by Matthew Fish
“I umm,” Maddie said as she felt slightly embarrassed with Emily’s comfortableness with her nudity as her breasts were fully on display. “I would go with whatever you’ll be faster in…”
“Well, get dressed Maddie,” Emily said as she nodded.
“Right,” Maddie said as she climbed out of bed and stepped into the blue panties. She clasped the matching blue bra and climbed into a pair of her tight fitting, white jeans. She placed a red, long sleeved shirt on, and then she placed her Heart Sash on and covered it up with her white Conductor jacket. She buttoned the collar of the short jacket as she placed the quiver around her back and the bow string over her chest. She checked her pistols to make sure they were fully loaded and shoved a few clips into her pockets. She reached back and pulled her long blonde hair into a ponytail and looked over to Emily as she was zipping up her mended cat eared hoodie. Emily placed a familiar green metal weapon into her backpack as she attempted to place it over her shoulders while steadying her purse filled with lighters.
“Looking good, bitch slayer,” Emily said as she ran her fingers across the silver embroidered letters. I count Cain as a bitch for fucking us over—so that now counts for two people.”
Mark placed his red velvet Schmied Vest over a white long-sleeved shirt. He raised his arms as Emily helped him place his Standard tightly against his waist. He seemed to be losing a bit of weight and would feel rather silly if it slipped off in the heat of battle. He finally placed his “Death Tosser” jacket on. He did not think he’d be putting it on so early after his encounter with Cain that fateful day. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his semi-automatic pistol. He inspected it for a moment and replaced it back into its holster. “Well…we all look the part.”
“We look like we’re ready to kill some fuckers,” Emily added as she placed her arms around Maddie and Mark. She projected them out of the house and outside. Thin grey clouds filled the air overhead. Two inches of snow rested against the ground—it was a little bit warmer today, but a chill wind filled the air. Lily stood nearby, dressed in her hunter outfit as Sun and Leaf stood beside her. William and Felecia were both dressed in black, they had a small arsenal of guns strapped to their backs and pistols in every possible location they could see fit to place them. Hazamel stood there silently with Abelio’s axe in his right hand, and the dark wooden staff in his other. He nodded as Mark, Emily and Maddie approached.
“Where’s Amelia?” Emily asked.
“Already headed towards the Manor,” Lily said as she led the group toward the forest nearby. “We should be on our way as well.”
“To those of you uninitiated,” Emily began as she and Mark were led to a tall, great White Stag. “This ride isn’t the most fun…”
“There will be passages through time,” Lily explained. “You will see them as a road approaches, or something manmade—a shimmering field will appear, it will have a rainbow color. Lower your body on the stag you are riding and hold on tightly to the antlers.”
“I used to ride horses,” William said as he nodded. “Should be easy enough…”
“Amelia took to it very well,” Lily added.
“Of course she did, little shit…” Emily muttered as Mark helped Emily atop the stag.
“To think I would have a chance to ride upon the White Stag,” Hazamel spoke as he placed a hand upon his stag’s head. “It is an honor.”
“You won’t be saying that when you’re passed out sick,” Emily spoke.
“Wait, am I going to pass out?” Felecia asked nervously as she attempted to steady herself atop the beast.
“Last time, it was only Emily who passed out,” Lily spoke as she, Leaf, and Sun, mounted three white stags. The three of them were armed with bows and arrows. Lily softly dug her heels into the stag’s sides as she grabbed onto the antlers and led the large group into the woods.
“I forgot how much I hated this shit,” Emily spoke as she squeezed tightly onto Mark as the stag began to dart back and forth erratically through the trees.
“Thanks to Amelia’s contract—the passages through time should be very few,” Lily spoke as she maneuvered her stag over a large fallen tree. She lowered her body against the stag’s as a shimmering passage lay ahead over a small gravel road. “Everyone down…!”
The sound of hooves, like a distant thunder, filled the air as each stag raced its way through the passage. The group swiftly made their way through and emerged in a brilliant autumn forest with a long field nearby. The large group of White Stags galloped their way through the field at an impressive speed as Lily led the charge. Another passage shimmered ahead as a few buildings popped up on the horizon.
“This is an amazing experience,” Hazamel spoke as he lowered his body against the beast and felt the strange feeling that accompanied the passage. He marveled at the rainbow colored shimmer—his world was very bleak and more black and white than this world.
“It definitely is,” William added as a big smile filled his face.
“I could get used to this,” Felecia added as she looked to William and nodded.
“I’ve kinda missed this,” Maddie whispered.
“Enough with all the, bullshit…” Emily said as her stomach churned. “I’ll never get used to this zigzagging flippity fucking stuff.”
“You alright back there, Emily?” Mark asked as placed a hand upon Emily’s as he kept one on the stag’s antler.
“I’ll live,” Emily muttered. “Just as long as there aren’t too many more of these damned things…”
“Passage up ahead,” Lily announced as she lowered herself down. They passed through the shimmering glow and emerged on the other side. A Red Manor was visible in the distance. Lily pressed her heels into the stag’s body as they raced onward. A long thin rushing river was to their left. The group of stags reached the new Red Manor. Everyone dismounted in the forest nearby. Lily, Leaf and Sun remained by the entrance of the forest as stags entered and then reemerged in human forms. The thirty-three men and women were armed with bows, staves, knives and long spears. Lily brought over two of the White Stags and presented them to the group.
“This is my mother, Elise,” Lily spoke as she gestured toward the fair, blue eyed woman.”
“We have heard a lot about you,” Mark said as he nodded and smiled. “I am glad that Lily was able to find you again.”
“I am pleased that Lily has gained the trust of such fine company,” Elise spoke as she bowed.
“This is my father, Ryan,” Elise spoke as a dark haired young man with grey eyes approached. “I am happy to have you with us. These are very trying times—our people are all but lost. This is our best hope for saving many lives.”
“We will do the best we can,” Maddie said as she looked to the Red Manor. White Stag soldiers were dipping their weapons into a tiny bucket of blood. Remembering that her arrows needed to be coated, she rushed over—she did not want to use her own again. “It is glad to meet you both. I must attend to my arrows…sorry!”
“I wish we had more time to talk,” Elise spoke as she headed off towards the Red Manor. “However, I fear we do not have much time.”
“Understood,” Mark said as he followed behind. “Everyone…to the Red Manor…”
“Do you like what I’ve done here?” Amelia asked as she pointed to the large rushing river that lay just a short distance beyond the door.
“You made a river?” Maddie asked.
“I merely diverted part of one to this location, I wrote it up in the contract along with all that other stuff I was supposed to write in,” Amelia spoke.
“And what river would this be?” William asked as he grew a little concerned.
“I don’t know, the Mississippi or the Illinois—one of the two,” Amelia said as she shrugged and raised her hands in front of her and marveled at the swiftly flowing river. “They shall have a hard time crossing that, plus I can use it to build a barrier.”
“You do realize that what you did here…also effec
ts our time,” Maddie spoke as she looked at the rushing water. “If that’s the Mississippi, it’s pretty far from its home.”
“It’s only a small part of it, if that’s the river I stole from,” Amelia said as she smiled. “I didn’t want it to be too terribly big, I wouldn’t be able to control it.”
“I think it’s pretty fucking smart,” Emily said as she patted Amelia on her head. “Just as long as they don’t bring a bridge or something…”
“I’ve never seen water in a state that was not frozen,” Hazamel spoke as he wandered off towards the water. “This is extremely fascinating…”
“Well, he’s an easily amused one isn’t he,” Emily said as she shrugged and walked off to join the large group that amassed in front of the Red Manor.
A low rumbled filled the quiet fall air as the sound of marching footsteps could be heard in the distance from the forest beyond the river. It was a terrible growling sound, oppressive as it carried the sound of dread with it as it approached on the wind. Some of the White Stag soldiers were beginning to panic as a thick black dust filled the air like a low fog.
“You should speak to them, Lily,” Mark said as he placed his hand upon her shoulder. “Your people are afraid.”
“I do not know what to say that I haven’t said already,” Lily spoke as she looked to the cloud of black that filled the air as the thunderous footsteps approached.
“Do not be Afraid!” Mark shouted as he stood in front of the large, three storied, and red-bricked manor. “I’m…not really one for speeches at times like this. Then again—I’ll think that I will never grow used to times like this. I was afraid to come here…to face this Cernunnos. But, when I think about what we will lose if we fail today…I realize that we have to be here. We must make this stand. The future depends upon us. We may not be many, but we have brave and talented people among us. Millions of lives will be spared if we can simply kill Cernunnos—an entire race of people will survive and not be denied an existence because of the ignorance of a supposed god. Personally, I fight for my friends. That is where I draw my courage. Look inside of yourselves, each and every one of you. Think of those that you care for—maybe those that you’ve even lost, and make this stand for them. They are watching, I know this to be true. I have lost many friends…but, yeah. I know they are all watching now, they know what I must do and I will do it for them. Do the same, find that strength inside of yourself, and do what you must!”
“Thank you,” Lily spoke as she nodded. “Mark will lead us. Follow his instruction and we will make it through this.”
“They are getting close,” Emily spoke as she reached into her purse and pulled out a handful of lighters.
“Amelia, get an ice wall up—anyone with a bow, aim high and hope for the best, but do not release until our barrier falls.” Mark said as the large force came into view. If he had to guess, there were about three hundred or so on Cernunnos’s side. A huge step down from what they might face after he ravaged Chicago—but still, not something to take lightly.
“William, Felecia, stay close to Maddie and I,” Mark said as he nodded to the two heavily armed Spotters. “Call out dates as quickly as you can.”
“Got it,” William said as he readied his assault rifle.
“Alright, boss,” Felecia added as she pointed her gun to the large crowd that grew and formed a huge line against the river.
“Hazamel…I want you to stay out of sight until Cernunnos approaches. Perhaps we might be able to reason with him when he sees Abelio’s axe. Probably not, but—let’s give him something to fear.”
“A wise move, I believe,” Hazamel spoke as he held Abelio’s axe to his chest and disappeared into the small crowd of White Stags.
“Ice wall going up,” Amelia spoke as she brought her hands up and created a large thick shield. “Surprised the barrier let me do that.”
“I suppose it does not find it threatening,” Lily spoke as she looked through the unusual surface of the ice.
“We could take a lot of them out if you blew that thing apart,” Felecia said as she placed a hand upon Amelia’s shoulder. “Your call though, boss.”
“Well, can’t argue with that, the barrier will protect us from any stray shards, right?” Mark spoke as he mulled over the idea.
“It will,” Lily said with a single nod.
“Well, whenever you can,” Mark said as he turned to Amelia. Amelia placed her hands together as large cracks began to form on the surface of the wall. Just as she was about to make it explode—a mirror-like surface covered their view and reflected back the image of the small force in front of the Red Manor. Amelia sent a million shards of ice flying forward, instead—however, the splinters came back towards Red Manor. Mark flinched as ice shards crackled and fell apart against the barrier a few feet from where he was standing. Everyone took cover for a moment, until they realized they were well protected.
“Well that’s a shitty trick,” Emily said as she readied the lighters in her hand. The moment the barrier came down she was ready to light some fires.
The mirror slowly rotated as the army reappeared, only this time the river was at their backs. A large youth, pale, muscled and with large glowing blue eyes stood at the very front of the large force. He carried with him the jagged white scythe of the Ankou—its blade was covered in crimson red blood. Beside him stood a man in a gold suit with messy dark hair, he laughed as he looked upon the pitiful force that stood in his way.
“That was an even shittier trick,” Maddie said as she shook her head. The river was of no use as a barrier now that it was at the far end of the expansive field.
“Hey…is that you little piquer?” Zampa spoke as he knocked on the shimmering barrier. “You don’t look a day older… Hey little cunt…shit, Felecia and Amelia—what are you doing, collecting my daughters? Not like I give two shits…”
“You told me that their Red Manor was far to the south,” Cernunnos spoke as he turned to Zampa. “It matters not. I have a force of three hundred and fifty Perpetuals, White Stags, and Mortals. Lay down your weapons and join my cause and you may all live. I seek to bring peace to this world, and stop its end.”
“That is where you are wrong,” Hazamel spoke as he emerged from the crowd and came as close as the barrier would allow to Cernunnos. “You see this axe? It has been lent to me by the god Abelio—I am the Child of Elatha and Luna. This ‘end’ that you speak of does not happen for two centuries. That is the time of my people.”
“Elatha has not cared to stop me thus far,” Cernunnos spoke in his deep unnerving voice. “If he has grown so oblivious to what goes on until it is far too late, then I dare say that he is not much of a god after all.”
“It is his will that you stop, disperse your army and return to the Otherworld,” Hazamel spoke, ignoring Cernunnos’s words. “If not we will take you down by force.”
“Your barrier will not protect you,” Cernunnos spoke. “With just a single swipe of my scythe Death Bringer, your barrier will fail. What then, can forty do against three hundred and fifty?”
“Bring down our barrier and find out,” Hazamel spoke as he struck his staff into the ground and held Abelio’s axe with both hands. The blade erupted into flames as he held it up into the air.
“As you wish, little rodent,” Cernunnos said as he brought his scythe high into the air and sliced away through the barrier. It fell always and dispersed into the ground.
“Everyone, fire…! With everything you have!” Mark commanded. As arrows began to fly through the air and bullets spread out toward the large force.
“Stop firing!” Leaf exclaimed as the mirrored barrier rose once more. A stray arrow flew back at the group as they dodged their own arrows. William grabbed Felecia as they ducked for cover as bullets flew past them and lodged themselves into the brick of the Red Manor.
“Enough of this,” Hazamel spoke as he brought Abelio’s axe high above his head and brought it down upon the mirror. At first it slightly cracked, as he
pushed harder with all of his strength the mirror began to shatter away. As the blade completely breached the barrier the mirror exploded and fell to the ground in a shimmering dust.
“Fire again!” Mark shouted.
“Kill them! Kill them all!” Cernunnos shouted as he brought his blade down towards Hazamel who quickly turned to smoke and darted past the blow at lightening fast speed.
Felecia and William began firing into the crowd as Emily threw her handful of lighters into a large group up front setting them ablaze. She quickly pulled her backpack off of her shoulders as the large force began advancing upon them. She pulled out the shoulder mounted RPG and faced it to a large group that was growing unsettlingly close. She fired into the crowd sending up a vast array of body parts as she took away a huge chunk from the front line. Amelia dug into her own backpack and started tossing water bottles into the crowd, turning them into ice and shattering them as quickly as she could. The white stags formed a line and thrusted their spears into the force advancing upon them. Emily threw more lighters igniting a roaring fire within center of the force. Hazamel reappeared behind Cernunnos as he brought his axe down. Cernunnos dodged the blow and attempted to strike Hazamel who quickly turned to smoke once more. Mark took note that Cernunnos was rather fixated upon Hazamel. They might be in good shape as long as they could take a majority of his force while he was distracted.
“Conductors are useless…when you’ve got their blood on your weapons,” Tany Zampa said as he pulled a blade and rushed towards Mark. Mark quickly tossed a 1932 quarter high up into the air. Just as Zampa rose his blade to strike Mark a boom echoed through the battlefield and Tany Zampa turned to ash.
“About fucking time with that guy,” Emily said as she readied another rocket. A large group of Perpetuals armed with bloodied weapons converged upon her as Felecia and William fired in an attempt to keep them at bay.
