The bishop spoke on, of love and forgiveness, and also of war. His bald head had beads of sweat as he preached his message. His hands motioning toward the towering black widow statue made of wood behind him, its purple cloak covering the backside and its eight eyes staring out onto the meager congregation. The pale skin of his arms covered by black hair, swung to and fro as his message went on, flinging the occasional sweat. He grew silent for a moment and returned to his pulpit and grabbed a cloth to wipe the sweat from his brow. He looks for a second at his old, worn and tattered white robe, then to the ceiling with its' beams made to look like a spider web. "If the previous few days have frightened you my brothers and sisters", he smiles as he says "perhaps we are not ready for what is to come, and I am thankful". Several of the congregation shout "Amen", "I am thankful!" he shouts, "because I know who sits on the throne of eternity! So this creature and that one, they do not frighten me." He says in a softer tone then points again to the statue, "the eternal throne, and her web of promise". Several of the congregation shout again, and the bishop ends with a prayer.
He was shaking hands as he stood by the door, watching as his congregation left, when the man shaking his hand asked to speak privately. "There are talks of a draft going around bishop", the man says before the door is even closed to the bishop's office. "What comes will come, and what happens will happen" the bishop calmly says. "And what if they draft you?" he asks in a more enraged tone. "Then I will defend my home" he answers again calmly. "And what if...." he was cut off by loud screams, they look at each other and they both run back to the chapel. They are greeted with a gory seem, several of the green, slimy looking, spiked creatures lay dead. Strewn across the pews and floor, and more than a couple parts dangle from the web looking beams. The bishops eyes fall to the door where several of his congregation stand enamored. His head turns to where they are staring, his gaze is met by an ethereal figure in silvered armour, a battle skirt just above the knees spotted with rectangle patches of metal. Knee high greaves, and a shield dangling at her side. Her Firebrand hair falls to her lower back, floating above the gory scene, and she stares at the bishop through her helmet. "By the promise of the goddess!" The bishop shouts as he falls to his knees and bows his head. "Duncan, who is that?" "You would do well to kneel Mario". The bishop looks back up at the figure, then reaches a hand up and pulls Mario to his knees. Duncan looks her over for a minute, "I do not recognize you, would you tell me your name?" Her head snaps away as if her attention was needed in that direction, she then looks back at the bishop and smiles, "Juilee" she says before disappearing.
Moto had spent several days in the lab, since his return, giving all his executive orders from there for his city under siege. Watching as the scientist worked tirelessly to rebuild his girls. As they finish with the last plate he approaches, "and these are better than before?" "Yes your grace, upgraded core processors, improved weaponry, even lighter and stronger than the one Cassandra has". "And they will do better against the current threat?" "I do not know, fire is tricky to combat, and these creatures wield it like nothing I have ever seen." "The hard drive, where does it go?" "Behind the ear is a button" the doctor demonstrates and the top of the head opens up. "Very well, have them loaded onto a truck, I will retrieve my daughters personally". He said it with conviction and confidence, yet a was frightened. A thousand scenarios played out in his head, about what had happened to them, if they could even be recovered. He decided to push it from his mind, or at least try as he flexed his fist. He walked with the bodies and watched as they were delicately loaded onto the bed of a truck. Though he assumed they could simply be tossed and not even be scratched, if only he would allow his daughters to be treated so carelessly. He then drove the truck to the military armory, those creatures wouldn't catch him off guard again.
"Mya, I'm hungry" "I know, me too, and thirsty" she held his hand as they continued to walk down the paved road under the heat of the noon sun. Thankfully her hat kept most of the sun's heat off, it was the heat rising from the pavement she found unbearable. The heat reminded her of the dessert, however this was much hotter. The young woman they had met several nights earlier walked just a few steps in front of them, not too far, just far enough to be a guide. "Just down this way, see the soldiers? That is the gate" the young blonde said looking back and pointing forward. "Are you sure about this?" Mya asks squeezing Alex's hand a little tighter. "We must get outside of the city" the voice said, using Alex's mouth. "My brother is far to the south and...." "And?" Mya looks down at him as his little head begins to dart around in every direction. "One is here, but why are you here, what do you hunt?" "Who is it?" "A guardian of the doors, Heroes the elves called them, though I do not know which one. Someone opened their tomb, more might follow, lest it was closed again." "What did they hunt?" the little boy's face looks up at her with his glowing white eyes and smiles "Enemies". His head began to dart around again "an angel" the voice snarls "she followed us, we must hurry. The soldiers, join them, there is safety in numbers." Mya picks Alex up and throws him over her shoulder and begins to run toward the gate, grabbing the girls arm and pulling her along. The sound of her boots hitting the pavement echoed in her mind as she skids to a halt. One of the soldiers had his rifle pointed at her and another had his hand raised. "No one is allowed outside of the gate" he says with a loud authoritative voice. "We have to get outside" Mya replies putting Alex down and pulling up her sleeve to reveal her tattoo. "I can fight them, I already killed one" "One?" the soldier asks quizzically pointing toward the line of barricades. Her eyes widen as she sees at least a hundred of the creatures waiting. "What are they waiting for?" she asks the voice in a panic. "Numbers" "more are coming" "being made" "how are they made?" "Elves become skin walkers, humans become that when corrupted by the gods." Her eyes dart down to him, he doesn't even look away from the creatures as she asks again "How are they made?" "Fire". A messenger runs past them and hands a piece of paper to the highest ranking soldier. The soldier takes a minute to read it then looks back at Mya, "Merc, your hired. Smith escort them to the tent, ensure they are given food and water. Moto will be here in a few hours, you can catch a ride with them." The soldier called Smith walks in front of them to a small dark green tent, then opens it and all three of them walk inside. I was cool almost cold due to the sweat dripping down her face. A brown haired man sat at a small desk with a filing cabinet on one side and a small safe behind him. The man behind the desk looks her up and down then to Smith "For Moto then?" Smith only nods as the man behind the desk smiles and points to a chair in front of his desk. She sits down taking off her rifle and handing it to Alex, who stands beside her. "This job will only take a few hours, though if you prefer we can always use more hands on the gates, once you return of course" She only shakes her head as he looks on with disappointment, then slides her some papers and a pen. "Sign on the X's and for your address just put The Island", she finishes signing and he takes them and looks them over. Once he is satisfied he places them into a folder, then into the filing cabinet. He then turns around and opens the safe and pulls out a small pouch and sets it in front of her, "you mercs prefer gold coins as I recall". She only nods and takes it, she looks at Smith and he escorts them back out into the heat, across the way and into a larger tent. Inside are rows of foldable tables and chairs, "Food is over there, drinks there, I'll come and get you when Moto's convoy arrives. Also you can leave your son here until you get back" "He's coming with me" "Get them started young" "Something like that". With that Smith exits the tent and leaves them alone.
His hands were trembling as he pulls up to the gate, he rolls down the window and the soldier salutes him. "Your grace" "Lieutenant, how many did you find?" "Just the one sir, she looks fierce enough though." He didn't let his inside thoughts betray his outward demeanor, he had hoped for more, though he understood. He needed every volunteer guarding the city, perhaps he was lucky to even find a merc. She walked up to his truck, a katana at her side and a Barret slung on her back, holding the hand of a young boy. He motions for her get in the truck and she does, "Mya" she says reaching her hand over Alex, who sat between them. "Moto, or your grace if you feeling dramatic" he responds taking her hand. "I was told there would be a convoy" "Just the three of us I'm afraid" "Very odd for a president" "To?" "you have soldiers at you beck and call, why send them?" "This is too important, besides I need them to protect the city." His hands grip the steering wheel even tighter, nearly white knuckled as the barricades drop. "Might want a seat belt though" he says as the truck takes off and doesn't slow down, even as the creatures begin running toward the gate. A couple of the creatures fall as the soldiers behind them take shots, then Mya leans out of the window with her rifle and shoots a couple more. The barricades raise behind them as the truck barrels toward a group of the creatures, at the last second they scatter in every direction.
It was a couple of hours before they reached their destination, the sun had sunk lower in the sky. Across the road where several android parts, ripped apart and scattered. Moto stop the truck short and and hops out searching, he knew he would find them, he had too. "Mya take the tarp off and help me look, we're looking for their hard drives." He kept searching, finally he found one of them, he opened her head and pulled out the hard drive. "It's in their head" he yelled back at Mya, not even looking at her, still searching the ground. He noticed the bright light and could hear the deep voice speak "The angel cannot hide now, however there is nothing I can do to stop her". He didn't care, he kept searching, finally finding the other one, and running back to the truck. His hands where panicking, shaking, as he opened the new bodies and inserted the hard drives and switched the androids on.
Mya drew her sword as the bright light in the sky approached, she had to do something, doubting her empty rifle would do any good. A large arrow land and stuck in the ground beside her, then she looked at Alex "behind the truck" she said her voice nearly trembling as she grabbed Alex and ran for safety. "You will not escape me a second time" the angel said in a calm voice, launching another arrow over their heads. She noticed Moto wasn't paying attention, fixated on those androids, until he switched them on and they sat up. Another arrow flew directly at Moto and stuck in his back "Father" the androids said in unison and opened fire on the angel. Alex's eyes turned the blinding white again and she could feel the healing air around him as he began to walk toward the down Moto. She rushed behind him and raised her sword to at least try to block an arrow, should the angel shoot another one. As she did it flew out of her hands and up into the sky toward a ghostly being, who carried only a shield. Alex placed his hands on Moto and the arrow melted away as if it was water, "It's you" Moto said. Alex only nodded and looked up at the battle that was taking place. "I'm glad it is you" The ghostly figure said as she bashed her shield against the ball of light. "You have been a pain in my backside for so long" she continued taking a swing and connecting with a wing, slicing it off. The angel cried in pain as the ghostly figure bashed the ball of light with the shield, making it cry in pain again. She then unleashed a barrage of slashes, shield bashes and stabs. The angel had been spent as the ghostly figure gave one more slash, cutting the ball of light in half, then it dissipated into nothingness. "I am Juilee, and that was Samantha, Herold of Festus proclaimed king of the angels." she said with a smirk. "It is good to finally meet you" the voice said using Alex's mouth "I am Ezra, son of the wolf and the raven." "Who re forged my sword and why did she have it?" Juilee asked in an angry tone, pointing it at Mya. "She is my protector, and yours is on of the few forged in eternity" Ezra answered. "There are only two beings who could have done it, tell me where is your brother?" "He is to the south, we are looking for him as well" "very well" Juilee said tossing the sword back to Mya, "I will accompany you then" was all she said before vanishing.