Journey to a darker world

by Christian Mathis

  We ran away from the building as I stared at Toni’s body until it was engulfed in flames.

  Reuben places both hands into the wall and liquefied enough of the building for the building to collapse. Sending hundreds of pounds of rubble and clouds of soot into the air. The screams of the dozens of soldiers and creatures was muffled as the dust settled.

  “let’s go guys Toni would want us to grieve when the battle is won.” I said.

  With the first wave of enemies defeated the street was desolate and quiet. I picked the small bits of metal slivers and shards from the building and my sword.

  “I guess since Toni is dead, I will take point, James you get rear, Willard and Agatha right and left flank. Reuben, I know you’re not his biggest fan right now, I think you should stay in the center and help Zadok.”

  Reuben answered with a loud reluctant huff, he wrapped his arm around Zadok’s back for support none the less. While we walked toward the United Nations tower, we discussed different ways that Annabelle’s powers worked and how we would even get to the top of the tower and get the book.

  “Most of our powers, are stemmed from a variation to your blood. Properties in your blood are at extremely heightened levels, James, Catalyst, Willard, even Thermal and slivers powers. My Amulet is locked so that only any member of my family or I may use it. This is possible because when I touch it pricks my finger and in a fraction of a second finds trace genetic markers and DNA. What if we all didn’t end up on that planet by accident and even more so what if blood is the key to Annabelle’s book. What we can’t use the book because we are not her or her kin. We will have to Destroy it and we are going to have to destroy her.” Said Zadok.

  “Zadok look maybe your right, maybe our entire lives are some great big conspiracy and everything we know is a lie. Maybe we all got our powers from some freaky government test and maybe your right about the Amulet and book being connected. If that were the case though why would they not be able to recreate their experiments and why would they keep us a live and let us meet and especially. Whatever we can figure all this out later the truth is probably in the middle we knew the government was doing it to get rid of us and use the planet as a dumping ground for their cover-ups and experiments anyway you know what right now I really don’t care I really do not give a fuck . You’re a historian maybe figure it out after we beat Annabelle before we fight the government. I know when it comes down to it, I don’t know if I will be able to kill Annabelle.

  “Well I understand where your both coming from that whole doomed to repeat history thing and all that, also don’t worry if you can’t bring yourself to do it, I will kill that psycho bitch myself.” Said Agatha

  Chapter twenty-five

  We finally reached the steps of Annabelle’s building when the sun peaked over the horizon and in between the buildings.

  “Let’s go get that book, for Toni,” I said

  Zadok threw his spear through the neck of the cardinal guard who guarded the door. Zadok whipped off his blood covered face and the blade of his Naginata. Blast began to come in waves from inside the building.

  Agatha blasted tons of thick dense sand from her hands which created a wall so that the thermal blast turned it into glass. We used those few seconds so we could get to cover.

  “James do you still have that acid flame thrower. I have an idea. Give the gun to Willard when the tank runs dry, he can refill it,” I said.

  James pulled the strap off his shoulder and tossed the gun to Willard.”

  “Behind me! I will douse this side of the building with acid, after the wall is eaten away fire into the building until their firing stops,” Willard shouted. The glass wall shattered and popped before melting. I heard the concrete, wood and metal sizzle and bubble before being consumed by the black acid. Only James, Agatha and Reuben still had ammo in their thermal pistols.

  The crossfire ensued once again; blast ricocheted off the pavement.

  “Ah fuck”! Agatha Yelled and grabbed her shoulder as she caught a blast.

  I heard the soldiers and beast inside the building began to scream. First the firing stopped and then the screaming.

  “That’s it I’m out,” Said Zadok. He tossed his empty thermal gun into the entrance way to the building.

  One at a time we entered the Unites Nations building. My cheeks were hot and beads of sweat rolled down my forehead and arms. The metal jutted up from the ground twisted, deformed, and still smoking. I saw were dozens of charred Skeletons and mutilated bodies. Those that hadn’t died from the direct acid were killed from the smoke inhalation. We looked over the wreckage and picked up the few thermal rounds that had not exploded.

  “I think it’s time we checked out the rest of the building. Let’s get Annabelle and the book.” I said.

  We searched floor after floor found no trace of Annabelle or anyone.

  “Guys something’s not right, the people on the floor are dead I don’t think anyone else is in this building.” Said Agatha.

  The hallway flooded with light along with several robotic drones. The drones shifted into robotic soldiers and drew their guns and flame throwers and pressed it into our skulls. The robot that had his gun to my head began to speak. A familiar sweet sadistic voice.

  “Really Catalyst maybe I give you guys to much credit. You honestly thought I was going sit at the top of the building waiting for you guys to come attack. the whole lot if you have been mentioning it constantly for two days. Life is not a movie or some crappy book. I was distracting you fools. While you fought my first wave I escaped with the book. Also, if you guys move you will get shot and if you don’t move the robots are rigged to explode.” Said Annabelle. I heard her blow a kiss and click off the radio.

  “Honestly, she’s right are we really this damn dum, we expected her to sit and wait at the top of some evil impenetrable tower. We have superpowers why would she not flee,” Screamed Zadok

  “Yes, it was foolish, I think we should scold ourselves less and escape more,” I said

  We looked at each other and at all the different robotic drones about to kill all of us. There is no way we were going to go out like this. I locked eyes with everyone and nodded.

  I slid my hand down my thigh and slid the Cardinal claw knife into my palm.

  “Like a clock!” I said

  I threw the knife into the robotic drone that was guarding James, James threw a blood knife into the drone on Agatha , Agatha sandblasted the drone on Willard, Willard acid blasted the one on Reuben , Reuben liquefied the drone on Zadok and Zadok threw his spear through the drone that had his gun on me . The drone has fired a blast that singed off a portion of my hair. I rubbed the patch of scalp in disbelief at the near miss.

  We all had to push up on our own jaws because we all stared at each other dumb founded by how well that ridicules plan worked.

  James formed a blood long sword and cut out the section of windows closest to us.

  “Catalyst, Guys look a military convoy. I bet you Annabelle is inside. What do you say we find out?” James asked

  “I think I can get us down there fairly,” Said Agatha. She approached the window opening and began to blast sand directly below us until a large ramp like mound of sand formed. One at a time we slid down the sand to the street below.

  “Guys wait, what if that’s what she wants, and this is one elaborate plan. I mean think about how easily we escaped those killer drones. They could have as easily shot us all in the heads no problem. Annabelle has been guiding us, controlling us this whole time. We are merely part of the story she controls.” I said

  “So, what are you saying we should do nothing, run away?” Agatha asked.

  “Exactly, Toni had told me about this battle tactic it’s called fake retreat. When they notice we are no longer advancing they will be forced to send a group of soldiers after us. Our small group can certainly move a lot faster than her massive army. She will be forced to send small detachment and when they here we’ll kill them. Of course, i
f anyone else has a better idea I would love to hear it.

  I waited for the others to speak up, however even Zadok remained silent.

  “That is what we will do then, even from the grave Toni still helps guide us.” I said.

  We fired several shots in the direction of the convoy before walking in the opposite direction. For a few minutes we made small talk and discussed tactics and who would fight which enemies. Agatha has caught up to where James and I were walking, she nudged my shoulder.

  “Catalyst we’ve gotten pretty lucky this far, I don’t know how much longer we have left, and I have to tell you that I forgive you for everything. I know we’ve been through a lot of stuff and a lot of my friends died in that planet I know some of them were your fault although most weren’t and I’m sorry I was mad at you for so long and I hope you can forgive me .”

  “Of course, I do Agatha; thank you for Forgiving me I will do whatever I can to watch your back and I know you will watch mine.”

  We walked for thirty minutes or so and came upon a large Forest in the heart of the city. We stepped upon the grey grass and it crunched under our feet.

  “Let’s dig in, this is where we will ambush them. Reuben, James you guys dig a fox hole about a mile to the south. The rest of us will pair up and fortify our fighting positions here and up on that hill” I said.

  We all picked our defensive positions, forced to dig with our swords and hands. Willard and Zadok chopped down trees to reinforce the Fox hole walls. For every fox hole we created a wooden cover like a wooden bunker.

  “Uh Catalyst don’t think I’m stupid how big a hole are we supposed to dig? You keep saying fox hole how big is that?

  “A Two-man fox hole should be about six feet across and deep enough so that your armpits are above the ground.” Zadok Said

  “Uh that sounds like it’s going to take a while especially if you want to reinforce the walls with the logs. Also, I think the pits supposed to be deep enough to cover your head, then you have a fire step, you can stand on to shoot from,” Said Willard

  “Well none the less we will never be able to dig a hole of that size with our hands.” Said James.

  He dragged his jagged stake arm across his forearm and used the blood to create a couple shovels. Willard and Zadok took their position at the top of a large hill.

  “Catalyst the soldiers are about three miles out, everyone ready your weapons.” Said Zadok

  The first few men entered the park. Each wave was made up of Mercenaries, Drones, and Fermenters. We loaded our guns and readied our swords as the men stepped into sight.

  “On my count, Now!” I Yelled.

  The first few men fell with ease. In order to save ammo, we would take turns firing short burst until they marched no more.

  The second wave of Cardinals each had a thermal Gatling gun that completely ate through the logs that covered the fox hole. Zadok pulled a spear out of his amulet and through it into the Thermal gun causing it to explode and create a chain reaction. As usual we were able to hold the men at bay until we began to run low on Ammo.

  The thunder of hundreds of feet grew closer, I blast soldier after solider until I caught a thermal blast to the chest. I slipped to the floor and my gun dropped from my hand.

  “Catalyst enemies approaching from the south! “Said James.

  I tried to stand fell to my knees, my fingers curled around the hilt of my red sword.

  “We’re being surrounded and were low on ammo,” Zadok

  Annabelle and her main forces had come upon us. Dozens of Fermenters were about to leap down upon us from above. I finally managed to stand and raised my sword into the air. A cardinal dropped into my fox hole and I blocked his sword with my own. I slid my sword along his and when it fell off, I slit the man in half. The Fermenters began to leap down from one of the hills and attempted to leap into our pit.

  Agatha reaches down and placed one hand against the dirt. She began to sand blast the fermenters until only their bones remained. The firing step gave away and she began to sand blast her own face down to the bone. I grabbed her hand and pulled it away from her face. I pulled myself out of the fox hole and Helped Agatha our next. The Cardinals surrounded us, Agatha blasted one in the face and I grabbed the one nearest to me and dragged my sword across his arm until his gun fell out of his hand and into mine. I blasted the man farthest from me and grabbed the arm of the man closest to me. I filled his body with enough poison to kill ten men. I saw James and Reuben fight and destroy an army of robots. Reuben was quick to liquefy any robots James could not rip apart with his blood sickles. Agatha had begun to swallow fermenters and cockroaches with her quicksand.

  A larger number of drones began to descend upon us from the sky. The first one blasted Agatha with a giant syringe of yellow ooze. One that I knew too well. The venom of a king cobra.

  “Agatha Nooo! Please be ok!” I screamed I sliced through man and beast again and again attempting to reach where she lay.

  “James help Agatha please, guys we need to regroup!

  “Aa Fuck my back!” James screamed

  I saw him sink to the ground with a massive bloody slash to his back.,

  I felt a stab to my lower back; I checked the wound with my hand and felt a large amount of blood seep through my fingers I passed out from shock and fell to the ground.

  “Wake up my dear,”

  I felt thin fingers slide down my face they passed through my deep scars and stop under my chin.

  “Catalyst because I love you, I thought I’d give you one last chance to join me. You are surrounded and unimaginably out numbered. I could have you all killed right now with one command. Now I ask you one last time. Join me or you will all die right here and now.” Said Annabelle.

  They had me strapped to a downed tree, James, Agatha, and Reuben laid at my feet bloody and motionless. The book was tightly wrapped in Annabelle’s arms.

  “Annabelle you should know by now I will

  Not give up and I certainly not help you take over the world and kill thousands of people. Now give me the book or they will drop you where you stand.”

  “Who is going to drop me where I stand, the babbling coward old man or the flight less dragon?” Said Annabelle

  “Director Bishop the old man escaped he is dripping blood, however we did slay the dragon.” Said David.

  They dropped a black and purple carcass at my feet. A red sword had been snapped off after going through his heart. Tears began to pool in my eyes before slowly sliding down my cheeks. He was barely recognizable, I knew it was Willard.

  The tears came quicker they became thick and heavy.

  “Why, No Willard I’m sorry, I’m so sorry it’s my fault it’s all my fault!” I screamed

  “Dude shut the hell up he’s dead, all of your friends are dead and your right it is your fault,” Said David.

  The man cut off Willard’s claw and began to drag it across my shoulder blades and through the knife wounds from before.

  “Aaaa Fuck you, I’m going to fucking kill you!”

  I felt the pain in every inch of my body. As I screamed blood and spit seeped from my mouth

  “Catalyst your right I know you will never stop until you have my book and I’m dead or captured so I know that I have to do what you said to everyone else I have to let him kill you before you can kill me”

  She gave me one last peck on the cheek, and she walked away us of site of my being tortured.

  David pulled his arm back getting ready drive the claw into my shoulder again. I saw his hand release and the talon hit the floor. An Egyptian dagger had been thrown through his hand and blood seeped from his palm.

  “Ack what the fuck, get him! said David.

  He pulled the dagger out of his hands and dropped it at his feet.

  “Zadok watch out!”

  He reached into his amulet and pulled out a thick shield. He shoved the shield into the chest of the men in front of him which knocked them to the floor. Zadok dug the xiphos sw
ord deep into a Cardinals shoulder. The Fermenters closed in and began to circle Zadok, paused and readied to pounce. He held the sword above his head ready to bring it down into the fermenter’s skull. He swung the blade downward before it could make contact, he collapsed exhausted and drained from overuse of the amulet.

  Annabelle returned to where I was, I was chained to the tree. She pulled David’s knife out of my back and handed it back to him.

  “Lieutenant restrain the old man and bring me a prison transport craft.” Said Annabelle

  “If you really loved my Annabelle let me know one thing before you kill me. How does your book work?”

  She pulled out the book and flipped to a new page. After she wrote a few paragraphs she dragged her finger across the blade of the Egyptian dagger and sealed the page with a blood seal.

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Reuben’s chest lift off the ground.

  “Reuben it’s not too late we can still win, take the ring do the same trick you did at Niagara Falls!” Said Zadok.

  He tossed the ring through the air and Reuben caught it in his cupped hands as he stood.

  “Reuben do it now! liquefy the ground and trap them!”

  “I’m afraid that’s not going to happen Catalyst, Reuben works with me. I will say thank you for giving us the power enhancing ring which was the last thing we needed from you and now we have no reason to keep you alive.” Said Annabelle

  David dropped Zadok’s bloody body at my feet, tears swelled in my eyes.

  “What’s should we do with his amulet and who do we kill first?

  Reuben walked over and ripped the Amulet off Zadok’s chest. I saw the light dim in Zadok’s eyes, and he passed out

  “Kill them all I don’t care what order, however, kill Catalyst last so that he has to watch his friends die.” Said Reuben

  “Reuben how could you do this, why would you do this. You’re a good guy, you fought besides us for nearly a year why would you side with Annabelle. How could you order the death of your friends?” I asked