by Roy Bright
Lucifer stands at the front of the horde about eighty feet away from him, grinning like the Cheshire Cat, happy with the turn of events and reveling in the amusement of all the madness he has created, eager for his sick game of hide-and-go-slaughter to commence.
To the left of him stands, Zenaku who also sports a similar wicked grin.
He smokes a cigarette and smiles at Judas, as though he doesn’t have a care in the world.
Eyeing him, Judas can tell that he is burning with anticipation for the rematch he has longed for since their last meeting. He smirks at the demon. “Zenaku Hotoke, if I live and breathe. Don’t tell me Lucifer is entrusting this uprising to a fucking idiot like you.” He laughs. “Blimey, things must be desperate indeed. So, you are the one responsible for dispatching a host of fuckwits who were supposed to capture Charlotte but seemed hell bent on killing her?”
Zenaku’s cocky smile wanes.
“I’ll take that as a yes then, from the piss-poor expression on your face and your silence.” He laughs once again.
Zenaku groans. “I wouldn’t act so cocky, Iscariot. Your end of days is upon you right here and now and I am the arbitrator of your demise. I cannot wait to watch the Master tear you apart over and over, for the rest of eternity.”
Judas offers a sarcastic yawn, which enrages m even more. He continues his taunting. “Hmm, well, since our first meeting in Japan, which I know you ridiculously claim as a victory, I have beaten you a full three other times. Seriously Zenaku, are you not tired of being crushed beneath my feet then scraped off like dog shit?”
He reacts and moves forward. “This time it will be you who is the dog shit beneath my feet, Iscariot.”
Tired with the back and forth trash talk, Lucifer bellows, “Enough! I haven’t come here to watch you two squabble like fucking schoolgirls, let’s see some action.” He reaches out with his left hand and slams it onto Zenaku’s head, muttering an incoherent chant under his breath. His eyes move into the back of his head leaving only blackness and Zenaku screams, a wild and feral scream, high and shrill. The scream then turns to laughter, changing in pitch to one that is deeper, more menacing, as though a multitude of booming voices laugh at once.
A transformation begins. His body pulsates and ripples; bone and tissue cracks and bends. Huge horns sprout out of his head followed by more, all the way down his back, in two sets, running parallel to one another. His eyes glow a fierce red as he expands, growing to over eight feet in height, and what Judas can only imagine to be well over six hundred pounds in weight.
Gary stands behind Judas, stunned and open-mouthed. “Fuck me, they’ve brought, The Hulk!” he says, unable to take his eyes of the grotesque, transforming ape-like beast. He taps Judas on the shoulder, “You got this, right?”
He looks back at him, “Oh yeah, Gary, I got this alright,” his face awash with sarcasm.
The gigantic beast form of Zenaku lets out a fearsome roar and Lucifer laughs and shouts, “Okay then, this is more like it. Let battle commence.”
Zenaku roars and charges towards the steps like a Gorilla, his massive and powerful arms smashing into the ground, causing it to shake.
“Everybody inside! Now!” Judas screams, as he pushes the group through the door, then turns and charges towards his attacker. Zenaku’s beast form lunges at him, roaring and, dodging the swipe, he leaps into the air and plants his left foot down onto the outstretched right thigh of the beast, propelling himself further upwards. He twists his body to the left and jabs his right sword into the back of its neck, using it to pull himself round and onto its back, over and in between the protruding horns. He pulls out the sword buried in its neck, causing a thick black liquid to spurt out of the entry wound. Raising both swords into the air, he thrusts them downwards into its neck once again and it roars in pain.
Zenaku rears up, causing Judas to lose his grip and fall off, smashing onto the floor.
“Fucking, Iscariot, you lowly dog, you’ll pay for that,” he says, in a deep and ferocious voice, as he tries to grab the painful intrusions but, due to their position and the massive bulk of his back, is unable to reach them.
He sees the slight advantage and charges at the beast once again.
This time Zenaku reacts fastest. He turns and swings a massive right arm at Judas, connecting with a vicious right hook that sends him crashing into a multitude of Taken.
The collision causes the rest of the horde to scream and begin their assault on the church. A large group head to the front door and try to break their way through; others scale the walls like insects clambering over an enemy nest, eager to get inside and devour their prey.
Lucifer moves to the periphery of the battlefield and, pleased with himself, perches on the bonnet of a car, resting his right leg on the bumper, an insane smile covering his face as he surveys the carnage that he has unleashed.
As the first group of Taken reach the door, Gary, Abi and Father Keel attempt to reinforce it with pews and large candlestick holders as the broken locking mechanism on the door would have provided instant access to the Taken, if they had not been so quick to react. The first portion of the barrier heaves as the creature’s slam into the large wooden doors, causing the adults to hurl themselves against the barrier to reinforce it. As the first wave of attack eases, they dart around in shifts, grabbing more items and throwing them onto the pile, reinforcing the barricade.
Charlotte looks up at the ceiling as her ears detect the sound of claws scrambling over the roof. She cries out, “They’re on the roof!”
Gary looks upwards and draws his firearms. He turns to Father Keel, “Is there any other way that they can get in? Is there anything else we need to shore up?”
The priest shrugs, “The door we first came in, that’s the only other way they could come in if they don’t make it through the boards over the windows.”
“Right, Abi, come with me, we need to barricade the back door; Father, you stay here with Charlotte.”
She follows him as he races towards the altar. They both stop dead in their tracks as the unmistakable sound of board ripping off the outside of one of the stained glass windows above them, crunches throughout the church.
Father Keel and Charlotte also cast their gaze upwards, expecting an onslaught.
A brief moment of silence is broken by repeated hammerings on the glass before it shatters and a lone creature falls through the hole and onto the floor. It screams and writhes in agony then bursts into flames.
Gary and Abi stare at each other and shake their heads.
Father Keel shouts, “Consecrated ground.”
Gary looks at him and shakes his head whilst holding up his hands, unable to hear him over the sound of the Taken burning to death.
The priest sighs, then shouts louder, “Consecrated ground. These little low-level sewer rats, do not possess the strength to combat its effects. It is burning to death on holy ground. Look,” he points to the window, “the others are too afraid to enter. We will be okay for a short while if Judas can take care of the big one outside.”
Outside, Judas picks himself up off the floor, his jaw undergoing the repair process, as are the deep fractures and lacerations to the right-hand side of his face. Multiple cuts over his arms and body are also on the mend and he staggers as he drags himself to his feet. A small group of Taken attack him as he tries to steady himself and they send him crashing to the ground once again. They beat and claw at him, screaming and slavering.
Zenaku erupts and charges. He grabs each one and hurls them against the church wall with so much force, they disintegrate like rotten fruit. He bellows, “Be gone, feeble insects, this one is mine!”
The remaining nearby creatures scatter and drive on towards the church.
Zenaku grabs Judas by his neck as he lays face down, causing him to grunt in pain. He hauls the man upwards to his eye level, drawing him closer to his beast-like face as he struggles to break free, pounding on his huge muscular arms. He chuckles into his face, “You
didn’t count on this turn of events did you, Iscariot? I am going to continually beat you to a bloody pulp, whilst our brethren tear that fucking church down to the ground and bring the little bitch to our Master.” He laughs once again, “There is nothing you can do about it, nothing at all, little immortal man. For all the power that you possess, you are now indeed powerless.” Sensing victory, he throws his head back and laughs upwards into the rain as it pounds against his grotesque and warped skin, enjoying the moment. Suddenly, he stops; his attention snapping to that of his enemy, as an enveloping, brilliant white light covers the man. It dances and flickers over his body like flames, growing in intensity, radiating a powerful energy that makes Zenaku let go of him and shake his hand, as the holy light burns it.
Judas drops to the floor, landing catlike. The light burns even brighter, growing and pulsating.
Zenaku raises his clawed hands to his face, shielding his eyes from its brilliance.
Judas stands, slow and determined, his eyes closed, his face serene and peaceful. He raises his head towards Zenaku, his eyes still closed. They snap open and he stares at the beast, a pure white glow within them. The flame-light around him begins to diminish and then fades away completely and he rolls his head around his neck. He then lifts his right arm and points at the demon. “I’ll be having my swords back, please.”
Zenaku laughs albeit with a wariness, his eyes darting back and forth trying to work out what has just happened. He replies, “Come get them, fucker.”
He nods, “Oh, and I’ll also be taking your head, Demon.”
Zenaku bellows however, Judas cuts his laughter short as he covers four feet in a flash and delivers a blow to the beast’s chest that sends him crashing backwards, skidding along the road’s surface.
Seeing this, Lucifer jumps off the bonnet of the car and kicks backwards, sending it screeching across the asphalt. He bites into his wrist, removing a large section of skin and tissue and spits it to one side. Black blood pours from the gaping wound and he moves in a circle, drawing a sign on the ground with it, splashing it in the areas he desires. The symbol completed, he bows to it and once again starts to chant, most of which being inaudible save for the last sentence, as he raises his bloody right hand and slams it into the middle of the symbol screaming, “Come to me now and serve me well.” The symbol bursts into a blinding cylindrical beam of red light and the ground beneath it disappears. He stretches his arms to his side, lifts into the air and floats backwards.
The entire street shakes, causing Judas to stagger and lose his balance for a moment. He fixes his attention on the massive hole that is opening up in the road. As the quake ends, he grits his teeth and bursts into action, sprinting at Zenaku, determined to retrieve his swords. And as he does, massive demonic hands claw their way out of the hole and onto the street.
Gary and Abi busy themselves barricading the last entrance into the area they first entered. They stuff pews are up against the door at a horizontal angle, wedging them under the large door handle in an attempt to prevent anyone or anything from turning it and entering.
Father Keel stands by Charlotte’s side as both maintain a vigil on the Taken amassing around the hole in the window. He looks at her with concern as her breathing turns heavy and her head slowly bows, staring at the ground. He calls to Gary and Abi and they race over to him.
“What is it, Father? What’s wrong?”
He says nothing; merely pointing at her as she continues to breathe heavy and her body once again emits the glow of divinity. She raises her head to reveal pure white eyes, and once again speaks in her monotone voice, her speech controlled and firm, “He needs my help, I must give him more of the gift.”
The adults look at one another and then back to her.
She tilts her head back, stretches her arms out to her sides and rises into the air.
Gary and Abi cannot believe their eyes; a look of total awe on their faces as they witness a power they never thought possible.
Father Keel smiles then looks at them both, “She is into the final stages of power transferal. Judas is about to receive a power up.” He winks.
She bursts into a radiance of brilliant white light, the divine glow spreading outwards, enveloping them. They feel its warmth, and are comforted by it.
Gary takes a deep breath and the air smells so sweet that he never wants to stop drawing it in.
Accustomed to the sensation, its return excites Abi a great deal. She wraps her arms around her body; comforting herself, and smiles.
High above them the Taken recoil from the divine light, retreating through the window. One of them isn’t quite fast enough to disappear from its radiance and it lets go of the wall, attempting to shield its eyes from the light. It crashes to the floor behind Charlotte, disintegrating upon landing, the energy radiating from her amplifying the effects of the consecrated ground.
As the holy light begins to dwindle, she eases to the ground and her eyes return to normal, as does her breathing. This time however, she remains awake following the experience, unlike on previous occasions and she turns to Father Keel, her voice returned to normal. “That will help restore the balance. He can now fight them on even terms again.”
Abi raises both her hands into the air, “What the hell just happened?”
Father Keel smiles at her, “Charlotte has just made Judas one hell of a soldier. Things outside are about to get interesting.”
Gary is about to speak when the church shudders and the ground beneath them quakes. He grabs hold of Charlotte to steady her as they both struggle with their footing. “What in God’s name is that?”
“My boy, whatever is causing that is not in God’s name. Hey may have just received a power up, but now Judas is about to have his work cut out for him I fear.”
As the quake subsides, a loud and terrible roar hits them from outside quickly joined by another and then a third one, the roaring taking over all sounds around them.
Father Keel looks towards the door then back to the group, “He is really gonna have his work cut out for him.”
He draws back his right foot as he approaches Zenaku and lands a vicious kick into the beast’s head. The blow sends it scraping back another few yards before turning and coming to a halt on its front. He then plants a foot square onto his back and pushes downwards with force, keeping the beast in check. Reaching down, he draws out his swords from its back causing it to roar in pain. As he prepares to attack for a final time, his attention is forced to the portal created by Lucifer, out of which two large demons now clamber, joining Zenaku in a chorus of roaring.
Zenaku takes advantage of his momentary state of distraction and kicks out at him with its massive legs, sending him soaring through the air. However, this time, he makes good use of his new transferred powers and somersaults, landing clean on his feet a distance away from him. The beast drags itself to its feet and turns towards him laughing, “We have you now, Iscariot. My brothers and I will tear you, limb from limb, again and again and again.”
He looks to the large chasm in the middle of the street where the two massive demons stand, announcing their presence, heads raised to the sky and arms outstretched as they scream and roar into the night. He has never encountered this variety before, his immediate impression being they resemble gigantic Buddha’s with enormous crooked and twisted horns protruding from their foreheads, their skin pale grey, and what appears to be armor covering their torsos and upper legs, resembling that of an armadillo. He backs away and moves to the side of the street.
Zenaku laughs once again. “Let’s see those puny weapons pierce those two if you dare get close enough, Iscariot.” He rages with laughter, bordering on psychotic and then all at once, stops.
Silence grips the cold, wet Jersey City Street as three Titans stare down their prey, forming a standoff between an indestructible force and three immovable objects.
Zenaku slowly makes his way around to his fellow demons, grinning all the while, his gaze fixed upon him.
/> Lucifer rubs his hands together with glee and his serpentine tongue protrudes from its mouth, licking its grinning lips. Nothing moves, all are silent, even the Taken; only the sound of rain remains as it pounds into the ground.
He once again rolls his head around his neck, his eyes transfixed on his enemies. He defies them; throwing both arms out to his sides and twisting the blades so that his swords glimmer under the streetlights. He leans forward, one leg in front of the other, preparing to charge.
Lucifer’s grin is at its widest. His eyes narrow and burn a fiery yellow and he squeals as he raises his head upwards; the sound then turning into laughter.
Then; the silence is broken as every force under his command erupts into tumultuous howling, screaming and roaring.
Judas remains defiant. His eyes narrow and without making a sound, he charges.
Lucifer claps his hands together and screams, “Yes!”
The demon closest to Judas reacts and charges.
He remains steeled, determination across his face. He powers through the flooded surface towards the bounding beast, and water bursts into the air with each footfall as he smashes them into the ground.
They are almost on top of each other and Judas makes his move, having spied that the demon’s armor covers just its torso and upper legs, leaving an exposed area around the shins. He launches himself into a slide under the creature and brings his swords out to the side.
The blades slice through its lower legs and it topples to the ground, screaming in agony.
His attack over before the second demon and Zenaku have time to react, he brings himself to a halt, stands and races back to the tumbling demon as black blood spurts from the wounds. It crashes to a halt and tries to push itself up off the ground just as he reaches it, and he thrusts his right sword into the nape of its neck, twisting the blade in his hand clockwise; the sharp of the blade facing uppermost. With immense strength, he lifts his arm upwards, slicing its head clean in two and thick black blood spurts out of the wound.
Zenaku snarls and sets off towards him but is stopped by a bellowing Lucifer, “Zenaku, no, the church!”