Pursuit of the Zodiacs (69 page)

Libra remarked, “I understand, but I must admit this moment is just not sitting right with me.”

Aquarius interrupted, “A Zodiac is a Zodiac. Nonetheless, I cannot accept this!”

She moved in to aid her Zodiac counterpart, as the force field Pisces generated grew weary of her adversaries’ advances.

“Nooo!” Cancer yelled as she knocked him across the street with a violent burst of wind while equipping her Water-Bearing Sword.

Aquarius yelled, “Cancer, you are a fucking traitor to your own kind! Either you fight with us, or you will fall with our enemies this night!”

Simeon warned Natenal. “The other Zodiacs seek to give Pisces aid, my Lord.”

Natenal commented, “It’s time to put an end to this Pursuit. They must be eliminated. Levi and Timius, assist Simeon. Irisan, eliminate the remaining soldiers and scan the perimeter for any Demons.”

“Yes, Sir,” Irisan replied. She departed for her obligation.

They approached the two Zodiacs. Libra strode up a street lamp, catching her pursuer off guard. Timius stopped in his tracks and made way for Levi, as his gifts gave him the ability to walk on walls, also. They meet in an awkward position and engaged.

“Come, let me see what gifts you have in your possession, Archangel,” Aquarius challenged Timius.

Timius unveiled his flying guillotine that contained a chain and built-in Dimension compartment big enough to fit heads. Once cut off, the severed head of his victim was sent to another Dimension.

“Impressive toy. I will make use of it when you’re gone. It won’t go to waste,” Aquarius boasted.

Timius said, “Enough of this chatter.”

He pressed a button unleashing the guillotine in her direction, and she shot it down with a burst of water. The pressure sent it spiraling into a nearby parked car where the blades sank into the passenger door. He pressed the button again for the guillotine to return, but it was too lodged in. He tried yanking at it, but to no avail. He was forced to abandon his weapon.

“You’ll have to do better than that, Archangel.” Aquarius ran toward him. Timius evaded her piercing icicles using a compact special shield. The ice shattered violently upon impact, backing him into a corner. He used his gift and created a Dimension under her. She countered, creating a bridge of ice to avoid plummeting into space.

“Fast, but not fast enough. Unfortunately, this must end.” Aquarius moved in with her Water-Bearing Sword. Time froze as Simeon capitalized with his gift, using his one-minute duration to design a weapon of choice on his shield. He analyzed the Zodiacs and tried to manufacture the perfect weapon that would aid him in victory. In their frozen state, he sees Natenal, Irisan, and Zodeen engaging with Pisces and her group on one end of the street, Levi and Libra exchanging gifts on the rooftop of a nearby building, and Aquarius in pursuit of a battered Timius. He did not detect
Cancer anywhere, and he had little time to investigate. Simeon gazed upon the final hour of their Pursuit of the Zodiacs.

“MORE VAMPEERS? WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE? AND, ON WHO’S ORDERS?”

“Don’t be a fool, there will always be somebody to take over the Blood Lust Throne. Did you really believe for one second Queen Victoria and Dracuul would not be replaced? Those two had powerful influences within the Vampeers, and inspired many to succeed them. The endless possibilities of the Zodiacs, Archangels and other beings presently spilling blood here were imminent. Why wouldn’t they be here to take full advantage of all this power? A few samples are all they need to manufacture the perfect ingredient for Immortality. It is in our best interest here to figure out who really poses a threat: the Zodiacs, God, Lucifer, Bishop, or the Vampeers?”

The Watchers observed all of Rome. They swore an oath many centuries ago to observe the events and not intervene. Punishment for breaking their Covenant would be death, even if to save their own lives, or the Universe they toured. If evil prevailed, that was its fortune. Information obtained during their watch must remain within the Watcher’s circle. Any breach could result in all of their deaths.

Dracuul’s Nephew, Ecor, arrived with a fleet of his own. They had broken one of the most Draconian laws: illegal Time Travel, punishable by death. With a special team, he traveled to the future to pick up where his Uncle left off.

“We are here for one reason only: to obtain blood samples from these individuals, and then we leave. Am I clear?” Ecor instructed, and his followers approved.

A man appeared carrying two Scrolls. Two Special GIs accompanied him. He warned Ecor and his followers to turn back. He introduced himself as a member of the Dark Graduates and began reading one of the Scrolls.

“You’ve violated illegal Time Travel, Code c7159. You will return to your time at once or see your life forfeited.”

Ecor spoke, “What’s this? How did you find us so soon? Hmm, it does not matter.”

He motioned his men to eliminate the obstruction. They riddled the man and his GIs with advanced laser weapons increasing the death count to Rome’s war torn streets by three.

“My Lord, was that a good idea?” one of his Guides asked skeptically.

Ecor dismissed the conglomerates of the Dark Graduate’s death. “A good idea would be obtaining these samples so we can return to our time, on time, before we are out of time, and not waste any of it by waiting here as our Race goes extinct. We need to eliminate that engineered abomination that my Uncle had fallen victim to. That Tyrant is succeeding in its depopulation program as we speak.”

“I smell more Watchers,” one of his men informed Ecor.

Ecor said, “Pay them no mind. They can’t interfere in our endeavors, or anyone else’s. Their protocol is a cursed one.”

The Vampeers moved into the heart of the city.

“Cursed, he said. “We’ll see which employment is a cursed one, my friend.” One of The Watchers responded to himself, as he and other Watchers moved on to other promising reports.

AS HIS DEAD RISING OBSERVED, CAPRICORN AND SCORPIO INITIATED THEIR CONTEST TO SEE WHICH ONE WAS THE SUPERIOR ZODIAC
.

Scorpio unveiled the stinger incorporated into his ponytail and attacked. The swinging death trap forced Capricorn to take a few steps back. Stones arose from Capricorn’s flesh.

Scorpio mocked, “Impressive, but that obstruction will not help you obtain victory, Zodiac.”

“We shall see,” Capricorn replied.

Seconds ahead at every exchange, Scorpio proved the faster of the two. As Capricorn punched, Scorpio evaded and countered, delivering vicious stinger strikes that failed to penetrate Capricorn’s rock like skin. Nevertheless, Capricorn exhibited patience. He had confidence in his impenetrable form, and expected Scorpio to become fatigued, which eventually he became.

Scorpio transitioned to defense as Capricorn punished him for being too aggressive and stubborn. He threw him from wall to wall until Scorpio unleashed a crushing burst of water that knocked Capricorn on his stomach, and the protective casing on his skin shattered to the ground.

This surprised Scorpio. “Ah, I see your impenetrable skin has an expiration date. You are finished.”

Capricorn generated a sinkhole that instantly swallowed Scorpio sixteen feet under. He took a bad fall; but though stunned, still alive.

So intent on killing each other, neither one noticed the Pope entering the alleyway, until he yelled, “Look at you two fools fighting, and all that power about to go to waste! Your Zodiac cousins are on the other side of town fighting for their lives, and you two are set on killing each other. It’s deplorable!”

The Vampeer Pope still had yet to turn. He fought back every inch of pain associated with the transformation. Upon his arrival, the Dead Rising showed him no harm since they knew that he would soon be one with them.

Capricorn said, “It’s a miracle you’ve lasted this long, Pope.”

The Pope answered, “Ah yes, the blood’s resistance to impurity is one of the many benefits of being a Vampeer.”

Capricorn commented, “I see. Nevertheless, it appears your blood is losing its fight. I’m sure the Vampeers will not miss you once you become one of my fiends. If you’ll excuse me, I have pressing matters that need my attention.” Capricorn turned to Scorpio to finish things.

“Can’t you realize you two are equally matched? I only see the both of you perishing from this pointless melee! I promised to avenge Cameron and Julius, but even my vengeance must be put aside. You are lucky the Dark Lord has an interest in you, boy!” the Pope advised as he leaned up against one of the alley walls. His eyes lit up as the scent of something very familiar caught his attention. “Vampeers?”

One-by-one, then in twos and threes, the numbers of his Dead Rising minions decreased as special laser fire erupted in the alley. Capricorn saw dozens of Vampeers infiltrating his location and fled.

“Come back here! We are not finished!” Scorpio shouted as he gathered himself, still confined in the sinkhole.

The Pope rejoiced as familiar faces greeted him. “Ahh, you were wrong, Zodiac. It seems I still do have friends in high places that would be burdened by my passing. Ha-ha.” The Pope watched the Zodiac flee. “You, get from that damn hole and look like a Zodiac. You’re embarrassing me.”

As Scorpio ascended from the sinkhole, the Pope met none other than Ecor.

Ecor stared at the Pope and sensed his well-being, or lack of it. “It seems that your health escapes you, Pope.”

The Pope felt rejuvenated. “Not anymore now that you’re here, old friend. I know you have some special blood that will rid me of this bind. I can smell the purity of it.”

Ecor replied, “Not so fast, old friend. Let’s catch up a little. How long has it been since we last saw each other?”

The Pope answered, “It must have been decades.”

Ecor said, “Who would have thought all those years ago that you would become Pope?”

The Pope responded, “Ah yes, indeed. Can I count on a friend to save a friend’s life, or are you here to watch me expire right in front of you? Time and blood is of the essence.”

Ecor said, “You seem to have something I want. Let’s make an exchange.”

Desperate, the Pope felt himself running out of time. His vision became impaired, and pieces of his flesh decomposed to the point where he became weary of his own stench. He responded in the only way he could. “Yes, anything. I can feel myself spiraling out of my gourd. What is it you want?”

Ecor said, “All we need is a sample of the Zodiac’s blood, and you will reign another day, Pope. You give us his blood … we give you your life.”

The Pope replied, “An exchange? Blood-for-blood, and that’s it?”

Ecor answered, “Yes.”

Scorpio replied, “Nobody is getting shit from me.”

Ecor looked at Scorpio, and then back at the Pope.

The Pope knew that Scorpio could mess up the deal. “He doesn’t mean that. He’s a bit stubborn,” he said.

Meanwhile, they could hear enemy soldiers advancing through the streets.

Ecor said, “Come on. We haven’t much time. Make your decision!”

The Pope ordered Scorpio to give the Vampeers a blood sample. Scorpio reluctantly followed the Pope’s orders. He rolled up a sleeve and held out his arm. One of Ecor’s soldiers moved in swiftly, opened up a silver briefcase filled with containers carrying different classes of blood and obtained the sample from the Zodiac by using a special syringe.

Once the syringe was withdrawn and the vials of blood were given labels and safely secured, Ecor gave his old friend a vessel containing very rare virgin blood that would stop the Dead Rising infection.

The cure took mere moments. The Pope held out his arm and one of Ecor’s colleagues, a doctor, performed a quick test and certified there were no signs of Capricorn’s Dead Rising virus left in his body.

“It’s all in the blood, Dracuul would always say. Maybe he was right all along,” the Pope confirmed to himself.

Ecor said, “Yes, for us Vampeers it is evident, but for Mortals it’s debatable.”

The Pope said, “May I ungratefully ask, what is your reason for being here in Rome?”

Ecor ignored the question and motioned to the doctor. “Just a few more samples. We need to compare your infected blood with your cured blood to ascertain the difference, and perhaps develop a vaccine that might come in handy in the future.”