The Esoteric Design: Civilization Lost

by A. R. Crebs

  “Is this true?” Euclid asked between his teeth.

  I’Lanthe said nothing.

  “Ah! A sweet child…of Dovian’s.” Euclid’s laughter vibrated in the woman’s ears. He tickled I’Lanthe’s neck, running his claws to her ear and down her collarbone. “Another of his bloodline to claim judgment.”

  I’Lanthe’s hands shook.

  Euclid’s memories surfaced of his own child who was mercilessly aborted by the filthy stripper. Thoughts of how he had lost everyone close to him flickered in his mind. And now, Dovian had a child. He always had it all—the perfect mother, a strong lineage, a bratty cousin, loving friends, a beautiful lover, and now a child. And the blessed, powerful silver-haired man took it all for granted.

  “He will lose it all!” Euclid screamed.

  I’Lanthe closed her eyes, tears burning at the corners. “Dovian, I love you,” she whispered.

  Euclid’s claws dug into her flesh, swiping across her throat. Her skin tore, a waterfall of crimson seeping down her chest. Euclid’s savage cry roared across the fields. He stood, throwing I’Lanthe to the ground. Her helmet tumbled away from her tangled curls.

  “Love got you nothing!” Euclid spat. He twisted toward Lita, his hands curling as he held them tensely at his side. “And how in the Nine Circles of Hell are you not dead?!”

  Lita coughed, trying to snicker in retort. “I…I’m like a cockroach.”

  “That’s putting it simply.” Euclid approached her.

  Lita giggled, no longer feeling any pain. She couldn’t move her arms or legs. In fact, she couldn’t feel anything at all.

  “I wouldn’t be laughing in your position.”

  Lita cackled some more. “There’s a joke in there, I assure you.”

  “What is so funny?” Euclid kneeled beside her.

  Lita’s eyes glazed over, her pupils thinning. “Ah, you’re going to lose.”

  Euclid’s nostril flared. “Whatever makes you feel better in your last moments.”

  Though she stared upon the sky, Lita’s vision was that of the future. A battle in the deserts of North America. A vast city sat on the horizon. Machines and technology unlike anything the world had ever known covered the scenery. Her premonitions were less muddled and more linear this time. Finally, it all made sense to her. Euclid’s mission would forever fail. And Dovian would bring the proper judgment. Either way, it wasn’t all for nothing. Their lives were not meaningless.

  “You…are going…to lose,” Lita whispered again. “I can see it. Now, and again…you will always lose.”

  Euclid pulled the spear from Lita’s stomach and promptly sank it into her chest. “You’re wrong!”

  The confinement towers ruptured. A pulse of blue propelled the stone pieces in all directions. Thunder roared, and lightning streaked across the horizon as the rain heavily poured. When the sky lit up in bright white, the silhouette of a winged figure soared at an amazing speed above the battlefield. In an instant, the form crashed through the Ferals’ shields, landing firmly a few feet away. Dovian crouched, his midnight wings unfurling around his body. He raised his head; his nightmarish expression of anguish and hatred pierced Euclid’s soul.

  “Euclid…you will die now.”

  ***

  The sound of warfare had overrun the noise of the storm. Dovian had exhausted himself, trying desperately to break through the walls of the cell. Lita somehow projected imagery into his mind. Despite her lifelong connection, this was the first time he had been able to hear her thoughts and see through her eyes.

  “Karter,” Dovian whimpered.

  He lay on his knees within his cell, his trembling hands wiping at his face.

  “Lita!” A sob wracked his body as he could see the devastation surrounding his cousin. Her vision flashed in his mind as I’Lanthe fought against Euclid. He only caught glimpses, and each blow either of the two women received filled him with more grief than the last.

  “Let me OUT!” Dovian screamed.

  How could he? There was no way. He could pound on the cell for an eternity and never break through. Dovian cursed himself. If only he were more powerful. Had Sir Gaius knew about this day and just never told him about it? Was this why his great-grandfather pressured him to focus on his studies so he could become Gold? Dovian felt foolish. He wasted his life, thinking it would forever be perfect. He scorned every bit of knowledge and skill handed down to him. If only he weren't so weak. If only his powers weren’t limited.

  Dovian’s eyes widened. If only his powers weren’t limited by the blasted back apparatus Elder Gaius had placed upon him. He quickly removed his overcoat and lowered his robes. He clung to the metal pieces on his shoulder blades. It was going to hurt, and he wasn’t sure if he would live through it, but he had to remove it.

  Just a simple pull stretched his skin. After all these years, the item became a part of him. Tears piled at the edges of his eyes. The feeling of hundreds of needles spiked along his backbone. He quickly retracted, puffing out air.

  “No, no,” he grunted, shaking his head. Taking another deep breath, he returned to his pulling.

  Quickly, he had to do it quickly. Dovian tugged, the metal ripping his skin. At the first tear, blood seeped along the edges of the attachments. He fell forward hissing, holding the piece in place so not to lose his progress.

  “Gah!” A bit of spittle dripped to the floor. “Just do it. Just do it!”

  Another flash of Lita’s vision ruptured in his mind, nearly causing him to vomit. Euclid tore at I’Lanthe’s throat. Absolute shock took over as the sound of I’Lanthe’s final words replayed in his mind.

  “Dovian, I love you.”

  Dovian screamed with outrage, tugging on the metal plate. Visions flickered. It was a dizzying experience, jitters of the past few seconds and minutes playing in indiscernible patterns. Through Lita’s eyes, he watched Euclid impale her. A word whispered in his ear like someone stood directly beside him.

  “Goodbye.” It was a gentle voice from Lita.

  Furious with himself, with Euclid, overrun with wrought over what he had just witnessed, Dovian tore the apparatus from his dorsal side, blood streaking down his sides. He collapsed, his eyes dimming. Would he die now? In this pathetic way? Knowing he had done nothing to save those he loved?

  “NO!” Dovian howled, throwing the apparatus across the cell.

  His energy spiked, his wings spreading out, fading to a deep charcoal gray. With ease, he snapped the golden bangles locked around his wrists. An explosion of electric-blue rippled from his body, annihilating the entire upper floor of the confinement tower. Dovian took flight, straight into the roaring storm. His sight immediately locked onto his target in the center of the field. The humming shield encasing Euclid was like a beacon. From where he flew, Dovian saw the specs of Emerald and Violet—I’Lanthe and Lita—upon the filthy land. His rage peaked, and he crashed into the dome, shattering it to pieces with ease. The Ferals’ power ran through his veins. Euclid stood by Lita, his hand removed from the staff embedded in her torso.

  Dovian straightened; his fingers curled tightly into fists. “Euclid…you will die now.”

  The look of shock quickly faded from Euclid’s face, replaced by pure loathing.

  “You’re too late,” Euclid laughed, holding his hands out to the side. “Your kind has failed. Look, they belong to me now.”

  Dovian didn’t respond, his attention only directed at the dark man.

  Euclid continued, “And soon, the world will—OMMMPH!”

  Dovian swept forward, ramming into him. Euclid shot backward, crashing into a raging group of soldiers. A line formed through the battlefield where the man’s body had mowed down anyone in his path. Dovian waited, tilting his head slightly to the side. Turning while throwing back his fist, he connected with the Azure man’s face as he failed at his sneak attack. A new barrier appeared around the two men, the Ferals standing guard.

  “What does it matter? God left this planet; he left these people!
” Euclid stumbled. Blood trickled down his chin. “If he doesn't want them, why should we? This is our planet now! They’ve had their chance, and we must suffer because of their choices? I think we should be the new form of humanity.”

  “You know what you signed up for!” Dovian roared, lunging.

  They exchanged blows, fighting hand-to-hand. “There was no way any of us could understand what we signed up for. You compare life in Heaven to this life in Hell! It’s ignorant! Foolish.” Dovian snarled, tired of hearing the man’s voice. He dodged Euclid’s power, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him to the ground. Still, the Azure man spoke, “We were arrogant to think we could save them.”

  Dovian leaned in close, seething in Euclid’s ear. “We were arrogant to think we could play God!”

  Euclid scoffed, spitting blood. “It doesn't matter what I chose then. What matters is my choice now. And as the Arbitrator, I've made my decision. Look around you.”

  This time, Dovian chanced a glance at the warring others surrounding him. There was rarely a human to be seen. The mass of the fight involved a great divide between the Sorcēarians. So many had corrupted too easily—brothers, sisters, friends.

  Euclid rolled his eyes. “Humanity will be destroyed, and the Sorcēarian race will succeed in ownership of this planet. Anybody who doesn't agree with me will die.” His eyes darted to the dead women on either side of them. “Examples to the left and right.”

  Dovian’s body chilled. The audacity of the man was revolting. Dovian’s anger rose, his black energy skyrocketing. Euclid had never felt anything like it and thrived in the aura, laughing.

  “How’s that power feel?” Euclid asked as Dovian punched him.

  Dovian grabbed Euclid by the coat; they pressed nose to nose. “You told me to take responsibility for you, so I will!” the enraged man snarled.

  Euclid’s mouth fell agape. Dovian latched onto the dark man’s skull, squeezing. Euclid gave a strangled sound, prying at the other’s fingers. Dovian glared with blinding hatred, tears falling from his reddened eyes.

  “You did this!” Dovian hissed behind closed teeth. “This is all your fault!”

  Euclid screamed as Dovian pressed his thumbs against his eyes. “DOVIAN!”

  “You were my friend!”

  “AH! DOVIAN!”

  “You were like a brother!”

  Euclid’s shouts intensified as Dovian pressed deeper. He added to the noise, howling with rage. His thumbs sank deep into Euclid’s sockets, the feeling strangely satisfying. The dark man quivered as Dovian threw him to the ground and quickly stood. Euclid pawed at the earth, making incoherent sounds. For good measure, the Scarlet warrior booted him in the face.

  “You have already lost! Why do you still fight me?!” Euclid shrieked.

  Dovian approached Lita. ‘Forgive me, cousin.’ He tugged the spear from her body.

  Swirls of midnight black churned from Euclid’s fingers. Bloody goo seeped from his eye sockets. He foamed and heaved labored breaths, cocking his head to the side, listening. No doubt he could still sense Dovian’s energy.

  “You’re a fool, and you’re weak! You think this will make a difference now? You waited too long! Just like you’ve always done! Put off your knowledge. Put off your advancement to higher status! You so easily could have had what I always wanted! And you pissed it away! For what?” Euclid stumbled.

  Dovian’s hate boiled.

  “For love?” Euclid mocked. “You couldn’t even do that right!”

  “AHHHH!”

  Dovian flew forward. Euclid launched his power. Slipping through the energy as if it were nothing more than a cloud, Dovian ran the weapon through Euclid’s chest. He teleported behind the dark man, tugged the spear through him, twisted, and swiftly removed his head.

  A black swirl of power shrieked with a thousand voices, pouring from Euclid’s body. Whispers of a future promise and the temptation of power echoed in the dying man’s mind as death overtook him. A smile covered Euclid’s face. As quick as a flash, the energy ignited into a portal, suctioning back to an unknown source. Dovian held his pose, his ears ringing, dazed. The war carried on as it did before. Euclid was dead. Why were they still fighting?

  His people slaughtered one another. In tragic, morbid ways. Their power was devastating. And as they fought, demons ran amuck, wreaking havoc on everything and everyone. Dovian eyed the staff in his hand. Lita, poor Lita. He dropped the weapon, quickly staggering away from her body. He turned, looking to I’Lanthe. A strangled cry erupted from him.

  “I’Lanthe!” He stooped beside his love, collecting her in his arms. Gently, he shook her. His eyes scanned the field, aware of the carnage escalating, worsening in violence. The land smelt of darkness. It stunk of death and blood.

  “No! This isn’t as it was meant to be!” Dovian sputtered between gasping breaths.

  Blue light poured from his hands. He clasped I’Lanthe’s neck, closing his eyes, silently praying.

  “Come on. You’re still there. You’re still there.” He rambled incoherently, checking for life signs, trying to breathe life into her, desperately clinging to denial as he focused on healing her wounds.

  Nothing worked. No tissue repaired. I’Lanthe’s body remained ice cold. Her face was a sickening glossy white, her eyes a stony gray. Dovian curled around her, pressing her cold face against his cheek.

  “Ah, no. Ah.” He rocked back and forth.

  It was all gone. Everything was in ruin. His beautiful people were overrun by darkness. They had fallen further. Black ink filled the land as the power tainted everything it touched. All because of one person. Dovian tightly squeezed I’Lanthe, trembling. His eyes darted to Euclid’s form and back to the battlefield. His sights took in an overwhelming amount of information. Azera had stopped fighting and stood upon a hill. His golden eyes swirled as he watched the grieving man. Dovian twitched, rage pulling at his mind. He sobbed and then cringed, howling. He felt the eyes of his great-grandfather upon him.

  Elder Gaius remained on the rooftops, peering over the battleground. All hope was lost. Civilization as they knew it was gone.

  “Do it, boy,” Sir Gaius calmly ordered.

  Dovian screamed, refusing to let go of I’Lanthe.

  “It’s time, Sir,” Azera spoke.

  Dovian, hyperventilating, shaking, twitching, knew what he had to do. Humanity would never be safe. The Sorcēarian plan was flawed. It was futile to think that they were incapable of falling like the others before. It was clear now. With the way one human man could change history, the thought of what one Sorcēarian could do was even more devastating. Sorcēarians were worse than any kind of weapon. They were a force which could be used against creation’s best interests. Not just the planet, but of everything ever known.

  “You ruined everything,” Dovian sharply whispered. “You ruined everything!!”

  Giving a guttural scream, it felt as if he was being turned inside out—his very soul ripped from his body. Blue light burst from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. It covered him, igniting like a raging fire. The tendrils curled, billowed, and grew larger as his moan carried on. The energy cracked against the Ferals’ shield, absorbing its power. Together, the Ferals looked to one another and dropped, their life-forces draining into Dovian’s growing light. At the peak of his scream, the power burst. With a flash, the bulbous orb ate away at the sky and everything on the ground for miles surrounding. The power boomed like a rocket engine and crackled, swallowing the entire island.

  The sound of a million shrieks outweighed the roar, and the energy erupted. Gaius’ shield splintered into a billion pieces. The Elder and Azera both awaited the force.

  “May God grant you strength, Dovian.” Sir Gaius sadly smiled as the blue light washed over him, tugging at his strength.

  A ring crisscrossed afterward, following the previous blast. Dovian’s light ignited the land, absorbing the lifeforce of everyone on the island. The demons charred to ash, scattered by the breeze. The flare
could be seen from space, swallowing the clouds to touch the atmosphere. With a zip, the force fled directly back into Dovian. In an instant, everything fell into silence. He collapsed.

  Bodies lined the valley. A howling wind skipped through the scorched city, a sorrowful sound. Rain musically clinked against the armor of the fallen soldiers. Crimson swirled within the muddy puddles. Thunder growled, reverberating from one side of the island to the other.

  A loud gasp erupted from Dovian. He raised his head, his face covered in grime. Horrified, he eyeballed his surroundings. Not one soul survived. A strange emptiness filled his heart as a silence befell him that he had never known. He had lost the Heaven Song. Dovian turned his attention to I’Lanthe. His lower lip trembled.

  “I…” he gasped. “I didn’t mean to.”

  He rocked. “I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to.” He wept.

  He brushed her hair, his fingers tangling in her curls, and sniffled as his face twisted with grief. I’Lanthe, even in death, held an ethereal beauty. Her face rested against his chest, and he cupped her cheek.

  “What is love?” Dovian quietly spoke between ragged sobs. “It is a dying vessel without you. Two halves that belong together, where one without the other cannot exist.”

  Dovian pressed his lips against her forehead. “It is you. It…was…you.”

  He remained in his place, cradling the woman. His anger had faded to utter despair. Looking to the sky, he listened but only heard silence. His response was another cry, the sound like death which quaked the earth.

  "The End of Paradise"

  Chapter 30

  “Get the doctor! She’s ready to burst!” one of the nurses shouted.

  “How long ago did your water break?” another asked.

  “Uh, I dunno. About thirty minutes. I tried to get here as fast as I could, but then…I fell.” Elizabeth cried out in pain. She was promptly wheeled through the ER as soon as she arrived at the hospital with her swollen pregnant belly and soaked clothing.