Pursuit of the Zodiacs (38 page)

They stopped at a diner. Sagittarius, Aquarius and Libra went to get a table while Capricorn walked to the bathroom. Once inside he took out the recording device that Jacob had given him before his escape, and hit the ‘Play’ button. Meanwhile, in the diner, Sagittarius, Aquarius and Libra combed through the menus.

“What’s with that look?” Sagittarius spoke through close-lipped telepathy.

Capricorn had a dreadfully disgusting stare upon his face. He played the message on the recording device in front of them, and the secret they withheld surfaced. The whole diner stomached the deceit as the recording of Libra and Aquarius conversing about the murder of Capricorn’s Father, Peter, surfaced. Sagittarius continued his communication through telepathy. “Damn you two. You’ve actually spoken such words in that house?” Libra bowed her head in shame and almost came to tears.

Capricorn crushed the recording device into pieces with his bare hands. Tears trickled down his face. The Earth beneath them quaked. Utensils fell from overturned tables. Plates and glasses shattered onto the floor. People trampled over one another as they fought for the exits. Jacob’s original plan of dividing the Zodiacs worked. No one was safe against Capricorn’s boiling vengeance. As they headed towards the exits, Dead Rising minions still covered in dirt from their ascension intercepted them. Soon, all exits lacked refuge from these beasts.

“Wait, boy! What are you doing!” Sagittarius shouted as Demons feasted upon flesh as if they hadn’t eaten in days. The horror brought pleasure to the eyes of the Zodiac child. “He must be destroyed before he kills us all,” Sagittarius said.

Aquarius agreed, “So be it. I will direct a path.”

With a burst of sharp, penetrating air, Aquarius sent the Dead Rising outside the diner, giving Sagittarius time to meet Capricorn head on.

“Nooo!” Drowning in her own guilt, Libra pled for Capricorn to run for his life. Sagittarius soared across the diner floor to meet him. Determined to avenge his Father’s death, Capricorn grabbed him in midair. He tore one of Sagittarius’ wings off and, by the other, tossed him back across the room. Sagittarius spiraled back onto the diner’s overturned tables and chairs, leaving a trail of blood from his exposed wound. The sight of blood motivated Capricorn’s Dead Rising minions and they regrouped.

As he stepped back, the floor collapsed beneath the three opposing Zodiacs. The impact immobilized them temporarily. As they looked up, he looked down. A massive sinkhole devoured the Zodiacs… and everyone and everything else, including the real estate.

Chapter 23

NO MORE PARADISE

“We are indeed living in interesting times, and it is a blessing in itself to be of witness.”

– U
NKNOWN

S
ilence filled the hall. Both Gemini heads rose from a container, held by one of Lucifer’s Demon Archangels who made the discovery while patrolling the gates. They uncovered a note driven into one of the Gemini’s foreheads. The note displayed their opposing party’s number 777 at the top.

“What is the message?” asked one of the Archangels.

Lucifer removed the note and read it to himself:

        
Satan, your agenda has met its end. Soon you and all your followers will perish, and your Kingdom will be nothing more than rubble, trampled underfoot upon our departure
.

-Master Archangel Natenal
.

Lucifer crumbled the note. He sat there on his Burning Throne silently gazing at the Gemini. His face appeared as if he hadn’t slept in weeks.

Lucifer spoke, “Leave me.”

The whole hall cleared.

Lucifer turned to the Window of the Damned where he normally took time to escape. “First Leo, and now Gemini; and I have yet to receive a report from Crusix regarding the others.”

He sat back on his throne and dosed off. His dream took him back in time to an important event that most would call a Paradise that was lost.

“This should be a mass execution. All of you are not even worthy of exile. May you rot in your treachery, and may your gifts part from your grasps in season.”

Michael, Gabriel and Bishop, along with thousands of other Archangels, had cast out Lucifer and his remaining followers from Heaven. The other soldiers within the Kingdom tended to the dead and wounded, while others focused on reconstruction.

Gabriel asked, “Should we pursue?”

“No. His judgment was clear, “Michael answered. “Banishment will be their punishment. They will beg for forgiveness and ask for re-entry, but their prayers will go unheard.”

Bishop said, “But, what if you’re wrong? We should just rid the Earth of these endemics and prevent retribution.”

Gabriel added, “Perhaps Bishop is right, Michael. Their gifts still remain, and who knows when they’ll return with even more Devils.”

Michael replied, “That’s enough. Let’s return with our report and celebrate our triumph.”

Bishop couldn’t help but add, “Granted, but if he returns with multitudes, their crafts will be perfected. I don’t see him taking his gifts lightly, Brother. He will return. I am certain of it.”

Michael responded wearily, “If and when he does, we’ll be more prepared for them than ever, Brother. Come along, before your concerns trouble you any further.”

Bishop could not let it go. “He’s not the only one in the midst of his company with gifts, Brother. And it’s not us I’m concerned about. It’s the Mortals who will be subject to his power and the power of his colleagues.”

Michael said, “Raphael already departed. If you want to stay and meditate, so be it. His ruling stands. You will not pursue. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m heading back to celebrate.”

Gabriel and Michael moved on as Bishop watched Lucifer and his army continue their departure towards Earth. He could see Lucifer taking his last look at Paradise, and their eyes just so happened to meet. His eyes displayed the purest of hate. He could almost taste and feel his anger. There would be no repentance coming from this Fallen Archangel. Time and Immortality … he would use these assets against the Kingdom. “His expectation will be that his banishment will be just a mere thought, disposing our awareness completely in season. But I will not forget. I will grasp that day as I do this day,” Bishop said. The strategist for God’s army retired and entered the Kingdom.

“The time has come for us to part ways until I call upon you again. Go North, South, East, and West, to all corners of the Earth, and force yourselves upon the men and women. Multiply and migrate into the distant clusters of this Universe. Grow in great numbers. Form secret societies that will in time interconnect us all to a force no man or god will be able to destroy. Bear the mark of this Dark Covenant with pride. Not only will the sight make our adversaries tremble, but it will validate us as Brothers and Sisters.”

Lucifer shared those last words before he himself followed his own instructions. The Original Zodiacs had been present at the time of Lucifer’s casting out of Paradise, but they were so new to their gifts that they had been easily defeated. However, twelve escaped death during the legendary battle, a phenomenon in itself. He kept his prized possessions close as if they were the very air he breathed. With proper training and hard work, his Zodiacs in time would surely become gods.

A battle erupted as Scorpio and Virgo took on a group of Vampeers. In the midst of them, Dynamo, turned against his will, watched. Fidor, a Vampeer who orchestrated the confrontation, accompanied him. “Just a sample, and we will part. Your friends will not be harmed,” Fidor assured Dynamo.

Dynamo said, “Yes, but just as I was afraid of, she wasn’t going to give it up without a fight. The boy, you can kill. He serves no purpose to me.”

Fidor said, “Yes, I see.” He motioned more Vampeers to join the fight as Virgo and Scorpio demolished everyone in their path. Fidor cared less about the increasing number of casualties. “If I do not return with a sample, my life will be forfeited. Even if I have to obtain their blood myself, it shall come to pass,” Fidor pronounced. As Virgo and Scorpio grew fatigued, the Vampeer took off his cloak and calmly hung it up against the branch of a nearby tree. Just as he suspended it, Crusix returned sending more Vampeers to the hereafter. Fidor picked up his cloak and ordered his men to fall back.

Crusix spoke, “Leave at once, or I will personally replace your cloak with your flesh.”

No one on the other side answered. They humbly dispersed into the stillness of the night. Crusix asked Scorpio and Virgo if they had been harmed.

Scorpio responded, “Nothing I can’t handle.”

Virgo said, “Don’t mind him. We are very grateful, Crusix. Thank you.”

Crusix said, “You must relocate. I’m certain they will return. Their next attack will involve more inventive tactics of suicide. We can only do so much with our small number. I’ll give you new coordinates to another safehouse and have your new Guide meet you there. In the meantime, let’s move from this burning house.”

“Another execution on the Moon? How many have there been thus far?”

During their investigation involving the disappearance of their fellow combatants, halfway through the Dimension, Bishop’s Special Team of Master Archangels conversed.

Amos said, “Yes, these executions are repetitive and lack excitement. It’s time we really receive a challenge.”

Exodus asked, “The games we’ve come up with involving our captives are not good enough for you anymore?”

Ezra answered, “They’re just that: captives, soldiers. But not Master Arch’s like us.”

Leviticus commented, “Soon, before you know it, we’ll be trading iron and gifts with Angels who will surpass the rank of Gabriel himself.”

The name alone sparked interest. “Is there news you’ve failed to tell us, Brother?” Ezra asked as Leviticus adjusted his armor.

“Yes. He said to mention that there is word of Michael undertaking a secret mission on Venus,” Leviticus answered.

Amos said, “After we’re finished with this contract on the Moon, we can move on to some real amusement.”

Genesis added, “Yes, this is good news, indeed. We’ve been trying to eliminate this Michael for centuries. What about Raphael?”

Leviticus answered, “Very well. We are almost there. As far as Raphael goes, I haven’t heard any word on that bastard.”

“Look, the door is still open,” Ezra commented.

Genesis said, “Let’s make haste before it weakens.”

They arrived on the other side of the Gateway only to find their comrades’ demolished dead bodies amongst the bloodstained regolith of the Moon. Evidence showed that their murderers were still present, which brought some comfort to the devastation following their discovery. They saw their craft a short way in the distance. The five Master Archangels walked past a dead Jedediah.

Ezra, first into the craft, yelled, “Here,” as she tossed a distraught Bookkeeper from the craft. He landed hard on the surface of the Moon. Genesis helped her in throwing an unconscious Ithiel from the craft as well.

Ithiel jarred to consciousness after hitting the surface. He reflexively reached for his sword, but his sheath was empty. It had been removed upon his detection. He raised his arms to hit Exodus with a jolt of lightning. But Ezra countered, kicking Ithiel onto his stomach. Genesis grabbed the Pursuer, rolled him on his back, and held him down. Too weak, he watched Leviticus approach the Bookkeeper while Exodus pointed his laser-powered weapon at the back of his head. Ithiel received their message and complied.