Raising Sera- Lineage

by Andre Ellison

  The demon snarled then opened its mouth wide. Two more demons approached their companion and stood on their hind legs. They lunged at Leo and held down his arms while the main demon leaped at his chest.

  Leo! Hecatan spoke telepathically. Break the illusion... They're not real.

  Leo stared up at the razor sharp teeth. The creature’s cold breath brushed against his face.

  I found Christian... she continued. He has Kali in the shrine... Don’t let him feed off your fears.

  A golden glow emitted from within the demon's throat and two eyes appeared. The terror shrieked a maddening scream and a shadowy figure flew out of its mouth.

  It went up in Leo’s nose.

  Leo extended his arms. As the terror demon entered his body, he smiled with content.

  My weight is lifted... The pressure of my guilt, release.

  The demons released Leo from their grasp. Recognizing him as if one of their own, they walked away and disappeared.

  ***

  Hecatan and ‘The Gatherer’ traded blows within the shrine room. They dance with one another in a fury of smoke and light. Hecatan copied herself into multiples of three, while Christian stood one step ahead of her by transposing into a mist.

  Metal clanged against metal as they attacked one another. As ‘The Gather’ gained his footing, he grabbed Hecatan by her throat. Another clone attacked him from the top of the statues. It leaped down at his back with her twin daggers but Christian vanished and reappeared behind Kali.

  He held his knife at her throat.

  “Enough of this,” ‘The Gatherer’ shrieked.

  “This woman…” he continued. “...you care for her... Let's test that theory.“

  Hecatan paused as she stood before them both.

  Candles in the upper sanctum extinguished their flame. One by one, they continued to snuff out towards the altar.

  She looked down at her hands. She waved them in the air in a figure of eight. Her reality bended and she watched in awe.

  “You‘re not that smart,” she responded. “Not everyone is fooled by your tricks.”

  ‘The Gatherer’ gripped Kali.

  “You think that I‘m playing?” he replied. “I am going to kill this woman!”

  Leo stood at the doorway with Erebus hanging over his shoulder.

  “Christian!” he shouted.

  Leo dropped Erebus and charged at him. ‘The Gatherer’ pierced his blade into Kali and pushed her towards Leo. As she lunged forward, Leo stabbed her torso and ‘The Gatherer’ disappeared.

  Kali fell to the floor.

  ‘The Gatherer’ materializing and summoned a dark mist. A small terror emerged from his palm and he threw it at Leo’s face. It clung to his body and absorbed into his skin.

  Leo paused as if paralyzed. His eyes turned black. As he turned towards Christian, he reached for his throat but soon disintegrated.

  ‘The Gatherer’ smiled in satisfaction.

  Hecatan‘s blade entered his back.

  He let out a shriek as he hunched over forward.

  “Just like you did to my friend, this is for those boys you hurt…” Hecatan uttered. “…and let me be clear… you took my book...”

  She stabbed him again.

  “I needed that book,” she continued.

  ‘The Gatherer’ looked up at Hecatan. He gritted his teeth as the last candles blew out in the library. He rose to his feet and took a step back. He reached out his arms and unleashed a mist of terror demons. They swirled with rebellion as they flew around him.

  He unleashed a dozen more.

  Holding his head, he fell on one knee. His body shook violently.

  “No!” he muttered. “This can‘t be right...”

  His eyes pierced the darkness with a white glow.

  “The boys…” he continued. “I can see them. I can see the boys. They’re everywhere!”

  ‘The Gatherer’ unsheathed his blade from his waistband.

  “This isn’t real!” he continued. “What are you doing to me?“

  Hecatan didn‘t respond. She watched as he pulled the knife from his back and drop it to the floor.

  “Yes…” he uttered. “Yes…YES! Come now… come all of you.”

  ‘The Gatherer’ slashed at the demons in the air.

  “Feel what true fear is!” he continued.

  The terror swarmed wildly around him. As ‘The Gatherer’ swung his blade, one by one, the demons fell solemnly to the floor. He unleashed more terrors as more demons were slain. The remaining creatures engulfed him, encasing him with fear and dread. He stabbed himself repeatedly. He fell to the floor and the terror demons vanished.

  Christian no longer moved.

  “You’re not the only one that can play mind tricks,” Hecatan scorned.

  She turned towards the altar where Kali was laid on the floor. She ran to her side and held her up. Kali began to shiver.

  “Hold still,” Hecatan warned her.

  She leaned Kali forward.

  “I’m sorry...” Kali uttered, “I didn’t think he could get to me.”

  She reached into her robe and passed the amulet to Hecatan.

  “Here…” Kali continued. “Open it for me, please. I want to see him one last time.”

  Hecatan closed her eyes and shook her head.

  “Don’t…” Kali winced. “It’s not your decision. I want to see my son!”

  Hecatan unwinded the amulet and a projection of the Sovereign Stone Crater emerged from inside the device. They watched as Pontus rolled Ethan off of Sera’s body. Motionless and frozen, Ethan lied stiff on the cold wet ground with his eyes closed.

  Kali wrapped her hand around her mouth as a tear rolled down her cheek. Hecatan closed the amulet immediately.

  “He’s gone,” Hecatan uttered.

  The tear rolled off of Kali’s chin. She held on to Hecatan and broke down instantly.

  Leo and Erebus stormed into the room. They rushed over to Hecatan and helped Kali to her feet. She released them of their grasp and slumped back down to the floor.

  The statue of Brontus rumbled as she fell. Hecatan reached for Kali’s hand. Debris fell beside her from the crumbling altar.

  “What’s going on?” Leo shouted.

  “Chronos...” Hecatan replied. “He released my father from the womb of Neoma.”

  “This place is coming down...” Erebus added. “We need to get out of here-”

  “Leave me now!” Kali interrupted as Hecatan opened a portal up. “I’m no longer any use to you.”

  “That is unacceptable,” Hecatan replied. “C’mon!”

  “My son is dead...” Kali continued. “I need to be with him now. I owe him that much.”

  Hecatan clenched her fist. Leo and Erebus stood there. Adjusting the collar of the robe around her neck, Kali let out a deep breath.

  “Before you leave, Madame, can I ask you one last thing? It’s something I promised I would do for Ethan.”

  Kali unraveled the dog tag from around her neck and held it out to Hecatan.

  “Here... take this,” she continued.

  Hecatan looked at the chain in Kali’s hand. She held the amulet against Kali’s forehead and nodded her head.

  “I understand,” she whispered, replying to Kali telepathically.

  “Just relax. Soon you will be home, my friend.”

  Carbon Copy

  Kali opened her eyes. She laid in a cache of snow and exhaled a gust of cold air. She clutched her robe close to her body. The sound of a small child laughing forced her to erect her body upright. She turned to her left. She watched as a small young girl flapped her arms and legs in the snow next to her. Kali smiled as the young girl giggle. The child rose to her feet and ran towards a foggy mist.

  Kali stood up. She looked out into the distance and searched for the girl.

  “Angela?” she called out. “You don’t have to hide anymore.”

  She walked into the thickness of the fog. The harsh smoke burned her
eyes.

  “Angela?” she continued. “Hello? Please don’t be frightened... I’m Ethan’s mom.”

  She held out her arms in front of her. The silhouette of a child was seen in the distance.

  “Angela?” she yelled.

  She approached the figure and placed her hand on the young girl’s shoulder. Kali turned her around. As the small girl looked up, she appeared with a blank face. No mouth, no eyes, and no nose.

  The little girl giggled.

  Kali stepped back and bumped into a body. She turned around quickly and Osira’s crossbow was aimed at her face. As she stared down the barrel, Kali flinched as Osira pulled the trigger. The Soulstring disappeared from Osira‘s hands and the arrow fell to the ground. Osira pushed Kali and stormed towards the little girl. She grabbed the child’s hair then dragged her into the fog.

  “No!” Kali begged. “Let her go! You don’t need to do this!”

  “Who am I?” Osira spoke from within the shroud.

  “You’re the daughter of an Awoken One,” Kali uttered.

  “Who am I?” she repeated.

  Kali did not respond.

  “WHO AM I?” Osira shrieked.

  “You’re the mother…” Kali replied after a long pause. “…to a child named, Seraphina.”

  The fog opened up and Osira emerged. She soared over Kali’s head as Nyx carried her in her arms.

  Kali stood firm in the snow.

  “Without that little girl neither one of you can exist.”

  The child appeared from within the fog. She propelled herself in a wheelchair as she approached Kali. She applied her brakes then lifted herself up. The young girl looked up at Kali. Together they turned towards the sky.

  Nyx shrilled an ominous shriek.

  “Who am I?” the girl spoke in a soft voice.

  She continued to look upward.

  “I don’t know anymore...” she continued. “Do you think I’m lost.”

  Kali sighed as she looked at the girl.

  “You are a person that many people care for... you are not lost, my dear.”

  Kali held her hand.

  “But you have to decide the person you want to be and stick to it... That is how you will master all that is within you.”

  “Sera...” The girl uttered. “Sera is my child, right?”

  “Yes,” Kali agreed. “And she’s also my granddaughter-”

  “I like Grim...” The girl interrupted.

  “Where is Ethan?” she continued.

  Kali’s eyes widen as she fought back the pain in her throat. She inhaled deeply as the sorrow overcome her.

  “Ethan is gone,” she uttered. “Ethan is...”

  Kali fell to her knees. She buried her hands into the snow.

  “Is he coming back?” a woman‘s voice spoke. “He promised me he would protect us.”

  Kali stared down at her hands in the snow as the shadow of the young girl grew in size. She remained silent.

  “It’s finally nice to meet you, you know… his mom and all!”

  Angela placed her hand on Kali‘s shoulder. She then leaned in and hugged her.

  “Please don’t be mad at me,” Angela whispered. She wiped a tear from Kali’s eye. Kali returned the favor and gave her a smile.

  “I’ll find grim...” Angela continued. “That’s my promise to you.”

  She reached up her hand and held it towards the sky.

  Osira leaped towards the ground and the impact forced Kali back in the snow. Osira charged towards Angela in a screaming rage.

  Kali turned on her side.

  She slumped over the body of Sera and bumped into Ethan. Terrified, she shrieked. She turned back over.

  Nyx fell from the sky. She collided with Osira and crushed her with her heels. As Nyx rose up from the broken woman, she got to her feet and stalked towards Angela. She reached for her hand then leaned in and kissed her.

  Angela hesitated but returned the gesture. Nyx pulled her in and phased into her body.

  Kali turned back towards Ethan. She watched as a titan hurled over the dog. She let out a gasp as it formed an ice shard from its hand.

  Angela lowered her head as she knelt down on the ground. She held out a trembling arm. As Pontus threw his lance, a dark shroud projected from her hand. The beam surrounded the dog and it formed a protective barrier.

  “Amazing!” Kali exclaimed. “You have found your control.”

  Angela vanished in the thickness of the fog.

  “I have,” she replied, ceremoniously. “Goodbye, Sophia! Now you can rest.”

  ***

  Hecatan released her palm against Kali’s forehead. She stood up and slowly backed away with both sadness and content. Kali was no longer breathing.

  Hecatan noticed noticed the dog tag. She bent back down and retrieved it. Hecatan studied the course metal at the end of a thin ball bearing chain.

  “Soldier 145, McCall,“ she read.

  Hecatan balled the chain then put it in her back pocket.

  Leo hunched over beside Kali. He leaned her forward and extracted the knife from her back.

  “What are you doing?” Hecatan demanded.

  “Collecting a sample,” he replied as he slit Kali’s wrist.

  Blood touched the blade as it trickled down her fingertips. He ripped a piece of her sleeve then wrapped the knife with it.

  “You never know…” he continued. “We might get lucky… find one of those flowers of yours or something.”

  Hecatan stared at him with a stupid grin.

  “Let‘s go to the others…” he uttered. “My wife is still out there… and so is Jubilee.”

  A book fell from off a shelf. It dropped to the floor and bounced next to Leo. He shuttered away and stood next to Hecatan.

  “This place ain‘t holdin’ Missy!”

  Hecatan spun the dial on the amulet. She looked up at her parents as debris fell from off the statues. A rush of air exited her lungs. Her face went pale.

  As a tremors shook up the floor beneath them, the altar of the titans split in two.

  “Shangri La has fallen,” she whispered.

  The remaining candles fell to the floor. A fire erupted as the darkness of the room was illuminated in part. Leo snatched the amulet from Hecatan‘s hand. A blinding white light sputtered into existence.

  Leo grabbed Hecatan and directed Erebus to follow. The three of them covered their faces as the blistering cold hit them. They entered the tundra with a giant leap and left the crippling altar behind.

  THE SUMMIT

  Transmitter

  Neoma dragged her body across the desolate crater. She searched for the strength, inch by inch, to reach the wounded dog. Approaching the animal, she collapsed to the ground. The whimpers of the canine provoked her to cry.

  “Father,” she stuttered. “If you can hear you... Please forgive me.”

  She placed her hand upon the dog.

  “I have failed the Protogenoi. I have failed you... my king.”

  The dog panted heavy then closed its eyes in response.

  A portal opened a few yards ahead of her. As Hecatan, Erebus, and Leo stepped out towards the crater, Leo rushed pass the group and slid to his wife. Hecatan approached Ethan. Erebus stood in silence.

  Cold air pushed out from a set of lungs not belonging to Ethan. Hecatan took notice as she stood over his body.

  “It is safe to come out,” she uttered. “You can show yourself now.”

  With a few sniffling tears, Osira revealed herself. She looked up at Hecatan as she knelt beside Ethan. She held tight to his hand. Erebus approached her.

  “Who are you people?” she uttered.

  Hecatan lowered herself. She reached for Ethan’s other hand.

  “We’re companions,” she replied.

  Osira glanced down at Hecatan holding Ethan’s hand. She then looked over and noticed Leo with Neoma.

  “You want me to believe... that we’re friends?”

  “More or less,” Hec
atan replied.

  “I don’t know you,” Osira insisted. She looked down at Ethan. “He has so many secrets... I’ve had yet to see him have the patience for friends.”

  “I’m not his companion...” Erebus interrupted. “He took my cloak.”

  Erebus reached for his garment. Hecatan slapped his hand then gave him a mean stare.

  “What?” Erebus shrugged. “It’s not like he needs it anymore.”

  Hecatan looked back at Osira.

  “I know you are waking up to all this, Angela. The person you were can no longer come back. I’m gonna need you to help me and I can’t let you refuse. The time to explain must be later.”

  Osira stared back at her. She let go of Ethan’s hand.

  “What is it that you want me to do?”

  Erebus looked at her surprised.

  “Tell me where Chronos took Sera,” Hecatan asked.

  Osira’s face went blank.

  “I don’t know...” she replied. “...what are you asking from me.”

  Hecatan searched through Ethan’s chest pocket.

  “What are you doing?” Osira scolded.

  “He had a device,” Hecatan replied. “It could locate Sera and-”

  Stopping mid-sentence, Hecatan pointed towards Ethan’s buttock.

  “Do you mind?” she continued.

  “Yes!” Osira exclaimed, highly annoyed. “In fact, I do mind!”

  Hecatan leaned back and put up her hands.

  “Ugh,” Osira uttered. “Fine.”

  She searched the back pocket and found the device. She gave it a look over then passed it over to Hecatan. It was still configured to locate Sera, but Hecatan noticed the energy bar of the battery was low. She banged the device with her hand as the screen flickered. It dimmed down then vanished.

  “Great!” Erebus exclaimed. “We have nothing to show for.”

  “Calm yourself,” Hecatan scolded. “The device may be broke but we still have the amulet.”

  “Enough of your banter!” Erebus replied. “I am no closer to finding my sister then before we came here!”

  Hecatan rose to her feet. She stared back at him with a cold gaze.

  “You are out of line!” she scoffed.

  Erebus met her gaze, refusing to blink.

  “I don’t approve of your methods,” he uttered. “Nothing is getting done and we are running out of time.”