Pursuit of the Zodiacs (43 page)

“He has arrived!”

Dracuul had left his Nephew Ecor in charge for over a decade during this important campaign. From the castle window, Ecor saw his Uncle stepping out of the transport with an accomplished grin on his face. If he wanted to keep himself alive, Ecor knew it would be most imperative for him to do everything in his power to
make sure that grin remained intact. “Fuck! He’s arrived a year before schedule! Hand me my robe.”

One of Ecor’s servants went to greet his Uncle to buy him some time. “My Lord, welcome back. Hopefully your excursion brought forth everything you desired.”

Dracuul answered, “Yes, my good friend, and more.”

Everyone gathered outside the castle gates to hear Dracuul speak. Each and every last one of his family and acquaintances stood by, ready to humbly greet their Lord. Ecor prepared himself very nervously. He counted the seconds before his Uncle would call his name.

“Now, where is my handsome Nephew, Ecor?”

Ecor left his chambers and walked down the stairs with an accomplished grin of his own. He hugged his Uncle, who commented, “I see you’ve gained a little weight. Been eating well since I’ve been gone?”

Ecor answered, “Yes I have, Uncle. Excuse me.”

Dracuul responded, “Don’t worry about that. This could mean one of two things: either success, or lack of work. I’m confident it falls under success. What is your report?”

Unable to obtain Zodiac blood, he confirmed his failure.

Dracuul’s familial hug and pleasantries devolved into anger. “What? What the fuck have you been doing over the past decade, boy!”

His shouting not only embarrassed Ecor, but it cleared the Hall. No one wanted to be collateral damage to Ecor’s failure. Only a few stayed behind, including Fidor and Dynamo.

Fidor and Dynamo waited until Dracuul’s outburst had abated before entering the hall. Fidor greeted Dracuul on one knee, and introduced his newest affiliate.

Ecor interrupted Fidor. “Fidor, unless you’ve brought good news, then this is not a good time.”

Dracuul added, “I couldn’t agree more.”

Fidor motioned to Dynamo, who took out a small container of blood and handed it over to Dracuul.

Fidor explained. “What you have in your possession, my Lord, is none other than a blood sample of the Zodiac who goes by the name Scorpio.”

Dracuul nearly dropped the container. Those important enough remained in the room in awe. He passed it to one of his trustworthy engineers, and they took it to their lab to analyze it.

Ecor felt reprieved and wanted to make certain that he got credit for the Zodiac blood. “See, my Lord, I just needed a bit more …”

“Silence!” Dracuul shouted. “Don’t you dare take credit for the hard-earned accomplishments of these two. You cowered away in this castle stuffing your face and bedding with whores. I highly doubt you’ve left this place at all to see if your assignment was being handled accordingly. This mission should’ve been completed years ago. Do you know how long it will take me to even see my plan in its entirety? Ecor, you have failed me.”

Angered, Ecor watched as Dracuul turned his back on him, and yelled, “What have you done! What news do you bring?”

The room became dead silent. Shocked that someone would talk to him in that fashion, Dracuul walked up to his Nephew. “What? What did you say to me?”

Before Ecor could answer, Dracuul grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up with one arm. Ecor’s arms flailed helplessly. He pulled at his Uncle’s suffocating clutch, but Dracuul’s grip remained. He felt his own life draining from his body. His legs dangled powerlessly a few feet above the floor. Dracuul threw his Nephew in his absent throne, which capsized. Ecor scrambled around on the floor, desperately searching for air. He caught enough of his breath to use the overturned throne as leverage to pick himself up. But he was still too weak to stand and fell right back down.

“I hope you enjoyed touching that throne, boy, because that’s the last time you’ll ever set eyes upon it.” Dracuul motioned to two guards, “Take him out of here!”

The guards escorted Ecor out of the castle.

As the guards left with Ecor, a messenger ran in. “Sir, my apologies, but Victoria has arrived.”

Victoria III was Queen and a very intelligent and powerful Vampeer, more powerful than Dracuul himself. Word of Dracuul’s return had traveled fast.

Her carriage, accompanied by a retinue of seventeen other carriages, arrived outside the Hall. Dracuul yelled out to everyone, “Not a word of what happened here, or else I will have all of your heads.”

Dracuul wondered, “Hmmm, what’d been going on in my absence?” Despite their intimate past, she came to see him on business. He wondered if Ecor might have made some costly decisions without his consent … decisions he would be responsible for and that might be punishable by death.

As she entered the Hall, Dracuul spoke to his guards. “Men, be on the alert.”

Dracuul sat down on his throne and waited for the Queen. His guards stood at the corners of his throne, laser weapons equipped and ready. But, in the meantime, they looked ceremonial.

And for a little added strength, one of his serving maids gave him a glass of fresh blood, which he sipped. Thus fortified, he commanded, “Let the Queen in.”

With her wings fatigued from flying, Sabrina came across a familiar face. “Zacharia, what brings you here?”

Zacharia, a Gaurdian Angel from Heaven, accompanied by two soldiers, stopped Sabrina in a secret Dimension, approximately one hour away from Heaven’s Gates. They’d been waiting on her return, and many more had been dispatched to other Dimensions, anticipating her arrival as well.

Sabrina asked again, “Why are you not at your posts?”

Zacharia again ignored her question. “What news do you bring, Sister?”

Sabrina said, “My apologies, but under strict orders from Natenal himself, no one but the Father is to hear this update.”

Zacharia and the other two Guardian Angels moved uncomfortably close to her, causing her to back away.

“What is this? Who was worth the betrayal of our Father, Ruler of Heaven and the Earth, and everything in between? Was it Lucifer, Bishop or another source of false hope?”

Zacharia answered, “Yes, ruler of Heaven and Earth only. He has lost everything else. So, you know of Bishop’s plan? It doesn’t matter. You will not live to forward the message.”

Outnumbered, she reached for her laser-powered weapon, but dropped it as Zachariah’s two soldiers moved in, violently thrusting their spears. She equipped
her golden axe while skillfully parrying their offense. They didn’t find their mark. She countered, delivering armor-piercing blows. She chopped through a soldier’s armor, and her axe met his ribcage. It lodged in, and she abandoned it.

“Ahhghh” The injured soldier grimaced.

Zacharia intervened, shooting his laser-powered weapon at the Master Arch as she retreated. She rolled and retrieved her grounded gun and shot Zacharia’s other inexperienced soldier in the forehead. He plummeted and hit the ground hard face first.

Zacharia took cover behind a group of nearby boulders.

Sabrina yelled, “Leave, and forward this message to Bishop. I’m certain I speak for the whole kingdom when I say he will not be victorious in whatever war he intends to initiate.”

“Wait, wait, Zacharia! Don’t leave me here!” The injured, but dying, soldier cried out to Zacharia.

Zacharia ignored the soldier’s plea and departed. Sabrina put an end to the injured soldier’s misery with one shot, then removed much of his innards while retrieving her golden axe from his side.

“Hey! Who’s in here? This is the last stop! All passengers must exit this train!” The train conductor’s loud knocking on his locked compartment door awakened Capricorn. He raised the shade and saw the industrial developments of New York City outside his window. For the first time, he was at peace.

“Hey! Open up this damn door!” He could no longer take the train conductor’s noise and shouting. He broke down the door, knocking the train conductor unconscious. Casting aside the shattered door, he stepped over the train conductor’s body and exited the train.

Once outside, he covered his head with his hoodie.

“Kid, you should consider doing something about that temper of yours.”

Capricorn asked, “Who is that? Show yourself.”

An Angel waived in the shadows of the train station. Capricorn slowly approached the winged phenomenon standing about seven feet tall. He had brass skin,
hair like oil and dressed in golden attire. He warily kept his distance. “Even in the presence of a soldier of God, you still display no evidence of trust?”

Capricorn answered, “Bullshit! Even Heaven has its own share of traitors. How do I know you’re not one of them?”

The Archangel replied, “And they will meet their judgment soon. I will personally make sure of it.”

Capricorn began walking away.

The Archangel continued, “You dare turn your back on me? I might be the only friend you have here. I know who you are!”

Capricorn replied, “Who am I?”

The Archangel answered, “You are a Zodiac. The entire Universe is in search of your kind as we speak. The only reason I haven’t forfeited your life is because it’s evident you haven’t been turned.”

Capricorn said, “Turned? What are you talking about?”

“Lucifer is trying to reassemble his Fallen army, and you’re one of the pieces to his puzzle because of your bloodline. That’s the reason why you are here. Am I correct? You’re here to find out the history behind your gifts. Otherwise you’d still be on Saturn.”

Capricorn said, “I can’t take this shit anymore. I just want everybody to leave me alone!”

The Archangel answered with a little more compassion. “I understand your frustration. But you don’t have much of a choice. We’ve all been given a destiny. Some will serve a purpose in life without pursuing it. And in return, they will perish in regret while others will stop at nothing to find their destiny. You have a chance to side with those who seek peace. You must know your calling.”

The Archangel handed Capricorn coordinates to a secret location in New York City. “I will be there along with more friends. If you do not show up, I will know the path you have chosen, and I’m afraid that our next meeting will not be a pleasant one, my friend.”

Capricorn said to himself, “He must not have heard me the first time. Very well, I will personally make sure everyone gets the message, Devil or Archangel.”

“Are you all right?”

The Bookkeeper, fully recovered from his injuries, found himself on a couch not too far from Ozias. He answered, “Yes.”

With the President confined in his cell, Levi and Zodeen interrogated him.

Abdeen, Daniel and Goliath posted on the training grounds of the safehouse. Daniel and Goliath tested their new gifts, courtesy of the Vampeers.

“Fascinating,” Abdeen couldn’t help but be impressed.

Due to the combination of Vampeer and Angel DNA, genetic manipulation allowed Goliath to generate coin-sized mosquitoes from a nest surfacing from his back. Under his authority, they could also communicate. Additionally, whatever host they drew blood from could be injected into him, and he’d possess the power of the host for a short duration.