Songs of the Chained Ones’ Fury: Long Chapter Special—Chapters 6 & 7
Karikoga and his brothers along with Kronos and Abimelech, reached the outer edge of the palace fortress. The wall was massive and incredibly impressive in stature, containing lights that flowed throughout a cross-work of steel pipes and smooth rich concrete. In truth, though it was a fortress wall, it was designed in the likeness of a grandiose aircraft ship whose body was stretched around the parameter of land and the top of the fortress held outlook centers that were shaped like small, alien buildings that could contain three full sized villages—the dozens of outlook centers housing super advanced monitors, radar systems, and other state-of-the-art technologies that Karikoga’s scanning eyes could probe.
Then, Kronos said, “Ok, show us what you got.”
Abimelech smiled at them, and he and Kronos Tele-Stepped away, heading out of sight.
Gabriel chuckled. “Good. Suffocation no longer haunts us.”
“So, we’re really on our own.”
“Indeed Karikoga.” Said Gabriel.
Karikoga struck a palm with a fist and clasped fingers around the fist. “Good. That’s how it should be.”
“Let’s show those Hurricane Beasts what’s what. And, after they witness today, I guarantee you they’d desire to recruit us—but I’ll be like, ‘Nah, I’m good off that.’” Said Shohiwa.
Gabriel headed towards the entrance of the fortress wall. But stopped.
Shohiwa approached him, “A fortress? More like a skinny city.”
Gabriel lowered his eyebrows, his face filled with suspicion.
Karikoga reached Gabriel. “What’s going on?”
“Extreme caution spindles it’s fingers around my senses as I feel a faint energy emanating from the fortress.” Then he looked up and pointed, “See the outpost centers? They possess a framework of dozens of facilities—each of them containing surveillance rooms and the like.”
“I already know this bro. And?”
“Karikoga. Simply observe.”
Karikoga stared. His eyes went wide. “They’re empty.”
“Exactly. That is not good. And sharpen your sight.”
Karikoga enhanced his vision, and as the world shifted to a series of colors, he noticed that the fortress or the outposts held no temperature—nor could he see through it. “Whoa. The hell kind of building is this?”
“Specially designed Karikoga. I have never seen anything like this.”
Gabriel stepped closer towards the citied fortress wall and reached out his hands. Karikoga knew that Gabriel was questing, but the worry on Gabriel’s face was just—wrong. Dread filled Karikoga. Gabriel darted his hands down and said, “Empty outlook centers. A silent fortress. A fortress’s design that emits a faint energy, and a fortress with architecture that defends against enhanced Kai vision…” he tightened his hands into fists. As Gabriel went closer, a barrier of spiraling, silvery white spiritual energy engulfed the wall.
Karikoga and Shohiwa gasped.
“Brothers,” shouted Gabriel. “When the emperor Milo mentioned that we had to subdue pillars for our mission, I didn’t think he was referring to these pillars.”
“Gabe? What do you mean?” said Karikoga.
“There are only a few Sheenyo-Qi who know of and guard themselves against our existence. But this fortress is designed so well against us…I should have known…”
“Yo, big bro Gabby, you start’n to confuse the hell outta me. Start make’n sense!” Shohiwa said.
“Brothers, for we stand at the guarded gates of the descendants of Hazvinei the First.”
Karikoga narrowed his stare.
“Hazvinei the First…can’t believe it. Our mission is to subdue the Pillars of Marissa.”
Shohiwa’s eyes widened. Then he grinned. “Now that’s what I’m talking about. A real challenge. And the stakes are real. This is the real deal here.”
Kronos pursed his lips in reaction to the thick, virulent barrier of protective spiritual energy that engulfed the complex.
Abimelech whistled and said, “Damn. How are they gonna get around that?”
Kronos lowered his head and entered deep thought concerning the gravity of the situation. “The Salem Lords are gonna have to find another way around.”
“Damn straight. There’s no way they’re getting around that! I mean, any one of us can do it. But they ain’t us and they got to figure it out themselves.”
Kronos looked on, perplexed by that barrier of advanced power.
We’re only overseers for this mission. Lord Milo specifically gave us instructions not to intervene in any way, shape, or form at all. These kids are going to have their hands full.
Kezuo smiled. He lifted his glass of wine at the monitor screen. “Look at those little boys! They believe things will go their way, that they know what they’re doing until they fall flat on their faces—always the same with every generation! Nothing changes. Children will be children, whether they’re Kai or not.” He sipped his glass. “And, alas, my gifts await.” He turned around, addressing two of his soldiers, Commander Dianne Niobe and Mech Specialist Winslow Yondi and a small party of wealthy investors from the city of Dormir—a group of men and women who were interested in witnessing the Kai and Kezuo’s use of his technology. “Dianne, I hope you’ve chosen good mail men to handle my gifts safely.”
“Yes. An elite mech strike team and a company under the command of Captain Brimming are headed towards the Kai’s location.”
“Ah? That’s more mail men than necessary.” Said an investor.
The investors looked at him with concern on their faces.
“Now, now. Rest assured; the gifts will be intact and sixty percent fine. Dianne, please ensure they don’t arrive too bashed up.”
“Affirmative.”
He sipped more of his wine. So much for the stupidity of Milo.
Karikoga scratched his head and said, “A detour now?”
Gabriel darkly chuckled and he crossed his fingers together and performed a series of gestures that seemed as if letters and symbols would appear from his hands at any moment, then, Gabriel darted his hands forward and hissed, “Narkashel nesherrenker.” A large electrical current blasted from his hands and ripped through the barrier.
‘Narkashel nesherrenker,’ ‘Break the barrier…’ Ok, getting better at Hebrew so I need to keep studying.
Shohiwa whistled out loud. “Alright. That was pretty hot.”
Karikoga smiled. Gabriel knew all sorts of tricks, and there was no telling how much he really learned by himself during their time spent under Milo’s mentorship.
Karikoga jogged forward and said, “Come, lets—” And a new barrier burst to life with a scream akin to a crashing tsunami against large buildings. Karikoga stopped dead in his tracks.
Gabriel laughed. “Failing to sense that? A little hasty, I presume?”
Karikoga cursed under his breath, detesting the web of power as it was worse than the first.
Kezuo grinned while the room of spectators awed in silence. “The children believed they were ahead. But oh, how they are so wrong.”
Kronos tilted his head to the side. He grunted in surprise. The new barrier had respawned in such a way that its burgeoning energy produced a faint gravitational force that caused rocks nearby Kronos and Abimelech to be yanked and fall from the precipice of a high cliff that overlooked the large forest where he and Abimelech were using the vantage point of the cliff to monitor the Tonderai Brothers. And, judging by how the mission transpired, Kronos shook his head in dismay, hating the fact that the maelstrom of power from the barrier was going to be an indefinite obstacle to pass this time.
“Damn it. If you thought the first barrier was bad, then we might as well pull them out. I don’t even think Stasya could get through that one.”
“No way Kronos. Quit exaggerating.”
“No. I’m dead serious.”
“Stasya? She’s practically on Mabeta’s level when it comes to this.
“Not in this manner.” said Kronos.
“She’s a master of sacred spiritual and elemental techniques.”
“On a combat level—yea. She’s deep. She’s super powerful in combat. But something this arcane? She knows a thing or two but nothing this esoteric. She’s not a hacker. No Abimelech. Not this barrier. This is esoteric. Ancient…dark…a seraphim level magical incantation.”
“Seraphim level? Satan’s balls! How these Sheenyo-Qi get a hold of that?”
“These aren’t your average Sheenyo-Qi. I mentioned earlier that they’re descendants of Kantz who is from the bloodline of…oh damn…I just realized something.”
“Eh?”
“Bloodline of Hazvinei.”
“Kronos! The Hazvinei? That chick from long ago who went from being a peasant to being head hancho of the Ipashi Clan during the Great Wars of Old? That same woman who ended up becoming a Protector of Mar—”
They both gasped.
“The Salem Lords are planning on conquering the Pillar of Marissa—the first pillar—from the Kezuo Clan—descendant of the Sheenyo-Qi Protector Hazvinei!” Shouted Kronos.
“We got to get in this! How is Milo putting them on this and not us? Is he out of his mind?” Shouted Abimelech who darted forward off the cliff.
“Wait!” shouted Kronos, grabbing the fellow Hurricane Beast and pulling him back.
“Salem Lords are gonna get the glory if we don’t nab it first!”
“Don’t be a fool! Milo specifically told us to monitor the brothers’ performances.”
“But he said—”
“Over there!” shouted Kronos pointing in the direction of where platoons of mechs, tanks, jeeps, combat drones, and war-copters were closing in on the Salem Lords’ location.
“Kronos! Their weapons! Look at their weapons!”
“Molech’s sweaty, roach infested nutsack and Lilith’s crab-crawling pubes! These Sheenyo-Qi are Kai killers.”
Abimelech darted forward but was immediately stopped by Kronos who shouted, “Just wait.”
The tension intensified.
“This is going to be good.” Said Kronos.
Gabriel chuckled out loud.
Karikoga drowned in unease.
“Gabby! That barrier! What kind of power is this? Who are these damn people?” said Shohiwa.
“So, this is how the emperor seeks to test us.” Said Gabriel to himself who smiled.
“Gabriel?” said Karikoga, feeling a little worried.
“I will show the descendants of Hazvinei the way of Gabriel Tonderai—the day these fools crossed paths with the one who is destined to be the sword of The Most High’s vengeance!” Gabriel laughed out loud once more. “Behold!” He shouted.
Gabriel’s voice was so excited and twisted that Karikoga was filled with horror. But, within his horror, there swam a strange admiration coalesced with extreme apprehension.
Gabriel performed hand gestures that were more furious and faster than his previous spirit-magic execution, and as he finished with both hands held high in the air, he went towards the ground as swift as a cheetah-wolf and slammed his hands against the ground like a hulking beast and he shouted, “Nasherrenker Kahndebkarshanm”— ‘Barrier Evisceration!’ Gabriel’s hand slam was so hard that, seconds later, after a quick stillness and calm that came from a light tap, an explosive gust of wind burst through the ground, causing Karikoga to tighten his body and brace himself as Shohiwa was crouching low and was already being pushed back by the wind, his fingers stabbing through ground, ripping through it to prevent himself from being blown away. A shockwave then burst from Gabriel’s palms and burst towards the gates as spears of fire-electrical rods—coalesced with spirit energy—formed from within the shockwave and flew forwards like hellish missiles. Wind and virulent energy smacked onto the barrier, causing the barrier to shrivel before the spears of fire-electricity smashed against it.
The barrier crumpled into itself and suddenly exploded as a brilliant scream akin to a great Christ Dragon tore through the smokey air.
The storm of virulent powers subsided. The air stilled. Karikoga relaxed. He looked back to examine the safety of Shohiwa who was about forty meters distant from them.
Gabriel stood up, a little blood flowing from his fingers.
After Gabriel’s damaged flesh regenerated and fully healed, Gabriel created fire on his hands and burned his blood away, then rolled his hands through his side-cut dreads—Karikoga knowing that Gabriel was ensuring that he himself was looking physically immaculate.
“My hands should not have been bleeding. I need to improve my durability during my training. Anywho, now these Sheenyo-Qi know that we are superior, and they are the stupid ones.” Gabriel said.
A demonic smile appeared on his face while his eyes emitted a cold glare.
Terror seized Kezuo’s being. His heart seemed ready to burst from his chest. Without realizing it, his hand released the glass of wine. It fell through the air, shattering on the floor—CREAK!!!—liquid flying onto his right cheek. He trembled from the sight. “Telan! But the barrier! It was Telan!”
“Sir?” Said Winslow, whose voice echoed shock.
The spectating investors’ eyes were wide and their mouths were agape. Their countenances either marred with twisted revulsion or awe.
“Telan! Fueled by both the powers of light and darkness in The Way! How the hell did this child do that?” wondered Kezuo.
“Ho-ho!” shouted Kronos, staring in awe at that magic power from some arcane technique that the young Salem Lord had unleash.
“Holy smokes!” said Abimelech.
Kronos let go of Abimelech.
They stared at the oncoming party of the enemy attack force, knowing the enemy were beyond too late. Kronos didn’t expect Gabriel to get through the barrier at all—let alone experience an extremely difficult moment and exert rigorous effort before he broke through it. Kronos just didn’t believe the boy had a chance.
But this kid…this Salem Lord…indeed Gabriel Tonderai—you’re a prodigy. You proved me wrong.
Kronos momentarily felt stupid for doubting, and then he said, “That barrier was known as Telan. And it should’ve taken weeks, if not, months, for that boy to get through.”
“Whoa…” said Abimelech.
Kronos smirked. “We’ll keep our eyes open. But they still need to learn more stuff.”
“Hey,” said Abimelech, gesture-pointing with his head, “they’re heading inside.”
“Let’s make sure we get the best seats in town for this.”
“Hell yea.”
Kronos got up from the precipice and pressed his legs onto the edge and jumped off, the ground cracking, gusts of wind blasting from his leap, and he took to the skies. Abimelech trailed him, heading towards the massive fortress.
Karikoga and his brothers entered into a lush, sprawling forest where, ahead of them, lines of large blue oak and redwood trees stood like hellish sentinels which aligned opposite sides of the dark, shadowy pathway for as far as the eye could see. Karikoga channeled his Hakokhott and enhanced his vision to examine the forest. While the Tonderai Brothers headed down the forty-yard-wide road path, Karikoga whispered, “Clear” to himself. He looked up and saw Kronos and Abimelech flying into the compound. Karikoga narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, wondering what those two Hurricane Beasts were up to.
Gabriel made weaving signs with his arms once more, and he lifted his right arm into the air. A fiery barrier of swirling red waves and burgundy, wave-riding tendrils formed around the entrance and the entire complex itself—the barrier being the size of a small city.
“You’re using this much energy Gabriel? And for what, to keep some folks out?” said Karikoga.
“Very good. I do intend for us to handle business while uninterrupted, but some of the energy is not mines. I am simply melding much of the remnants of Telan with my own—saving energy.”
“I see.”
“Trust in my processes brother.”
“Hmph.” Karikoga murmured to himself, pondering what Gabriel could’ve did in the first mission if Karikoga didn’t intervene to stop him. “I was about to say. I know you don’t have that much energy.”
“Ha! One day, I shall.”
Gabriel briefly regarded Karikoga with a dark stare before looking away.
“And as our little brother Shohiwa would say, ‘Cease to enter the chambers of hate.’”
Shohiwa laughed, then said, “Gabby! Bro! It’s ‘don’t be hate’n!’ ‘Don’t…be…hate’n!’”
“I am repulsed by that horrendous phrasing and syntax.”
Shohiwa shrugged.
Shohiwa began tricking across the roadway, doing triple back flips, bullet flips, double legs twists, snapu-swipes, parafusos, 1080 corkscrews, and all other kinds of flips and twists that Shohiwa had told Karikoga about. Ceasing his idling, Shohiwa said, “C’mon—I’m trying to finish this mission already!”
Gabriel sharpened his stare as if probing Shohiwa’s future, smiled, and said with a gentle voice. “So that later on, you can do what little brother?” Shohiwa looked at him as if afraid to speak of some embarrassing secret and Gabriel sharpened his stare and hissed, “So you can do what?” The gentle voice had transformed into a disapproving snarl.
Shohiwa scowled and barked, “It’s none of your damn business!” and proceeded to march down the roadway.
Gabriel tele-stepped to Karikoga, leaned near Karikoga’s ears, whispered, “So he can,” then proceeded to shout, “waste time doing pointless flip tricks, being overindulgent with technology and science rather than his natural power, researching useless ancient pop cultures of Old Earth, and playing video games, rather than living to his full Kai potential! In other words, being lazy! A good for nothing lazy fool!” And then Gabriel headed towards the Kezuo base.
Normally, when people were in someone’s ears to talk behind someone’s back, they’d whispered harsh truths about the intended person of topic without the other knowing, but that wasn’t Gabriel. Gabriel didn’t care and actually wanted Shohiwa to hear as he was shouting in Karikoga’s ear the whole time, not that Karikoga’s eardrums would be affected. Gabriel would say stuff to anyone’s face, rather than cower in dark corners as ‘the cowardly gossipers and slanderers would do’ so Gabriel professed.
Shohiwa looked at Gabriel with immense anger.
Gabriel rolled his eyes and proceeded to walk past Shohiwa.
Thick tension pervaded the atmosphere. Just when they were off to a good start, things were getting weird due to their brotherly rivalries and rebukes.
Staring at the floor to ceiling monitor in shock, Kezuo twitched. On another monitor, Kezuo grand platoons of tanks, jetpack donning soldiers, mechs, drones and the like had arrived at the entrance of the fortress. Kezuo’s ear-com had chimed. Though Dianne had given him a device to remain linked to his forces, he grew fearful, raped by dread. He began to doubt his plans and the entire operation.
Soon, a voice patched into the channels. “Sir, we’ve reached our destination, but where is the enemy?”
Kezuo stared.
“Sir!”
“Huh?” Dianne’s voice had snapped him out of his frozen state.
“Did you not see what just happened?”
“Wha—what?” he said.
“Lord Kezuo, that child has placed his barrier around the fortress-estate! We’re barred in! And the assault platoons failed to reach the enemy in time and can’t get inside! What are your orders?”
He simply stared.
“Kezuo! You talk about glory and wanting to make me your wife, yet you’re looking like a fool right now. Excuse my disrespectfulness, sir!” said Dianne.
Her words snapped him back to reality and he looked at the monitor and noticed the boys were leaping like dragon warriors, covering dozens of meters in seconds and he shouted, “Activate the Nyasha Guillotine and Bloom Grenades, they’re already in Zone Two! Should they survive and pass Zone Three, I want Winslow and his men to enter their new Model Series Soul Storms!”
“Indeed. Doesn’t matter if the mechs may seem overkill. They need to experience some terror!” said Winslow.
Donatello shrugged. “The Commander and we shall take care of them.”
Winslow Yondi and Donatello Harmire departed the room.
An investor, a large woman, approached Kezuo. “You don’t mean to kill these children before you bring them in?”
“How will the dead bodies ensure that the experiments will work?” said another investor.
“Everything will be fine.” Said Kezuo.
Indeed, everything will be fine. Or I’ll resort to using it.
As Karikoga and his brothers leaped down the road path, Karikoga heard loud chimes of metal. He quested into his senses to root out any potential threat, but he sensed no Kai. The smashing of metal grew louder.
“Ahead.” Warned Gabriel.
Karikoga channeled into his Hakokhott. Redwood trees deconstructed apart and turned into massive blade scythes, and oak trees formed into fist sized floating balls. Realizing that some of the trees were unnatural, Karikoga began to applaud the genius of cloaking battlefield traps within nature itself.
“Really? Bond-villain style booby traps now?” Shohiwa grunted.
“Target practice time.” Karikoga said.
The wood-metal scythe blades and balls flew towards them, and Karikoga unleashed Light of Balietta, firing lasers from his eyes while he launched a series of Lightening Launchers at the objects—laser beams and electrical rods thrown simultaneously. The beams and rods of power smashed into the field-traps, causing mini explosions and smoke that engulfed their view. And then scythes flew through the smoke as Karikoga landed onto the ground. Then he burst forward. Heading straight towards a wave of scythes, Karikoga flipped in a somersaulting motion like a circular saw, striking them away one by one.
The battered blades exploded.
The Tonderai Brothers proceeded forward.
Kezuo nodded his head and cursed under his breath.
The Tonderai Brothers reached a fortress door. Karikoga noticed the ground quaking dozens of feet before them. The roadway neatly split in half and opened like metallic doors of a big elevator. The brothers slowed their travel.
“Lame. Like, really my nigga?” Shohiwa blurted. “We’re supposed to fall into that?”
“This pit serves as no guise for enemy ensnarement.” Said Gabriel.
“Then what is it? Oh wait, a hidden elevator where a villain pops out. This is ridiculous.” Said Shohiwa.
Karikoga clenched his fists. “Brace yourself guys.”
A large platform rose from the mouth of the earth—or rather a tunnel of some sort—and dozens of mechs rose into view. Amidst the all black military mechs were two mechs that stood out: One with a blue head and cloak and another with red Saur-armor. As the mechs hovered away from the raised platform, the platform went down, and the roadway closed.
“Greetings children.” Said the blue headed mech. “I’m Winslow Yondi. He gestured at the red armored mech and the other mechs. “And this is Donatello Harmire and the remainder of my crew. We’ll kindly escort you to the Kezuo Estate. Welcome. Would you like anything to eat?” He gestured behind him and the other mechs made a pathway before them. Winslow’s mech then stepped to the side and bowed. The other mechs dropped to their knees and lay prostrate on the floor.
Karikoga squinted his eyes as Gabriel chuckled.
Like we’re supposed to fall for this.
“Hey!” shouted Shohiwa. “Thanks guys!” he faced his brothers. “Yo, lets get some grub.”
“Eh?” Karikoga said.
“Dude, they’re just trying to give us food!”
“Are you serious?” Karikoga asked.
“Nigga! I’m hungry and I need to eat!”
“You empty-headed, simpleton idiot!” growled Gabriel.
The red-armored mech, Donatello said, “Children. You have passed the test. Emperor Milo would be pleased. Come forth and meet his friend Sir Kezuo the Sixth who will introduce you to more of The Way. It is time for your real training!”
“Is that right?” said Karikoga. “And to think we were onto something interesting. Then again, it’s time to train!” Said Karikoga. “Guys! We finally get to have our real training! Thanks Donatello!”
“No problem!”
“What?” shouted Gabriel. “You too Karikoga?”
“Huh?” wondered Karikoga.
“And we get food!” Shohiwa said in awe.
“You two are abject fools! Do you not see? You are being deceived!”
“What do you mean?” said Karikoga. “Gabriel, they know about our training. What other Sheenyo-Qi knows what we really want huh?”
“Exactly.” Followed Shohiwa.
“You are clearly being deceived, and you will live your life in misery if you keep this up.” Then Gabriel pointed to Shohiwa. “And you just want to scrouge around and gorge yourself like a lazy bloody buffoon!”
“Shut up!”
Gabriel hissed. “This is not over. They play games with you! You do this Karikoga, and you will surely never become the Mudziviriri you desire to be.”
Karikoga looked at Winslow. “Question, Winslow.”
“Yes?”
“What’s Shohiwa’s favorite dish? Whose my favorite fighter and what’s my favorite novel? And what’s Gabriel’s most prized hobby?”
“Why? Come in and—”
“Right now!”
“I cannot reveal that.” Said Winslow.
Karikoga took a step back, narrowed his eyes, then folded his arms.
“They deceive us!” Shohiwa shouted.
“Obviously. It is good to see that the spell of stupidity has broken away from you both.” Gabriel stepped forth. “I shall handle them.”
“Nah” said Shohiwa, pushing past Gabriel, “You think I don’t want to get better, but I’ll show you that I’m already too damn good!”
Gabriel rolled his eyes.
Shohiwa approached them and Koshined. Waves of spiritual energy engulfed him. Winslow said, “Excuse me sir? What are you doing?” Shohiwa kept coming forward. “Don’t be rowdy. I told you: The Emperor and Kezuo are pleased with your performance. Quit this farce.”
Wind and lightening flowed around Shohiwa’s palms, and he darted towards the commander and his soldiers.
“Very well you little fool! Men!” Shouted Winslow as his men entered combat formations. “Take these idiots alive.”
Shohiwa, in mid-air, summoned four clones with wind-lightning dancing around their hands, and he crossed his arm over the other extended arm and shouted, “Wind Might Fists!” A gauntlet of spiraling wind-lightning formed onto his arms.
Karikoga clenched his fists. His blood boiled from Shohiwa’s battle-charge.
The underling mech unit darted to Shohiwa and he struck them with reckless abandon, a barrage of Shohiwa punches and Shohiwa kicks that caused waves of lightning and wind to explode from each impact between fists and metal. During Shohiwa’s beatdown of mech units, Winslow and Donatello had leapt and began flying around the battlefield, launching precise, long range blast waves at Shohiwa to try and create openings for the mech grunts or land a strike on Shohiwa, but Shohiwa dodged the series of long range strikes with finesse, using flips and super slides. Shohiwa dodged a strike using a super slide which he used as a strike to knock a mech into the air then kicked the said mech towards another mech and repeated the process. Super slide, knock up, BOOM! Super-slide, knock up, BOOM! Zipping this way and that, until Shohiwa shrouded himself in power at the final wave of enemy mechs and performed a super-slide that was so powerful, it exploded the ground and atmosphere and became a roiling wind tsunami of destructive force like a cosmic shark fin slicing through the universe. The huge energy-enshrouded Shohiwa slammed through the final wave of enemies, and they were knocked away like wind-tossed leaves and debris.
After Shohiwa and his clones made quick work of the groups of mechs, only Winslow and Donatello’s mechs remained. Shohiwa dispelled his clones and launched himself at the commanding officers. They fired a blast wave. Shohiwa blocked their joint strike with his forearms and they continued to hose him down, but Shohiwa continued streamlining through the wave of power like the Angel of the Lord Jesus Christ flying straight through a cosmic fiery wave of deadly power from a Christ Dragon.
Busting out of the wave of power, appearing right in front of them, Shohiwa’s body flooding with his mighty aura while his spirit-energy made gauntlets exploded with more of Shohiwa’s energy, and he proceeded to launch a series of left-right-left-right straight punch combinations and arrow kicks, roundhouse kicks, axe kicks, hooks, and uppercuts in furious barrages, beating up both mechs simultaneously, switching between them like a hack-and-slash video game protagonist switching back-and-forth between targets. Shohiwa’s body was a blur, after images of himself trailing from him and fading in the air while more after images appeared. Finishing up, he swept-kicked Donatello’s mech, and before it hit the ground, Shohiwa back-kicked its stomach and it hurled into Winslow’s dazed and stunned mech, crashing into it and being hurled alongside it. While they both hurled through the air, Shohiwa extended his arms, clasped his hands together and shouted, “Imperial God Flash!”
A sluicing virulent blast wave unleashed at supersonic speed. Multiple rings of shockwaves exploded from Shohiwa’s speeding special attack, and the Imperial God Flash crashed onto Winslow and Donatello’s mechs. Their mega-phone screams could be heard amid Shohiwa’s explosion.
Shohiwa had made quick work of all the mechs.
When the power died down, Shohiwa approached the downed commanders.
Winslow groaned.
“How can this be? I don’t understand!” shouted Donatello.
Shohiwa walked to both of their mechs, picked them up in each hand, tossed them into the air, laid down underneath them, and proceeded to juggle the two mechs with his feet. Commander Winslow was shouting in outrage as Shohiwa was laughing.
“Shohiwa, enough. Let’s get going.” Said Karikoga.
Shohiwa waited for both mechs to land on his feet, then he kicked them both into a forest of gnarled branches.
The air was still. The forest, silent.
Shohiwa winked at Gabriel. “See Gabriel, too easy.”
But Gabriel ignored him. For Gabriel was staring at the mechs near them. Karikgoa saw the deadly glare emanating from Gabriel. The silence grew stronger. Karikoga tensed. The pilots ejected from their cockpits, scrambled across the ground on their hands and feet, then got up, running into the forests. Gabriel barred his teeth with a sensual grin. Knowing that look, a deep dread fell over Karikoga. Gabriel then tele-gripped a Sheenyo-Qi towards him. Holding him in hand, Gabriel began squeezing the female soldier’s neck. Karikoga’s heart thumped. He darted to Gabriel, grabbing him, and said, “Damn it! No! The mission! We focus on the mission! As I lead, there won’t be any blood damn it!”
Gabriel looked at him, closed his eyes, and sighed. Then he opened them and smiled. His cold glare struck Karikoga with a lingering dread. Gabriel nodded his head. Gabriel let go of the Sheenyo-Qi woman who plopped to the ground. The pilot’s eyes were closed.
Karikoga growled.
“What?” said Gabriel in an amused bafflement. “Life is still in her.”
Karikoga went to the pilot, squatted, and checked her pulse. She would live.
Karikoga let go and turned to see Shohiwa who stared with horror in his eyes. Gabriel smoothed out his hair and then he headed onward, his dark, cold glare fixed on the Kezuo estate. How much did Gabriel love his sin of murder? Did he really love his sin that much? Or…was there something more to Gabriel than what it was? Why was he like this? How did he even get like this? Gabriel was never a murderer before. In truth, the thought of Gabriel being this way was inconceivable. For Gabriel used to be filled with so much love and loved others as he did the Lord God Jesus. Gabriel even used to preach against the evilness of sin and how it defiled the human soul and spirit, desiring others to come to Father-Yahweh through Son-Yahweh, Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit—Spirit Yahweh. But now…now…
Karikoga and Shohiwa crossed gazes with each other, sharing the same horror.
Karikoga fought against a trembling and proceeded to head deeper into the Estate.
“Shohiwa? I like that kid a lot.” Said Abimelech. “Even though I also don’t like him. I mean, he’s got that Shekokhott Fiziim on deck! Just a little more training and he’ll be solid! Then again, he doesn’t even train! So, he’s a damn paradox! Practically limiting himself! But boy, does this one—”
Abimelech continued to talk about Shohiwa, but the entire time, Kronos was zoned out. For he was too absorbed by the conflict between Gabriel and Karikoga. What was that all about? Something dark seemed to be brewing between those two, though Kronos knew not what. Kronos didn’t like it one bit. And somehow, it made him sick to his stomach, as if he was about to witness something so terrible that it was going to unravel some greater truth of reality that was about to convict him of something. But of what? Kronos’s guilt? Kronos shook his head. He was thinking too much.
“Maybe but—still.” Said Kronos.
“Huh?”
Kronos looked at Abimelech. Maybe Kronos shouldn’t have said anything at all because now he knew that Abimelech was pissed off for not listening to him. “Let’s go Abbey. They reach the final stage.”
Kronos leaped from the redwood tree and headed out of the forest.
“Were you even listening to me?” shouted Abimelech.
My bad Abbey.
Winslow watched the brothers leave the forest as his eyelids grew heavy from exhaustion. “Who are these Kai? How are they so strong? How are they—” he passed out.
Kezuo roared in anger and stormed out of the monitor room.
Dianne shouted, “My lord? Sir?”
Kezuo had enough. It was time. He would use it. He would unleash the beast of his creation.
Karikoga approached Shohiwa. They headed up a flight of steep stairs of a grand, verdant terrace. Trying to ease up tension from the earlier episode, Karikoga decided to take his mind off of it by learning more about Shohiwa’s power. “Shohiwa, tell me about that move. The one with the wind gauntlets.”
“That gauntlet power technique from earlier?” said Shohiwa as if he too was also trying to reorient himself from what he saw earlier. "Oh, yea, so. I read about it in that book you were reading earlier. The Book of Thrones.”
“The one I lent you? I didn’t think you were going to read that—”
“Well I did.” Said Shohiwa. He seemed antsy, but maybe it was because he might’ve believed Karikgoa was going to talk down on him concerning his bad habits. But Karikoga was about grace. He understood that everyone had their flaws. Some obvious. Others hidden in secret. Some people would claim they were perfect, but Karikoga knew what people did in secret. He knew this because he kept his own dirty secrets from others—the ones no one knew about at all. His personal sins. “I meditated on that power up from the Book of Thrones all day long as I read up on Keanu’s biography.”
“Who?”
“Keanu Reeves.”
“A former Kai warrior huh? Interesting.”
“No! The nigga’s a prolific actor. One of the all-time greats.”
“Who?” Karikoga said, confused.
“Never mind.” Said Shohiwa. They drew closer to the estate and Gabriel was dozens of meters ahead of them. Gabriel seemed to be in deep thoughts. “But yea, I meditated on the technique all day. And then I added my clones to it in my mind. Then, when the mission came, I just applied it.”
“That’s it?”
“Yea.”
“No training?” Karikoga said in shock.
“Telling you bro, no need.”
“Ridiculous.” Karikoga hissed.
Shohiwa stuck his tongue out at him.
A wave of intrigue flooded Karikoga. And he thought about Shohiwa’s upbringing. Back in middle school, Shohiwa was always physically gifted, but Karikoga didn’t believe it would transfer over to Shohiwa’s Kai blood. Karikoga didn’t believe Shohiwa would be this strong. Karikoga rubbed his head and whispered to himself, “Figures.”
Shohiwa looked away.
Suddenly, Karikoga found himself staring at Shohiwa, scowling. Something terrible and fierce struck Karikoga’s heart. Something dark. He thought of bashing Shohiwa’s head in. Then Karikoga wondered how this fool even had the ability to do what he did without spending time in the training chamber. And here Karikoga was, slaving away trying to master his techniques, trying to be obedient to God’s way and yet, this fool Shohiwa—this sexually immoral sinner— was picking up techniques faster than Karikoga. A sorrow fell over Karikoga. Noticing the envy that was poisoning his heart, Karikoga ceased scowling at Shohiwa, looked away from his little brother, and kept his anger and frustration to himself.
Eventually, they reached the estate, Gabriel arriving to it first, before Karikoga and Shohiwa reached the area next. Rather than entering the door, they ran up the exterior-surface of the mansion palace and jumped through a large window.
They had entered a large hall with a scope and presence that nearly competed with even Milo’s own hall which was greater than a small village settlement. Karikoga examined massive statues, sculptures, and busts of warriors that stood near large tapestries with people dying then resurrecting into new, celestial bodies. Others died and were plunged into a dark fate, the lake of fire. Karikoga looked away from the drawings that centered on afterlife consequences—a theme that planted a little fear in him—and he noticed in-house balconies which coiled around the massive hall where stairways led to dozens of other floors. A woman was leaning over the third level balcony, smoking a cigarette as she pointed at Shohiwa.
“You!” she shouted out loud.
“Me?” he said in surprise.
“I saw you on one of my damned husband’s monitors. Before you kill us,” she said lazily, “You’re gonna have a great time with me in front of the corpse of my husband first. Ok?”
“Where did this come from?” Karikoga said in shock.
“Don’t be ashamed honey. You’re cute too. As well as that one.” The woman said, pointing at Gabriel. “But there’s something special about him. Then again, I just like his type more.”
“Yes. You’re right.” Gabriel chuckled. “A bloody lazy buffoon.”
Karikoga was looking around in shock, trying to comprehend the Sheenyo-Qi. She dragged onto the cigarette, the ember glowing brightly, and she breathed out smoke and chuckled.
He narrowed his stare.
“I just had a new thought.” The woman said, coughing out more smoke. “I want my husband alive. And, while he’s shackled to a wall, I want all three of you inside me as we’re pressed against him! I could only imagine the jealousy and humiliation on his face as he stares in fury and sorrow!”
“Uhh…ok.” Shohiwa said.
“Shohiwa that is filthy and disgusting.” Barked Gabriel.
Karikoga crossed his arms. “This woman is drunk. Marital issues.”
She laughed like a maniac, her deranged chuckles echoing throughout the hall like thunder.
Gabriel placed his right hand on his right hip. “I see why Lucifer points the fingers at these Lesser Huma—I mean strange Sheenyo-Qi.”
Ignoring the old, drunken, but inexplicably attractive white woman dressed in royal garbs that rivaled the Greek Goddess Hera, Karikoga treaded into the hall. Examining the walls, he saw more murals of humanity at war with one another, Kai against Kai, Sheenyo-Qi pitted against Sheenyo-Qi, Kai and Sheenyo and vice versa. As she laughed, Karikoga said, “Brother, something confuses me.”
“Yes Karikoga?”
“How is it that those soldiers of Montroy didn’t know of our existence? When they encountered us for the first time, they were shocked of who we were like we were demons.”
“Some are aware of our existence, but most are not.” Said Gabriel.
The drunk woman on the balcony began speaking out loud. But they ignored her.
“I don’t understand. How can few know about us?” said Karikoga.
“Factors Karikoga. Factors.” Said Gabriel, examining the statues, “With the amalgamation of false teachings and doctrines that distort history, bad science that preaches lies against truths rather than good honest science that reveals the truths and exposes the lies, propaganda turning truths to lies and lies to gospels, The Prime Laws of the Council of Christ concerning obscurity, the passage of tens of thousands of years since the Great Wars of Old, and the like—yes, with the amalgamation of all this and more, memories are altered, and, with that, the past of us all. We are all slowly forgetting our histories.”
Karikoga looked around, preparing his mind to understand more, and then Gabriel said, “Did I also mention the stupidity of the Sheenyo-Qi along with their innate tendency to shun aside and forget histor—”
“Be quiet. Gabriel, just be quiet.” Said, Karikoga, flicking his wrists at Gabriel who sounded like a pestering fly, “I don’t want to hear that.” Gabriel chuckled. Then Karikoga said, “But the descendants of Hazvinei, they remember.”
The older woman stared at them with dead eyes.
“Aye. They do. But, times have changed. They might not remember us as the same.”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you familiar with the Alastor Family?”
“Go on.”
“The Alastor Family are some of the most powerful ruling Sheenyo-Qi families in New Earth and the entire galaxy, aside from fading clans from the descendants of Sheenyo-Qi protectors. But, the Alastor’s rise to power is an anomaly. A mystery one should say, as no one knows how they rose to power.”
“But what does this have to do with ‘them seeing us differently?”
“Karikoga, The Alastor Family are the most influential Sheenyo-Qi in this Milky Way galaxy. The will of the diabolically twisted and strong individuals is easily able to sway the will of the masses of the pathetically stupid and ignorant weak folk. This is one of the truths of life. As such, the Alastor Family have shaped the views of most, if not all, the people in this continent and most of the galaxy. Therefore, the people within Mahktesh Le’hagia continent will not view us the same. They will view us as something else. Something that distorts the truth of the origins from who and where we Kai really come from.”
“I don’t get it.”
“The Alastor Family has—”
“Hey!” shouted Shohiwa. A violently bright, colorful light had flashed into the hall.
Smoke flooded the area. Soon, a slender figure slowly stood tall in the center of the room.
As the smoke subsided, a slender mech in the shape of a dragon-humanoid was facing them.
“You fools think you have outsmarted the genius of me? The great Kezuo the Sixth? Oh, how you shall be broken to learn the truth of things. How you shall all wallow in horror as you realize the tribulation that Milo brought onto you, and how his face shall contort in sorrow as he learns of the suffering he has brought onto himself and his family!”
Karikoga looked at Gabriel. “Gabe, put a barrier around the room and on him and the woman.” Gabriel scoffed. “Gabriel, put a barrier around the house, and place Kezuo and that woman in one of your damn barriers please.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes. Gabriel waved his hand around the room. A red miasma of swirling energy swam throughout the walls and sheathed the entire halls, including the woman. She crossed her arms and stared in fascination and wonder, and a red shield of energy cloaked Kezuo. Anger and confusion twisted Kezuo’s countenance, and he stared with horror in his eyes.
“Thank you, Gabriel.”
Kronos narrowed his gaze.
Abimelech shouted, “Yo! The hell is this? I can barely see inside! Gah, I can’t see!”
“It’s called use your supernatural eyesight genius.”
“Oh yea. Forgot I could do that! Hehehe!”
Kronos shook his head and stared into the grand hall.
Karikoga channeled into all three categories of the Kai Wheels and grunted. Large balls of energy-light, surrounded by electricity, formed on each of his hands. He felt as if his arms would fall from the weight. Completely channeling into his energies—Whoosh-ka-thunk—lightning storms and virulent winds engulfed his electrical encased balls of light after the energy performed a violent scream. The large balls of light pulsed with power, and each pulse produced a gust of wind that knocked away furniture, statues, and the like within the vicinity.
The maelstrom of energy blasted throughout the grand hall and vibrated Karikoga’s arms and body, but he used his strength to ensure control over his technique. While Kezuo mouthed something, Karikoga tele-stepped into the air and was already in front of the mech’s cockpit window, Kezuo’s eyes in shock.
“Twin Children of the Sun!” Karikoga shouted.
He darted his right and left arm forwards, smashing both giant balls of energy onto the mech. The Twin Children of the Sun twisted and ate through metal until—BOOM.
The palace quaked. The hall inside the red barrier had erupted in great light while chunks of metal exploded and disintegrated. Once the explosion ceased, the barrier disappeared as a man fell through the air and landed onto the floor. It was done. Abimelech clapped his hands. “That guy Karikoga has a lot of god damn energy. Lots of it and it doesn’t make any sense! This is so good!”
Kronos wanted to smile, to be happy that the babysitting was over, but the lingering, skin-pinching dread intensified. He sensed a strange tension growing stronger between the Tonderais. What was going on?
Abimelech was completely unaware of the situation. He didn’t need to be a scientist to see the brothers’ faces and how some were treating the others.
It was time for the Salem Lords to conquer the pillar.
Kezuo stared in delirium. Karikoga walked right past him. Karikoga examined the smokey palms of his hands, content that his Level Two versions of Child of the Sun was a success. He turned around. “You guys coming?”
Gabriel rubbed his hand together with glee. “So, you learned that sometime on the jet before our sparring session I presume?”
“No. I had it down for about a month now. Just didn’t feel like using it until I really put Level One to use during our first mission. But Level One is just as viable as Level Two. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. But I’ll save that for another time.”
A demented glimmer of some unholy eagerness and dark expectation swam in Gabriel’s eyes which pierced Karikoga with dread. “Do you recall my proclamation of mastering the perfected version of Lemuel’s Armor.”
Karikoga clenched his fists. “So, I got you worried now huh? Thinking you’ll drop the ball in surpassing me?”
Gabriel sharpened his stare. His face conveyed a sensually violent yearning like a statute of a Kai warrior who lusted for blood. “Perhaps I already have.”
His little brother charged up. Karikoga braced himself. An immense heaviness pervaded the atmosphere.
“Hey, why didn’t you say anything about me when I did some stuff earlier Gabby?” Shohiwa said.
Gabriel did not respond, too focused on locking eyes with Karikoga.
“Screw this! I’m sick of y’all niggas acting like this towards each other! And I’m sick of y’all underestimating me,” Shohiwa jumped between them “thinking I don’t belong in this! Shunning me aside! I glue you fools together! Not you!” Shohiwa Koshined, eyeing both Karikoga and Gabriel.
Karikoga tensed. “Stay out of this.”
“Screw you. You’re a double-minded coward still playing around with the Light and who can’t descend. And Gabriel’s a loser whose pissed off that Sheenyo-Qi are better than him.”
Karikoga grimaced. Shohiwa, you bastard.
“Then I shall deal with you once big brother wallows in his defeat.” Snarled Gabriel.
The dread intensified.
“So beautiful.” Said the woman. “How you all glow like quasars within the cosmos.”
Karikoga was caught off guard by the woman’s comment. He looked up at the woman. “I believe you three are here for Pillar Marissa. Yes. You are. There’s no way strong ones like you would be here just to be here. Come, after your display, you deserve every right to have dominion over it.”
“Tisara!” growled Kezuo.
“They show themselves to be greater men than you. And they’re not even men, but young boys.” Tisara threw the cigarette off the balcony. She closed her eyes and pressed her hands together. Overtime, her hands glowed. Moments later, a jewel glowed from her forehead. Then, she opened her eyes which flooded with light. The halls undulated. Through the undulation, the walls slid apart, revealing a secret pathway into a grand courtyard. Tisara’s eyes and hands ceased glowing, and the glowing jewel disappeared from her forehead.
Eyeing the passageway, Shohiwa marched off. “I’ll see what’s inside for myself. I’m done with you fools right now.” Shohiwa left the wrecked hall.
“Tisara? Damn you! Oh damn you!” Kezuo cried.
But she had already left the balcony railing and was walking away from them.
Gabriel stepped away, “I must remain focused on what we came for.”
Gabriel went towards a shocked Kezuo, tele-gripped Kezuo, and lifted him into the air. Gabriel extended a free hand to the hovering man and spiritual energy poured from Gabriel’s palms. He then passed his energy through Kezuo’s shoulder where blood seeped through his gear, and Gabriel clenched his extended hand into a fist, causing rivers of Kezuo’s blood to flow in mid-air towards Gabriel. Kezuo eyes closed, the man going unconscious, and his blood flowed into the miasma of energy on Gabriel’s hand. He kept Kezuo in a suspended state and left the hall with Kezuo’s body hovering above him.
Karikoga relaxed, somewhat relieved that he and his brothers didn’t let loose on one another. But he scoffed at the dichotomy that existed within him: a piece of him desired to truly compete against and overcome Gabriel in a real battle, but another side of him hesitated to challenge him. Dispelling any doubts of the rivalry and maintaining his confidence in his strength, he headed out of the hall. Yet strange, that the duality which existed in taking on Gabriel also existed in his turmoil to choose between The darkness of Satan and the Light of God the Son Jesus Christ.
Kronos narrowed his eyes.
“What’s up with those three, man? Why are they at each other’s throats like that?”
Perhaps it’s power. Also having something to do with their ideologies. But their vibes are definitely off.
“Kronos?”
“They act up, they have to deal with it.”
“Or we just break up their squabble.”
“I don’t know. They’re gonna have to deal with it. But if it gets out of hand…” Kronos sighed. He liked the Tonderais a lot, even their youngest brother Michael. But it pained him to see them clash heads like this. This wasn’t just petty squabble. Something in his soul was telling him this was far deeper and, for some odd reason, seeing them against each other like that, it was hurting him inside.
Cracking his knuckles, he threw the occurrence out of his mind. “Let’s go Abimelech.”
“Yea.” Abimelech said, sounding like a downer. The enthusiasm of this mission left him, almost as if he too was being tormented by something that was making him feel like crap.
Damn it Tonderais. Get it together.
They had been overlooking the Kezuo Manor for some time, and, at its front, a maelstrom of swirling reddish power gripped the fortress like the wings of a cherubim clutching an enemy. Moira stared at that gentle but strangely oppressive wall of power and was lost in a trance as the red energy’s grasp over such an imposing stronghold reminded Moira of her high-leader Ori. As much as Supreme Blade Ori provided refuge for Moira and her men, presenting herself as the sanctuary and hope of their existence, The Lord Himself was that mighty Being whose hands guarded Ori and all that she cared for, making her grand stature pale in comparison to His glory. And, for that, one failed to understand that Ori was chosen by God, and, as such, could always be relied upon because she was so worthy; so strong; so loving.
Only a fool lacks faith in Supreme Blade Ori Malakoff.
“Moira,” said Leonora, snapping her from her thoughts. “What next?” she asked, gesturing at the fortress’s entrance of where a mass of well-armed Sheenyo-Qi platoons were waiting.
Moira enhanced her vision, examining the weaponry on them and grinned.
“It would be wise to sneak around the artifice.” Said Mika
“Agreed.” Said Bantu.
“Eh?” said Starchus. “You really think so Commander?”
After observing the weapons for some time, she decided what to do. “Those Sheenyo-Qi are slayers of Kai. As such, they will be judged now and quickly before we enter the Manor. After their trial ceases, I’ll summon another Cantor’s Gates to aid in our infiltration and bypass the barrier.”
Bantu scowled. “As the foolish lizard-monkey encounters a rabbit carcass and jumps to their presumed treasure, not knowing the rabbit was a trap for the lizard-monkey’s demise, so will leaders, believing they know everything, be exposed for their stupidity when they fall for the very thing they believed to be beneficial for the sake of themselves.”
Moira lifted her hand, made a fist, launched it towards the face of Bantu, and felt knuckles crack into cheeks as a loud thwap echoed in the air.
“Indeed. And a fool who doubts their leaders betrays the trust of God.”
“No. I do not. I only want the better paths to be considered.” hissed Bantu through his fingers as his hand grabbed his nose.
She addressed her warriors, “Men, go forth, and deliver judgment onto these Kai killers!”
The Hunter Pack flew forward
“But what about the element of surprise? What if they hear us?” said Mika.
“It doesn’t matter. Do you feel those boys’ energies? How weak it is! Come! Let us finish this, then get those Sons of Morning scum.”
Kai hunters darted into the press of Sheenyo-Qi soldiers and mechs. There were screams, followed by gunfire and Kai blasts.
*****
The sprawling, circular courtyard seemed to be cut from the interior of some heavenly spaceship, containing four long triangular pools filled with clear water encompassing much of the illuminated courtyard. A cold, misty air emanated throughout the yard, gently tapping against Karikoga’s skin as if the courtyard once housed an ocean that was still evaporating into nothingness to this day.
Stepping into a corridor that stretched around the parameter, he stared in awe at the corridor’s strange ceiling that seemed to travel into an infinite height that went into a dimension beyond the courtyard itself. He passed by plant-clothed, concrete columns that contained a meshwork of wires and filters where light swam throughout the columns from their base, traveling upwards through their metallic bodies and into that limitless ceiling’s beyond.
They entered an area of the courtyard where the interior ceiling was absent and exposed to the Albatras sky. Passing through the courtyards’ pristine floor which seemed to be composed entirely of air, the Tonderai brothers soon reached a pillar that was forty meters wide, forty meters thick, and with a height that soared into the sky, passing bodies of clouds that obscured its true size.
Gabriel reached Pillar Marissa and patched into the comm-channels.
“Julie, we have made it to the pillar sight.”
“Very good. A small team is already heading towards you now to occupy and exert power over the Kezuo manor.”
“Affirmative. Beginning ritual to prime for activation.”
Gabriel exited the comm-channel. He raised his right hand against the pillar, then was about to say something to himself but paused. Gabriel turned around, slowly looked at Karikoga and Shohiwa, and said, “I will gratefully borrow some of your energies to speed up the process of this ritual.” Shohiwa shrugged. “Well, you wish for a speedy completion of this mission to draw closer towards the refuge of home yes?”
Shohiwa slanted his lips, then loosened himself, Karikoga sensing Shohiwa dropping his inner walls of his Kai energies. “You too Karikoga. But open yourself more as you possess raw, abundant reserves of energy.”
Karikoga raised his eyebrows, “Gabriel…what are you—”
“I am doing this to improve the process of priming the pillar. Must I really explain myself to you? Only a pathetic, lowly fool as low as a Sheenyo-Qi would devise treachery against family.”
Karikoga laxed his defenses. Despite Gabriel keeping to himself with his own ambitious dreams, he would never trick his family—as long as they wouldn’t be hurt physically or emotionally in his scheme that is.
After a series of hand gestures, Gabriel began the ritual. Kezuo’s unconscious body, which was hovering above Gabriel, lowered down and was just one foot above Gabriel. Gabriel increased the flow of Kezuo’s blood which passed from his hands and swam around the pillars alongside the Kai energies of he, Shohiwa, and Karikoga.
Shohiwa grunted. “This makes no sense. I don’t know how our powers can serve as conduits and be some special keys!”
“And that is why you shall remain ignorant of the spiritual and physical secrets of the deeper things that our spirit energy can access and fail to know the greater roads of enlightenment,” said Gabriel, concentrating in filling the rocky skin of the pillar with the blood of a Protector’s descendant.
“Some of our powers as keys, like I said—damn bull crap.” Hissed Shohiwa.
“It actually makes sense little bro. I mean, you should know our Kai Wheels are far more potent than just for combat. Besides, when people want to obtain something, they have to train or work hard to get it. Separates the lazy from the devoted.”
Shohiwa smacked his teeth. Gabriel stared at Karikoga from his peripheral and nodded his head to acknowledge Karikoga’s words, doing so because he appreciated that Karikoga understood the essence of growth and that Shohiwa needed to hear Karikoga tell him so.
Moments later, Karikoga sensed something in the atmosphere. He then heard something akin to a soft explosion.
Gabriel raised his left hand, chanted an incantation that paused the ritual, and stared into the west.
“Someone’s coming.”
Kronos felt a sharp energy spike in the air. Clearly, someone didn’t care about hiding their presence. He looked into the west. A loud explosion thundered from outside the palace. A new development was underway. No doubt, this would challenge the Salem Lords. He waited.
Moira smiled as the Sheenyo-Qi soldiers had fallen before her hand. And here she truly savored being the sword of God that was gripped by His will—used as the instruments of order and justice. When the last Sheenyo-Qi died, she turned towards the barrier-engulfed fortress, flicked her wrists, watched a large rent appear in the air as small tears cackled in the portal and stared past the translucent body of the portal way, examining a stunning courtyard where three young, handsome black skinned teenagers stood before a giant pillar. She channeled her energy and stepped into the pillar—preparing herself.
A few meters away, a portal unfolded before Karikoga and his brothers. Karikoga clenched his fists. Moments later, a white skinned female entered through it and stepped onto the ground, the flaps of her head band flowing like snakes as dozens of others wearing gear akin to her own had stepped into the courtyard from the torn space. Judging by their head bands, they were hunters. But what surprised him even more: those eyes he felt during his first mission—the energy that was associated with that scrutinizing gaze—had returned. But now the face of the unknown threat had revealed itself. Karikoga cracked his knuckles in an extreme excitement that overcame his anxiety, and he could no longer wait.
Kronos watched in abject anticipation, the air becoming thick with tension while his stomach tingled. He felt his hand jerk. Then his leg twitched. He resisted the unexpected body spasms that were born through his desire to rush down and strike the group of warriors who stood before the Salem Lords.
He stared at Abimelech who was shaking. The Beast caught his gaze, sighed deeply, and said, “I…I don’t know if I can do this anymore. This is too. I—have to get in this!”
Kronos breathed deep, about to say something to incite Abimelech’s urge all the more, but he exhaled and said, “We must monitor their performance. Should things go too far, we go in.”
“But I can’t help it!”
Kronos ignored him and looked into the battlefield once more.
The warriors’ gears…they look familiar…
His eyes went wide. “A hunter pack of the Blades of the Most High vs the Salem Lords”
“If I can’t fight, then I don’t care.” Abimelech turned onto his back and closed his eyes. The idiot was actually trying to go for a nap.
“Your loss.”
Kronos focused onto the oncoming battle. The energy levels of that Hunter Pack…something tells me this might be a difficult fight for the Tonderai brothers. Might be easier if their brother Michael was here. But…what is this strange energy? Almost as if it’s cloaked? Whose is that?
Kronos tensed.
Abimelech opened his eyes and observed the courtyard again. “Alright, I can’t help it. Have to watch.”
It was happening. They would experience their first true encounter against Kai—barring Murray who didn’t count because he never fought them at his true power in fear of hurting them.
Karikoga jumped up and down, loosening his muscle while relaxing himself. “Ok guys, this is it! Time to get loose. We got Kai for the first time.”
“Karikoga, this energy level. It is the same as from the siege. Our mystery guests have revealed themselves.”
“No doubt about it Gabriel. The ones who were watching us from before.”
“Who?” Shohiwa said excitedly. Karikoga and Gabriel stared at him. “Ok—ok. Doesn’t matter, but, we just have to do it Karikoga!”
“Do what?”
“You know…the thing!”
“What thing?” Karikoga looked at Gabriel. Gabriel chuckled. Karikoga searched his thoughts. It dawned on him. “Most High God! For Christ sake Shohiwa—no! Hell no!”
“C’mon! We have to!”
“No! That’s gonna hurt!”
Gabriel tapped Karikoga on the shoulder. “Karikoga, I surmise it would be interesting if we did showcase our tactic. It vexes me to declare this, but I agree with Shohiwa. The tactic would easily serve for intimidation.”
“But if it fails? What if it’s weak? We’re gonna die!”
“It shall not come to total dissolution Karikoga. But, it is up to you whether we would carry out this tactic or see it’s complete absence. However, I will admit, it will be quite entertaining.”
“You damn masochist!” shouted Karikoga.
“Yo,” warned Shohiwa, “they’re getting closer. “Bro, c’mon let’s do it!”
“Karikoga, save us time.”
He scratched his head. Not sure what Gabriel meant for a moment.
Then Shohiwa said, “Rock-Paper-Scissors bro! Rock-Paper-Scissors!”
Karikoga eyes went wide in disbelief.
“The tactic’s birth determined upon the fate of a kiddie hand-game…Shohiwa, I will not deny that a tinge of extreme, divine genius rests within your evaluation.”
“Hehe!” chuckled Shohiwa before his countenance entered a state of urgency. “Karikoga, c’mon bro!”
Karikoga looked at the woman who was the closest towards them—no doubt their leader—and after thinking of Gabriel’s ‘Save us some time,’ and Shohiwa’s ridiculous plan that actually filled him with some intrigue, Karikoga shouted, “Wait a second. Give us a moment.”
The lady titled her head as if to say, ‘Screw you.’ She shouted, “Giving you time to pray to Lucifer before your deaths you Metoraf scum? No! No mercy for you Depraved Ones today.”
“Crap!” Karikoga shouted, and he went to Shohiwa, stuck out his hands, and shouted, “Rock—”
Moira dropped her jaw and folded her arms, slowly ceasing her walk.
‘Rock, Papper, uh! Gah!’—'Rock, paper, eh? Gah! Rock…”
She darted her hands into the air to halt her warriors. But it seems her warriors had already stopped through confusion themselves.
Starchus approached Moira’s left. “What the hell? Are those kids serious?”
Moira raised an eyebrow. “Bantu, your thoughts now.”
She heard a chuckle of disbelief, but didn’t turn in its direction, still concentrating on the boys. And he said, “Who knows. Do you believe they do this to stall us? Or do they actually want us to attack as they do that? Honestly, I just don’t know.”
She grimaced and said, “Stupid kids! Playing a game before their judgement! What do they think this is?”
“Un—goddamn—believable.” Leonora admitted.
Moira turned to face Mika to gauge her reaction, but she simply stared with worry on her face, her combat stance oozing aura of caution.
Moira stared…and waited.
Abimelech face-palmed himself, then turned around and laughed out loud.
Kronos threw his hands over Abimelech’s mouth.
“Satan’s balls! You wanna break the vibes of this entertainment and get people staring at us Abimelech?”
Abimelech calmed, but his smile was still alive behind Kronos’s hands and Kronos let go. “They’re so hilarious. I’m telling Milo and all the Beasts when we get home. Hell, I’ll even share this with The Chosen even though I don’t like any of’em.”
“You know, I think The Chosen might, somewhat, care about this.” Confessed Kronos.
Abimelech chuckled.
Kronos watched on.
“Karikoga shall be utterly defeated!”
“Shut it, Gabriel!”
“Shohiwa shall be the victor!”
“You a cheerleader now? Oh snap Gabby! I knew you were gay!”
“I am not!” chuckled Gabriel.
“Rock, paper, bah!” a draw. “Rock, bah, bah!” another draw. “Duh, duh, DAH” another one.
Karikoga tensed. He knew in his heart that this one would be down to the wire. He formed his hand into a fist. Shohiwa done the same. This was it. He could feel it. They went slow, rocking their hands up and down hard as they simultaneously sang the game’s chant, and when they reached that final word, they both paused, and Karikoga’s heart dropped. Then—“DAH!”
Karikoga’s hand were scissors…and Shohiwa’s hands…were rock.
Karikoga shouted, “Crap! This is gonna hurt!”
Gabriel laughed, an uncharacteristic gesture that filled Karikoga with warmth. Then Karikoga frowned and dropped onto his knees. “Oh crap. Oh freak’n crap.” He hissed under his breath.
Not this.
Gabriel was elated to see Karikoga lose and was filled with unbridled joy that Shohiwa was the victor. And now that it was decided, Gabriel channeled into his Kokhott Rukhaniim. And he said, “Big brother, trust me. Trust it.”
Karikoga frowned at him.
Shohiwa chuckled.
Moira felt a strange chill in the air as the one named Karikoga, who had lost, slowly faced the hunter pack. The one with the cold eyes and poker face countenance, Gabriel, shouted, “Kill them all!” And Shohiwa, the wild looking one, rushed towards them. The other two boys followed.
Moira smiled. “Fools.”
She rushed the stupid teenagers and heard a gust of wind behind her—excited to feel her Twelfth Hunter Pack of fifty warriors quickly converge behind.
She reached the teenagers.
They clashed.
Kronos studied Karikoga, Gabriel, and Shohiwa throwing punches and knocking a few Kai away. But the hunter pack warriors sprang back up and fought harder. Moments later, the Salem Lords were being pummeled. His jaw dropped.
“What the hell is this?” said Abimelech. “Really? Really? So this is the reality huh?”
Kronos shook his head with disappointment. “Guess so.”
“Booty funk! This trash is booty funk! So lame!”
Kronos closed his eyes and looked away from the battlefield in disgust.
What a big goddamn disappointment .
Moira grabbed Karikoga by the throat and swung a fist onto his cheeks, feeling knuckles collide against Karikoga’s cheekbone as he stared with terror in his eyes—as he should be. And oh did his look remind her of Nuisance before she killed Nuisance only a few hours ago. And as she continued delivering the blows, every punch, every connection, were slowly breaking him inside. And, like all those who thought they were the stuff of life, God would always humble them because exaltation brought about the damnation of humiliation. It was the fate of prideful fools. Now, the foolish Karikoga would learn to keep away from full-fledged Depraved Ones that he surrounded himself with because he was being broken.
And in reality, that’s how fools like him learn: to break before they are built back up. But, unfortunately, even though he never had a jewel on his forehead to show his allegiance to darkness, he would die because he surrounded himself with bad company. She let go of his neck and spun-kicked him into the stomach, and he hurled towards the ground, grabbing his abdomen.
She looked to her left to see Shohiwa fighting with fierce intensity like a vicious beast—showing some worthy resistance while his clones assisted him in his tribulation—but her warriors were overwhelming, his stupid little clones not enough to match her superior numbers and strength. Shohiwa soon met a punch of Leonora’s left hand after he failed to rush her with his energy-engulfed hands. With Shohiwa knocked back from her strike, four Kai warriors tele-stepped behind him, syncing an impending strike where they all raised their legs high into the air and axe-kicked him towards the ground which exploded from his impact.
Shohiwa’s clones vanished, this moment signaling the boy’s fading disconnection from his clone-technique.
She heard a growl, and she noted Gabriel rushing towards her, but his once cool and calm gaze was lost long ago when the soldiers gave Gabriel a beating, and his bloodied and battered face was filled rage.
Before Gabriel attempted to strike her with some pathetic Murugen Dagger attack, Bantu was already upon him and punched him towards the ground. The foolish boy dropped onto the ground, cracking it multiple times as he bounced-skid on the concrete like a crashing meteorite skip-thudding over land. Then he ceased movement and gripped his stomach, growling in rage and agony. She depowered herself, and observed the boys: the wild one, Shohiwa, writhing inside a mini-crater hole—the vivaciousness and viciousness fading away; the gloomy, brooding, self-loathing looking one, Karikoga, staring down in defeat, his once noble stare that had possessed a deadly gleam of promise now malformed into a look of sorrow and shame; and the cold, calculating and charismatic looking one, Gabriel, twisting in agony, his calm and cool no longer present.
She looked at Mika who stared back at her.
And Moira remembered her words, We can not win against them. That one mastered Lemuel Armor. He will surely crush us.
But now look where she herself was. And look where those boys were. One atop the throne of victory. The others wallowing in the bowels of defeat. Moira’s true destiny showed her a different future and she was already living in it.
Starchus approached her. “Damn…that lasted a little longer than expected. Had a few close calls. One of’em almost went white.”
“Went white—the supposedly innocent looking one? Karikoga?” said Moira.
“Who?” Starchus said.
She pointed at the neck length, leonine styled dread-haired teen who was still looking around with shame and regret.
Starchus nodded. “Oh, so that’s his name. Yea. Him. His hair was glowing white. Good thing we didn’t give him the chance to enter that transformation state. Me and Mika along with some privates made sure to stop that.”
“Had he changed…” Mika whispered.
“A struggle…this fight would’ve definitely gone a lot longer.” Said Leonora.
“With his Lemuel’s Angel Armor activation, no telling what he could do.” Said Mika.
“I know. Gives me the shivers thinking about it.” He crouched to fight at his exhaustion, then rose. “Damn. They were tougher than Nuisance and his whole crew. Anyways, those little punks are down now. But still, the bastards are resilient, down to the core.” Starchus coughed, breathing hard, running out of breath just like most of the others. “Tough ones. I’ll admit. The toughest Kai we ever fought.”
“And they were teens.” Said Leonora.
He raised his hand in an upright-palm position, aimed it towards her face, and said, “Don’t remind me of that.” He fixed his coat and stared at her.
Bantu and the rest of the other warriors approached them while some of the Hunters positioned themselves around the fallen boys.
“Your orders, mam.” Said Mika.
Moira tilted her head and said, “So, what did you say earlier about my odds against them?”
Mika looked down. “I’m sorry. I was wrong but—”
“But?” Moira hissed.
“I was wrong.”
Moira grinned. She basked in every moment of Mika’s shame.
“Let’s try bringing them to the truth! Let them join us!” said Leonora.
Moira looked at the boys and closed her eyes. “They are beyond saving.” She opened them. “Place them in line for execution. Then we continue our former mission.”
“But Commander, these boys are with the empire. They also seem to be important figures according to the dossier—more important than the Chancellors of the Dark Order. As such, it is imperative that we take them and bring them back to the commander.” Suggested Bantu.
Moira glanced at Mika from her peripheral to hear her say in the matter. “Mika? What do you propose?” Mika seemed to be incredibly troubled. However, she was most likely reflecting on her foolish words.
As she should be.
Mika spoke. “Do what is best, commander.”
Moira had decided. “Bantu, they’ll die. We already have some spies in Minefir. Also, Supreme Blade Ori is not concerned about interrogating children, and she is already contemplating a contract with the Black Wolves Commander Marla who knows secrets about the empire and the overall war. That will make her a deadly ally and an excellent source for information. These boys are not needed.”
Moira raised her hands in the air and made fists, and the men grabbed the boys and prepared the execution procedure.
As Bantu pursed his lips and walked off, Starchus and Leonora gave each other a high five. Leonora said, “After this! I need to train again. I know I can’t be this weak.”
“We’ll train hard together Leonora.” Affirmed Starchus.
Leonora and Starchus headed towards the boys. Bantu reached the pillar of Marissa and examined it.
Moira breathed, gathering herself, but in her soul, something was off.
Mika approached her. “Commander, there’s an energy source—as if someone else is here. But it seems, masked. I can’t get a fix on this.”
Moira flicked her wrists at that. “We’ll be fine.”
The Hunter Pack commander headed closer to the boys’ upcoming execution. She clenched her fists to relish every second of her victory. But deep down, something seemed odd about this.
“Hot damn it! We should’ve intervened in the beginning! Now that we’ll stop them—we’ll get caked! Milo is gonna be so pissed to see his boys like that!”
“They’ll heal before we get home.”
“Dude, they used all kinds of energies on their booties! Those boys are gonna be laying in bed for days if not weeks on end!”
Kronos sighed. “You’re right. It would be irritating if Emperor Milo found out. Let’s just go decimate these idiots real quick and get the kids outta here before the Control Team arrives. We’ll get them to Stasya without anybody else knowing.”
Kronos dragged himself up, not wanting to do anything like a lazy soldier who expected to have an easy shift and do nothing the entire time. He also felt bummed by it all. The Tonderai brothers’ defeat just seemed so wrong.
He looked at Abimelech who shook his head and was just as lethargic and bummed out as Kronos was. Disappointment transfixed his soul. He was so let down.
Kronos jumped off and headed towards the group of Kai who were in the courtyard but as he was about to tele-dart towards the warriors, the same, strange chilly energy hit him once more. He gestured at Abimelech who was about to charge at the enemy. “Wait.”
“Huh?”
“Just wait.”
Kronos and Abimelech stared.
The boys were aligned next to each other and down on their knees, regret and fear lingering in their eyes. Moira gestured a circle into the air with her hand and the group of Kai warriors walked away from the boys. She and her Kai lieutenants followed suit. Ten warriors stepped away from the Hunter Pack. They were about forty meters from the defeated teens. Moira turned around, and said, “Execution is by Bakhanitt Teuratt!”
The ten Kai warriors moved a few paces from each other and entered Bakhanitt stance.
“Ready!” she said.
They raised their right hands in the air.
“Aim!”
The Kai executioners aimed their right hands towards the boys as their left hand were facing the Hunter Pack behind the executioners. Then the executioners bent their knees to cushion themselves and provide stability against the oncoming technique’s blast-recoil.
“Fir—”
A loud cackle erupted from among the boys.
She was stunned. The executioners gasped.
As that dreadful laughed thundered throughout the room, the strange chill of some dark, unholy energy grew stronger. And her heart thumped. “What the…”
“Satani—satanic energy flows through this room!” Bantu warned.
“Oh my God.” Mika hissed.
Moira narrowed her stare. “Cease this! Do not fear.”
The gasps and shocks of horror from the Hunter Pack echoed through the courtyard.
“Impossible.” Mika hissed in terror.
“The hell is this?” Leonora.
“Holy hell. Holy crap!” Starchus breathed. Moira turned towards him as Starchus entered his combat stance with an insecure feebleness. “Holy hell…”
Moira’s eyes went wide. The hair on his arm were raised like needles and she recoiled in shock. Hairs stood on the back of her neck as well, a sensation she didn’t think was possible. Suddenly, abject terror gripped her.
The laugh grew louder, and she turned around to see Gabriel getting up. And from his flesh, strange reddish energy oozed from it.
Karikoga coughed and shouted, “Damn it you guys! Never again! Never again! Lord Jesus. That hurt.”
“But you lost the game. So, it matters not. Besides, we showed them our strength, how their power was nothing compared to our resilience and might.”
“I don’t care. Never again!”
Shohiwa laughed out loud. “Yo! That was fire!”
“I am quite fond of that term, ‘fire.’ Indeed, it was. How my soul was uplifted by gladness for witnessing the great moment of which you had won that childish Rock-Paper game Shohiwa, just so we can show them how strong we are. I knew our natural, physical strength alone was enough to withstand them.”
“We should get an Academy award for this bro!” said Shohiwa.
“An Academy what?”
Shohiwa gawked. “Gabe, it’s an award for acting! Ya know, when actors—agh—just forget it.”
“Too much ancient Old Earth History little brother.”
“Their—their physical durability is unreal.” Said Bantu. “They knew our fists wouldn’t phase them! They didn’t need any hidden barriers or tricks to handle our onslaught!”
The satanic energy grew stronger as Gabriel’s strange Koshin continued to burgeon. The horror reaching new levels.
Then Moira shouted “Fire! Fire! Fire!”
A vicious glow flared from the hands of the ten Kai who trembled in fear, no doubt shaken by the dark energy of Gabriel, and a great flash burst from their right hands. Gabriel stretched both arms wide apart, unleashed a massive barrier, and his great barrier blocked the Bakhanitt Teuratt waves. The ten Kai ceased while the boys’ location was engulfed in voluminous, churning smoke, spiritual energies, and flames.
“Telan…” said Mika in horror. “That child physically knows Telan. Impossible. That amount of training—”
“But how?” Bantu shouted in horror.
The smoke settled. Gabriel dispelled the energy. Karikoga and Shohiwa hopped to their feet and flexed their muscles.
“To answer your question,” Gabriel said, “Much of it was hard work. But some of it was from personal research and... special tutorship .” He eyed the ten Kai warriors. “Bakhanitt Teuratt? Oh come now? Why did you stop?” the demonic energy grew stronger. “Let us compare mine to yours! Come!”
One of the would-be executioners roared in fury and fired while the other nine executioners followed suit, their legs pressed against the ground, concrete cracking and bursting apart as they put all their strength in the blasts.
Ten spiraling waves exploded forth, bursting apart ground in their wake and neared him. Gabriel bowed like a performer thanking the audience and then raised his left leg, standing on his right foot. He slowly raised onto his right tippy toe. And prepared the motion of the Bakhanitt Teuratt.
Moira’s heart thumped. What the hell is that boy doing? Attempting a Tueratt on his toe? Madness! Madness!
His hands finished and entered Teuratt formation. And, on a single toe, Gabriel exhaled.
Moira trembled.
“Bakhanitt Teuratt!” shouted Gabriel with hellish joy and demonic rage in his voice.
The blast unleashed from his hand and burst forth like a leviathan laser exploding from an ocean region that became a geyser from the laser’s emergence. But Gabriel’s blast then paused in mid-air, entering a strange motion delay, and then his wave, with the thickness of a large tank, having a radius of ten heart staggering meters, ripped through the air, a hellish tidal wave of the young boy coming onto ten measly four foot radius blast waves—a giant snake of power ready to devour ten spears that would be swallowed under it’s supreme might—and they clashed, the ten Kai screaming in rage as they staggered, their arms shaking as they were being push back, their feet plunging into exploded concrete beneath them as Gabriel smiled, controlling his blast with god-like grace. Gabriel maintained his tippy toe balance as he remained in place, and Moira gawked in astonishment and awe.
Gabriel didn’t falter. He didn’t struggle. Wasn’t being pushed back. And Gabriel’s leg wasn’t destroying the concrete.
She trembled in terror.
“What the hell is he?” she said amid the roar of powers that stifled the sound of her words from reaching others right next her.
Kronos stared in intrigue. Gabriel’s massive Bakhanitt Teuratt was dominating the ten Kai warriors’ assault with little effort. Kronos’s heart thumped. He smiled. This dark energy, and your strength and wisdom…I see. I see now. I get it. So you’ve been talking to him huh? Gabriel? He’s been teaching you something. But, somewhere down the line, you put your own spin on things. Ok. I wonder how often you visit that old fool behind the scenes Gabriel.
“Told you to wait Abimelech.”
Abimelech nodded his head, teeth flashing from a wild grin.
As Gabriel continued to press forward with the wave, Karikoga examined the strain on the warriors’ faces. He was about to say something but reigned in his tongue—in fear of being too soft. So, as a leader, he simply embraced Gabriel’s abilities and let him have full reign in this moment. As the blast of the warriors gave way, Gabriel pressed forwards on his toe, and his wave swallowed the enemies’ combined efforts and it tore through ground, charging towards the executioners. They dived out of the way and Gabriel’s blast passed through the fumbling group of the enemy warriors. It smashed into the opposite end of the courtyard. A great explosion occurred. The explosions wind gusts were knocking Moira and all her Hunter Pack away, but they fought against the winds like helpless street pedestrians fighting against strong winds. She saw that Gabriel, Shohiwa, and Karikoga stood in place, unaffected by the gusts of wind.
For that’s how powerful the brothers were.
Gabriel stared in its wake. A great tinge of darkness struck Karikoga’s heart. Karikoga lightly scowled as he stared at his little brother.
What the hell was that?
Scores of Kezuo estate inhabitants passed into the halls while they shrieked in fear.
For a moment, the Kezuo palace inhabitants were keeping themselves hidden for as long as possible, but after little brother’s assault, they fled from their places of refuge and ran in terror. Panic flooded the courtyard and the denizens’ screams choked the smoke-strewn atmosphere. It was possible the estate could be annihilated in this battle. The explosion subsided, Gabriel lowered his hands, stood on both feet, and bowed once again like a graceful performer giving thanks. Karikoga forced himself to think of the inhabitants and their safety, but during his thoughts, he thought about sneaking behind Gabriel and breaking Gabriel’s neck. Darkness snuck into Karikoga’s heart once more. What was this? Karikoga always wanted to go deeper into The Path of Darkness, but this feeling was disturbing. He shook his head, fighting off these evil thoughts towards his little brother—the thoughts that plagued Karikoga when he looked at Shohiwa. Gabriel turned around and faced Karikoga and Shohiwa. The enemy soon recovered from the violent winds generated by the great explosion of Gabriel’s attack, then they fired long range attack towards them. Gabriel waved his hand while he shouted, “Mona Embrace’s.” and a golden shield with tinges of fire surrounded the Tonderai brothers.
“As Shohiwa would say, ‘huddle up.’” Said Gabriel.
Karikoga smiled, loving Gabriel’s enthusiasm and charisma, but as Karikoga drew closer to Gabriel, Karikoga didn’t want to be near him. He felt some extreme revulsion. Karikoga slapped himself in the face, fighting away these horrifying thoughts. Karikoga hated this feeling so much.
“That’s right. Huddle-huddle.” Shohiwa said.
Gabriel smiled at him. Shohiwa grinned. The sight of both of his little brothers now filled Karikoga with greater disgust. Sadness soon gripped Karikoga.
“There are fifty-five of them.” Said Gabriel, “Fifty of them are seasoned, but they are not as strong as the remaining five. However, a line is drawn from there as four of them are battle-worthy while one of them is a tough cookie with great potential.”
“The female.” Said Karikoga. “I know it. The one with head band. I felt her potential as she was punching me in the face.”
“Yes, the commander.” Said Gabriel.
“We gotta hurry up, suppress them, and prime these pillars. This is starting to stray from the briefing.”
“Indeed Karikoga. So, now the plan is: I shall break them here and now and then we finish up this little tour.”
Karikoga raised an eyebrow. “Can you please explain?”
“I will take care of the warriors by myself, and then we go.”
Karikoga’s stare darkened in malevolence. It wasn’t long before Shohiwa found himself being creeped out by Karikoga. Karikoga then smiled as if to hide something. But his eyes conveyed sorrow. Shohiwa raised his eyebrows. Karikoga was completely disturbed by something. But what was it? Karikoga didn’t seem to be in his element at all.
“No. We handle this as a team. Let’s go.”
“Me alone.” Hissed Gabriel.
“Wait a second.” Said Shohiwa, “I’m with Karikoga on this. I’m trying to get some action too.”
Gabriel looked at him. “False! You and Karikoga experienced your share of battle in the first phase of the siege and in most of this mission. Now it is my turn!”
“Hell no! Don’t get greedy.”
“Greedy?” growled Gabriel.
“Yes!” barked Karikoga. ‘You already took on ten warriors and got the glory. The glory is equal between us now. This time, we dominate together!”
“I am considered greedy after I with stayed my hand and allowed you two to battle against mechs and waves of soldiers? And with you defeating Kezuo using an advanced mech? No.”
“Together!” said Shohiwa.
Shohiwa looked at Karikoga who was already staring at him. “Thanks, Shohiwa.”
“As a family big bro.”
“Then,” hissed Gabriel, “Since you fail to listen to my reason and spit on my gifts of allowing you two to shine, you leave me no choice.” Gabriel aimed both his hands towards Shohiwa and Karikoga. Gabriel flicked his fingers and energy drained from their bodies as a purple shield of virulent energy flowed around him. Karikoga channeled into his Kai energy. But nothing happened. Again, nothing happened. He punched the purple shield. But it was useless. Karikoga and Shohiwa were both imprisoned.
Karikoga panicked as he struck the giant barrier. What was happening?
“Gabriel?”
Gabriel powered up and slowly shook his head.
“Gabe—you…from earlier! At the pillars…you betrayed us! You liar! You betrayed us!”
“I never.”
Darkness pulled at Karikoga’s spirit. “You said you’d never commit treachery against your family!”
“I did not.”
“Lies! You tricked us. At the pillars, when you asked for our energy…this was…this was apart of it? Was it Gabriel?” Gabriel lowered his head and said nothing. Karikoga gnashed his teeth. The darkness—the Path of Darkness—tugged in his soul once more. “So, it was never about speeding up the process of priming the pillars. It was never about that! How could you?”
“Kezuo’s blood was the key. That much was true. I felt the Kai hunters coming, Karikoga. All of them. The Telan barrier that I placed In front of Kezuo’s fortress was more than for protection. I had to quest. To probe other potential threats. I gave you your time. Now it is my time. You think you are the only one who wants to become a Protector? You don’t even know the nuance in becoming one. I do. But you can still have dreams. But I need to live out my own. As such, I seek to become a Protector too.”
“You liar! You backstabber!” Hissed Karikoga.
“Damn.” Shohiwa said. Shohiwa sat crossed legged on the ground and lowered his head. “This is just…like…so screwed up. He got us. Gabriel got us.”
Karikoga continued. “You commit treachery against your family.”
Gabriel lowered his head once more and closed his eyes. “No, I did not. I always keep my word Karikoga. What I did to you and Shohiwa—I protected you. You are under protection. Rest assured, when I am finished, I will break the spell and your powers will come back to you. But—
“You fool.”
“I protect you.”
Gabriel walked through the second layer of the barrier, and he stepped into the battlefield as the enemy Kai surrounded him.
Karikoga’s chest blazed in tumultuous fires of rage, and shame. A new feeling of unease haunted him. He never felt this before. And it had everything to do with Gabriel’s ability and his talents.
“YOU FOOL!” roared Karikoga.
As Gabriel observed the thirty warriors who surrounded him, he took off his tattered shirt, channeled deeply into his Kai Wheels—with his less favored Shekokhott on standby—and dug into Telan and the Occultic Force. Gabriel wanted to smile. Gabriel wanted believe his time had come—to prove himself. To show his enemies the Great Gabriel Tonderai. But a sorrow afflicted Gabriel’s heart. True, Gabriel loved to be strong with his brothers. Gabriel hunted for might to make his enemies tremble. But he sought not the path of fools who simply hunted power to flex on their enemies just to show how high and mighty and great he was. Gabriel abhorred those who wielded power for the sake of attention and spectacle. And, most assuredly, Gabriel hated those who deliberately showed off and put others down just to make themselves feel superior.
And, for that, Gabriel began to hate himself—for what he was doing, for what he did to his big brother—knowing his nature.
Karikoga, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
Despite the terrible event of trampling over Karikoga’s authority—a leadership that Gabriel admired greatly—the manipulation was effective. Milo was quite acute in knowing what made Karikoga tick. And, through the pathetic display of “showing off,” Gabriel felt that darkness, that push that was needed to get Karikoga to finally make progress. Gabriel could feel Karikoga drawing closer to the dark side.
But was it worth it? Was it worth his relationship with his elder brother?
Gabriel clenched his fists. If it was to preserve Karikoga’s life and prevent him from being cast out of the empire, then yes. It was worth it. It was worth their relationship—as long as Karikoga would live and Milo would not kill Karikoga. Also, if Karikoga would descend, he would do so by hating Gabriel for what he did to others, but not so for what Gabriel did to him. He loved his elder brother too much. Gabriel was grieved.
But Gabriel had to concentrate and deliver his wrath onto the enemy and finish quickly because, when the mission was over, he had a few words to give to Emperor Milo.
*****
Moira channeled into her Kokhott. Gabriel emanated a terrible aura of power as a coruscating, explosive wave of blue, tendrilled energy engulfed him with undulations of fire sweeping through it like claws of some dreadful titan protruding and sweeping outwards from a tumultuous tornado of which housed it.
Strange dark powers combined with his natural elemental and spiritual energies…and his Affinity is fire and lightning in the Way?
“Impossible…how does that boy have two Affinities? Even at a young age?” she said to herself, her hearts palpitating from her fear.
She burst with energy of her own and her warriors surrounded him, but as she examined her wave of power, she knew its paltriness compared to Gabriel’s. And she scoffed at herself for it. She trembled in fear from that dark, occultic energy flowing from the teenager, and she braced herself.
She gasped.
Tears flowed from Gabriel’s eyes. What the hell was this terrible warrior crying about? What assailed him? Did he fear this encounter? It couldn’t be. Judging by what he had done to his comrades earlier—locking them inside an unknown shield of energy—he seemed to be confident enough. Or…was he simply protecting them from their deaths? None of it made any sense. Why would this teenager do that to his comrades? And why was he crying?
Before she delivered her command to attack, Gabriel’s tears soon evaporated from his power, and Gabriel said, “Why? Why do you do this?” Baffled by the question, Moira simply stared in shock, not knowing what to say. Gabriel continued, “I see the insignia and symbols on your combat gear. Thus, I know your allegiance. Where you come from and who you fight for. But I tell you now, everything that we are doing here is meaningless, because we are so far away from each other.”
“The hell?” said Starchus.
“What do you even mean?” asked Leonora
“You call yourselves the Blades of the Most High, killing Depraved Ones like myself in the name of honoring God, but you only kill your fellow brothers and sisters made in the image of the Most High.”
The lightening of confusion struck Moira as she tried to decode Gabriel—The Cold One. Was that why he was crying? Because of Kai killing Kai? Or for something else? Are these tears of manipulation?
“What?” Bantu said.
“You are allied with the Devil!” shouted Mika.
“Is that what you think?” said Gabriel. He closed his eyes and slowly opened them, “I will confess to engaging in the dark arts, but I do so to attain the power necessary to deal with and vanquish our true enemies who triggered the Final Tribulation and doomed our species.”
“And what true enemy is this?” said Moira.
“Commander—give the order! We must stop him.” Shouted Mika.
“Don’t fall sway to him! He’s trying to seduce us!” said Bantu.
Gabriel stared at her as Moira asked again, “Who is our true enemy?”
“The ones who persecuted our ancestors. The ones who first wielded the blade against us. The ones who are the catalyst of the tribulation that befalls all creation. The very ones who flourish as we slowly die out from The Second Curse.” Said Gabriel.
“Are you serious?” said Bantu.
“But that makes no sense! You wish for us to stop just so you can conquer the Sheenyo-Qi?” Mika said.
“I am afraid there is more to it than that.’ Followed Gabriel.
“Enough Moira! We must kill him! Now! Give the order!” shouted Bantu.
Moira grimaced. She shook her head, fighting against Gabriel’s words. Then she said, “You are Depraved! And so you must die!”
The young Gabriel shook his head as he said, “Meaningless. You fools. All of you. You claim you are for God but you believe your sin of murder to be righteous. Believing that killing Depraved Ones, other Kai, is for the sake of justice. Yet you do not see the hypocrisy of your sin. Haha, you do not realize that you yourselves are Depraved Ones, just as I am! Thus, I shall kill you all. Though it will be unfortunate.”
“Who’s the hypocrite?” Bantu laughed out loud. “You’re a damned contradiction. And yet you try to preach to us?”
“No. I do not preach. I speak truth. Nor am I a contradiction, because I know that what I am about to do, I raise condemnation onto myself. I know that what I will do to you will be evil.” Gabriel Koshined. “But I shall become the embodiment of evil to destroy a higher evil!”
Gabriel practically vanished, disappearing from their circle. Her heart thumped. He suddenly appeared above them, darted his hand into the air and shouted, “Baemett Ryy!”
A coiling, spinning spear of power sped towards them as they dodged and avoided his blasts while he was falling down. Moira eyes went wide, noticed that he couldn’t fly, and she darted from the ground as four warriors charged towards him, but in the midst of their charge, he looked at her, scowled, performed weave signs with his fingers and hands, and clapped his hands together. A red barrier blocked off the top of the courtyard, preventing any Kai from flying above and performing long range strikes. She cursed under breath at the tactic, knowing it limited their movement. But it was a move to applaud as his battle awareness was so keen.
When the four warriors darted against him, Gabriel tele-stepped away, appeared near a strafing Bantu who was jump-maneuvering along with other warriors, darted his hand outwards and shouted, “Ultimate Baemett Ryy!”
Her eyes went wide as Gabriel’s Ultimate Baemett Ryy cyclone wave of fiery power, much bigger than the coiling, spinning spear from earlier, blasted towards them like a virulent drilling sword of some titan. The Baemett Ryy smashed against dozen of her warriors whose bodies were defiled by the wave of power, and Gabriel tele-stepped again and appeared into the air. She never seen anything like it before, nor had she witnessed a perfected version of it. But as she charged at him, he was already in the air and launched balls of fire at them from his palms.
That damned Fire Blaster Technique!
Starchus fired his own version of the technique, but Gabriel summoned a golden shield that violently swarmed around him, absorbing Starchus’s fire attacks. The young calculating Gabriel smiled, appeared before Starchus, swung his spirit shield, and cut through Starchus’s body. Gabriel dispelled his barrier and arrow-kicked Starchus towards two soldiers who collided against Starchus, and, while they were knocked back, Gabriel was already behind them and shot another spiraling fiery wave of energy which burned through their bodies.
They screamed in agony.
“Starchus! Warriors! No!” screamed Moira.
Their burned corpses landed against ground, and Gabriel darted meters backwards while three warriors were before him. Once Gabriel began blocking their blows, Moira fired her Bakhanitt Teuratt at him, but he quickly dispatched the soldiers and nullified her strike with another golden barrier.
“Enough of this!” Gabriel shouted.
He darted around the room while Kai hunters attempted to strike him, and he placed strange symbols around the area—strange designs that was probably from his dark energy—and Moira dug into her Shekokhott Fiziim. Rushing towards Gabriel, Gabriel tele-stepped away. She attempted to pinpoint his location and soon saw him gliding down in midair. He crossed his arms together and shouted, “Cantor’s Gates: Ultimate Baemett Ryy Invasion!”
Cyclone beams of power burst from the planted symbols and showered the room like thousands of giant drill-swords appearing from nowhere and piercing the world from all directions. A great heat slammed against her, and the very world all around, her sight, went dark. She saw blackness.
Kronos’s hands twitched. The display of power was phenomenal. He knew that Gabriel was gifted but not on this level. The young Kai fought a stellar battle where he controlled his distance and fought mid-to-long range—most of the time—while switching to short distance to keep them guessing. So, this was the type of fighter that Gabriel was: one who possessed all sorts of tricks that led into traps where he was able to showcase his true abilities.
He rubbed his knuckles. A piece of Kronos wanted to go down there and spar with Gabriel immediately, but he resisted the urge and looked on.
It was over. He looked at the beaten and battered Hunter Pack who looked at him in horror. They got up and ran away.
“You,” the leader coughed, “fools! Don’t run!”
Gabriel lowered his head and closed his eyes. Somewhere along the line, he went wrong. He thought he could sway a few of the Kai hunters to his cause. But though he possessed some strength, it did nothing to convince them. “My strength was not enough. Even my words not enough. I need more. More of everything. More knowledge. More wisdom,” he clenched his fists, and continued, “more power…then perhaps they would listen.”
He looked at his brothers and waved his right hand, and the purple barrier distilled. He headed towards them. The sight of Karikoga grieved Gabriel. But he suppressed his emotions and maintained his poise.
Witnessing the fight unfold before his eyes, Lake Kezuo the Seventh stared in awe. Lake always heard his father, Kezuo the Sixth, talk about the future of technology and how magic from an alien people will help pave the way for the evolution of humanity, but he thought his father was senile. But after seeing what the black skinned boy did to those flying fighters, he believed.
Lake continued to examine the supernatural boys.
When Gabriel approached them, it wasn’t long before bitterness and rage crept into Karikoga’s heart and stirred the waters of malice, and when he reflected on the impressive performance of his little brother, Karikoga grimaced. The fact that Gabriel possessed many abilities vexed Karikoga. He fought against this terrible feeling of angst towards his little brother and said, “Got what you wanted didn’t you.”
Gabriel looked away. “Yes and, no.”
Karikoga clenched his fists. “What do you mean?”
Gabriel looked at him, “Pay no mind any longer. My thoughts wish to remain in the house of privacy.”
Karikoga hissed, “Everything’s always private with you. Should I blow up that house and make the privacy of your thoughts homeless?” Gabriel’s stare darkened. “But it’s ok because you’re gonna continue to live how you want.” His little brother’s gaze now relaxed a bit. “Don’t ever do that again Gabby. You hear me? Or you will be punished for insubordination.”
Gabriel stared as if in shock, his eyes watering as if he wanted to burst in tears. The look confused Karikoga. He’d never witnessed this vulnerable nature of Gabriel for a while.
Gabriel went towards him and said, “Karikoga, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“That is?”
“It’s about what I did to you, and Shohiwa. You see, I—”
“Look out!” shouted Shohiwa.
Karikoga turned towards the field of the unconscious warriors as a bright light appeared before them. He stared in fury.
Gabriel missed it. He would’ve normally noticed sneak-attacks, but the Kai was good enough to conceal their intent and their energy, so they slipped through his detection. Gabriel was too late.
Moira breathed deep as she had fired her ultimate technique at those boys. It took much of her energy to unleash Angel’s Wrath. She thought it would fail, but as she watched her greatest Kokhott Rukhaniim power slam onto those children and erupt in a great explosion, she smiled. It was a fitting end for these Depraved Children—being defeated just as how Nuisance was destroyed. And for that, she was relieved, but though she watched the area explode in a brilliant conflagration of flame and blue energy, she wondered if she made the right choice in refusing to listen to Gabriel. She gasped. Was she actually enticed by his words? Did he intrigue her with the dark side? No, perhaps it was simply logic that any reasonable person would accept? Was she being unreasonable?
Kronos was baffled. He thought the brothers had them. He thought they were victorious, but as he watched the wave of power explode onto them, his heart dropped.
Soon, Gabriel’s natural and occultic energies faded. The power levels of the brothers fell away. The blast roared on.
“Azazel’s nut sack! We’re done for!” shouted Abimelech. “We just allowed Milo’s nephews to die! Damn it!”
Kronos looked away, drowning in a turbulent sea of disgust as his mind sought to desperately swim away and escape the terrible jaws of pity and rage. Kronos had so much hope in the Salem Lords, but their fate tossed Kronos into these terrible cerebral seas raging in his mind. He didn’t think he’d become emotionally attached to these rising warriors so quickly. And, for that, he wondered if the great error of their way was a result of stupidity or ignorance—or perhaps both. Typically, for such was the way of the young: to be pathetically controlled and tossed around by their ego like a desperate lover who accepted abuse from a terrible relationship because they desired so much, not helping themselves, only to be broken and suffer from the folly of their ways so that they would learn. But Kronos grimaced. The Tonderai Brothers never had a chance to suffer the typical fate of the young—to suffer from mistakes and yet live on to try again—because they were crushed before they were broken.
As such, the Tonderai Brothers received no second chance.
And to be crushed was a terrible fate. Kronos scoffed, finding the light of his rational mind which drew him away from those terrible depths, and soon regained his calm again. Kronos looked at Abimelech.
“Those kids were only training for months Kronos. Practicing a little power blasts here. Some blast techniques there. And even doing some training with guns. Damn gun training! Learning how to shoot with our Sheenyo-Qi men! Can you believe that?”
“That sucks man.”
“And they haven’t even started their real Kai training yet!”
Kronos began to channel his Kai energy to head down towards the pillars and finish what Gabriel started. “Now there’s only one of the Tonderai Brothers left.”
“Lord Michael.”
Kronos lowered his head. “Yea.”
“Damn it man!” shouted Abimelech.
“I mean…” said Kronos who breathed deep, “There are still some Salem Lords around.”
“Really?”
“Yea. But they’re few. Like, maybe four or five left barring Michael. But no one’s seen them around because Milo kept their location a secret.”
“I see,” Abimelech said with disappointment in his voice. Then Abimelech looked into the roiling waves. The energies of the emperor’s nephews were gone. But the enemy’s explosion was still flaring.
“I ain’t babysitting no more.” Said Abimelech with sadness in his voice.
Kronos stared into the distance. He soon noticed a woman getting up like a body resurrecting from among a graveyard of fallen warriors.
Powering up, Kronos said, “That whore did this.”
A surge of energy boomed from Abimelech.
The woman looked in their direction. Her eyes went wide with horror. She trembled in terror. Her legs and hands shivered like a rabbit staring at dragons.
Hurr—Hurricane Beasts! Abimelech! And who is that one? My God! Spare me! I must bow! Yes! I must bow and surrender! No one can stop them. I am doomed! Must bow and surrender.
“This skank of a wet poodle. Oh on Satan’s balls, I’m gonna shove her head into the ball sacks of every single damn corpses of her gang. I promise you dude. Watch me.”
Kronos depowered and placed his hands in his trench coat pockets. “She ain’t worth my damn time. You can have her dude.”
“Nice.”
Abimelech flew towards the woman.
He reached the female warrior, but he slowed, watching the woman get on her knees. She bowed prostrate, her face towards the ground.
“Pfft!” said Abimelech, walking towards her.
Once he neared, Kronos knew that Abimelech’s presence overwhelmed her. She looked up and gasped in horror.
“Hur—Hurricane—Beast.” She whispered. “Please. Please spare me. I surrender my life to you. I will serve you.” She begged.
“Eh?” said Abimelech, burying a pinking in his earhole and wriggling it inside. “I couldn’t hear that.” He removed his pinky from his earhole. “Whatcha say?”
“Pleas—"
With god-like fierceness, Abimelech grabbed her face with one arm and lifted her from the ground. He then rose her into the air, still gripping her face, her feet dangling and kicking rabidly, her hands clutching his wrist. She muffled in his palm, sounds seeming to be pleas to spare her life.
As the woman continued groaning and muffle-begging, Abimelech raised a fist and aimed it at her stomach.
Just as he was about to strike, Kronos shouted, “Dude, take a look at that!”
“Hm? Whoa.” Said Abimelech who now examined the ongoing explosion. He decided to toss her away like a ragdoll and proceeded close to the phenomenon he was witnessing.
Moira coughed, fighting for her breath. Recovering, she looked at her power of where the boys once were and noticed something odd was happening.
Kronos tensed, realizing that the Kai blast had an after-effect that lasted unusually long. He titled his head. He flew to take a closer look. Reaching its vicinity, the air collapsed into nothingness as if he walked through an invisible portal-way and Kronos stepped into zero gravity. His heart thumped. The hell?
Gazing intently into the swirling, blowing inferno, it imploded and exploded before imploding onto itself again and morphed into a torrential conflagration like heavenly flames falling inward and outwards from the tampering of some strange, ominous force who played with the flames without careful restraint.
He braced himself.
Moira looked in astonishment. Her blast had lasted way too long. For a moment, she believed that her near-death event had strengthened her power which granted greater efficiency to Angel’s Wrath, but when those flames dragged on, something was off. Perhaps she created a blast that was about to destroy everything. She grimaced. Then she loosened her anger. All of her warriors ran away in fear. She failed. Moira now believed it would be fitting to die from her own hands. Then, suddenly, the air dropped around her as if she stepped into a void of emptiness. She stared at the imploding and exploding flames.
Her hearts thumped. The flame of Moira’s Angel Wrath power was finally sucked inward by some giant vacuum that tore through the atmosphere, and she watched in horror as the roiling tempest that was her exploding power got pulled into a giant, glowing palm from some dreadful ghastly limb that protruded from the upper back of...of…
“Karikoga?” she whispered to herself in horror.
The limb of shimmering light and swirling energy had raised her own power into the air and tossed it up and down like a ball.
She was shocked. The Angel’s Wrath was in perfect form, and it was being juggled like a new toy from the glowing limb of power that protruded from Karikoga’s back.
Gabriel looked at Karikoga’s giant, glowing limb with a cold glare of surprise. Shohiwa stared with disbelief.
“So, this is what the infancy stage of your power is capable of. I wonder what the mature Limbs of the Cherubim have in store?” said Gabriel in awe.
Moira gasped. The Limbs of the Cherubim? A body of power that was held by some of God’s elite, high-ranked angels and Kai of old? The very power that was used to tame evil spirits and defeat god-like entities and celestial beings of darkness?
“How? How?” shouted Moira in horror and anger.
Karikoga said nothing while Gabriel looked at Moira with soul-twisting indignation and glee.
Shohiwa said, “Since when Karikoga?”
Karikoga said nothing.
“For approximately a week.” Followed Gabriel.
She burned in anger and shame. Her ultimate attack, that took so many decades to master, was trumped by a strange power of the Narrow Road that was wielded by a teenager who only mastered in a short time?
Karikoga sharpened his glare as the limb of power violently threw Angel’s Wrath into the sky and he looked up as twin lights flashed from his eyes before they unleashed twin laser beams and tore upwards through the sky. Karikoga looked down at her once more as the destructive ball of Kai energy exploded.
Her vision seemed to enter a terrible vertigo as if she walked into an undulated painting that brought her into the realm of the unreal. Horror stole away her anger. The Limb of the Cherubim curled into a fist and extended over the head of Karikoga and aimed towards her. She trembled. “You, are you—you can’t be. But you associate with Depraved Ones. How? How is it that you possess a terrifying power of supreme holiness?” She gasped. “Unless—you! That’s no mere arm! It is unholy.”
“No woman.” Hissed Gabriel. “I am as shocked as you are, but rest assured, this is the power of the Narrow Road. The might of Light. An aspect of power inspired by the Holy Spirit—Spirit Yahweh.”
Impossible. Are these three boys demigods? Were they chosen instruments of the will of God? But then a sudden thought dawned on her.
“No! Lies! I see now!” she said, her heart beating. “That boy has the limb of a demon! You three children are demons!”
Gabriel tele-stepped to her and grabbed her by the neck. “You dare call my family demons?”
“Choke the soul out of her until she ends up inside Lucifer’s booty cheeks Gabriel! Then she’ll know what a demon is like.” Barked Shohiwa.
“Gabriel, what should we do with her?” said Karikoga who finally spoke.
“Karikoga, for she is a Blade of the Most High, a band that has dedicated their lives to hunting Depraved Ones in the name of the architect of that twisted tradition—Mugen Malakoff—a former Elder One from the Council of Christ.”
“And all that means?” said Shohiwa.
“She will die.”
“No she won’t, Gabriel.”
“She will, older brother.”
Karikoga growled, powering up.
Gabriel let go of Moira, turned to face Karikoga and Koshined as well.
Grabbing her neck, recovering from the choke hold, Moira was confused. A Depraved One worried about her life? What is it about this strange child? Unless…unless…my God, Karikoga still battles for his light?
What kind of relationship did Karikoga share with Shohiwa and Gabriel? It seemed so strange. Nothing made sense.
“Yo!” Abimelech stepped between them while Kronos arrived. “Easy you two!”
“Karikoga, stop this stupid nonsense. Why do you keep playing goodie two shoes? You think you’re good? Well wake up to the goddamn reality because you’re not a righteous one at all. No pun intended! You’re with the empire now! Its time you best be hot rather than lukewarm! Quit playing this indecisive lukewarm bull crap!” Karikoga growled as the glowing limb grew brighter. “Like your platterpuss wussy self is making a difference with these wishy-washy double minded shenanigans. Hell, you’re better off going cold and just leaving the empire!”
“Abimelech! That is enough!” Gabriel shouted. Moira was filled with dread by the sound of his voice. “This is between my brother and I. Only I speak to him regarding his struggles. Step out of line with your mouth again and I shall see to it that you will be a part of my most hated list. And those who grace it are never around for long.”
“Is that right you punk slime ball pitch?” said Abimelech. Moira was shocked at Gabriel’s boldness to challenge Abimelech himself.
“Alright, alright, alright this is getting ridiculous! Calm the hell down people! Damn it Abimelech! Cool it! We’re about overseeing their performance and providing analysis. Not about being someone’s dad.”
“Kronos, Gabriel is talk’n a bunch of head! He needs to be taught some manners!”
“Hurricane Beasts.” Whispered Moira to herself. “They served as overseers for these boys during their mission. We were doomed from the beginning.”
She realized she couldn’t die yet. She had to report to the master. She slowly crouched—then using all her strength—she leaped into the air until—WHOOMP she struck the ground, her body roaring in agony.
“The hell? You trying to get away? See guys? Look at this? We’re falling apart here! We’re having problems among each other while this chick is trying to escape! Don’t you guys see that? Look—Abimelech, don’t you goddamn budge an inch. You too Gabriel. And damn it, Karikoga, please, just please calm down!”
“Fine.” Said the young warrior. He powered down. “I, I just need to be alone.”
“Ok.” Said Kronos “Alright. No biggie.”
The pressure from her back relaxed a bit. Kronos. Kronos had pressed her back onto the ground with his foot, but kept it on her. Then—SCHWT WOOF—she was being held in the air by Gabriel, staring eye-to-eye with this dreadful boy. “I want to kill this one here and now. But, I believe it would be far more intriguing to let her go and report to her master so they will know of us.”
They thought about what he said. Moments later, Abimelech’s comm-channels chimed. “Yea?” Said Abimelech, “Aw damn. It’s that time of the week huh? Yea. Whatever. Finishing up now. Out.” Abimelech sighed. “Fellas, Dead Hour is approaching.”
Moira trembled. Gabriel’s vicious, telekinetic grapple had no longer concerned her. Gabriel sharpened his glare and said, “I see. It is nearing.”
His grip somewhat loosened, but she made no efforts to break away as her mind drifted on Dead Hour. The Second Great Curse never lost it’s sting.
Kronos crossed his arms and lowered his head. “Damn it.”
Shohiwa buried his hands in his pockets. His face becoming pale.
“So, I fully change my mind in killing her. I say we let her go. At least we will be merciful in that regard of which she will be with her people during the event. Yes?”
“Karikoga, what’s the final word? Your operation.” Said Kronos.
“I don’t care about this right now. No, wait!” He quickly eyed Gabriel, realizing he shouldn’t give Gabriel a chance to decide for himself as he might change his mind yet again and get blood thirsty. “Yea. Let her go.”
“Ok then.” Kronos said.
Moira raised her hand and lightly cut off a hair strand of Gabriel’s dreads. He didn’t notice. Then he grabbed her wrist. “What is this?”
She gasped.
He noticed.
What the hell?
He dropped her to the ground as she nearly fainted. “You like my follicles, do you?” She said nothing. Only stared in horror and shock. “Indeed. If it is to your liking, then by all means, enjoy it for yourself. Now go. Tell your people that the Salem Lords are coming.”
She fell back onto the floor. Her legs spasmed from the sudden impact. Recuperating from her injuries, she rose towards the sky. As she did so, she examined the hair strand of Gabriel. Her hearts thumped. He really let me do that? Is he that confident? Alright then.
Gabriel crossed his arms as he watched her fly away, and Kronos said, “Was that a wise thing to do?”
“I am always wise.”
“Now now. Boy. Don’t get too ahead yourself. We all do stupid stuff sometimes.”
“I never do. Because I know more than you think. As such, stupidity is a concept foreign to the mind of Gabriel Tonderai.”
“Well letting her have a piece of yourself wasn’t truly wise, slick.” Retorted Kronos.
“Oh, I am aware of the ramifications, but I heavily protect myself at all times.”
Kronos chuckled to himself as if to say, ‘Whatever.’
But Gabriel ignored him, letting that pathetic, cowardly subliminal gesture of disagreement slide.
*****
The Salem Lords and the Hurricane Beasts reached the pillars. Gabriel was finishing up the ritual. Once the sky-scraping column emitted a crimson, blackish hue, dread crept into Karikoga’s being. A terrible tingling sensation tormented his spine. This pillar-priming was unnatural. There was something about the nature of the pillar activation ritual that was more than esoteric, but hellish. During briefing, he asked about the significance of the Kezuo pillar, but the Emperor had only told them that the possession of the fourth and final pillar was used to enhance their influence towards other nations and to draw them one step closer to their true goal. Of course, Milo remained tight-lipped as to the goal’s specifics. Karikoga asked Gabriel about it, and Gabriel only knew what Milo had told Karikoga. But something about it—it just seemed, wrong.
*****
Completing the ritual, they were heading out of the courtyard. Soon, from Karikoga’s peripheral, a young boy had come into view and stepped in front of them. He simply stared. Who was this?
“Lake!” shouted a voice. A woman came running into the room. Tisara—the wife of Kezuo. “Lake! This place is falling apart but you’re still here!” She ran to him and tried to pick him up, but Lake backed away and pointed at Gabriel.
“Mama. He is strong! I want to be like him!”
Tisara raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Did you see him! I want to be him! I want to be like them all!”
She stared at them. Karikoga studied the bold child. The fact that he didn’t run or cower in fear said much about his character. This stubbornness may have been a trait taken from both of his parents.
“Tisara. Lake!” Kezuo was stumbling into the yard and he was trailed by a few of his soldiers. Kezuo and his men had trained guns onto Karikoga, his brothers, and the Beasts. “You won’t be taking this pillar away from me! Now back away from my family.”
Tisara scowled. “Like you really have the strength to stop them. Like you really care about us.”
“Damn you woman! I do!”
“Says the man who planned on offing me and getting with his commander of a whore.”
Placing his hands on his face, the pistol scratching into his cheeks as he rubbed himself in angst and stress. He said, “Damn you! You were swing’n behind my back!”
“But that’s because I wanted to get your attention—being so caught up in your own selfish schemes and not caring two damns about us!”
Karikoga could not believe that they were arguing without caring about the presence of others. And it was only a matter of moments before he began to see a reflection of himself and his own brothers within Kezuo and Tisara. Tisara continued to argue with her husband. As they did, Gabriel laughed out loud and said, “Do you see these scum Karikoga? Spewing their problems in front of the whole world without giving a damn? And you consider these parasites worthy?”
“Gabriel, you sound ridiculous. Not a moment ago, we were doing the same thing.”
“Not true. Our dilemma was completely different. When we argue we do so for intense, purposeful topics. They do so from the most trivial things.”
“And a failing marriage is considered trivial?”
“A failing marriage because of the stupidity of two individuals? Of course. That is trivial. And thus, their stupidity is the very example of their entire species!”
Lake was already near Gabriel, and Lake tugged onto Gabriel pants and smiled at him. Gabriel grimaced with disgust.
Kezuo and Tisara’s son said, “How do I become strong like you? So I can command my parents and get to them to stop fighting?”
Gabriel looked at Karikoga and Karikoga smiled. “See, they’re good Sheenyo-Qi still around brother.”
Gabriel softened his twisted scowl, and he now seemed to convey understanding for the boy.
“What’d I tell ya man?” said Shohiwa. “Me and Karikoga been telling you the whole time.”
Gabriel bent down while Lake still held onto Gabriel’s pants leg. And Gabriel lifted his hand which fidgeted. Something flashed in Gabriel’s eyes. A pain. A hurt. Then, he placed his hand on top of the boy’s head, doing so as if he stepped into a pile of vomit. Soon, Gabriel became comfortable and smiled. He gently rubbed Lake’s head and said, “So, you want to become strong?”
“Yes sir.”
“I admire that. And for a child your age to desire this, it shows that you can be a great lesser—I mean—human in the future.”
The boy nodded. “Thank you.”
Gabriel opened his left hand and a glow of Kai energy danced around it. Lake’s eyes lit up in wonder. “This here is Kokhott Rukhaniim—the spiritual energy.” Lightning and fire now burgeoned from his palm, his spirit energy flooding from them as well. “My elements you see here are Hakokhott Hayessodiim—elemental energy.” Lake nodded his head in awe. “The third aspect is Shekokhott Fiziim—physical technique. Kai martial arts. But I would demonstrate that later. Would you like to know it’s origins? How we came to gain this power? And how it all works?”
“Yes. Teach me.” Said Lake.
“Precisely. Let me show you.”
Gabriel’s right hand suddenly went ablaze as Lake gasped in wonder.
“So cool…”
“Indeed. Then you raise it up like this. And go like this—”
Karikoga’s hearts dropped. “Gabriel! No!”
As he rushed to Gabriel, his little brother was ten steps ahead of him and a heavy barrier trapped Karikoga inside.
Lake watched Gabriel’s hand travel to Lake’s neck, and Lake felt a slight tingling sensation as he chuckled. And Lake absorbed the love that flickered from Gabriel’s eyes. There came a piercing sensation. Then white hot agony. His neck burned with pained he never felt before. Lake’s eyes widened.
“Wha—”
Lake gurgled and began to choke from the pressure entering the middle of his neck, and as the immense agony filled Lake with tears, he spasmed. He gurgled more blood, his vision blurring.
Then, Gabriel’s hand left Lake’s neck, and Gabriel raised his arm into the air while Lake saw himself go up with it. Lake’s vision began to fade, and he felt a piece of himself rising into the heavens. He saw blackness.
*****
Lake found himself staring at a large body of water that swam throughout a vast undulating cosmos. He turned around and noticed a massive gate hovering over a sea of stars. The gate opened, darkness flooded through it, followed by a great light coalesced with tinges of darkness, and he saw four giant moons of varying color shine onto a landscape where massive floating head statues of gold, blue, and purple hovered over an alien city where rivers passed through platinum streets. And those very same rivers curled over the massive, sky-high buildings that seemed to be formed like caves—beautiful, technological caves formed from the womb of some ancient mother nature from a different dimension of outer space. The rivers glowed in a wonderfully ephemeral night possessing beautiful tendrils of great darkness. Lake walked towards the gate in wonder. Stepping through it, he saw stars that emanated from a source of Light that was incredibly profound. During Lake’s examination of the air composed of shadowy midst of light, a Mighty Being spoke—His voice like gentle thunders.
“I love you so much. The pain and the suffering is over. Forever. Welcome home My child.”
He turned around and saw the One who spoke. He cried. “My God!” He cradled the Great Being into his arms. The Supreme Being placed His arms around Lake, His hands possessing an unfathomable warmth that delighted Lake’s soul. “I love you too.” Continued Lake.
The very knowledge of who this God-Man was became immediately known to Lake.
“Come and reunite with your divine family—all the holy ones and your other elder celestial siblings. Come meet My Father. And join Him and I in fellowship and enjoy the presence of Our Holy Spirit.”
******
Kronos stared at Gabriel while he left lifted up the bloodied, lifeless head of the child named Lake. A scream erupted from Tisara. Kezuo roared. Kezuo fired upon them, his soldiers following suit. Rifles burst to life from their hands, but Gabriel waved his wrist, blocking the bullets as he darted his left hand forward, and a wave of energy darted from his hand and launched towards Tisara. At once, her chest exploded, and fountains of blood poured from her chest cavity. Her screaming ceased. She crumpled to the ground. Gabriel guided the shower of power onto Kezuo who roared in fury and sorrow. Soon, Kezuo and his soldiers’ flesh melted before they fell on the ground in agony.
The heads of Kezuo’s soldiers burst apart.
Gabriel spat on a shivering Kezuo’s face, then tossed Lake’s head onto Kezuo’s dying body. Kezuo, with what little life he had left, moved his arms towards his child’s head which rested on his chest. His eyes widened. A hoarse cry of despair and misery escaped from his burning throat, blood for tears flowing from his burgeoning eyes. Mouth and teeth twisted from the scorching fires.
Gabriel tele-stepped to Kezuo and hovered his foot over Kezuo’s face.
Gabriel? What?
Kronos looked away as he heard a terrific crunch between flesh and boot. But he could imagine Kezuo’s face explode beneath Gabriel’s boot in his mind’s eye.
And Shohiwa shouted, “You crazy psychopathic nigga bruh! What did you just do? How could you?”
Power flooded the air, and Kronos looked to see Karikoga scream as the barrier began to crack. Karikoga unleashed vast swarms of energy that flooded from his body like great fires. His stylish, leonine dreads turned white, grew to shoulder length, and flowed around his head like celestial snakes. Karikoga roared while he charged to a smiling Gabriel who powered up.
“Crap.” Abimelech grunted and darted his hands out. He caught Gabriel and Karikoga through a tele-pull and spread his left and right hand apart, expanding the distance between the brothers.
“Dude! You decide to restrain them now?” shouted Shohiwa. “Why didn’t you stop Gabriel?”
“My job is to prevent out-of-control, battle-to-the-death infighting—although I don’t mind some infighting—and to make sure you handle mission objectives. What Gabriel did is his business and doesn’t conflict with Sons of Morning affairs. Although, I gotta admit, he’s pretty dark as hell.” Said Abimelech.
“How strange.” Said Kronos. “I just didn’t sense Gabriel doing that. As if I couldn’t move for a second.”
Abimelech shrugged. “Gabriel’s evilness put you in a hex or something huh? Haha, it’s obvious the kid is a psyche job.”
Kronos eyed the brothers who were trying to attack each other.
“Their willpower is strong, but not enough for your Christ-Grip Abimelech.” Said Kronos.
He eyed Karikoga’s Lemuel’s Angel Armor form. He was surely stronger than he was before.
“Gabriel, I will—" Karikoga spasmed. Kronos raised an eyebrow. Soon, his eyes rolled at the back of his head.
“His energy! It’s overburdening him! Let him go!” shouted Shohiwa.
Abimelech listened and released his telekinesis from Karikoga’s body. Karikoga tried to force himself up. He convulsed. Then his eyes shuttered. They closed.
Shohiwa sprinted to Karikoga and kneeled to him, placing his fingers on Karikoga’s neck. “He’s unconscious!”
Abimelech let go of Gabriel next.
Kronos crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
Now he knew why Abimelech and he were called by Milo. Now he understood why Hurriance Beasts were sent with the Salem Lords. The reason involved more than just a performance evaluation.
Now I get it. We were here because of the nature of these brothers. We came because the danger they posed towards each other. But we can’t do this for long. Soon, they will be by themselves. Soon, their fates and destinies will call to them.
Kronos looked at an unconscious Karikoga and said to himself, “Karikoga, you still battle with the light. Why haven’t you given up the Narrow Road already?”
As Kronos picked up the body of a sleeping Karikoga using his telekinetic Christ-Grip, Kronos stared at the head of Lake atop Kezuo’s headless corpse.
Kronos’s body quaked, a strange sensation of his soul growing a pair of wings and flying through his chest. Then he looked away and shook himself. Kronos resisted the pull towards the light side of the Way—the Narrow Road.
Is this because of Karikoga? He’s having an effect on me?
Kronos ignored the thought and proceeded to depart from the courtyard.
*****
He was sitting in the jet seat with his hands balled into fists, reflecting on what happened.
He didn’t understand how Gabriel could cast aside that boy and his great potential without a single regard. Shohiwa cringed his face, staring into the clouds, thinking about what might have been had that boy been alive and was drawn to Shohiwa rather than Gabriel—what could have happened had he been fast enough to see what Gabriel was about to do. Soon, Kronos sat near Shohiwa as Abimelech left the room of a sleeping Karikoga and sat near the window, staring into passing clouds.
Kronos leaned near Shohiwa and said, “Tell me, what’s on your mind.”
Shohiwa, not used to isolating himself from other people, had to get open. “I felt so, somewhere else.” Kronos leaned back, and crossed his arms, maintaining complete attention on Shohiwa. “It’s like, even though Gabriel killed that boy, and his family, a piece of me just didn’t care and kinda cared.”
Kronos closed his eyes and said, “An indifference, a sort of selfishness that reasons that as long as it had nothing to do with you or that you never knew the person, then it doesn’t matter. Something like that?”
“Yea…”
Kronos opened his eyes, “That selfishness is kind of inherent in us all—a good thing if you think about it, because…” Kronos paused and looked into the air, not really believing what he was saying though he tried to talk to Shohiwa as if he knew what he was saying. “too much of worrying about what happens to others just isn’t good for our own lives.”
Shohiwa clenched his fists and said, “Then how the hell does Karikoga rile with rage over the life of someone he does not know? How does Karikoga get so sad and angry, that, when someone dies, he’s willing to rise against his own family and risk his life to protect those he don’t know in the name of some damn noble cause?” Shohiwa clenched his fists, trying to understand, “How?”
Kronos grimaced. Shohiwa noticed Kronos’s hands shaking, and his eyes were filled with shock and fear like a man battling with some terrible, known illness inside of himself, and then Kronos breathed to regain his composure as if nothing was happening to him.
“How?” said, Abimelech who was listening in, “I tell you how: because of stupidity. Karikoga is stupid. A goody two shoes buffoon who thinks he’s good and believes that he fights for the cause of some false God who supposedly cares for him when God actually doesn’t give a damn about anybody.”
“Yea,” hissed Shohiwa, “You’re right. God really doesn’t care, but,” Shohiwa tensed, shocked at himself for feeling some guilt that gnawed at his soul, “Why does Karikoga lay down his life for others anyway—not just for those he don’t know but those he do—for everyone? I mean, after what Granpa did, Karikoga brought us into the Path of Darkness which felt good, but why does he cling on the light? Why does—”
“Enough about Karikoga for now.” Said Kronos who interrupted Shohiwa, “How do you feel about Gabriel and what he did?”
Shohiwa nodded his head, agreeing to drop the subject. But as he did, the guilt began to rise in him more and he thought of Karikoga. He leaned back onto the chair and said, “If he did that to someone I know, I would’ve tried to handle him.”
“I see.” Kronos said. Then he sat back and said, “But then, why’d you call Gabriel a psychopath?’
Shohiwa clenched his fists. “Don’t get it twisted. I stand by what I said about not caring what he did, but, the thing that pissed me off about it was that that kid saw Gabriel first. And what he’d do? He wasted him. If only I fought those fifty warriors and flexed my strength, that kid might’ve noticed me, and if he did, I could’ve brought him under my camp ya know?”
Kronos narrowed his eyes. “I’m not sure where you’re coming from.”
“Mmmm. How do I put it, basically, I got mad at Gabriel because that kid was an opportunity to become a Sheenyo-Qi that I’d care about. A person who could’ve been a part of my personal growing family in the empire—people I cultivated who became a part of me and all that I care about. That way, showing my growth and strength. You get me?”
“Influence? An entourage that shows your power? Ownership over something or someone?”
“Somewhat. A gang. A family that I cultivated through my own hands, but a family of who I give absolute free will and power to express themselves, their own individualism to cultivate their own family that’s a part of my family. A gang, but more than a gang—a kingdom! A kingdom that kind of embodies me and my name. Thus becoming my special family—a family that young boy could’ve been a part of, you get me? And that’s why it pissed me off.”
Kronos crossed his arms again. “Wow, that’s, kind of confusing. But I get it—kind of. That still doesn’t explain much though.”
Shohiwa gripped his fists and he channeled into his power. Kronos studied Shohiwa. After having to ponder and talk about himself and how he felt, Shohiwa was happy that the dark edge of his being began to hack away at the guilt and shame that gnawed him—the sense of wrongness that was slowly causing him to question whether Karikoga was actually right and whether Shohiwa himself was on the wrong side.
“You see, I—detest—this—this feeling of distance that I experience between myself and my brothers—and detest that the moment they were going to strike fists, it would open up some doorway that would lead them to separating from themselves, breaking a bond that would cause me to be separate from them somehow.” Shohiwa channeled into his energy and Kronos stared with wide eyes. “I hate when my brothers fight each other. And I hate it when I ain’t included and they sometimes look down on me like I got nothing to show. The truth is, I love my brothers so damn much.” He went deeper into his Shekokhott Fiziim, “And if something happens to either one of them or they go so far apart that it messes up my bond with the both of them, I—I,” He dug so deep that his soul burst into a maelstrom of fury, and, sorrow, and compassion that he seemed to be clothed with heavy armor. “I don’t know what I’d do. Excuse me, I’ll be seeing Karikoga for a bit.”
Shohiwa got up, and headed towards the recovery center of the jet’s cabin.
Kronos watched trails of thick, greyish-blue energy seep from Shohiwa’s entire body as he walked out of the room. Kronos looked back at Abimelech who stared at him wide eyed. Then he studied the trail of power that dripped from Shohiwa.
Kronos nodded his head.
That energy you just gave off. Alright Shohiwa. Alright. Your brothers will definitely have their eyes on you. I’m sure.
Gabriel breathed. He backflipped across the room until he darted up towards the ceiling, struck his palms against the ceiling and pushed himself back down with great force until he landed onto the ground. Darting forward, he paused, then shifted maneuvers, dodging in different directions, going through a rigorous series of feint attacks, dodges, and countering positions as he sought to improve not just his defense, but set-up his offense.
And Gabriel was doing this because he thought about Karikoga, and that damned Limbs of The Cherubim power.
After seeing what Karikoga had did with that Angel Wrath technique, Karikoga was becoming a great threat.
He wanted to tell Karikoga why he trapped him inside that barrier and showed off to him.
He wanted to tell Karikoga that the Emperor told Gabriel to vex Karikoga and get Karikoga to feel a certain way towards Gabriel so that Karikoga could descend faster into darkness through his envy.
Gabriel wanted to let Karikoga know how much Gabriel hated those who sought to belittle others by showing off so they could make themselves feel better and wanted to tell Karikoga that he was being tested to finally push Karikoga deeper towards the descent.
But after witnessing Karikoga’s power, Gabriel decided maybe it was best to let Karikoga look on at Gabriel’s abilities in awe and angst, because through those emotions of falling behind and desiring what Gabriel had, it would keep Karikoga off balance. Gabriel loved his big brother. But he didn’t want a powerful big brother. He didn’t desire his big brother to be a future obstacle to him. And for that, Gabriel realized that he would not contradict his beliefs of showing off to Karikoga, and Gabriel would continue to grow stronger and maintain his path to fulfill his life’s plan and ultimate dreams.
He breathed rapidly as he darted back and forth and unleashed Mona’s embrace while utilizing a Baemett Ryy and Fire Blaster charge-feint along with Darka’s Lightening Scythes, feeling lighter on his feet. Then he breathed deep and, combining his Kokhott disciplines with his Hakokhott, fired a lightening infused Fire-Blaster which slammed into the energy-protected wall of platinum. He clenched his fists.
Karikoga, you will not get in my way. But should you be worthy enough for me, be strong enough to challenge me, then I will accept. Besides, I only want to see you grow, because, who knows, maybe you will come to understand why I do what I do and may join me in the future. But, thankfully, I’m grateful that the sin of those stupid, bickering fools was redeemed by their blood and the blood of that child. Yes.
As he thought of that child, he fought back an overwhelming sorrow that almost caused his eyes to become a terrible, aquatic repository of his pain that could’ve broken free to flood his face at any moment. Gabriel couldn’t ponder what had happened to himself. He mustn’t think of the past that tried to torment him every day despite trying to bury it through his hatred. Gabriel wouldn’t let pathetic sentimentality get in the way of achieving his goal. But something slipped. Cypher’s face flashed in his mind. Then the little boy, Lake.
Tears fell from Gabriel’s eyes anyway.
Damn it. But I set him free. Free from this cruel, fallen and dead world—this dying universe. I set the boy free from the influences of the dark celestial princes and principalities that deceive all of mankind. Free from the clutches of sin that destroys my soul. He was heaven bound. I am hell hound.
Justifying his sin, Gabriel soon gathered himself, wiped away his tears, and departed the training room.
Kronos was still staring at the fading tendrils of coiling power that lingered on Shohiwa’s former seat until footsteps echoed into the room. Kronos heard a loud grunt and turned around. Gabriel passed through the jet lounge, walking towards the rest bay. Then, while fixing his eyes on the rest bay’s corridor, Gabriel said, “Admiring your own piece of work?”
“That work is actually Shohiwa’s.” Kronos said coolly.
“Aha!” teased Abimelech. “Your brother is ready to bloom! Your baby brother is ready to bloom!”
Gabriel grinned without staring at the seat as if nothing was there, then Gabriel mumbled to himself out loud.
Yea. That’s right Gabriel. Shohiwa is about ready. Question is, how will you feel about it if your little brother ascends before both you and Karikoga does—even when Shohiwa doesn’t train?
Patmos cleared his trek through the marshaling glade. Noticing the same jet flying past him, he cursed under his breath but found himself coughing with violence. The wolves stared at him as they moaned with concern. He hated how the dark sorceries he abused had afflicted him with a curse that stolen his youth. Most of his quickness and speed was fading away from him, and he was disgusted at how the jet lapped him in his travel.
Tatenda snorted at him.
“No. Well, I could open a portal. But Cantor’s Gate will most likely kill me at this point. I no longer have enough life vigor to expend to use that. Too risky. If only I stuck to my natural dark powers rather than dabbling in the forbidden magick arts for too long.”
Garai growled in response.
“I’m not going to fly right now. Need to take in the beautiful scenery of nature to keep my mind clear and stay focused. I’ll fly later.”
Rudo and Sekai both stomped the ground. They attempted to knock him off balance from the slight earthquake. He ignored their angry gesture.
And before Chiedza sought to express herself concerning Patmos’s slow method of traveling, he said, “No Chiedza. My bones ache. No leap-travelling for now either. I’ll do that later too. In this moment, we rest. Besides, we cleared the forest. We’re at the nation’s borders.” He leaned back on the tree.
In due time…in due time…