? How about you?" No answer. Royal nodded to another passenger from the boat. "You? You scared?" No answer.

  She stepped on top of bundle of crates to elevate her small stature. "Who else is scared?" Her voice echoed in the silent wave of fighters. No answer. She put her mouth closer to the bullhorn and shouted. "Why are you all scared? Me? Well…I'm relieved. Relieved that tonight, we are getting the opportunity to fight for something we have never really had before. We finally are going to receive our freedom. Our freedom from government. Our freedom from control. Our freedom from the more privileged. So then…why are any of you scared? You know who is scared right now? Those that take the side of the Union!" She shouted, pointing over the horizon towards the castle, which was just a dot in the distance.

  Royal stared then nodded, "Yep. I can see it. You are all scared. And I'm going to prepare you not to be. Everyone remembers Lloyd and Nina; their power. With just simple words and concentrate, they could get a group of us to glow. Magic that no one could explain. A light shooting out of our skin that made us feel invisible. But that's not what we need right now. We need the opposite. We need darkness." She said the word darkness with such indignation that after a good, hard swallow she was ready to continue. "Everyone close their eyes."

  It took some longer than others, but eventually everyone listened and squeezed their eyes closed.

  She continued, "You're worried about numbers? How many we got versus how many they got? Let me give you a list of numbers."

  Royal cleared her throat. "2004. A colossal corporation by the name of Enron completed its bankruptcy. After loads of accounting lies, its stock crashed and millions lost their retirement funds. The government saw the corruption and did…nothing.

  "2005. Hurricane Katrina tore through Louisiana. 53 breeches caused an enormous flood. 1,577 people drowned to death. Over 60,000 were stranded to live amongst dead bodies and crushed homes. Only a little over half were saved. That means 30,000 were left to perish by the leadership we pay taxes to. For you to understand how many people that really was…that's the same number of you folks here. The government saw the corruption and did…nothing.

  "2008. A housing market bubble was discovered, that when it burst would put millions of people in mortgages they couldn't afford. Instead of stopping this burst, several banks invested in the chance that they would fail! And sure enough, it failed. Millions and millions of people were left homeless. Someone should've gone to prison, right? Maybe the agencies that reported the bonds were 'just fine'? Maybe the bank CEOs that did nothing? Nope. No one went to jail. And all along, the banks knew there was going to be a bailout so they…let…it…happen. Billions of dollars lost. The government saw the corruption and did…nothing.

  "2008 again. As though the market crash wasn't enough, the bipartisan '9/11 Health and Compensation Act' failed to pass through congress. You know what it was for? It called for research, medical monitoring and treatment for those exposed to Ground Zero toxins in the air after madmen crashed planes into the World Trade Center buildings. Common sense wording and budget to save millions of lives…failed to move through the House. And then it was slowly forgotten about. Since that day terrorists attacked our homeland, air pollution has killed more than actually died those buildings. The government saw the corruption and did…nothing.

  "2013. Edward Snowden exposed the National Security Agency for recording millions of your phone calls, folks. They hacked servers and stole information from all of us. The government saw the corruption and did…nothing.

  "2014. Eric Garner was accused of selling cigarettes. Put into a choke-hold. He muttered, 'I can't breathe' eleven times. He died. The officers got a slap on the wrist. The government saw the corruption and did…nothing.

  "2016. A gunman entered a nightclub in Orlando and opened fire on innocent men and women. 49 people perished before police stopped the asshole. It was revealed he was on a terrorist watch list. Yet, he bought guns and ammo without any issue. Common sense laws were introduced to prevent suspected terrorists from buying weapons. The laws failed to pass. Common…sense. The government saw the corruption and did…nothing.

  "2017. President Donald Trump was the second United States President to be inaugurated without the popular vote. We didn't vote for him, he lost by three million people, but we got him, folks. Our vote didn't count. It doesn't matter what we have to say. We get the leader they choose. Not you. We protested, they didn't listen."

  Royal was about to continue but stopped. Adam opened his eyes. There was no need for her speech to continue. Instead of worrisome faces with their eyes closed, he saw only crunched eyebrows and biting of lips. The People of Bliss were infuriated. But she decided to add just one last ingredient to this stirring of anger. "In just the last year, 98 nuclear missiles have been fired on the United States. Government-engineered locusts were freed in protest of the Union proposal. Bitter world leaders released a lethal flu on its citizens. Moscow was chemically attacked. The Union took the place of all governments. Its military have been given the right to execute us with prejudice. Protesters are being banned and shot. Retirements funds have been yanked from us. Sale of guns has ceased and pretty soon – we will be disarmed, folks."

  He found himself breathing even more heavily. An out-of-control monster, like that one he saw clawing itself out of Marcel in the precognition, in him begged to taste the blood of him enemies. Without seeing it, he suspected everyone else here had that similar monster. One that had been brewing for decades. "Open your eyes, everyone." As they did, he could see the darkness in the audience. Their breaths were in sync; a quiet, furious huff of impatience.

  Royal said, "It's not just the events of the apocalypse that worry us, it's that the government doesn't care about our lives. They…don't…care. And even worse, it could happen again. All these things…in just my lifetime. I'm young. I can't even imagine what most of you gone through in yours."

  There were no tears; no sense of anxiety. Everyone was ready. "Now you're pissed. Good. Tonight, we confront that corruption. That government run by just one man. Take all that hate, intolerance, rage, and frustration – focus it all on…goddamn Marcel Celest," she growled.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Join us.

  Her words echoed.

  Join us.

  Begging. Desperate.

  Join us.

  "Why, Janice? Why?" Marcel pled through the gray mist. "We could have been happy."

  The wine bottle rolled off his lap and shattered on the concrete floor. He didn't even remember grabbing the bottle or even getting out of bed. Caught between a dream and reality, Marcel had lived this nightmare before. When his mother died his blackouts were even worse; sometimes hours would pass. Just like Victoria Celest, he never imagined a world without Janice Celest.

  Had he heard a voice a moment ago? The room remained empty and yet a woman could be heard. Janice? Her voice calling from the gray between light and darkness, dimensions forever she'd be lost in. But he had many voices in the last year.

  She's gone. The element of water, as always, spoke sympathetically. It rose from the spill of wine on the floor, leaving behind a swirl of colors from the
red nourishment. Pure water glimmered, the fireplace grew behind it. This was the first time Marcel had sensed jealousy from the most loyal of elements, fire. I'm truly sorry, Master. Water said circling in the former of a bubble.

  "We could have been so happy together," Marcel said staring into the peaceful abyss of liquid flying before him.

  She's trying to make you understand that the only you can stop this madness. The water element stressed again, only you.

  "But how?"

  Don't you see, Master…you are the madness. Water stated.

  Suddenly, the fire lashed out from the fireplace and devoured the bubble. No! The element of fire shouted, It's all lies! THEY are madness. In a rage Marcel had never seen before, a plume of flames ran around the room like a nice irate childhood tantrum. The air element snickered in the wind, Here it goes again. They've been bickering like this since the planet created us.

  Fear should've gripped him, but curiosity did instead. Marcel watched as the flames left trails in his bedroom as it danced around. It bellowed, Your own brother attempts to murder you. Masked like a dark creature. Beating my master with his fists until he bled than threw him off a balcony. Marcel knew this story already and hated reliving it. The United Nations on a cold night and a shadow assassin attacking him; a bullet entering his brain and eventually leading him to a coma. A coma that led the way to an afterlife. An afterlife hosted by the lord of darkness. None of this would've happened if his brother Brent, hiding as an assassin, hadn't nearly murdered him. It was his fault! He deceived you! He's madness! Marcel tightened his fists; the fire grew lighting his bed into a massive flame. Brent's ghost appeared for only a moment before it ignited in the fiery rage.

  Did you forget about Gabe? That's madness! An archangel from the Light posed as your friend. For years! Marcel pictured the older man, a better friend than any man he'd ever know. Then he pictured himself, humiliated, when found the truth…it was all just a lie. A rouse to lead my master in the direction of the Light and their devious plan. The room filled with smoke, but he didn't feel short of breath. The fire's tantrum circled more and devoured all his personal belongings into a bright yellow amber. And what about Gerard! He lied the entire time! He said he was my master's best friend! Best friend! Then he destroyed what we'd worked so hard to accomplish!

  Curtains dropped to the floor and melted away like taffy over hot coal. Marcel watched, emotionless, as fire consumed his dresser and pictures, in wood frames, above the mantle. Pictures of a simpler time. Nelson and Victoria holding their children tightly, as though they might flutter away like feathers. Now, his father would blow away all the feathers. The Celests, America's happiest family, burned out of existence forever. His prescription pills, perfect for calming him and the voices of the elements, tumbled over then whisked away into incendiary oblivion. His sister's ghost appeared. Janice. Reaching out her hand. Fire dissolved her.

  And Janice! My master loved her. And she ended her life. She did not love him! It's all madness! I will erase all of it. We will erase all those that hurt our master! I'm the most powerful of the elements!

  Fire grew even more until it was all that could be seen. If the water element had an objection, it had been swallowed up into the combustion. Feeling overwhelmed by the deceit of so many loved ones, Marcel stood slowly and took a deep breath of ashes in the air. It circled around and around in a dizzying effect. Breathing in all this chaos felt soothing. The cancer in his lungs dissolved and he could inhale fully. His clothes burned away, leaving him naked. He could feel the power of the elements, stronger than ever before. And he didn't fear it. He embraced it. Fire slithered, Yes, Master. Yes. Let us become one. Fuse with us and nothing will hurt you ever again.

  "Yes," Marcel sneered, "they aren't afraid of me. Not yet. But they will! I am no common human. I…am…a…god."

  He fell to his knees. The flames stopped. Marcel opened his eyes. His skin had been charred but already began a rapid healing effect. More quickly than ever. With every breath he took, a slight puff of black smoke would dissipate into the air. Before him, standing in the middle of the now empty room, was the only entity in this place stronger than Marcel. With wide lustful eyes, Lucifer said, "What an anomalous sight. The manifestation of irritation. All my doubts have been erased."

  On the glass of the windows, Marcel could see himself. Even his eyes were a darker shade of blue. The wind element opened the windows abruptly. Cold air left no chill up his spine. He couldn't recall it ever leaving a chill up his spine. In fact, Marcel couldn't recall anything. Memory of his prior life before this moment had been blurry; a bit of concentration helped to clear the clouds. But nothing affected his emotions. Anxiety became tranquility. Pessimism became optimism. Uncertainty became certainty.

  He turned to Lucifer. It was like they'd never met. Like they hadn't visited the darkness of the cosmos. Like the creature hadn't shown the power of the universe. Like he hadn't explained Marcel's power to change the future.

  "You have excelled your predecessors," the dark ruler grinned, "All humans have a fate, except you. You have and shall change the world's end."

  Marcel nodded.

  Suddenly, Lucifer looked away and paused. Then his eyes wiggled around in all directions. "My, my. What is that? Can you sense that?"

  Marcel closed his eyes. In actuality, he could feel something different. The air seemed thicker. "The darkness. It's…unbalanced."

  Lucifer's tongue licked his lips. "Ire. Rage. Murder. It has suddenly blown like a balloon. Not far away. Something has swallowed its vast amounts of dark matter."

  "What has?"

  His sudden enjoyment turned to reality. The entity's face drooped to a frown. A very concerned frown. "A crowd has gathered. Thousands. Tenths of thousands. All with a same aspiration…they approach for you, Marcel. They approach to end you."

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  A wave of defiance, frustration, and rage crawled through the city streets. Royal expected to see withered faces asking such cowardly questions like Should we really do this? Maybe we go back and try to negotiate? Is the Union all that bad? But the hesitation ended when the tidal wave began. It moved through torn streets and battered buildings. They followed calmly behind Adam, Royal, and Bruno. For such a big brute with an easily anxious stomach, the man barely spoke. Those grasped fists were all he needed to enter this fight. Weapons ranged from guns, crossbows, and shotguns to more man-made contraptions like spiked bats, pellet grenades, and glass balls of acid. Royal carried a sort of slingshot made with rubberbands and a sack filled with dozens of sharp rocks that could pierce eyeballs. She pulled hair back through the opening in her cap. She didn't want to get blood on it.

  Lightning crashed. Helicopters overhead shined spotlights. The Press loved a good show, but a lethal one made them reluctant. Vicious battles brought more viewers but also put them in danger. The choppers watched from a distance like vultures.

  "Shouldn't we be holding up signs?" Someone asked. The first voice in nearly an hour of walking the streets of this torn town.

  Adam replied sternly, "This isn't a protest."

  Recruiters ran to houses, like rehearsed and gathered more people to join this army. No one thought for longer than a second before going into the house and exited with a weapon. Royal watched one woman, wearing an apron, grasp at her husband's shirt. He paid no mind to her tears and joined the necessary revolt. Across the street, on the other hand, Royal saw a wife join her husband and carried a frying pan in her hand. Silly, but that cast iron thing could do more damage that some of the weapons here.

  Local police pulled alongside them. Two cops had nowhere near the strength to stop this resistance and they knew it. Carefully, they stepped out of their vehicles and stood aside. Royal turned and saw one of the policemen tear off his badge, then join the march with a shotgun in his hand. He was welcomed because anyone who wanted an end to the Union was welcomed.

  Just as Adam had predicted, from a prior dream of the future, a line of Un
ion vans blocked the street ahead. And just as Adam had said, the Union Keepers would seem bored and sick of this routine. It aggravated Royal. Who were they to just assume this is some typical protest? Like they were going to stop this mob of vexation. The Union Keepers hooked up a hose to their van while another got on a megaphone, reading something on a piece of paper. Royal, as the others, didn't care to listen. The speech was about dispersing and returning to your homes. No one listened, no one stopped marching. What started off as fatigued looks on the Union Keepers' faces suddenly turned to concerned looks. They rushed to hook up the hose and turn on the water.

  Hundreds of gallons shot out and hit the front of the mob. People fell backwards. Adam and Royal covered their faces. She hadn't expected simple water to hurt so much, but at this speed Royal felt the sting.

  Adam bellowed out, "Victor! Now!"

  Victor, the pyromaniac with a limited vocabulary, stepped up. His suit clanked against the solid ground. Made of welded steel, claws that clung to the floor, and long mechanical arms - the suit looked terrifying. Strapped to its back was a large tank of gasoline almost as big as the eight foot tall suit. His face hid behind a storm window.

  "What the fuck is that?" A Union Keeper shouted, pointing the water cannon at Victor.

  Hundreds of gallons couldn't move this monstrosity. Even the liquid didn't penetrate the glass. The suit's legs stuck to the ground. And Royal saw something she'd never seen from the usual skittish Victor. His hands didn't shake as he took the controls and lifted the arms. From the suit, two cannons pointed out. She heard him whisper calmly, "Burn."

  Fire shot out in a stream of light. Royal felt the warmth even though she remained at a safe distant. The fire covered two of the Union Keepers, giving them no moment to scream in pain as they melted in a black ash. The flames hit the vans, exploding them upwards. She'd never seen so much fire. It made her sweat. But it also made her smile.