The God Breaker's Ruin

by Billy Spencer

  He saw by the window Jenni was in one of the benches laying down sleeping, she had a brown cowboy hat covering her face. “Guess you didn’t worry about me?” Nick said sitting on the opposite side of her.

  “What you did was stupid. You worried Abigail, such a kind girl, you made her cry,” Jenni said getting up, slamming her fist into the table. “You want to do something like, that you think more about it dumbass. You see how everyone was worried about you and if they didn’t find you, you would have been fucked.So sorry if I didn’t come to say I miss you or some bullshit. I worried about you, we all fucking did.”

  She’s right I was being selfish and trying to go in alone wasn’t the best option. God, I try and try to not fuck up, but damn it’s hard not to. He thought about all the times he went head first, just going with his gut, he didn’t pay mind to others. He was okay throwing his life away, his safety, but others were not. The relationships he held close made him matter, and to gamble with that was tossing them to the side and hoping for the best. I will do better, I have to. He thought.

  “Next time I’ll try to not be so selfish, but I know I have you to beat some sense into me,” Nick said smiling at her. He was just thankful that he had Gabriel to help him when he needed it. What he went through may not seem as bad to many people, but being by yourself with your thoughts with no one you truly knew around was frightening to him. He put on a brave face, but the fear was still there. He didn’t have any real way to fight back, not with just his bare hands, he was outnumbered with the god breakers, and he only met Alistar. That god breaker is something different, not like the others. Maybe one day he would break free from what they do and find his own road to walk on instead of following a road that he was unsure of.

  “Fuck I can’t stay mad at you. Next time just tell someone, don’t be worrying that girl, hate seeing her cry, breaks my heart,” Jenni said putting her cowboy hat on. She got up and stretched, and then walked to the restroom.

  Nick got up and made his way to the backroom he saw Cameron's look, the look of disapproval, he knew that he was in for a talking to, and possibly a hammer to the gut. The old man may have been someone who didn’t show his feelings a lot or even had long dragged-out speeches. But the stare he could give could tell a thousand stories just by the look of his eyes and the firmness of his mouth.

  41

  “They are patrolling the streets. At least five of them from what I can tell. They told people not to come out, they are looking for the girl I’m sure of it,” Janet said peaking out the curtain in Bran's house. She saw a few men holding hammers, some a sword, and shield, and one of them was in the armored truck on her phone. These were people that said they would protect others. But right now they are searching for someone. While people are inside their homes looking out and wondering what’s going on, Janet already knew that eventually, they would come to Bran's home. Willing, or not.

  “Sit, they aren’t going to come inside our homes, not yet anyway. How are you feeling?” Bran said putting some bowls down and setting down some silverware.

  She could still feel the impact of the fall, with every cough or laugh that came out of her was like slamming a brick inside her body. “Would feel better if they went away. How is April? she talks to you much?” She said sitting down looking at Bran. She was worried about the girl, wondering if she was going to be fine. Just like with Nick, she couldn’t help but worry, it was part of who she was. Seeing your friend murdered, then almost being murdered, would be enough to keep you on edge for life, as if a curse was placed and stuck through blood.

  “She didn’t talk to me much, but Nick was able to talk to her, think it calmed her down a bit,” Bran said pouring soup inside Janet's bowl. That boy always was good at just being nice to people. Especially girls, ever since he was a damn kid. He brought one girl a basket for valentines, turned out it was for his teacher, the little flirt.

  She looked inside her bowl and saw pieces of cut-up chicken, carrots, celery, and rice. The smell made her think about cold winters at her parent's house just bundled up in front of the television watching old movies with her dad. “Man, you know how to cook Bran. I bet your family loves eating over here,” she said smiling at Bran. “Usually when I cook, it’s just for one and I make a big batch of chicken, some vegetables, and some fruit to last me through the week.”

  Bran let out a chuckle and patted Janet on the shoulder. “Growing up in a castle with other gargoyles, you learn some things when you are on your own. I remember trying Pozole for the first time from a sweet old lady topside. She was the nicest person I knew before I met my wife and we had a family. Kids haven't shown much of the gargoyle side, but eventually.”

  Bran comes from a very loving family I can tell. He was always someone who had something good to say about almost anything, always looking at the positives. I know things have been hard on him and his two girls since the mother passed. She remembered when Bran's wife passed away. He wasn’t at work for a week, and when he came back he told her that she was with the lord and that his family would be okay. Life can be so cruel, and so random, sometimes I hate it. But Bran, he doesn’t, to him life is precious and worth living. She thought. He was more human than other people that she knew, he always belonged in her eyes.

  “My family sure as hell isn’t as big as yours. Hell, my parents can’t even get along if they are in the same room,” she said scooping a spoon full of chicken and scarfing it down.

  “Sorry, smelled food and was wondering if I could have any?”

  Janet and Bran looked and saw April standing at the bottom of the stairs holding a pillow close to her. “Sweetie, you come here and eat with us. You must be starving.” Janet said tapping her hand on the table.

  Bran got up and poured soup inside the bowl and placed it in front of April. “Sorry, April I was going to prepare you some and leave it at the door. I didn’t want to bother you,” Bran said looking down smiling at her.

  “It’s no problem at all. I just…this isn’t my home and I feel like I’m intruding,” April said smiling at him. She was shy, quiet, but very polite. It takes a lot to come be among strangers and April did it, she had been through a lot.

  “No no, not at all, never think that. I welcome you into my house and yes my girls are a bit shy, but they know a good person when they see it, and you are good. Let your worries go by the waist side and just sit and eat,” Bran said pointing his spoon at her.

  “Did Nick treat you, okay sweetie?” Janet asked. She looked at April and saw her be a bit nervous, she thought maybe she was pushing, but she just wanted to make sure Nick didn’t push far or bug her about anything she wasn’t comfortable with.

  “It went fine, he got what he needed from me I think. Is he some friend of yours?” April said tapping her spoon on the rim of the bowl.

  “Something like that. I go way back with that man. His father was the same way, kind of just bullheaded, didn’t think much, but he was a good person. He had a mother too, but he doesn’t talk about her,” she said.

  “He seemed kind of sad when I was talking to him, just looking at him, just seemed he was existing,” April said starring at Janet. That is a lot of people living out in the new world. Even before the awakening there would be people who just sat down, let life pass them by, and just waited to see what happened. Just existing hoping for something to show them the way.

  “That’s Nick, he hasn’t been the same since the awakening. We all haven’t. Nick though, he took it hard when he lost his parents and felt the world, and God took them from him. Sure he helps others, he has friends, but his family the family he cared about was gone. Going through life getting older with no parent to age with you, to talk to for advice, and to express love. Just thinking about it makes me upset. They were good people, but damn that war, they knew they wouldn’t make it back,” Janet said wiping tears from her eyes. The thought of Lucuris made her heart swell, and her body ached. “They were always doing good, they couldn’t say no to those in need.
Lucuris that bullheaded mother fucker, always playing the hero.”

  “I remember that day. My beautiful wife asked me why the angels looked so scary. Eternals always existed but in the shadows. Me and my wife were together before the awakening, like a hidden secret. She saw me at night and we would talk as two people, but we knew the world wouldn’t allow us, but we had kids anyways. Then the awakening happened. My kids hid under the bed talking about vampires and ghosts, and all I could do was stare into the sky and watch a veil come down like a curtain. I never saw so many beings that I only dreamed about in nightmares or read in stories. To know that God, the Devil were real, what was I suppose to do with that? I knew there was something that made us, but I never knew what created us, and a part of me still doesn’t because if the God we give our lives to is real, then why the death, why make people the way they are?” Bran said starring at the ceiling. He took his bowl and put it in the sink and began washing dishes. “God is real, but what makes them so good, so just? What sins are they hiding from the world?”

  April grabbed Janet's hand and stared into her eyes. “You can’t let the god breakers get to me. I am human, but I’m also part demon,” April said.

  Janet could feel the girl's hand tremble. She saw her eyes soften and she was biting her lower lip. “Don’t worry sweetie. You see I’m a guardian, appointed by the almighty. I won’t let anything bad happen to you,” she said placing her hand on Aprils and gently holding it. “Demon,aerion, vorpal, it’s all the same to me. As long as you are kind, and don’t harm others, you’re good in my book, so don’t worry about those breakers because if they try anything I’ll make damn sure that they never forget the ground they walk on.”Demons were still looked down on, the history that humans painted them in. Evil, satan, devil, were a few names they listed demons as. Frankly, she was quite tired of it.

  42

  Janet walked into the backroom of Cameron's shop, she saw the old man sitting down reading a book by his armor. He motioned her to come sit next to him, she grabbed a chair and set it down near him. “How’s Nick doing? Heard the god breakers had him for a bit.”

  He set the book down and turned towards Janet. “He just went off on his own, got his ass beat. He’s fine though, the girls went and got him, lucky he had them. They are all resting upstairs and Nicks sleeping in my room, though he could use a good night's sleep.”

  “Did he learn anything from the god breakers?” she asked leaning forward resting her elbows on her knees.

  “Besides the god breakers holding eternals and humans in cages? Yea, he told me about Alistar and how Beta was the one that killed those people in the undercity. I don’t get what comes from pissing off God themselves. Doing something like that just to rile up both sides,” Cameron said slamming his fist into his leg. He starred at the wall, looking at his armor, the scratches, and dents on it. Death for death's sake was an evil route that men plagued the world. The first killer, taking life and seeing how it made them feel like a drug that never let them down. Serpents kiss.

  “If Beta thinks he is going to take Nick down and harm him again he better bring an army, I’ll make damn sure that boy stays alive. Still, it makes me wonder about the aerion that we found and maybe they have a connection with them. Maybe the breakers killed the aerion,” she said rubbing her head. It was getting to her, not finding the answers she wanted, just guessing and hoping to stumble onto something. The work is always tiring but now more than ever. She felt not a lot of coworkers had her back in following the truth and just wanted to watch the world burn into ashes as they got paid under the table and getting their rocks off being dirtbags with a badge. She wore the badge and it made her one too, it was the job she took, and the shit that she sat in because no one wanted to do the work to change it hardly.

  “You got a lot going on Janet, maybe you should rest a bit or just go home. Don’t worry, I’ll call you if anything new happens. You need to keep that person safe, make sure the god breakers don’t get to her,” Cameron said getting up and patting Janet on her leg.

  “That is true, for now, I will stand back and focus on the aerion death until Beta tries something stupid. Can’t go guns blazing, not right now,” she said tapping her fingers on her forearm.

  She wanted so bad to take Beta down, to show the world who the god breakers were, but she knew the death of the aerion still had to be solved. That whoever killed them, whoever spit in the face of God, wanted to get back at them. She hoped that the case would be solved, that some justice would be served. She heard stories about Beta, and how violent he was towards others. Some stories went as far as making him seem worst than many of the killers they held in prison. She tried not to think about it because it could cause her to think deeply about them, and seek her justice. She felt that was a slippery slope for someone in her position. But for now, she knew that April needed someone there to be the rock, to keep her from slipping off, and it was going to be Janet Jones.

  43

  Nick walked towards Mary’s place and saw that the door was closed and the lights were off. He wanted to talk to her alone without anyone around and thought of going when everyone was asleep. He thought he could find out if she knew who the person was in his locket. He had Lightborne on his back, and as he walked closer to Marys he saw from the corner of his eye something moving. He turned swiftly but saw nothing but the empty street with lights in stores, houses that lit the roads. “Something was there, could have sworn it,” he said walking up to the door.

  He tried to open the door but it was locked, and no lights were on inside.No movement, odd to be so quiet. Even the countryside had insects moving about.“Should have probably came earlier, it is almost three in the morning.” Nick said leaning against the door starring at the sky. “Every time I think about you dad I can remember days when you would drive me to school in your truck and we would listen to the radio together. I just wish I could remember others.”

  Nick looked to the left of him, he saw an empty park with swings and sandpits where kids could play. He saw near one of the swings a person with a blank face waving at him. Who the hell, why are they waving at me? They don’t look to be a vorpal wearing a mask, or anyone that looks familiar, who are they? His hands started to sweat, and his throat began to tighten. He looked at the person and saw that they began to start dancing in place. Whatever, this person is a weirdo. Mary isn’t here, better get back to Cameron's before he figures out I went to the undercity. I should have talked to Janet about The Grinning King, should have just told her that the new cult symbol is trying to bring them back into our world. He kept looking at the person that was dancing and then they stopped suddenly and cocked their head to the side. I don’t think I should be here right now, better get home quick. He thought.

  The person began walking towards Nick slowly, they took out a knife and began running towards him. Their face that was once blank turned into a smile, and small tentacles with teeth all over began sprouting from their head.

  Nick felt his legs not wanting to move, he punched his leg and took out Lightborne from his back, and held the blade forward waiting for the person to attack him. “I don’t know who the hell you are, what the fuck you are but leave now, or it will end in your death,” he said gripping his sword tightly.

  The person stopped at the end of Nick's sword tip and cocked their head to the side again. “You can not see, you can not be. Let him in, let them wake,” the person said as the tentacles on their head began to wrap around Nick's hand and tighten as the teeth on them began to sink into his skin. The pain stung like a thousand bites at once, grinding into the bone, and drilling through to his body, and arching down to his legs.

  “Fuck. let go, what are you. Stop it now,” Nick said pulling his sword back and thrusting it forward sliding it into the person's chest.

  “You can not stop, can not run. The all-seeing eyes, the return, the awaken, you know, you see. They are coming,” the person said grabbing the blade with their hands and thrusting it deeper inside
their body. Smiling, grinning, teeth sharpen.

  “Let go. I said let go, what’s wrong with you, who the hell is coming?” He said kicking the person as hard as he could. The tentacles unwrapped around his hands and the person stumbled backward.

  They stood still, their head looking at the cement floor, and the tentacles snapping towards Nick. “You can run, you can try to hide, he’ll take you too, look he has taken many of them. The small, the old, the sacrifices. This plane, the next, the merge starts,” they said as their body started to shake violently.

  “Light, fire, merge, cast them OUT!” A voice said from above. A ball of red and white hurled towards the person that was shaking. It entered inside their mouth and shocked them, holding them still and engulfed their body in a fire until they turned into ash. Mary floated down in front of Nick, her hands trembling, and her body sweating.

  “Get inside, now,” Mary said unlocking the door, leaving Nick starring at the black stain on the cement wondering what they meant with all that they were saying.

  44

  Mary got a bottle of beer from under her counter. She downed some pills and then lit a cigarette. “Someone was tailing you boy,” Mary said sitting down at the counter tapping her fingers, and shaking one of her legs.

  “Tailing me? Who could be tailing me?” He asked sitting down in front of her. He didn’t get who would want him besides Beta. The god breakers didn’t have that type of ability.

  “I don’t know but that was a leech. They come and attack the homeless or people that are walking home by themselves. Never suppose to be out at night alone especially in the undercity, don’t you have more sense?” Mary said putting her cigarette out.

  He took his locket, opened it, and handed it to Mary. “This lady, who is she?”