Ch 5: Reunions

The parties involved all fast approaching a confrontation, will anyone stand a chance against Alastor? Will the Special Forces arrest Grey and Amy as rogue energists? Who is Alexander talking to?

            As Grey held Amy, still sobbing, he suddenly sensed the strange fluctuation of EDE again. Behind the two, dark vortexes began forming from the shadows. Grey quickly stabbed his remaining sword into the rooftop and used his powers of Rune Swordsmanship as he chanted, “Septimo Spiritus Ignis!” Glowing red lines shot across the rooftop from the blade to create an enormous red rune circle over a large area of the rooftop. He released the blade, leaving it stuck in the rooftop, and before Amy had time to ask what was happening, he had picked her up in both arms. Then, to Amy’s terror, he carried her to the edge of the roof and leapt off. Just as the anomalies had pulled themselves from the vortexes and were about to pursue, the rune circle glowed brightly, and suddenly the rooftop and the anomalies were engulfed in a fiery explosion. Amy screamed, terrified of the explosion and the fact that they were falling from the roof of a two story building. Grey landed firmly on both feet though, unfazed by the fall. As he set Amy down on her feet, Grey looked up at the rooftop, which was now engulfed in flames, and said, “We better get out of here. It won’t be long before the authorities show up with questions. Alexander said he’d take care of your dad, leave it to him.”

            Finishing up in the Grant’s apartment, Alexander cleaved the last anomaly left in half, along with the entertainment center. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he muttered, “It seems he has amassed a great number of anomalies. It seemed as though there was no end to them.” He started to walk towards the door, and then he paused as the room shook and what seemed to be the sound of an explosion echoed through the complex. Smirking, Alexander said, “Sounds like Grey has his fair share of them too.” Then Serius said within Alexander’s mind, “As long as he has the bodies and essence to craft them with, he can create as many as he wishes. Who knows how many he’s already made from all the people who’ve been killed in Altera Veritas’ attacks. Most of these were crude though, most likely crafted in haste from the tenants of this complex…” 

As Alexander reached the doorway, he sensed another fluctuation of EDE, and a chill ran down his spine as an empty voice called out, “Yes, it was a suitable test of his growth over the year he’s been under your care, Alexander.” Alexander spun around as out of a swirling vortex of darkness, Alastor appeared in the living room of the Grant’s apartment. As his vortex vanished seamlessly behind him, Alastor said, “It’s only been three years, yet so much has happened, hasn’t it? I see Serius is with you. I trust you both have been well?” Leveling the blade of his enormous sword at Alastor, Alexander remained silent, and after a moment Alastor continued, “Oh? I take it you have no time for pleasantries? Pity… Very well then, I shall be your opponent.” A dark aura erupted around Alastor, and Alexander steeled himself, muttering, “I may require your assistance Serius…” Alastor began to channel EDE into his right hand as he said, “Gabriel the Immortal and Serius the Unbound against the leader of Altera Veritas. The odds don’t look good… for you…”

            Brigadier General Scott Matthews had finished surveying the wreckage of the destroyed hover car. It seemed from what witnesses they’d questioned that his old friend had fought with someone, and he could only wonder who it could have been. The remains of a dark cloak, almost completely destroyed by flames, seemed to be all that was left of whatever opponent he had faced. As he tried to put the pieces together in his head, he thought, “The Imperial Library’s video surveillance system had recorded Matt having somehow gained access to the restricted archive, but what was it he had been searching for?” Having resolved to bring his former friend to justice after awakening from his coma, Scott now felt as though things weren’t adding up, and he began to wonder, “Did I get through to Matt after all back then on that day one year ago? Has he left Altera Veritas, or could he even be fighting them?” Scott could only hope, as visions of their happy days together clashed with the image of the armor clad killer he’d faced in battle. Then Scott paused as he suddenly heard what sounded like an explosion in the distance. At that moment, Colonel Richter rushed out of the military airship parked not far from the scene and shouted at him, “Matthews, there’s something going on downtown, and I have a feeling you’ll want to see this!”

            Scott rushed over to their Special Forces transport class airship, the Campitor, and stepped up inside. He followed Colonel Richter to the surveillance equipment, which they had set up to connect to all the city’s various video surveillance devices in order to monitor them for leads. Pointing to the screen, Richter said, “Take a look at this! It’s from the camera on the second floor of an old apartment complex, and apparently there was just a huge explosion on the roof of the building. Our scanners show massive EDE activity in the area.” Scott watched as a young girl appeared from the stairwell, and he thought to himself, “That’s the girl with blue hair from the school…” The girl ran down the hall towards the stairs at the end of the hall that led up to the rooftop door, and as she was running, dark beings in cloaks came dashing after her. Seeing this, Scott exclaimed, “Altera Veritas’ anomalies?!” Then he remembered the dark cloak from the wreckage, and putting the pieces together, he thought, “Of course! So Matt was fighting Altera Veritas!” 

Scott quickly turned away from the screen to speak to the soldiers behind him, who were also interested in the recordings, and quickly said, “Get this thing over there! Now!” Then Colonel Richter quickly said, “Hold on Matthews, there’s more. This is him, isn’t it?” Scott looked back at the screen and watched as Richter fast forwarded the recording for a second. The Colonel stopped the fast forward as a young man with brown hair wearing a long black coat came rushing from the stairwell, and Scott recognized him immediately, thinking to himself, “Matt! Does he know that girl?” He watched as Matt headed straight to the roof as well after glancing around the hall, twin swords in his hands. Scott could hardly believe it. He’d found him. Snapping Scott out of his stupor, Colonel Richter said, “Matthews?” Thinking quickly, Scott issued a command to the troops, saying, “It’s him, let’s go! Call the police and tell them not to get involved. I want us there yesterday! No one is to use deadly force when we find him! I want him alive, understood?” The group of Special Forces soldiers snapped to attention and saluted, saying, “Yes sir!”

            “S**t!” Grey exclaimed as all around them anomalies began to rise out from dark vortexes. Taking hold of Amy’s hand, the two of them ran, Grey muttering to himself, “How many of these damn things are there?!” They went straight for the hover car, but then as Grey realized Alexander still had the keys, he considered going back to get him. The horde of anomalies coming after them changed his mind quickly. Suddenly Amy said, “Grey, the underground passage! If we go through it to that storage facility, we won’t be far from the city’s South Gate! The South Gate stays open at night to allow shipments to be brought to and from the storage facilities during all hours of the day!” Grey flashed a grin and said, “Great thinking! Still, it might be better to take surface streets, it’s too easy to get cornered or lost in…” 

At that moment the whine of a transport class airship’s repulsion engines filled the street as it flew over the top of a building down at the intersection to their left. A spotlight from the bottom of it came to life and centered directly on the two, and the voice of Colonel Richter sounded from the airship’s loudspeaker, saying, “Halt! By the authority of The Guild Special Forces, you are both under arrest! There’s no escape rogue energist #669!” The plasma cannon turrets on both sides of the transport leveled themselves at Grey and Amy, and Grey muttered, “Of all the… Amy, get ready to run! We’re making a break for that passage, that damn airship can’t follow us underground!” Yet as they were about to make a break for it, a pair of anomalies lunged at Grey. They’d caught up without him noticing, and Grey didn’t have enough time to react as their bladed arms closed in. Suddenly though, the anomalies were obliterated as they were struck by shots fired from the airship’s left plasma cannon. Knocked away by the explosion, Grey and Amy struggled to get on their feet as the street was filled with dust and smoke. Coughing, his ears ringing from the sound of the explosion, Grey helped Amy up and said, “Amy, now! We gotta get to the passage!”

            Inside the airship, Scott quickly extracted himself from the seat of the left plasma cannon and headed for the door of the airship. One of the crewmen was shouting, “We’ve lost visual!” Operating the door’s controls, Scott said, “Forget them! Take care of the anomalies! I’m going out after them myself!” Quickly, Colonel Richter said, “Matthews wait! At least let me go with you!” Scott turned to look at him and said, “No Jack, this is something I have to do alone!” The door mechanisms whirred, and as the door opened, Colonel Richter said, “You’re letting your personal feelings interfere Matthews!” Scott leaped from the open door, and landing on the pavement below, he rushed through the clearing smoke after Grey and Amy. Seeing them heading down an alley beside the diner across the street from the apartment complex, Scott shouted, “Matt!” His voice was drowned out by the shots being fired by the plasma cannons at the anomalies behind him. Racing toward the alley, he reached it just as the two seemed to be going through something like a cellar door, and he shouted again, “MATT!” Grey, who was headed in after Amy, stopped dead in his tracks.

            Turning to look behind him for the voice that had called out THAT name, as Grey’s eyes settled on Scott, he said, “You…” His head began to spin, images and feelings assaulting his mind again. He dropped to one knee and clutched his head as he thought, “It’s the Special Forces officer, the one from my past, the one I faced in Luminosa!” Still, he knew nothing but that he had known this man a long time ago. Not to mention he was now part of The Guild’s Special Forces, the right hand of those who would oppress energists for their own agenda, who enforced the laws that made life difficult for those energists who could not or would not become part of the Special Forces. His anger rising, Grey thought, “To be friends with such a man… I can’t accept it! I won’t!” Scott rushed forward, worried at the state his old friend was in, saying, “Matt! Are you alright?!” As he drew close to Grey, he sensed a powerful aura erupt from his old friend, and heard him saying, “You… I don’t want any…” Then Grey rose up and launched a powerful punch straight into Scott’s gut as he shouted, “SYMPATHY FROM SOMEONE LIKE YOU!” Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Scott suffered a direct hit. He was launched through the air by the strike, flying out of the alley and rolling across the street until finally coming to a stop. Fighting back the images and emotions still running through him, Grey hurried down the passage after Amy.

            Alastor leveled his right hand at Alexander and generated a powerful burst of wind from his palm, and carried through the air by the wind, Alexander went flying through the open door of the Grant’s apartment and across the hall to smash through the door of the apartment on the opposite side. Calmly, Alastor walked out the door of the Grant’s apartment to the room Alexander had been blown into. As Alexander struggled back to his feet, he said, “Serius, we may not survive this if I face him alone. I know you’re still recovering, but…” Seeing the urgency of the situation, Serius replied, “Very well.” After a moment’s pause, the air churned around Alexander as a mass of energy seemed to pour out of his body. After a decent amount had gathered, it began to take a humanoid form, and soon it became a man with long gray hair that was tied back in a ponytail. His eyes were like those of a snake’s, yellow with slit pupils. His face was tattooed with strange markings, and he wore a silver earring in his right ear. He wore a black sleeveless top that left his stomach exposed, black gloves, a pair of black pants, and black boots with silver buckles on them. 

Alastor looked at him with seemingly no interest, saying, “So the great Serius the Unbound blesses us with his presence at last. You risked your life and greatly diminished your own strength in order to save Mr. Greyson during the incident in Luminosa. Even with most of my power sealed, as things stand you’re in no condition to face me.” Looking unconcerned, Serius merely said, “You’re well informed as usual.” Alastor simply replied, “You flatter me.” Serius channeled EDE over the surface of his right arm, which crystallized into stone armor that covered his entire right arm up to the shoulder. Charging forward, Serius launched a punch with his stone fist, but his attack was stopped just short of reaching Alastor as though it had struck an invisible wall. The sound of the impact echoed through the room, and glancing at Serius’ stone fist, Alastor said, “I see you’ve already recovered enough power to use your Basilisk Armor. However, I’m afraid it’s futile.” 

Serius continued to attack, launching blow after blow against the invisible wall, and simply standing there watching him without the slightest sign of concern, Alastor continued, “It’s an interesting technique isn’t it? I simply have to alter the pressure of the air around the area your strikes will land to generate a solid wall of air.” Alastor pointed with his finger at Serius and fired a beam of dark energy from it at the ground where he was standing, and Serius quickly jumped back to Alexander’s side, barely evading as the beam exploded violently. Stepping through the smoke from the blast, as he moved slowly towards them, Alastor said, “Truly, it’s been a pleasant reunion, but I must be going. I still have some unresolved business with Ms. Grant and Mr. Greyson after all…” Alastor formed a mass of EDE in both his hands, and they crystallized into twin swords, the blades and the hilt both colored with black and silver. Quietly, Serius said to Alexander, “We must escape from here…” Alexander nodded and replied, “Plan S.” Serius nodded in return. Stabbing his sword’s blade into the ground, Alexander began chanting, “Incantavit Quieta Noctis…” 

Quickly Alastor rushed towards Alexander, but Serius intercepted him, blocking his blades with his arms, which were now both coated in his Basilisk Armor. As Serius held Alastor off, Alexander finished chanting, “…Caliginem Somnus, Reliquit Omnia Donec Cras!” Glowing blue lines raced around the room from where the blade was stuck in the ground, forming a blue rune circle throughout the whole room, and as it glowed brightly, a massive cloud of mist that filled the room sprang forth. Serius broke away from Alastor, and rushing to the wall at the back of the room, he used his stone fists to smash an opening in it, creating an exit to the outside behind the apartment complex. Alexander and Serius fled quickly out the newly formed exit, careful not to breathe the mist in order to avoid being affected by it. Alastor felt some of the effects as he began to blow the fog away with a powerful blast of wind, and while the sleeping mist would not knock him out or last all that long with the amount he had inhaled, it was enough to slow him down. Staring at the hole in the wall through which they’d escaped, Alastor muttered, “You’re as cunning as ever Alexander…” As the effects of the mist began to wear off, Alastor said, “No matter. I know where you’re headed.” He formed a dark vortex before him, and as he stepped through it and disappeared, he said, “None of you will escape…”

            Rushing through the underground passage, Grey lit the way using a bit of glowing energy at his fingertip. Wondering about the encounter with Brigadier General Matthews, Amy asked, “Did you know that Special Forces officer who was following us Grey? You seemed really mad at him…” Grey didn’t look directly at her as he muttered, “Kinda…” He himself realized his anger seemed strange, and he thought, “I hate The Guild for all they’ve done, but what I felt back there wasn’t just anger or hatred. It was a feeling of betrayal…” Racing through tunnel, they finally came to the door to the outdoor storage facility. Grey opened the door, which apparently no one had locked from when Amy had unlocked it before, and they stepped out of the passage. 

The facility at night was eerie. It had been deserted as well the time before, but in the darkness it seemed anything could jump out from the shadows cast by the large storage crates in the dim moonlight. As they began to make their way towards the gates of the facility, a strange fluctuation of EDE made Grey freeze in his tracks, and a chill raced through his body as he sensed the all too familiar aura. Then a chillingly empty voice called out, “Leaving so soon, Mr. Greyson?” Grey spun around to see Alastor float out of a dark vortex on the side of one of the large storage crates. He hovered in the air, suspended by the wind itself it seemed. Consumed by both fear and rage, Grey exclaimed, “Alastor!” Then, clenching his fists, a smirk crossed Grey’s face as he said, “Perfect.” His aura erupted around him, his swords crystallized in his hands, and dropping into a battle stance, Grey shouted at Alastor, “I’LL SETTLE EVERYTHING RIGHT HERE AND NOW!”

Reviews

[Ryan Henderson]

Wow! Very good story so far! Great flow, the opening for the chapter was very interesting, and how Grey chanted that spell: Septimo Spiritus Ignis, I thought that it was cool how you actually said the name of the spell, I even said it to myself a few times... Anyway, your word choice was good, and I am LOVING your characters, particularly Grey! I am out of time for right now, but I have this book in my reading library and will review some more later! Keep writing!

[KeithKVH]

The spells used are Latin, I'm actually only using google translate so I'm sure there are problems with the translation, but I've just taken this as a way to make it a bit different from Latin because it's not actually supposed to be in the story. That one's meaning is "Seventh Spirit of Fire".

[Ryan Henderson]

lol cool! Good idea!

[Ryan Henderson]

Oh, and a few things I forgot to mention in my review below, I also love Alexander's character, he seems cunning, as is stated in the story... You books are awesome! I am not too great at reviews, so my reviews are not very long, and I apologize for that, but I will do my best, seeing as you are doing your best in your reviews when you return the courtesy! Thank you for that, not a lot of people actually return the courtesy when they say they will, you are one of the few people who actually do return the courtesy, for that I thank you! Great job on this book so far!

[KeithKVH]

I love Alexander. He doesn't bring it out as much in the beginning, but he's not only cunning but mischievous and worldly. All the members of their group have important roles to play, but there are four characters including Grey and Amy who are really at the heart of everything in this tale, and Alexander is one of them.