Hellbound Second Advent

by Decoyar Brown

“I’m sorry, my grandson,” Crouzer sounded a bit sympathetic. “You have a piece to the puzzle I’m trying to complete. I have to achieve supreme power at all costs.” Crouzer grasped the gloved hand and opened his palm to see the beautiful shimmering orb in the center. He pressed it in, and the armor on the right half of Claudius’ body began to break down, disappearing from his body. Soon the glove was back in its original shape.

  Claudius knew that once Crouzer put the glove on, he would attain a power that could not be challenged. He watched as the glove slipped from his wrist and slid from his hand. Claudius fell to his knees after Crouzer released him.

  “The grand finale is drawing near,” Crouzer said. “The ultimate part to the plan is to enter into the kingdom.” Crouzer faced the tower. “Inside the tower, there is a chamber constructed specifically for you. Your father is already in his chamber in Sheol. Your mother, Demeekur is to be captured for the eighteenth chamber made for her and our acolytes. Our goal is almost complete, Claudius.”

  Crouzer held the glove up and admired it. His smile turned into a giggle and then loud laughter. The demons were cheering him on. Wong stood watch from the sidelines.

  Suddenly, the demons held silence.

  Then Crouzer heard a familiar voice called, “Hey, Gabilon!”

  Crouzer turned around, and a sword struck him in his chest. He released the glove on impact, and it fell to the ground. He slid away a few feet before he settled. He lay still for a moment and then he sat up to see who had attacked him. When he looked in the direction the sword had came from he saw someone he didn't predict he would see. Crouzer’s eyes lit up. “Gevurah…?”

  “Surprised to see me?” Peter picked the glove up and cast it over his shoulder to his son.

  Claudius caught it. “Dad?”

  “Gevurah? Why are you here? How did you escape?”

  “That’s a good question.” Peter smiled and walked forward with his hands in his pockets. His black trench coat flapped in the wind as he walked with confidents, “I’m feeling like my old self again … no thanks to you.”

  Crouzer stood up and pulled the sword from his chest with both hands. Blood squirted from the wound as he pushed it out and up. His breathing soon returned to normal. He cast the heavy sword to the ground and looked over at Peter.

  “Dad, you came back. I can’t believe you made it back. I mean … I knew you would, but …” Claudius was so excited that he stammered to get the words out. “Where’s the little boy?”

  “I sent him to earth a few days ago. He should be with his mother by now. Your uncle made sure of it.”

  “You’ve come to save your son? I’m afraid it’s too late.” Crouzer gestured to Wong to attack Peter.

  The assassin had a kitana blade when he darted forward. He swung at Peter and he step to the side to avoid it. Swiftly, the assassin swung his blade but Peter avoided it with ease.

  Wong created a clone and both attacked the Demon Slayer. Like the legendary assassin he was Wong delivered snapping swordplay, but Peter was faster.

  Peter did a somersault and landed behind him.

  Wong’s clone swung his sword around to chop the Demon Slayer.

  Peter lifted his leg to block the blade with the bottom of his boot. Peter then send a roundhouse kick to the clone and it disappeared in the distance.

  ‘So powerful.’ Wong jumped in before Peter recovered and slashed down. Peter blocked the blade with his forearm. He released a shockwave from his forearm, catching Wong by surprise. Before Wong lost his balance from the heavy vibration, Peter grabbed him and punched him in the stomach. It was as if time stopped for an instant. The dust parted, and the wind growled from the force of the punch. Wong’s eyes bulged, and he bent over. He fell to his knees and wheezed in pain.

  Peter grabbed the metal star on his forehead and pulled it off.

  The assassin reached up to take it from his hand, but the pain stopped him.

  His armor instantly evaporated from his body, leaving him in his official uniform. Peter created a beam of light where he held the weapon, and it burned the star-shaped metal to a crisp. Peter turned to face Crouzer after he threw the broken weapon over his shoulder.

  Claudius gasped.

  “Two down, two to go.” Peter turned to Crouzer and smiled. “Where is the Tesla 1 weapon, Gabilon?”

  “Why? Your son already took care of him.”

  “No, the original one. You’re hiding him. I can’t sense him.”

  “So, he’s a threat to you?”

  “Not a threat, I know you’re holding him against his will. Let him go.”

  “What?” Claudius asked. “What’s wrong with Nathan?”

  “Why do you think he’s not here? I hold great value for him. He is the perfect host for the weapon.” Crouzer chuckled.

  “That’s not fair.” Claudius shouted. “Let him go! Where is he?”

  “So he’s not around here?” Peter asked.

  “Nowhere that you can find him. But since you feel sympathy for him, here’s your chance to find him.” Crouzer pointed to the north side of the tower. “Find him in that bunch.”

  Peter turned to look behind him; he gasped.

  Claudius was in disbelief at what he saw. An army of a thousand Naraka knights was marching from behind the tower.

  “Gevurah, you should’ve stayed in Sheol. At least you would’ve been protected by my power. Now you have to face the wrath of the Naraka Knight. The warriors of the Apocalypse.” Crouzer chuckled at the looks on their face.

  Claudius walked over to his father and stood by him. “Dad, what are we going to do? There are so many of them.”

  “Good question, boy,” Crouzer said. “Let me give you an hint: the original Tesla 1 weapon is being detained in another location. With his power, I have duplicated it by merging it with the other four weapons. Though you two have taken out two of the weapons, Zero 2 can store those powers even if the weapon is not active. Garrison and I have found a way to spread them to the clones. Imagine fighting one antibiosis knight with the other four powers combined—and multiply it by a thousand. Sad to say, but your colleagues—the Kabbalist knights—are outmatched. Only a few are left, barely alive. You two and Zack cannot manage a force like this. You cannot defeat the Warrior of the Apocalypse.”

  “That’s insane, Gabilon. Why is he held captive? I thought he volunteered to be a knight?” Peter watched the army marching toward him.

  “Nathan was not complying with the plan. Even though he is arrogant and bickers a lot, he is the perfect host for the weapon. He knew the risk of exceeding his powers—risks that could cost him his life—and he wasn’t too happy with that.”

  “You son of a—”

  Peter said, “Claudius, no need to get angry. We will find him and free him.”

  Crouzer laughed. “But how? How will you find him? And even if you did, what can you do? You can’t win Gevurah. You and what army can stand against us?”

  Peter turned to Crouzer and reached out his hands. His sword marvelously shot to his hand. Peter sheathed the blade and shoved his hands in his pockets. Suddenly lightning began to flash above them. The thunder roared, and the clouds parted. The sun peeked through the clouds.

  “It’s funny you should ask.” Peter pointed at the sunlight.

  Crouzer’s mouth dropped open. Someone was coming down from the sky. The thunder sounded as if it was Fourth of July, and a beam of light blinded him.

  * * *

  “How did you find us?” Gloria asked the pilot. The engine from the chopper was bothering her even though she was wearing the earpiece.

  Charles recorded the battle below, circling around the tower.

  “Your boss from the TV station gave us your coordinates. You guys are lucky I found you. I can’t seem to get any radio frequency out here, and I don’t feel safe. The only reason I’m here is because he agreed to pay me twice my usual salary. It’s so freakishly menacing that the US Army doesn’t want to come to this side. They’re on the no
rth side of here. What’s going on anyhow? What are those things flying around? They look like flying dinosaurs.”

  “I appreciate your help, sir.” Charles said into his microphone. He nodded at the pilot and smiled. “If I tell you what they are, you wouldn’t believe me.”

  “Oh well. Like I give a rat’s ass. Besides, we need to go. From the looks of it, that man needs medical attention. What happened to him?”

  Charles looked back at Samson and said, “He saved our lives. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t be here.”

  “Yeah,” Gloria said. “A man professing to be a demon wounded him. We need to get him to the nearest town to seek medical attention.”

  “Did you say a demon?” the pilot asked “What the hell do you guys have going on out here? If I knew that, I wouldn’t have come to this godforsaken place.”

  Samson was sitting in a chair in the corner. He had his right hand on a large wound on the left side of his stomach. If he bled much longer, he wouldn’t make it. “I’m okay,” Samson said. “The slice from that large sword would have been worse if it wasn’t for this thick armor. The assassin fled after he thought I was dead.”

  “You’re lucky to be alive.” Charles shook his head. “After you destroyed the one that could duplicate himself, an even stronger one came. Luckily, something else got his attention.”

  “Lucky?” Samson said, “I need to get back down there. My friends need my help.” He attempted to stand up.

  “Are you insane!” Gloria shouted. “You can barely stand. How do you expect to fight?”

  “I can manage.” He wobbled to the door.

  Charles jumped up in time to catch him. “You need to sit down, man. Stop trying to play tough. I can see the orange-haired man—he can handle things for you.” Charles focused his lens on the tower.

  “Gloria, you’re not going to believe who’s down there talking to the Demon Slayer.”

  Gloria turned around again. “Who?”

  “William Van Crouzer.”

  “What?” Gloria searched for the binoculars in her little travel bag. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I told you something about that guy was off, didn’t I?”

  “Why would Crouzer be out here? Look at how he’s dressed. It’s hot out here, and he’s wearing a business suit and a coat? What’s his deal anyway?”

  “That guy is the ringleader in all this.” Samson walked over to the doorway and dropped to his knees beside Charles. “He is the devil’s right-hand man. He’s responsible for what’s been going on for the past few days.”

  “No way,” Gloria said. “That little man is a demon?”

  “I knew it. That bastard. I hope the Demon Slayer chops his head off.”

  The pilot tried his best not to get too close to the tower. He was hovering far enough away to not get noticed by the demons that were circling around the tower. The clouds were hiding it as well.

  Suddenly, the dark clouds below the battlefield began dissolving. Lightning sparked, and thunder rolled.

  “Charles, be careful with that camera,” Gloria said. “That crazy lightning might strike your camera—or you.”

  “It’s okay. I got it.”

  Gloria focused her binoculars. “Something is going on down there, Charles. The Demon Slayer just pointed up.

  Charles focused the lens on Peter, but a bright light hit the lens and almost blinded him. He pulled his face away and closed his eyes.

  “What the hell?” Gloria said. “Are you okay?”

  Charles nodded and rested the camera down.

  The bright light beamed inside the chopper, and everyone shielded their faces. When everything went back to normal, they saw nine individuals standing around someone in a golden chair with shimmering stones floating just above the tower.

  “What in the world is going on out there?” Charles asked. “Who are those people? Why do they have different color hair? Feels like I’m looking at a rainbow.”

  The pilot looked out the window. “Now, that’s something you don’t see everyday. I think it’s time for us to leave. That right there, my friend, is not a good sign.”

  “Wait a minute,” Gloria said. “Who is that person ahead of them?”

  Charles said, “I don’t know. His face looked very … bright.”

  “It’s like his face is the sun itself,” Gloria said. “Could it be him? It can’t be him.”

  “Who, Gloria? Who?” Charles asked.

  “Yes, it is,” Samson said softly. “The first Seal has opened.”

  The features of the person’s face became clearer.

  Samson said, “His face is as bright as the sun, and his hair is as white as wool. The one being who is fairer than any children of men.”

  “Are you saying that … that’s God?” Charles asked.

  Gloria said, “He is so beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it. His face … how marvelous is he? Could it really be him?”

  “No, not just God. That is Christ, the Son of God.” Samson fell to his knees and bowed his head on the floor of the helicopter.

  Everyone looked at Sampson.

  Charles fell to his knees as well after seeing the Messiah. “Yes, of course. This is his Second Coming … the Second Coming of Christ.”

  To be continued …

  Decoyarbrown@yahoo.com