Raising Sera- Lineage

by Andre Ellison

“I said...” Hecatan replied. “...we will find a way.”

  Erebus shook his head and walked away.

  “Hey!” Hecatan called out to him. “Since you’re a mortal now, you might wanna get used to enduring tribulation. It’s how the human spirit works.”

  Osira stood up. Hecatan approached her as she reached in her back pocket. She pulled out a dog tag.

  “Here,” she uttered to Osira. “Take this... it belonged to him. It came from his mother.”

  Osira reached out her hand and received the chain. She turned towards Ethan and lifted his head with care. As she placed the medallion around his neck, she kissed his forehead then laid him back down on the ground.

  Leo approached them. He pulled at Hecatan and spun her around. He clutched her in a choke hold and reached for his blade.

  “You did this,” he growled. “You miserable little-”

  Hecatan kicked him. She sidestepped his back leg and flipped him over her shoulder. Erebus jumped on his back in a rush to pin him to the ground. As they both landed face first in the dirt, Erebus forced Leo to eat mud and snow. Hecatan marched towards them both. She kicked the blade from Leo’s hand.

  “What is the meaning of this?” she erupted. “You better speak now and speak quickly!”

  Leo struggled to lift up his head.

  Hecatan nodded to Erebus. He loosen his grip and Leo huffed out a chunk of some dirt.

  “She’s dead,” Leo uttered.

  Hecatan looked at Neoma.

  “The lifestream,” she whispered.

  Erebus applied more pressure on Leo.

  Leo gurgled, face deep in the ground.

  Hecatan nodded to Erebus. He released his hold then stood up.

  “I told her to take it back...” Leo cried. “I told her I wasn’t worthy.”

  “Pick him up!” Hecatan directed.

  Erebus grabbed Leo. He held him up with his sword at his throat. Hecatan approached them both.

  “Leonidas...” she uttered. “What did you do?”

  He stared back at her with a heavy pant. He lowered his head.

  “The flood,” he uttered.

  Hecatan lifted his chin.

  “What about it?” she replied.

  “Everything changed...”

  Leo interrupted himself and took in a deep breath.

  “I sat beside an old tree as I watched Jubilee play in the field. I closed my eyes as she wandered off. I figured there were no threats and she wouldn’t go off far. As I drifted to sleep, oblivious to her absence, I awoke only be covered by rain. I called out to her... but the flood came. I searched and ran as much as my body would allow. It wasn’t until I heard Jubilee’s voice in a water well that I regained my strength. She was trapped, and there was nothing I could do. There was so much water... all of it... everywhere. I could barely save myself. Neoma had a meeting with Uranus. She told me to retreat to a place called Shangri La. I never went there. I never got the chance to save our daughter.”

  Hecatan stared at him.

  “All that is over now,” she confirmed. “Jubilee may not be here in the physical form, but she still lives within Sera. You must remember that. Neoma gave you her divinity. There is more work for us... for you to do. Don’t let her sacrifice die in vain.”

  Leo nodded his head.

  The roaring of engines grew louder in the distance. Without warning, five jeeps branded with the Apex logo drove into the crater. As they stormed towards the group, Apex uniformed soldiers hopped out of the transport and drew their weapons.

  “Hold it right there...” boomed a voice from a public announcement speaker. “Drop your weapons and put up your hands!”

  The group acknowledged the trucks that surrounded them. High beams from the headlights of the trucks washed across their faces. They all put their hands above their heads in unison.

  “Hecatan!” Leo whispered. “You got that amulet ready?”

  Hecatan forced herself to nod her head.

  An Apex soldier unhatched his helmet. Revealing a teenage girl, the soldier dropped her weapon and ran towards the group. The other soldiers remained in formation.

  “Ethan!” the young girl cried out.

  She slid by his side, lowering herself.

  “Ethan,” she continued. “Wake up... C’mon Ethan... WAKE UP!”

  Osira looked at the girl.

  “Do you know of him?” she asked.

  “Did any of you?” the young girl scolded.

  She reached for Ethan’s hand.

  “He was a stranger,” she admitted. “But he was also a guardian.”

  The girl soldier rose to her feet.

  “Tell me who did this?” she demanded.

  Osira shrugged.

  Alex looked down at Ethan. She held up her fist. The rest of the soldiers waited in position. She slowly lower her arm as she gazed upon Osira. The Apex soldiers lowered their weapons.

  “I’m thankful...” she whispered.

  Osira squinted her eyes.

  “My name is Alex,” the girl uttered. She held out her hand to her.

  A truck door opened from one of the rear vehicles. An Apex soldier, big in appearance, emerged and approached the group. He was decorated with stripes and many colors on his uniform. With a flick of his two fingers, he commanded the Apex soldiers to raise their weapons. In unison, the clanking percussion of assault rifles resonated with harmony.

  “Stand down, Alex,” the man ordered.

  He approached Osira and the young girl. He glanced down at Ethan as he hovered over them. They all stood in silence.

  “So this the man?” he uttered to Alex.

  She nodded her head, trying not to meet his eyes.

  “Yes, Commander... he is.”

  The commander glanced at Ethan. He gritted his teeth.

  “You know what to do then...”

  He turned towards his vehicle and called upon his squadron.

  “Gather them all up...” he ordered. “We’re heading out!”

  The group fell to their knees as Apex soldiers advanced on them. With weapons drawn, the soldiers applied restraints to their hands and feet. One by one, they separated the four into the different vehicles. The Apex soldiers then gathered the remains of Ethan, Neoma and the dog.

  Convergence

  Hecatan sat in a chair next to Erebus, across from Leo and away from Osira. All of them were restrained by a chain looped through a ring that hung underneath the table. They stared at each other in silence. A security camera watched from above.

  “I’ll say it,” Leo broke the silence. “This is horseshit!”

  The group ignored him. They directed their attention to the door instead. A hulking Apex officer entered the room. He walked around the table then returned to the door. He stood there in silence. Alex walked in and acknowledged him.

  “Commander Tarquin,” she announced.

  He cleared his throat.

  “You told me this group would be useful,” he spoke.

  Alex walked pass the commander.

  “All I see here is misfits and murderers.”

  The group pulled at the chain and erupted from their seats in unison.

  Tarquin pounded his fist on the table.

  “HEY!” Tarquin exclaimed. “I DEMAND ORDER!”

  The group stood silence.

  Tarquin directed Alex to proceed.

  “Welcome,” she uttered with a slight grin. “I hope you know, it’s not our intention to keep you here as prisoners...”

  Leo sucked in his teeth.

  “Understand, the current state of the world... we cannot afford to open our colony to every group that set off our alarms and transmitter. With that said...”

  Alex turned towards Commander Tarquin.

  “...I’m here to vouch for the four of you.”

  Erebus looked at the young girl.

  “Me too?”

  Commander Tarquin turned towards Alex. She twisted her lip and shrugged her shoulders.

  �
�I’m not sure about you, buddy! I may need the rest of you to keep an eye on him.”

  Erebus dropped his head on the table.

  “Why are you keeping us?” Leo spoke. “What is this place?”

  “You’re in our substation...” Tarquin replied. “It belonged to Apex Innovations.”

  He approached Leo.

  “You are located at the Northern Crater...” he continued, lowering himself to Leo. “That’s all you need to know.”

  “So we’re safe then,” Leo uttered. “You heard the girl... She vetted for us!”

  Commander Tarquin walked back towards the entrance. He banged his fist upon the steel door. Two Apex officers walked in. They approached the group at both sides of the table and released the group from their bondage.

  “Where’s Ethan?” Osira demanded. “Where are you holding him?”

  Alex approached her.

  “Ethan’s body is in the infirmary,” she spoke. “The woman is in there and so is the dog”

  “Noema,” Leo exclaimed. “Take me to her!”

  “We have other things to attend with-“

  Leo ignored Tarquin and rushed towards the door. The two guards raised their weapons. Leo turned to Tarquin. The commander squinted his eyes. Leo clenched his fist. Commander Tarquin signaled for the guards to lower their weapons.

  “Go,” he ordered Leo.

  Leo rushed out the door and ran up the hallway.

  “Follow him,” he directed his soldiers.

  Osira cleared her throat.

  “We’ll do what we can for your friends,” Tarquin responded, replying to Osira’s gesture.

  “The dog is in critical condition. With some rest and our best medical staff, I expect him to make a decent recovery. As for Ethan and the other woman, we will have preparation made to do a ceremonial cremation.”

  “How did you meet Ethan?” Angela asked Alex.

  “Let me answer that!” Tarquin interrupted. “I ran into the girl back in New Gate. My team and I were scavenging for survivors when I noticed those creatures rounding up a group of people on the main street. We concealed our whereabouts high from the rooftop. I watched from a distance as this mysterious creature chased this girl up an alleyway. She fell to the ground. I should have left the situation alone. Against my better judgment, I intervened and helped this young girl escape. To my surprise, it was I who needed her. Helping her escape, I learned that my son tried to save her sister. Ethan came into the picture... He didn’t save either one... but he didn’t walk away either.”

  “He’s like that,” Osira replied.

  “What did that creature look like?” Hecatan spoke.

  “I can’t describe him...” Alex replied. “It was dark... but he wore a black torn up hoodie... and he smelled gross.”

  Hecatan glanced at Tarquin.

  “He will never hurt another person again,” she confirmed.

  Alex nodded her head.

  “Apex Corporation dismantled with the outbreak of demons and such,” Commander Tarquin spoke.

  He walked around the group.

  “As the head of my unit, I have the responsibility of collecting all survivors and regrouping them here in the substation.”

  Osira looked at him puzzled.

  “By order of who?” she inquired.

  Tarquin stared back at her.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” he uttered.

  “The resemblance is uncanny...” he whispered.

  He approached Osira.

  “A team of mine retrieved your mother...” he continued. “...from the Belmont estate.”

  Osira leaned against the table and planted her face in her arms.

  “I see you may need time to process that,” he added. “I won’t rush the introduction.”

  Tarquin and Alex left the interrogation room.

  Hecatan leaned over to Osira.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “I don’t understand,” she replied. “I have her memery. And what I remember is that I haven’t seen her in years.”

  “She’s alive, Angela,” Hecatan uttered. “When the time is right, you will be ready.”

  A siren blared outside the interrogation room.

  “What is that?” Erebus asked, covering his ears with his hands.

  “He reached the infirmary!” Hecatan shouted.

  ***

  The alarm blared overhead while flashing red lights spiraled from their fixtures. Hecatan’s breath was heavy and her heart was pounding. All she could think about was getting to the infirmary as soon as possible. Erebus trailed behind her while the charging Apex soldiers blocked her view of the pictographs leading to the room. She follow them through the corridors of the Apex substation.

  “STOP IT!” Leo screamed

  Hecatan followed the soldiers as they approached the door to the infirmary. She placed her hand on one of the soldier’s shoulder, gesturing him to let her proceed. The soldier hesitated before lowering his weapon. She reached for the door handle and entered.

  “Leonidas!” Hecatan hollered, extending her arm out to him. “What is the meaning of this?”

  Blood dripped from the knife Leo held in his hand. He stood above the examination table Ethan laid upon. Against the wall, two Apex soldiers laid dead on the floor. Multiple wounds lacerated their face.

  Leo banged his fist against his forehead.

  “I can’t take that fucking dog’s voice... Tell him to shut the fuck up!”

  “Bastard!” he continued, pointing his knife at the dog. “Stay out of my head!”

  Apex soldiers stormed into the room.

  “Listen, Leonidas,” Hecatan uttered. “Relax and please listen.”

  “No,” he replied, thrashing the medical supplies of a neighboring counter to the floor. “Neoma is coming with me... we’re leaving this place NOW!”

  The soldiers all raised their weapons in unison.

  “Ugh,” Leo continued. “Leave me alone!”

  Hecatan noticed the red beams scattered upon Leo’s chest. She questioned the idea of the soldier's distance to be overkill.

  “Your connection with Gaia is at full strength,” she shouted. “You are one... let her rest.”

  “NONSENSE!” Leo bellowed. “She is returning to me! We will be one again!”

  “You two are one!” Hecatan replied. “Listen to the voice, Leo.”

  The dog on the table whimpered.

  “Gaia had the ability to communicate with all creatures,” she continued. “If you are hearing the voice of my dog it must be for a reason. Focus on that voice, Leo.”

  “UGH,” Leo roared.

  He threw a metal container at Hecatan then lunged at the dog with the knife.

  Erebus and Tarquin entered the room. They rushed past the guards and towards Leo. After plunging the knife into the dog’s heart, Leo paused. The two men restrained him.

  “It stopped,” Leo uttered.

  Tarquin and Erebus pulled him away from the table.

  Leo slumped to the floor. His collared shirt dripped with blood. Osira appeared from transparency and stood behind him. She held a bloody scalpel in her hand. She looked up at Hecatan and dropped the utensil.

  Hecatan stared at Leo’s body. She then turned her face and looked at her dog.

  “Idiot,” she muttered.

  She approached the scalpel and picked it up. She held it firm, observing the blood drip off of the blade and on to the floor. She lunged at Leo and stabbed him in his neck. Leo slumped forward and coughed. A pool of blood circled around him. Tarquin and Erebus both released him.

  “What in the world just happen?” Erebus spoke.

  Hecatan stared at him.

  “There is nothing left here for us...” Hecatan trailed off. “We are done here.”

  “Won’t he be back,” Erebus uttered.

  Hecatan looked at her dog again. She fell to her knees and dropped her head.

  “I’ll be ready...” she growled. “I’ll be ready and I’l
l kill him again.”

  Osira approached Hecatan. She lifted her up from off the floor.

  “The knife...” Hecatan uttered.

  Osira turned towards the blade in the dog’s stomach.

  “...it was used to kill Sophia,” she continued.

  Osira approached the dog.

  “Ethan’s mom?”

  “Correct.”

  Osira touched the handle of the blade.

  Hecatan nodded her head.

  Osira pulled out the knife with hesitation. As she held it in her hand, the blood from the dog trickled down the handle and on to her wrist. Her eyes widen.

  “We can bring them back,” she whispered.

  Tarquin and Erebus looked at each other.

  “Repeat that again?” Tarquin uttered.

  “The flower...” she replied. “We need to find an Oblivious.”

  “Foolish girl,” Hecatan mocked. “That’s only a fairy tale.”

  “Tell me about resurgemus then.”

  Hecatan lifted her head.

  “What did you say?”

  Osira approached Hecatan.

  “That woman...” she replied, pointing to Neoma. “I heard her repeat it when that creature attacked.”

  Hecatan glanced over at Leo. She opened up her palm and Osira passed her the knife. She approached Leo’s body. Gritting her teeth, she then stared at Tarquin.

  The Apex soldiers aimed their weapons in her directions. Tarquin stood in silence. As one of the guards began to approach her. Tarquin called him off.

  “Do what you need to do,” he scoffed at Hecatan. “I never did like the guy.”

  Hecatan knelt down in front of Leo. She held the blade with both hands high above her head. Plunging the blade deep into his chest, she closed her eyes.

  “Resurgemus,” she recited.

  A warm greenish glow filled the center of the infirmary. The aura of Gaia’s face appeared on top of Leo’s. As the mother of the titans rose from his body, Hecatan fell back on her elbows.

  Gaia stood in front of Leo. She turned around and knelt down in front of his body. She caressed his face then leaned forward towards his lips.

  Osira stabbed Leo in his throat, preventing the aura from kissing him. She rushed towards Hecatan and lifted her up again.

  “Do it now,” Hecatan ordered.

  Osira pulled the knife out of Leo’s throat. As she ran back towards Ethan, Leo slumped to the floor.

  “I’m ready,” she panted.