Pursuit of the Zodiacs (24 page)

Leo replied, “Next time, have the decency of buying me a drink first before carrying out your contract.”

“You display humor even in the eyes of death.” The strange man had on a weird reddish and sliver suit. He brandished a crossbow and a sword in one.

Leo asked, “What the Hell is that supposed to be?”

The strange man answered, “This!”

He discharged multiple blades from his weird weapon. Leo’s indestructible mane and invincible skin proved paramount. He stumbled backwards off his feet, more from his drunken state than from the effects of the weapon.

Realizing his enemy’s significant defense, the strange man went to his second plan of attack. He charged at Leo.

Leo yelled, “Ha-ha!”

Leo dusted himself off as his assailant approached.

His assailant went for an aerial blow to the head. Leo grabbed the stranger in mid-air. As onlookers watched, Leo held both of his assailant’s arms with one hand while he still clutched his weapon. Leo pummeled him with his free hand. After beating his assailant mercilessly, he tossed him into the crowd.

He threw up and sat down on the curb. Natenal, Goliath and Grenad discovered him after, following all the commotion.

Grenad spoke, “Wasn’t that one of Jedediah’s men?”

Natenal answered, “I believe so, Brother. I guess he lacks confidence in our mission and has taken it upon himself to carry out his own.”

Goliath interrupted, “We’ll have to prove him wrong.”

Leo said, “Oh, are those reinforcements I see? You guys are getting smart. Let me finish throwing up here, and I’ll be glad to make an example of you as well.”

Natenal left his mask on, but ordered the others to remove their hoodies and masks so as not to come across as threatening or intrusive. He said, “No, Brother. We come of one accord.”

Leo answered, “Oh? In that case, you’ve brought more wine?”

Goliath spoke, “We’ve been in pursuit of a drunk this whole time? What mockery! Stand up!”

Natenal objected, “Goliath, stand down.”

A belligerent Leo replied, “What the Hell do you want?”

Natenal answered, “There’s no need for any more violence, friend. We are simply here to warn you of the dangers ahead.”

Leo responded, “Well, I’d say you’re a little too late for that. Don’t you think? How many more must die before you fools realize I cannot lose.”

Leo walked off. An enraged Goliath pursued the vulgar drunk. “Now, you wait just one damn minute.” He put his hand on Leo’s shoulder, causing Leo to transform into his true form.

Leo remarked, “You should’ve learned to keep your hands to yourself.”

Enticed once again, the nearby crowd moved closer for an encore of what had gone down earlier. Others fled the scene in search of authorities.

Leo grabbed Goliath’s arm to sink his jaws into. However, Goliath moved quickly and caught him halfway by the neck. The two wrestled. Amazed at what they had experienced, both appeared evenly matched in strength.

“Enough!” Natenal stepped in between the two and knocked them both to the ground.

Goliath rose back up to one knee. “My apologies, Natenal. My anger bested me once again.”

“Ha-ha! Pitiful. On your knees like a town whore,” Leo mocked.

Tempting as it was to retort, Goliath clenched his teeth for a moment before heading back into the circle.

Grenad spoke, “I say we terminate him where he stands. I see no reasoning with this man. Once they come with their Scroll, I doubt he will even put up a fight. I believe he already accepted his origin of evil.”

Goliath added, “I agree.”

Natenal said, “No Grenad, we must stick to protocol. We are to warn him of the Scroll written in Lucifer’s blood. His fate will be decided on how he takes the news. Our judgments from here on must be pure and just.”

Goliath interjected, “Forgive me, Brothers. But it would be dishonest if I said I had high hopes of him taking the news well.”

“Let me go. I shall have a word with this man. If he does not comply, I will rid the World of him myself. Enough time has elapsed.” Natenal approached Leo, and they exited the scene, Leo staggering somewhat in his drunken state.

“If words won’t convince this man, maybe a good challenge might be of some use here, even if there is the possibility of death,” Natenal mused to himself.

Leo entered an alley as a beggar approached Natenal. Off in the distance, Japanese authorities pursued Grenad and Goliath, eager to discover the reason why a man had been beaten half to death in the street. Grenad and Goliath moved through the crowd in hopes of losing their assailants. They pressed a button on their Special Hybrid Masks and its form changed.

Natenal ordered, “Stop! Go no further, Leo.”

Leo answered, “I told you assholes I’m not interested in what you have to say or any great news you wish to share with me. The only ones I answer to are those from the Dark Covenant.”

Natenal asked, “So you know who you are and what evil spawned you?”

Leo scoffed at Natenal. “Vengeance is what spawned me. Once the alliance is formed, we will avenge our predecessors.”

Natenal took off his robe to reveal his Special Sword with an unusual curve and Immortal writing in blood along the line of its blade. However, he left his mask on in case of onlookers. Grenad’s assumption proved accurate. There was no reasoning with this man. Leo served his purpose. All he had been doing was just waiting for the call.

Natenal said, “It is settled. Death is your choice.”

Leo brushed Natenal’s threat aside. “Another unfortunate soul. Your Superior doesn’t seem to give a damn about any of you.”

They engaged. Leo sobered up quite a bit and charged Natenal. He swiped at him with his powerful paws, but missing each mark. Natenal capitalized and delivered chopping blows, challenging everything, including Leo’s indestructible mane.

After the initial foray, they both stood a safe distance apart. Natenal analyzed Leo further.

Leo spoke, “Hmm, don’t bother. It’s pointless. I can’t be cut.”

Leo roared. With his black wings, Natenal covered up and braced for impact. Not only did the fire threaten to incinerate everything in its path, but the force of Leo’s deafening roar spawned a massive Earthquake, shattering the very foundation of the city street, storefronts and several surrounding buildings. From dumpsters, to cars, street lamps and even stray animals, he cleared the vicinity. People nearby stopped celebrating and fled from the chaos. Unable to withstand the turbulence, a section of the street collapsed and a sinkhole consumed Natenal.

Leo pronounced, “And it is done.”

“Is that so?”

Surprised to hear Natenal’s voice, Leo searched for his adversary. He set his eyes upon a battered Natenal, whose wings still sizzled from the heat. Damaged during the melee, he no longer had his mask. Leo was the first to witness Natenal’s true gift.

Natenal’s voice sounded ominous as he said, “Behold, the face of God.”

Leo’s indestructible mane broke into pieces along with fragments of his flesh.

Leo knelt down. “So much power.”

Too late for atonement, excruciating pain followed. The defeated Zodiac walked away in disbelief only to collapse dead in the street seconds later.

Before anyone else could see his true self and meet the same fate, Natenal covered his face and departed.

Chapter 18

QUEEN OF HEARTS

V
irgo and her followers, Zodon, Karz, Rufus and Dynamo, entered a city in England under martial law. They entered it illegally after curfew.

Their government admitted the existence of extraterrestrials following the crash of an alien spacecraft on public lands. It was as if it had been deliberate for the World to witness. Governments could no longer feed their people lies, and had no choice but to disclose the confidential information. Lawmakers and politicians took it upon themselves to resign, and some were even arrested and awaiting trial after reneging on oaths. In addition, this also gave the governments an opportunity to order martial law as a safeguard against a potential future threat … something they’d been trying to institute for a while; but, until the crash, had no excuse big enough to pass the legislation.

All of England awaited a possible search team from an outside interstellar source to find and retrieve the missing pilots of the unusual spacecraft. The town prepared for the worst. They underwent panic, excitement and curiosity as the World anticipated the arrival of more aliens.

Moments after exiting their Gateway, Virgo and her group are spotted by eight soldiers on patrol.

“Hey! Hold it right there! You know the law, come with us quietly!” A soldier ordered.

Virgo said, “You dare speak to me in that manner?” She ordered her men to eliminate the threats.

Laser fire pierced the soldiers’ flesh. As some fled, Zodon and Karz chased them down and, with their melee weapons, beheaded them. The soldier’s primitive mercenary weapons proved no match.

Virgo continued, “Come along. We’ve wasted enough time. We must go.”

“Yes, Empress,” Zodon said.

Virgo added, “Speaking of Empress, the Queen is impatient and is expecting our arrival. Word has it she knows of Scorpio’s whereabouts.”

They entered an awaiting limousine.

Karz noticed Virgo looking markedly ill. “What is it?”

Virgo responded, “It’s nothing, it must be the side effects of transitioning to the Earth Realm. I’m sure it will pass.”

One mile into the drive, Virgo opened her door and vomited outside the moving limousine. Her heart glowed a weird color. The others were confused. This had never happened before. Virgo grimaced in pain while holding her heart. The luminescence radiating from her heart escaped through the openings of her hand. After staring into the rearview mirror, the driver lost his sight and struggled to park the car. The light affected everyone. They could only stare for so long before having to shield their eyes, as if staring directly into the Sun itself.

After the limousine came to a complete stop, Virgo’s entourage assisted her. One of them handed her a bottle of water to drink. The driver, meanwhile, hastily exited the vehicle, ran around to Virgo’s door, and opened it further for her.

Virgo said, “One of the Zodiacs has fallen.” She continued to vomit.

Dynamo inquired, “Empress? Are you certain?”

Virgo sat back down in the limousine. “I’m afraid so. Based on the severity of the pain, I predict that the Zodiac who fell was a Ruler of one of the top five Houses. This loss should not be taken lightly. Mosqidou has made their mark, and they must pay.”

Meanwhile, Ozias and Pharisees safely returned to the hideout and unified with Timius, Abdeel, Irisan and their Guide.

Abdeel said, “I have yet to receive word on my Brother.”

Pharisees said, “Fret not. I’m sure he escaped the Judgment Realm before it was completely overrun with Lucifer’s remnants. But I can’t help but think who else is benefitting from the emission of death’s clutch. Death seems to be at a halt until order is instilled there.”

Timius replied, “What? Did I just hear you correctly? The Judgment Realm is under siege?”

Irisan stated, “This means death is lost.”

Justus added, “And should I mention that Witch is still alive?”

Pharisees spoke, “Now that I think about it, death is not entirely lost. Lucifer seems to only have an interest in capturing us and retrieving the Zodiacs if they are ever sent into the Judgment Realm. Others, well, they’ll just become wanderers or ghosts until order is restored.”

Abdeel pointed, “Clever move by Lucifer. If any of his Zodiacs were to fall, death would not come to them. But, he would have to capture and escort them out of the Judgment Realm as well before they meet judgment. Let’s hope it’s restored on time.”

Ozias pointed out, “But, if or when order is restored, you will perish as well, Pharisees.”

Pharisees had already come to terms with that reality. “I’m afraid you’re right, Ozias. I’m sure the Guardians of the Realm will come to claim the dead soon. You should get some rest, Ozias. Have Irisan tend to your wounds. Sagittarius did quite a number on you.”

Ozias said, “Yes, his gift is unique. He can enter dreams and inflict death upon those unaware.”