CaptainChewbacca wrote:Is this Lucifer THE Lucifer? Because... wouldn't the ranks of heaven get involved if he pulled some crap like that? I mean, we've got ultimate evil, so ultimate good has to exist as well, right?
God helps those who help themselves. Or some such shit.
They say, "the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots." I suppose it never occurred to them that they are the tyrants, not the patriots. Those weapons are not being used to fight some kind of tyranny; they are bringing them to an event where people are getting together to talk. -Mike Wong
But as far as board culture in general, I do think that young male overaggression is a contributing factor to the general atmosphere of hostility. It's not SOS and the Mess throwing hand grenades all over the forum- Red
John and Eccles followed the trail of bodies down the hall to a back stair. They had quickly cleared the offices but found nothing but the occasional trail of blood or gnawed corpses. John stopped for a moment to radio Sanchez for a status report but all he got was static.
“I can’t raise the other team.” He said bluntly.
Eccles, who was covering the stair, turned back towards his leader, “Should we fall back?”
“No. As much as I want to, we can’t let the Illuminati have the Book. If they use it, we are all doomed.” John saw Eccles bow his head, obviously he didn’t like it, but agreed.
The two swept down the stairs silently and found themselves in another hallway as richly decorated as the ones on the main level of the Cathedral. It was still dark, but the flashlights the two wielded revealed the rich woodwork and pictures on the walls.
Eccles ignoring the artwork, concentrated on the shadows at the end of the hall. Barely visible in the gloom, far from where his light could penetrate, was a door and from behind it came faint murmuring. The two Vanguard silently moved down the hall to the door where John paused long enough to listen.
“Aramaic.” John stated, “They’ve got the Book.”
Eccles stepped back and slammed his boot into the door, smashing the lock and latch, forcing it open, then John rushed in with his pistol at the ready.
Inside, there was a dim light from small desk lamps here and there throughout the space. In the center of the room, dead bodies surrounded a pedestal and behind that pedestal the demon who impersonated Tom O’Neil for ten years stood. The Master, gazing upon a golden trimmed leather bound book that rested on the pedestal and chanted archaic verse.
The unearthly creature did not acknowledge their presence, rather three Reapers appeared behind their master, center among them was the Dark Lady Jessica.
In the main hall, Faith loaded her last magazine. “This is going to get ugly in a minute, Sanchez! We should have done this outside!” She yelled over gun fire as she destroyed another Mallum Nox.
“You know, you are right!” Yelled Faith, as a cluster of Vampyres gathered to make another attack in the shadows beyond the now dying flares.
Sanchez had an idea then, she was almost out of rounds and would momentarily be using her side arm. Part of her weapons training was to keep count of how many bullets she still had in her gun. According to her count, she had six, Sanchez hoped it was enough for a desperate plan.
Standing, she twisted until the darkened windows centered in her sites and let loose with her final burst. The weapon clicked, she dropped it and pulled her secondary. The gesture was unnecessary though, her final shots flew well past any Vampyres and the creatures were momentarily mystified. The six remaining bullets smashed upon the black painted glass and several small beams of lights streaked in onto the knot of evil monsters then window shattered completely.
The morning light burned into the Vampyres and shrieks of torment filled the hall. Most scattered out of the murderous light but a handful were trapped. Their howls rang through the church until their damned bodies were ash.
Faith turned to Sanchez grinning, “We probably should have thought of that earlier?”
Sanchez shrugged. “We better meet up with the rest of the team before those surviving vamps catch them from behind.”
Both women sprang up and raced across the brightly lit Cathedral and into the back offices.
Down in the basement, John stood motionless. From the moment the abomination that was once his wife emerged from the shadows, John could not keep his eyes off of her. She looked as she did all those years ago, and it sickened him.
“Jessica, destroy him.” Said the Master in a deep, booming voice.
John brought his weapon to bear as the three Reapers jumped, Jessica angled in at Eccles, but already he was opening up on her. John ignored the pale being closing in on him and aimed his weapon at the evil that had been his wife. Just as he was firing, another Reaper bowled into him, claws ripping and John’s shot went wide. The dead man sunk his claws into John’s abdomen and John screamed in pain. Eccles managed to hose down one of the Reapers attacking him but Jessica dodged the hail of gunfire and tore into the human with reckless abandon.
She had been ordered to kill the leader yet for what ever reason, she attacked his subordinate. She was in pain, she did not know why, her head was splitting and rage welled up in her. For some reason she could not obey the order. So she lashed out upon the other human.
She knocked the hated weapon from his hands and dug her claws into his soft flesh, tearing chunks out and the smell of fresh blood washed over her. She reared her head back and bared her fangs.
“I will drain you like I drained your companion last night, human.” She sneered at Eccles.
As she brought her fangs down upon him, John came crashing into her with the other Reaper still hanging on his back. John rolled into them and all four became intertwined for a moment until Eccles broke free, somersaulted away and came up with his sidearm.
He let go of three rounds and the Reaper on John’s back erupted in blue flame. He then tracked Jessica but the cunning Reaper was already up and moving. With agility only a Reaper has, she jumped up out of Eccles firing arc and back down next to her Master. There she stood a dark and seductive look upon her face as she wiped a smear of Eccles’ blood from her mouth.
John and Eccles gathered themselves, carefully watching the enemy. The two brought their weapons up and opened fire on the Master and his servant.
The Illuminati laughed as the two Vanguard shot at him. The ancient being raised his hand and the bullets that were streaking in at him just stopped as if they had hit an invisible wall.
“Your weapons are useless against Me, human.” He said as he gazed upon them.
Both John and Eccles blanched at that gaze, the eyes of the creature transforming into harsh blue, the men could feel hatred in that stare.
“Feel dread, human. For now I have the Book of Shadow and I will expose mankind for the evil they are. Me and Mine shall rule over that corruption.” Rumbled the Dark Lord.
“Eat shit and die.” Replied Eccles.
Just then Sanchez and Faith entered the room, weapons coming to bare on the two Vampyres.
“Halls clear, what’s left made a break to the sewers.” Sanchez reported.
John’s eyes never left the monsters but nodded in acknowledgment.
“We kicked ass. Hey, who are these freaks?” Added Faith.
The horrid gaze of the Master turned on Faith but it was not Faith who blanched. The ancient evil that was Lucifer shuddered as if struck by an unseen weapon.
“Deuum meretricis liber.” Exclaimed Lucifer, physically affected by Faith’s mere presence.
His face was emotionless but he took a step back from the pedestal and Jessica hissed at the young woman. John took immediate advantage of the distraction and flung himself towards the Book of Solomon upon the pedestal and shot towards Jessica and her master. The other three opened up as well and the room was engulfed in a hail of gunfire.
Lucifer was hit numerous times and Jessica dived behind her master for protection, the ancient being absorbed the hits and growled as he spied John making for the Book. The, until then composed, creature roared and moved in on John, shrugging off the bullets. He strode over to the Book and knocked John away with a mighty swing. John took the hit right in the jaw and flew back over the pedestal, landing in a heap near his teammates. Sanchez knelt down to help him and for a moment the gunfire eased.
“Fools.” Cried Lucifer, “I will bend you to My will and you will suffer for eternity as My playthings!”
The Master moved towards the group with his prize in his hand, the Book of Solomon firmly clasped in his possession. The Dark Lord stood tall above the helpless humans and gloated.
John, still on the floor, silently unsheathed his knife and Sanchez covered the movement as best she could. Then in a flash, both jumped up, sinking their blades deep into Lucifer. Sanchez’s knife went into the arm clutching the Book and John’s into the vile creature’s neck.
Lucifer wailed, a noise of suffering echoing through the room. The wailing turned to a painful scream and the battered team had to cover their ears from the horrendous shriek that seemed to tear at their very souls.
When the scream died into a mournful whimper, the four humans uncovered their ears and glanced around the room. Still dimly lit from the broken lamps, the room laid empty. Lucifer and his Dark Lady were gone. But there in the middle of the room lay the Book of Solomon.
“What the hell was that?” Asked Eccles.
Sanchez and John searched the room for signs of their enemy but found none. “Is he dead?” She asked finally.
“I don’t know.” Replied John staring at the place where he last saw Jessica. “I hope so.”
It wasn’t until Faith stepped behind him laying a hand on his shoulder that John realized he was crying. He had done his job and saved the Book but his heart was broken and a piece of it he thought died years ago was now set adrift. He did not know where Jessie would run to now that her master was defeated but he knew he had to find out. But then what? He couldn’t bring himself to kill her before. What would he do when they met again?
“I don’t know if it will help John, but I read somewhere,” Faith spoke softly, “’Tears are rain to dampen the fire of the soul; like rain, they bring melancholy, but they also wash away the hurt.’ With all this evil, there has to be good to go against it. One day, you will be together again. I believe that.”
“Perhaps,” He finally answered.
Eventually, the team shook itself out of the daze they were in. Not knowing if they won or lost, but they had their lives and they had the book. If it wasn’t a victory, it was at least a start. As a group, they moved out and away from the Cathedral and the City, back to their war.
They say, "the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots." I suppose it never occurred to them that they are the tyrants, not the patriots. Those weapons are not being used to fight some kind of tyranny; they are bringing them to an event where people are getting together to talk. -Mike Wong
But as far as board culture in general, I do think that young male overaggression is a contributing factor to the general atmosphere of hostility. It's not SOS and the Mess throwing hand grenades all over the forum- Red
First, this is the end of this story, though I like it enough that I think I'll write another one, continuing it. Keep in mind that this one was subject to the 15000 word cap for a contest.
I couldn't have wrote this with out the wonderful help of InnerBrat. Her contribution and even pictures helped immeasureably. Stravo for simular help on New York, thank you sir.
I'd like to thank the Dutchess, for with out a damn deadline, this story may have never been written.
Lastly, I'd like to thank my editor and wife Jen. She took a 16000 word original draft and pared it down to 14 and change with out taking out any of the plot and saving me the job of choosing what parts I'd have to cut.
Thanks.
They say, "the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots." I suppose it never occurred to them that they are the tyrants, not the patriots. Those weapons are not being used to fight some kind of tyranny; they are bringing them to an event where people are getting together to talk. -Mike Wong
But as far as board culture in general, I do think that young male overaggression is a contributing factor to the general atmosphere of hostility. It's not SOS and the Mess throwing hand grenades all over the forum- Red
