Leo grabbed a chair and rushed the demon. Splinters from the chair spread across the floor as Leo smashed it across the demon's back. The force of the blow knocked out the midwife.
"Leonidas!" Neoma cried out. "Please!"
A force of energy collided into her body as it fell out from the sky. Neoma’s eyes rolled towards the back of her head as a concussive blast of energy verberated throughout the room. The blast knocked back Leo while a blunt leg of the chair impaled the insatiable demon.
More demons appeared at the doorway to the bedroom.
Leo rose to his feet and grabbed a wooden stake from the ground. A bolt of energy fell on to him.
"The Occulus" he whispered in a low groan.
A demon attacked Leo from behind. With a blind fury, the Spartan slammed the demon with the strength of a titan to the floor, crushing its head. The pack of demons attacked him at once. Leo knocked two of them back with his stake. The rest retreated.
He slowly turned back towards Neoma. Levitating from her bed, Neoma held an orb in her hands. Leo approached his wife and plunged his stake deep into her back. Neoma fell back to the bed. The orb fell from her hands and rolled to the floor.
Leo grabbed the relic.
The midwife slowly rose up as she staggered to her feet. She grabbed a chair leg and stabbed Leonidas in the back by his shoulder.
"Crious!" Leo roared.
As he dropped to the floor, the orb rolled out of his hand. The midwife picked it up then gathered Neoma from the bed. After throwing her over her shoulder, the midwife limped out of the room. Leo got to his feet and stalked behind.
He paused suddenly. Looking down at his blood-soaked hands, Leo's eyes widen.
"Neoma!" he cried out, dropping to his knees.
Smoke filled the air and engulfed the room. Embracing his fate, Leo remained on the floor. As the shack caught on fire, a beam from the rafters dropped upon his neck. Flames billowed out into the night sky as the building burned down around him.
Black Angel
After escaping the Apex building in Advent City, Leo made his way to the city below by train. Without incident, he entered a local strip club called Black Angel. A venue located in District 7, a hideout for Chaos gang members.
***
"Damn you, Christian! A Library full of books and you took the one I needed!”
Leo pulled a book from the bookshelf. He read the title: The Wonders Of Herbal Medicine.
"That’s it... it’s official! I’m sliting his throat!”
He threw the book across the room, continuing his search.
"Looky here... another one! This one’s titled, Nutrients and Regularity! Now the old bag needs help taking her shits?"
He continued to reject the library as he thumbed through the collection. Tossing volume after volumes of books, one after the other, all landing on a pile on the floor behind him.
"Crap...” he muttered. “Crap... more crap... strange crap!" He sighed, dropping the last book off the shelf. "I don't suppose you know how the damn thing works?"
Leo turned around and stared at the wolfdog that laid apathetic upon the floor. It dropped its head onto a cushioned pillow then closed its eyes.
"What am I saying? Of course, you don't." Leo shook his head. "Just another useless beast with a hideous scar on its face."
Leo walked behind the office desk. He glanced down at a ventilation grate that hid beneath the rolling chair. He reclined himself in the leather seat and then kicked his feet upon the table. He reached in his overcoat and pulled out the orb.
A beautiful young girl entered the room. She paused momentarily as she glanced at Leo. She took a glimpse of his mess then scurried to the floor to picked up the books.
"What do you think you're doing in here?" she uttered soberly, placing the books back on the bookshelf.
Leo glanced over the orb to look at her. He stared intrigued, as she bent over. She grabbed another book from the floor.
"Just admiring a beautiful piece of-!"
"As-" She replied.
"Art!" He smiled.
The young girl pushed Leo's feet off the desk.
"As you know, Madame doesn't like anyone in her study now."
"She's expecting me... so I came. What's your excuse for coming?"
"Chaos men are so filthy!" She giggled while straddling Leo in his chair. "They never finish what they start though."
"Excuse me?"
The young girl looked into Leo's eyes as if she was waiting for him to remember something. He reclined back in the chair. Leo etched out a silent smiled.
"Have we met before?"
The young girl hopped off his lap disgusted.
"Really..." She scoffed.
She pulled down her skirt and returned back to picking up books. "Such a waste...” she grumbled. “My father was right about you!"
"Wait a second..." Leo uttered. "Theresa, right?"
Placing his feet back on the desk, the young girl revealed a tattoo just above her left breast that read, Misses Jones.
"That's Sgt. Jones to you, buddy!"
She twisted her lips as she took a book from the desk and placed it back on the shelf.
"I had no idea your father was the gatekeeper. Had I have known that before I wouldn't have respected our safe word."
The young girl smiled. "What are you doing here anyways? Aren’t you on a mission or something?"
"Nothing you should be concerned with. I was waiting for Madame and thought I'll keep myself entertained with a book. Thrilling what you can do with a prune."
The girl paused as she held a book halfway off the shelf. Turning towards Leo, she threw it at him.
"This one is right up your alley then!"
Leo turned to the doorway immediately as he caught the book. An elderly woman in a wheelchair entered. She was pushed by her caretaker.
"Kali Ma...” the girl uttered, bowing her head in a trembling tone. “Madame Hecatan... please forgive us!"
“Easy there child..." Hecatan insisted. "I might be an old lady but I know a thing or two about philandering gentlemen such as Leonidas."
The young girl covered her smirk with her wrist.
"Thanks for tidying up but it's rather best that you leave now," the caretaker suggested.
"Why yes!" The girl responded.
Leaving the room she waved at Leo.
"Sometimes I wonder..." The caretaker uttered to Leo. "Do you take anything serious."
Leo laughed.
"Considering you're not at a loss for companionship," she continued.
"A young man's need for a warm bed does not negate the fire he has for his soulmate."
"Sounds moving..." she scoffed. "But knowing Neoma like I do, I feel she would beg to differ."
Leo shook his head as he stood from the chair.
"Where's your brother?" Hecatan demanded as she stared up at Leo. "You still have that beacon wrapped around your neck."
"Yeah, about that... He's not coming back."
"Did something happen?" Kali inquired.
Leo walked around the table towards Kali. He unbuttoned two buttons from the top of his shirt.
"He fulfilled his use, Kali. Just another pawn that needed moving."
He leaned in towards Kali then pointed to the device wrapped around his neck.
"Do you mind..." he uttered to her. "I can't reach back there far enough."
Kali looked over Leo's shoulder at Hecatan. "Oh, for goodness sakes!" She squabbled.
She reached behind Leo's neck and touched the device.
"Be gentle...” he cooed. “I made a promise to a boy he’ll meet his mother."
Kali turned up her lip as she stared at him. She squinted her eyes then pressed the release latch.
"Then again..." he continued. "I did threaten to blow her up... so there's that."
The mechanical parts of the device swirled into itself as it unfolded leaving a moon shaped crescent around Leo’s neck. Kali removed the contraption.
Leo massaged his throat. "Thank goodness for a mother's touch."
Kali dropped the contraption on the desk. She wheeled Hecatan towards the leather chair and ambulated the elderly woman into it.
"I would assume Ethan is at Apex too... or is he just another one of your pawns."
Leo removed the orb from his coat and put it on the desk.
"You know just as well as I do, Kali, how all this magic stuff works. Hecatan waves her wrinkly arms around. Bibbity-boppity-boo... voila! Deepest desires brought to life."
Kali picked up the orb.
"You're worried about your son so much... why haven't you gone to see him. Maybe he's not that important to you after all!"
Kali looked up at Leo.
"I love my son. I want this war between the Protogenoi to end. That curse that Brontus unleashed, it's killing my boy. I know what kind of mother I've become, but I won't stop until his suffering has ended."
"Sounds moving," Leo replied.
"I made the right choice."
Carefully, Kali put the orb in Hecatan's hand. With hesitantion, she approached Leo.
"Don't patronize my motivations, Leonidas! That scar on your face lay a proud example of all your accomplished faults."
"That's why I wear a mask sweetheart!"
"Enough!" Hecatan demanded. "I have both parts of the Occulus now."
Carefully caressing the orb, she gazed upon the petrified eye.
"Father," Hecatan whispered into it. "...combined with the spirit of Kaos, we finally unite."
Leo raised his eyebrow as he held up his arms.
"So you're gonna return Neoma to me or what?"
Hecatan looked at Kali. Kali nodded.
"How much do you remember from the last time you saw her?"
"Besides being possessed... not much."
"Your wife..." Hecatan paused. "...is here... in New Gate."
Leo stared at Hecatan.
"Say what now?"
"She survived the fallout and gave life to this world."
"You're not the only chess player in the room, Leo," Kali uttered. "Neoma's body was found by Apex three decades ago."
"So I was just a pawn this whole time?" Leo scoffed.
"That needed to be moved," Hecatan confirmed.
"I don't need this shit!" he exclaimed, reaching for the orb.
"Veni ad me," Hecatan whispered.
The orb pulsated with an emerald glow as it flew into her hands.
"If you want to search for your wife, Leo, I suggest you leave now. There's nothing holding you back."
Leo clenched his teeth together.
"Latin huh..." he uttered, diverting the need to respond to her suggestion. "I've never would have guessed the ancient tongue was just republican jibberish."
Hecatan stared at him with a blank face. "Who do you think taught the humans that republican jibberish?"
"If you want to finish want we started and destroy those who have taken from you, I suggest you stick around," Kali added.
Leo leaned back against the wall. He crossed his arms and directed the old woman to proceed. Hecatan removed a second part of the orb from her tattered garment and held both pieces in front of her.
"I call upon the essence of Phanes, bringer of light, the illuminated."
The devices rapidly spun and slowly opened up as they exposed their cores.
"In ovo creaturae!" She repeated.
The orbs stopped spinning and closed up. Looking at each other, everyone in the room paused.
"So that's it! That the light show we get," Leo smirked.
The dog lifted its head up.
"Titanas et dimittere!" She uttered.
Abruptly, Hecatan ascended from her chair and hovered above it. Her silver hair grew long and brown in color. Her face looked smoother as her wrinkles faded. Exposing a younger complexion and shape, she arched herself backward. A light beamed off the orbs and flew out the window. Glass shattered as the window broke. Hecatan descended back to her chair. Both parts of the Occulus fell to the floor.
"Now that was a light show!" Leo applauded.
Kali picked up the two pieces of the orb. She looked at Hecatan.
"Now that I have my old self back... we can begin," Hecatan instructed, opening her eyes.
"Are you ok, Madame?" Kali inquired.
"Never felt better! Soon the Titans will approach us. Time is our primary adversary."
Leo smirked. "Funny."
"Don't get smug," Kali insisted. "The coming war will not be easy. We need to mobilize our members so we can be ready. Who knows what lies ahead?"
"Don't worry yourself... The smoking hot chess master here, got everything covered."
Kali Ma shook her head.
Hecatan pulled out a drawer from her desk. Taking out an amulet, she passed the artifact to Kali.
"Take this,” she spoke with severity coming out in her tone. “We’ll need it to secure a portal."
"A portal to what?" Kali asked, receiving the amulet.
"The City of the Ancients."
Kali nodded her head as she placed it around her neck.
"Well if the ceremonial part is done, I'm going back downstairs.”
Kali glanced at Leo.
“What! We got recruits that are new and I can do well to blow off some steam now."
"Aren't you concerned about Apex retaliating at our doorstep?"
"Let them come. The new guys could use the workout."
"You and your pits."
Leo shrugged his shoulders.
"If your done wanking one another..." Hecatan interrupted. "I would like to instruct you two on how we can survive the coming storm."
The dog rose from his cushion. Walking over towards the broken glass, it sat by the window.
"Fido seems spooked," Leo observed.
"We must leave now, with haste," commanded Hecatan.
Hecatan approached Kali and held the amulet in her hand. She spun the face of the mechanical device, creating a portal that grew larger with each turn. Sparks sputtered from within the gateway as Hecatan continued to rotate the amulet. Finally, the amulet stopped spinning and a portal was opened full.
Kali, Leo, and Hecatan entered the portal as the dog stared out the window. It sat in silence as it patiently looked at the moon. A stream of light streaked across the somber sky and the dog leaned up against the edge of the casement. It barked three times before crashing through what was left of the opening and feverishly ran into the void of night.
WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES
Vault
Four shell casings laid scattered upon the floor. Sera picked up one as she stood by the entryway. She pressed it against her nose. After taking a sniff, she tossed it against the invisible wall and a small burst of energy pulsated from the barrier on impact. She picked up another one and tried again.
"It doesn't work like that, darling," Hunter assured her. "Why don't you come here so I can cover you up."
Sera dropped the metallic fragment and looked down at her body. She covered herself with one hand then reached out to Hunter with the other.
"Put this on," he instructed her. He took off his overcoat and tossed it to her. Sera picked up the garment and threw it around her shoulders.
"Good girl, now come over here and give me a hand."
She ignored his command. Instead she walked over towards the middle of the room. As she approached the cryogenic chamber, the sound of broken glass crushed below her feet. Her face grimaced as blood seeped beneath her feet. Droplets of crimson specks fell to the floor as she lifted her foot. She picked off a piece of glass then threw it at the door.
"Kid!" Hunter exclaimed.
Hunter leaned up against the wall as he applied pressure to his wound. Leo abandoned his knife into his left torso. Hunter winced as he slowly pulled it out.
"Sophia," Ethan mumbled.
Sera and Hunter both looked
at Ethan.
"The fuck you say?" Hunter demanded.
"My mother..." Ethan uttered. "He knew her name."
Hunter removed the knife from his body. He wiped the blade clean on his leg and put it in his mouth. Blood seeped out the laceration. He ripped off a portion of his sleeve and applied pressure to the wound. He approached Ethan and took the knife out of his mouth.
"What are you talking about, McCall?"
"She's not safe... she's not safe while he's out there."
Ethan's hands shook violently as he laid on the floor.
"You're losing your shit, McCall. What are you talking about."
Ethan glared at the knife in Hunter's hand. "Doesn't matter now," he uttered.
Hunter approached Ethan with the knife in his hand. Ethan looked up at him. He grabbed Ethan from off the floor and slammed him up against the wall. He pressed his knife against Ethan’s throat.
"I've waited a long time for this, brother."
Hunter slammed Ethan against the wall again.
"Never in a million years would I guess you had the balls to return."
"I didn't come for you," Ethan cried out. "What happened in that fire... where's my mother?"
"Your mother's dead...” Hunter growled, slamming Ethan with enough force that his head bounced backward. “...and soon, you will be too!"
He pressed his knife deeper into Ethan’s skin. The two struggled as Ethan resisted. They continued their skirmish until finally, Ethan vomited.
"For fuck sake!" Hunter exclaimed.
Ethan rolled over and expelled more vomit. Sera ran over to him. She rubbed his back as he hunched over.
"Stop it!” she yelled. “What are you doing to him?"
"I didn't do anything..." Hunter confessed as he backed away from them both. "His body's poisoned. He's a dead man walking."
Ethan threw up some more.
"It's probably the reason he couldn't get his shot off," Hunter smirked.
Sera looked at the damaged control console. She turned towards Ethan. Foam erupted from his mouth as he started to convulse.
"It's a seizure, Sera. Don't bother yourself with him."
Hunter walked towards the cryogenic chamber. He noticed the bandage he applied earlier was soaked with blood. He ripped off another piece of his shirt.
"Help me with this, will ya?”
Raising Sera- Lineage Page 8
