The Reckoning

by S. L. Morgan

  Navarre was interrupted when a loud sound resonated throughout their area. The cloudless skies opened up, and black holes presented a sight of winged creatures by the thousands entering the atmosphere.

  “Dragons?” Reece quietly questioned.

  “What in the hell?” Harrison responded.

  “Harrison!” Navarre called out. “You, Reece, Movac, and Angeline will come with me. We must inconspicuously make our way to the White House.” He looked back at the armies standing by. “This may not have been the first wave of alien attacks that Mordegrin has sent out. As for the rest of you, follow the intuition of the Guardian horses. They will lead you to our warriors and their masters.” He looked at Oble and Diexz. “I am aware that you and your warriors’ only method of transportation are your wings?”

  “Emperor, we will battle any creature in the air. Hopefully, that will help give you time to attack Mordegrin and end this.”

  Navarre swiftly mounted his horse. “Areion!” the emperor called out to the fierce stallion. “You will lead Diexz and his army to Levi’s location.” He looked at Diexz. “Follow the horse. He will take you to my son’s whereabouts. When you find him, be sure that he is aware of his orders to meet us at the White House.”

  Diexz nodded as Areion bolted out of the area with five other Guardian stallions following aggressively behind. “Be safe, Emperor!” Diexz called out before a strong wind rushed through the area, announcing the departure of the winged warriors.

  “Let us finish this!” At Navarre’s word, all of the warriors split up. Rei and a small army of his men chose to keep company with Navarre’s group. As they entered a clearing, the group halted at the sight before them. The skies were filled with black smoke and fire-breathing beasts, and the buildings in the large city they overlooked were on fire. Screams echoed up to their location as terror consumed the humans on Earth.

  “This is very similar to when Mordegrin first invaded our galaxy,” Rei somberly spoke. “Emperor Navarre, this is nothing compared to what shall happen next and continue to happen if we don’t bring Reece to kill the shadowy one.” He looked over at Reece. “You will need more than the stone’s power within you to destroy him. You will need the stone in your possession.”

  “This keeps getting better by the moment,” Harrison snarled.

  “Let us stay positive. We have armies helping to destroy as many as they can so that we can bring Reece to Mordegrin. I am confident once she is face-to-face with him, she will know how to remove the stone from his possession,” Navarre interjected.

  “Very well,” Harrison spoke. “For now, let us make our way to the White House and get this over with before more innocent lives are lost.”

  They had traveled for close to an hour before they encountered dark shadows, entities without faces or any definition to their appearance. The fierce creatures lashed out violently as they charged toward the group.

  Without hesitation, Rei’s lion-like beast, and close to thirty of his men, sprung into the air, forming a line in front of the Guardians. A shriek from his left alerted Harrison that Reece had disappeared from Arrow’s back.

  Harrison followed Arrow, who charged after the creature that Reece was fighting relentlessly to free herself from its grips. An explosion of black dust erupted into the air, sending Reece tumbling to the ground. As Harrison approached, he was off Saracen and slashing his sword out at four other black faceless entities. Reece sprang to her feet as Navarre, Rei, and Angeline joined in the fight.

  One minute they were battling four entities, but the more they worked to destroy them, more entities formed. “They are multiplying!” Reece yelled.

  “Stand back!” Movac ordered.

  A bright flash of light shooting out beams like a laser vaporized the shadow entities in that instant. As everyone stood catching their breath, they stared in shock at what Movac had accomplished.

  Harrison smacked Movac on his muscular, bare shoulder with more force than usual and laughed. “Until now, I truly believed that you were worthless in our fight.”

  Movac glared at Harrison. “I do not understand your people’s way of approving of one’s skills. If you dare to lay a hand on me again, I shall—”

  “Movac, relax!” Navarre ordered as Rei stood studying Movac’s current disposition. “This is only a small attack compared to what actually awaits us. There is no need to waste time bickering.” He looked at the group surrounding Reece, who were respectively sheathing their swords and daggers. “Everyone return to your horses. Reece, you will ride between Harrison and me.”

  As they cautiously continued their journey, Harrison noticed changes in Reece. “Are you okay, Reece?” Harrison asked, seeing nothing but fire in her shimmering green eyes and her deadly disposition.

  “Mordegrin will suffer for all of this,” she returned flatly.

  Harrison and Navarre exchanged glances of uncertainty. Reece had somehow transformed into a focused warrior craving a fight. She said nothing about having concerns over whether or not Levi was alive and strangely had no reaction from the attack she suffered. Once Movac ended the threat, Harrison noted her face had a slash that ran from her right temple to her chin. As quickly as he saw the blood dripping from her cheek, she wiped it away, and the wound healed instantly. Something was entirely different about Reece this time while having the power of the stone, and Harrison wouldn’t question it. It only proved that there was hope for her to destroy Mordegrin and this mission would be over as soon as they reached him.

  Navarre raised his hand, halting the group when they approached a farmhouse that looked vacant. Everyone drew their swords when a large man came out of the house. The man held two long rifles as he stepped off the rugged front porch. Their livestock scattered as soon as the group walked through the pastures.

  “Stop your horses and those beasts where you are, right now!” the large man called out gruffly.

  “We come in peace, sir,” Navarre proclaimed.

  The man spit onto the ground and pointed his rifle directly at Navarre.

  “I can end this now,” Movac said lowly.

  “Until we are confident their human minds have not been altered, you will not do anything to them unless ordered,” Harrison returned. “We aren’t here to destroy innocent lives.”

  “As I said, we mean you no harm,” Navarre said as he guided his horse forward.

  The man cocked his rifle. “You are not from Earth. You are part of this alien invasion. Why else do you have these massive horses and lions with horns?”

  “You are correct, sir,” Navarre returned. “However, we are not your enemy!” Navarre glanced around at the group of fierce warriors among him and back at the confrontational man. “It should be obvious to you that we come in peace, as we outnumber you significantly, and if we had a desire to destroy you, you would easily fall victim to us.”

  “Anything that is not from Earth is my enemy! Outnumbered or not, I will gladly die destroying any one of you to protect my family’s life. Now—”

  With a sigh from Reece and a wave of her hand, the guns were flung out of the man’s grips and tossed through the air, landing in thick mud.

  What in the…? Harrison thought as Reece used some form of magical power to disarm the man.

  The man held both hands up, now showing fear for his life.

  “As our emperor has said, we are not here to harm you,” she said brashly. “But we will if you decide to harm anyone in our group. Now that you are at our mercy, you will do as our emperor commands.”

  “The Key possess more power than I could have imagined,” Movac said with a voice of longing to take her himself.

  I need to get this idiot off my horse, Harrison thought, as it was more of a distraction to continue on with the Ciatron leader on Saracen with him.

  “Anything,” the man said in a shaky voice.

  “We only ask for safe passage and that you do not go near any major cities,” Navarre started. “Sir, you are correct to trust no being. The
evil entity that is currently controlling all of these invading creatures will manipulate you and drain you of any strength to achieve his goal. We merely need to cross your land and continue our journey to destroy him.”

  “I understand.” The man swallowed hard. “Can I offer you anything to assist in your attack?”

  “We are fine, and we thank you,” Navarre returned.

  “Wait!” Harrison called out, glancing around, studying the livestock the man had on his property. Once he spotted a group of donkeys amongst their horses, he shoved Movac off the back of his horse. “We could really use one of your donkeys,” Harrison called out, prompting everyone to eye him skeptically.

  Harrison smirked in response as the man quickly wrapped a harness around a donkey’s head and brought him over to him. “Thank you, my good man,” Harrison said. He looked at Movac, who was watching him with dark, furious eyes. “I deem this should be the perfect transportation for you.”

  Movac took the offered rope from the man, and his eyes darted back toward Harrison’s. “This is no method of transportation.”

  “Sure it is,” Harrison said as he studied the donkey, then Movac. “A jackass riding a jackass, perfect fit!”

  “I am uncertain as to what you are implying, Guardian?”

  “Good, that makes the match even better. Now, get on the animal so we can be on our way.”

  Movac grumbled as he swung a long leg over the donkey’s back.

  “You look like a grown man trying to ride a tricycle,” Harrison said with a laugh.

  “Gentlemen, if you both will please end this conversation, we must keep pressing on,” Navarre called out with some humor in his voice.

  “We’re ready when you are, Emperor. Let us resume this mission,” Harrison called out.

  At Harrison’s command, Saracen stepped out, and the group followed. Harrison had to make it his greatest effort not to look over at Movac, whose long legs were dragging along the ground as the spirited donkey walked at a brisk pace to keep up. Hopefully, this plan would finally shut Movac up, and the group could concentrate on any impending attack they could face at any time.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Levi had no time to respond after he lost communication with Harrison. After the fire-breathing beasts had entered through Earth’s stratosphere, they began consuming buildings for as far as Levi could see. The horizon and skies above them were engulfed with black smoke and flames.

  Levi turned to the five Guardians with him. “We must flee this location immediately!” he ordered.

  As the men fled the small city they believed Mordegrin was in, they heard the wails and cries of petrified humans as the beasts continued to destroy their city. As they increased their distance, the heat from the buildings being consumed started to fade.

  Levi slowed when they approached a large river. “The Potomac,” he said as they knelt behind large shrubbery.

  Levi stood and noticed that being in this remote location was the safest place for him and his men to stop and reevaluate their condition.

  “Sir, before this attack occurred, what where the commander’s orders?” one of the Guardians asked.

  Levi looked back at the men in his company. “We were misled again by that dark creature,” he said with agitation. “Before losing all contact with Harrison, he informed me that Mordegrin is now at the White House and we must meet them there.” Levi looked back up the river. “Unless we can find another method of transportation, it will take us roughly two hours to meet them on foot.”

  “That is not enough time,” another Guardian said.

  “I know,” Levi returned. “We waste our time here. It is imperative we find another method of transportation now that everything of technical nature no longer functions due to Earth’s magnetic field being disrupted.”

  “Our only hope is that we come upon a farm with horses.”

  “We are too far south for that.” Levi exhaled in frustration. “Let’s move as vigilantly and as aggressively as possible. Perhaps we will be fortunate to find a small location that does have horses we can use.” His lips tightened as he looked up at the threatening skies. “I will not accept that all is lost for us. Let’s go.”

  They rushed along the banks of the river for five miles before they reached a small town that appeared to be vacant. Levi and the men slowed and unsheathed their daggers as they felt an oppressive energy radiating in the air all around them.

  “Gentlemen, be prepared for anything. Something is not right.”

  Directly after Levi gave the men his orders, a large mob of men and women appeared from out of a large building in front of them. These humans have been altered, he thought as he studied their flawless appearances.

  As Levi studied the civilians further, his thoughts were confirmed when he saw that something was extremely wrong with them. They had a look in their eyes like a predator coming upon its prey. Levi scanned the minds of the humans that drew closer to them. These men craved blood like a man dying of thirst would crave water. Something—some beast turned these humans into bloodthirsty creatures. The myth of the vampire was the first thing that entered Levi’s mind.

  The men licked their lips after sniffing the air around them as dogs would. Their irises were silver as they bore into Levi’s. “Allow us safe passage, and we will not destroy you,” Levi ordered as he studied the mob now forming around Levi and the Guardians.

  “Destroy us?” a man with a straggly beard responded. “We cannot be destroyed. We drank from the cup that we were told would give us immortality.”

  Levi glared at the being. “Who fed you such lies?”

  A woman with golden hair approached. “I did, Guardian. They are correct.” She smiled sinisterly. “Now, if you will be so kind as to step aside, my children are famished and must feed,” she said as she eyed the Guardians behind Levi.

  Reading the minds of the mob of men, he could easily calculate their first move. Silver fangs slid out from their lips as they slowly approached Levi and his men. As the mob started salivating, Levi lunged forward, sending his dagger into the heart of the man. No blood. No screech of pain. Nothing but a wicked smile came from him.

  “We prefer to feed while your blood pumps through your veins,” the man pulled out his hand gun, “but that is merely a preference. We can feed on your lifeless body too.”

  As the man pointed the gun toward Levi, Levi reached out, gripped the man’s ice cold hand, and disarmed him. The man’s eyes narrowed as Levi took the gun and held it to his pale forehead.

  Will this kill me? Levi heard the man question himself.

  “Only one way to find out,” Levi said as he pulled the trigger. As Levi watched the man’s head explode, he stepped back in disbelief when, from out of nowhere, the man’s head was perfectly intact as if nothing touched him.

  “As I said, Your Imperial Highness, my children cannot be destroyed,” the golden haired woman proclaimed as she sauntered over to where Levi stood.

  “Who are you?” Levi demanded. “A creature that turns humans into her own revolting kind and refers to them as her children?” Levi said, trying to stall for time and figure a way out of this deadly situation.

  The woman’s bright red lips parted as she reached the back of her flawless hand to Levi’s face. Unexpectedly, Levi was paralyzed and couldn’t move. An evil force had taken over his entire body, and no matter how hard he fought to move, he couldn’t.

  Her mystical eyes gazed into his as she brought her lips to Levi’s frozen ones. A pierce into his bottom lip prompted the woman to laugh and sent the mob of creatures around her to go into a rabid frenzy as the scent of the tiny drop of blood from Levi’s lips filled the air.

  “At ease, children,” the woman crooned as she tilted her head, watching Levi. “Do you remember me now?” she asked. “To feel your perfect lips against mine is so much more fulfilling than feeling them through that girl I possessed while being imprisoned in your world.”

  “Impossible. I destroyed you!�
� he growled.

  “So much has changed, young prince,” she said as she glanced up at the dark skies around them. “My master has the power of the stone, and anything he desires will happen now. Bringing his most loyal servants, such as me, back to life was one of them. He sent me here so that I might have revenge on you for what you did to me and my sisters.”

  Levi’s jaw tightened as he tried to mentally battle the bizarre paralysis he was being held captive by.

  “Now you shall stand helplessly by and watch your men become meals for my children.”

  Levi stood helpless as he heard the horrific cries coming from his paralyzed men. The mob of people rushed their bodies past Levi as a pride of lionesses would attack and go into a frenzy over their kill. He watched the creatures that were once human consume his men entirely. The gruesome carnage sent rage rushing through Levi’s veins.

  A steely laugh brought Levi’s attention to the woman he once killed and planned to kill again. She approached and cocked her head to the side. She took his unresponsive hand into hers. Levi cringed when she inhaled the inside of his wrist. “You,” she looked at Levi and stepped closer, her cold breath on his neck. “After I have finished with you, you will become my servant—Mordegrin’s servant, and you will kill that girl that longs to destroy him.”

  Levi was sick with anger that he was under this woman’s power and couldn’t break free.

  You must fight past this! Levi ordered himself.

  Still, his body would not respond before her icy lips were tracing along his neck. “So delicious,” she whispered.

  A jolt of electricity ran through him as he felt like razors were slicing through his neck. Levi’s mind instantly became numb as he felt his blood and energy depleting with each soft moan of the dark woman.