Pursuit of the Zodiacs (4 page)

Zodeen said, “Everyone, it’s going to detonate!”

Abdeen and Abdeel headed back whence they came. Natenal and Zodeen escaped to the skies. The explosion consumed the pursuing hand, and both Angels slammed into the rough terrain nearby. Debris rained down as the fire spread rapidly throughout the street. The parked abandoned van stood no more.

Goliath disobeyed Natenal’s orders. He yelled for others to follow him, and the team rushed out of the front door of the safehouse and into the dismantled street. Goliath removed sections of pavement like they were pebbles.

Back from patrol, Ozias returned to a demolished street. “What has happened here? I saw the explosion and came as fast as I could.”

Justus answered, “Natenal, Abdeel, Abdeen, and Zodeen just engaged the messenger Demon. The Demon caused an explosion. Help us search for them.”

Ozias saw Natenal at the other end of the street helping the others dig through the rubble.

“Ha-ha!” Goliath discovered a shaken up Abdeel. He pulled him out of the wreckage.

With all the dust and dirt cleared away, Abdeel breathed and spoke in a very hoarse voice. “Have you seen my Brother?”

Goliath said, “Worry not, we will find him.”

Pharisees teleported to where he sensed strange activity, another gift bestowed on him. “He’s around here,” he said.

He uncovered Abdeen and Zodeen. They suffered from burns and internal bleeding, but lived.

They returned to the safehouse before the police and fire trucks arrived. Irisan, with her gift of healing, went into action.

Bernard remained outside to speak with the police and firefighters.

Chapter 3

PUNCTURE WOUNDS

“The coldness of this World will forever be its torment.”

– P
ASTOR
J
ACOB

A
small family of five had been spared. They exited through the back doorway of a church. Jacob, the Pastor of the church, shouted at his oppressors as they made their way down the aisle. “And the descendants of the Devil I’ve rebuked not too long ago returns … this time, with their slithering tongues and horns. Again, we meet so soon. Why does my death strike so much importance to the both of you, Gemini?”

Pastor Jacob traveled to many Earths and Dimensions to teach the word of God. No stranger to peril, he’d acquired enough skills due to training with Archangels. But the Gemini was determined to silence the Pastor.

In a pair, but as one, the Gemini continued their walk down the aisle side-by-side towards an altar. Though both identical, he couldn’t help but notice differences in their appearance since the last time they’d crossed paths. Their skin looked like water; their eyes, clear like the wind. One bore the Moon on their forehead, and one bore the Sun. To him, this could only mean one thing: they’ve mastered their gifts.

“Please, for the love of God, Pastor Jacob, come with us!”

Close friends and followers returned, pleading with him to join them by the exit.

“Brothers and Sisters, fear not. Know that this is God’s will. Save yourselves,” Pastor Jacob said.

“It would be wise to listen to him,” the Zodiac warned through telepathy. Under the Gemini’s mind control, his followers departed. Using a small portion of their air gifts, the Gemini fastened all the doors of the church shut with a burst of wind. The increasing winds proved too much, even outside. His followers forfeited and took refuge down the street. Pastor Jacob, The Pursuers’ next Guide, knew Taurus’s whereabouts, as well as a few more Zodiacs. Gemini encountered the Pastor not too long ago. But this time, he’s without the presence of Guardian Archangels.

The Pastor said, “I guess the coldness of this World will forever be its torment.”

“Fret not. It won’t be long before it meets Hellfire old friend,” the Gemini replied.

The Pastor replied, “The curse of Judas has claimed another. So, who led you to me?”

The Gemini said, “There’s no curse, why can’t you just accept this as fate? Even our mole within The Pursuers knew they had no choice other than to come to terms.”

They laughed, as Pastor Jacob comprehended the disappointing news.

One ascended the left stairs of the podium, and the other ascended the right.

Pastor Jacob said, “You talk as if I fear death. Death has no sting here!”

The Pastor equipped a Ghost Machine Gun hidden inside the pulpit and reloaded it with holy water. The Gemini teleported from harm’s end as the church was instantly riddled with bullets. Holy water seeped from the holes of their unintended targets.

The smoke from the chaos dissolved. Pastor Jacob reloaded his weapon.

He listened in for their movements and fired again. He spared nothing; more ammunition ripped the church apart.

He could hear the Gemini, but could see nothing. Their gifts improved dramatically since the last time they’d met. Coming from opposite ends, parallel to the Pastor, through the smoke, they planted their swords into his body, separating him. Pastor Jacob lay dead.

One of the Geminis said, “Our Lord will be pleased. We will avenge our Fallen ancestors.”

But his Twin retorted, “You celebrate too soon. Let’s hope he did not inform anyone of the other Zodiacs’ whereabouts. Check his body for any communication devices.”

After a thorough inspection of Pastor Jacob’s body, one of the Gemini Twins motioned for departure. “Let us go.”

The Zodiacs set fire to the church and took flight out a balcony window.

] Fifteen minutes later]

“What has happened here?” one of The Pursuers asked, only to see police cars, helicopters, and fire trucks outside of their mark. Detectives blocked the perimeter with special cars and yellow caution tape, keeping the media and curious residents away. Fire consumed the church.

Justus said, “We failed him. Time is indeed a curse on this Planet.”

Ashamed that they’d failed, Ozias and Justus returned to tell the others of Pastor Jacob’s death.

They had little time to mourn. They needed a new Guide. They regrouped back at the safehouse to formulate a new plan.

Irisan said, “What are we to do?”

Natenal didn’t seem as concerned as the others by the night’s setback. “Hold your heads. It is a hindrance, but other Guide’s await. I’ll summon another one shortly.”

DANIEL’S DREAM

“Mathieu, nooo!”

In his dream, Daniel recalled a secret assignment he had been involved in centuries ago in a past life.

“Where did they go?” one of his soldiers inquired.

Other soldiers ahead of them disappeared in a dark mist, supported by dark magic.

Now divided, Daniel and his group heard a deafening roar followed by the noise of laser fire.

The more they heard the cries of their Brethren, the dimmer their mission appeared, until the dark mist dissipated.

“Go, see if there are any survivors,” Daniel ordered while gazing upon their fallen comrades.

However, there were none. Even Mathieu, their Master Archangel, was found crumpled as if but a piece of paper.

“Who could have done this?” Daniel asked himself.

The questions did not stop there. Just over a hill, in an inner valley of the Dimension, Daniel came across a trail of four bodiless Nephilim heads. He came to terms that neither he nor the remainder of his men had the required skills to go against whatever left this trail of death behind.

“My God! Judging by the marks, the heads of these Giants were not severed; rather, they were torn from their bodies by someone’s bare hands! This being is stronger than anything I’ve ever seen in this Mortal part of the Universe.” Seconds away from calling off the mission, Daniel’s curiosity overcame him. They uncovered another head of a Giant. “This one is still in its dying stages, which means its executioner has yet to exit this Dimension,” Daniel said.

”You mean, whoever’s done this is still here?” one of his soldiers replied.

“Yes, be very cautious,” Daniel answered as they advanced towards the Giant’s head.

After a few more twitches, the Giant’s eyes rolled to the back of its head, and it died.

Daniel continued, “Serves them all right. Their breath still holds the stench of human flesh and blood. This must have all been done in retaliation.”

One soldier asked, “But what of Mathieu and our men? What had they done to deserve the same fate? This murderer must be punished.”

Daniel and the soldiers moved on to more evidence. They found a pair of footprints.

“This can’t be. These are the footprints of a child!” remarked one of the soldiers.

“Let me see.” He measured the footprints, and confirmed the supposition.

“Look!” One of his soldiers pointed.

They saw a boy no more than twelve years of age. He left a message in the snow in a weird dialect. It was coated with the blood of the Nephilim that he’d just destroyed.

One of the soldiers equipped with classified conversion goggles, decoded the message.

Daniel read the message aloud:

“Your men had been warned to leave me alone. They did not heed that warning and have thus paid the price. I admonish you not to make the same mistake.” — Leo

Chapter 4

WATCHERS