Chapter 1

Part 5: Otherworld

Chapter 1

It’s been several years since Dervish attacked earth, and the citizens of London welcome the return of Matius in the wake of Dervish’s defeat. People celebrate in kind to his return hoping to see him fly through the midnight sky, their protector at night. He himself however prefers times of peace and quiet, as his life has never been quite that. He should be relaxing and enjoying this new lease on life, but he can’t. Something recently has been bothering him.         
  He lifts out the shard of glass from Craig’s bathroom, looking at it in inspection. He can still feel Dervish’s life force pulsing through this even though he was destroyed with Ivan’s sword. He watched him disappear as Ivan’s sword finished Dervish. If he’s still alive then where could he be? Matius grips in in fear thinking this, he should warn Lemionas and Ivan but could they believe him? Matius ponders this question looking back down at the city before flying away.

On hell Ivan remains seated on the throne smiling enjoying this time of serenity that has come. He looks outside his window seeing everyone working hard for the past years of hardship with Sousan’s death and Dervish’s time as ruler. Times have been hard for these citizens but now they can finally enjoy themselves and they sure have deserved it, thinking to himself they have been through alot these past years. It’s about time they had a relax, as do I.
  As he’s thinking this several the throne doors open as several angels walk inside the throne room grabbing his attention. “ahh I’ve been expecting you”, Ivan greets, “tell me how goes the search for those men I described to you go?” One of the angels kneels down on the red carpeting. “Ivan we have found your lost squad by our search team and they are currently under our care”. Ivan leans back slightly smiling, “thank you very much for your help it’s much appreciated. May I ask..How are you handling on your side of things?” The angels then pause in silent raising their heads, “We have recently lost contact with a search team investigating the whereabouts of the heretic angel’s location in the eastern region of the wildland” Ivan leans back, “I know of those heretic’s, it only seems like yesterday when they attempted to kill Sousan only for me to ruin their chances. Because of their attempted attack I lost my arm”, in annoyance he clenches his skeletal arm before looking back to the angels, “We will send a search squad ourselves to help with your mission and finding your lost team” The angels smile in gratitude, “Thank you Ivan”. With that the angels walk out of the throne room doors, several of Ivan’s body guards watching them in distrust.   
  With them gone of one Ivan’s elites approaches, “Ivan if I don’t mind me saying but, don’t you feel a bit vulnerable like this?”Ivan looks back bewildered at the elite before leaning back in relaxation. “You need to relax more soldiers, this is peace times. You forget we are no longer enemies or rivals. We are both working for a better future” Ivan’s soldier pauses before getting close, “Have you forgotten what made hell so great? It’s power it’s strength itself. For us to ally ourselves with them weakens us!” Ivan looks at him in the eyes somewhat unimpressed. “You are young soldier, too young to understand what battle does to people. People grow fearful, afraid and they lose faith in the future”, he utters.
  “Let me show you what this alliance has done”, slowly he lifts himself out of the throne with the soldier as both look outside the window.  Both looking as angels and citizens of hell are working together in harmony, seeing some beggars getting given food as people regain confidence.“When I first walked the streets of hell people had fear and a loathing for the poor. No one would help anyone, everyone was afraid. Now look what’s happened to this place through unity. This is what my father dreamed of, both hell and heaven together as one through peace. There is no trouble, no lack of self confidence. This is that dream that’s become a reality” Ivan quickly lowers his head in remembrance”,  I just wish he were here to see this day and I’m sure Lemionas and Matius would feel the exact same way whatever they’re doing right now”

 Back on earth night has set as a group of kids burst from a corner shop, their hands carrying bags of cheap larger no doubt ready for a house party. Knowing a quick route they quickly walk across laughing away to themselves, going through the dark damp alley, splashing through the puddles.
  “Hey come on man catch up!” one of the young men shouts impatiently, turning back towards his friend. Hearing this he hastily catches up, every now and again looking to the sky nervously. One of his friends notices, turning his head in frustration. “Hey man what’s got into you?”. The boy stutters, “I’m afraid of the dark” he mutters guiltily. His other friend turns around smiling sarcastically, “Is that all?” giving a laugh, trying to sound humorous. “Hey don’t worry about the dark, besides last I heard these parts are being watched over” he says reassuringly. He reaches towards him, “We are also here, so if anything happens we’ll be with you”. With the boy’s confidence back he stops shaking. “Good man. Now come on, we don’t want to miss the party!”.
  They enter the quiet alley walking with haste, as the rain drip drops against the wet brick floor. Their bags of larger cans shake about. Their movement is quickly halted by a sound in the alley. The boy in the, middle stands still, nervously. “Hey guys did you just hear that?” The guy in front notices his tension, “Relax... it’s just the wind. Nothing to worry...” He’s suddenly interrupted when something moves from above. The boy at the back loses it, “forget this I’m outta here!” Instantly dropping his bag of larger, running out of the alley till the shadows consume him. “Hey don’t be a a*****e come back!” One of the boys shouts angrily pleading. Sarcastically laughing the young man shouts out, “Fine be like that!” One of the men hesitantly steps forward before his friend stops him. “Hey leave him be, it’s his choice besides we don’t need him” they nod in agreement before heading deeper into the alley.

They advance deeper, now unsure which way to move or turn. The man in front glances left to right in confusion. “Great you idiot now we’re lost!” He bemoans in anger. “Hey it’s not my fault this was your idea!” turning towards his mate in ager. The young man in front starts to have a panic, spinning on the spot. Suddenly their ears are drawn to something approaching them. “Who’s there?” one of them shouts out in panic, something treads the water heavily as they all back away. Then the figure’s face is revealed covered in shadow. “Nooo it...it can’t be you!!” They all look in fear, unable to move... they utter a scream, in the dark night. One of the larger cans falls, spinning on the spot.
  The scream echoes through the alleys as Matius picks it up several blocks away, quickly he leaps off one of the buildings heading in that general direction gliding through the air. Quickly he drops down to the ground inside the alley, quickly noticing the bodies highlighted in the spotlight from above. He stealthily makes his way towards them noticing blood soaked into their clothes, he kneels down towards one of them before hearing something down the alley. Quickly he turns his head watching someone run down the alley splashing the puddles in panic; with him gone Matius focuses his attention on the bodies looking at them in confusion. “Who on earth did this to you?” Before he can investigate more, he hears police sirens in the distance getting louder no doubt coming here. Leaps into the air gripping onto the ledge before throwing himself onto the opposite ledge before flying away for cover.

At a safe distance Matius watches the police get out of their car moving deep into the alley their flashlights dancing along the alley floor. One of them approaches cautiously kneeling down, placing his hand onto his receiver. “Hello Officer Johnson reporting in, three teenager reported dead by what seems like...” The officer rips open the teenager’s shirt revealing a large gash in his side, blood covering half his stomach. “Stab cuts, seems like an ambush.You said you had some information to give us?” The officer holds the receiver close to his ear waiting for a response. “Yes, We have had sightings that Matius has been seen in this area from several residences in this area” The officer lowers his head taking it in, before looking back at the bodies,“We are requesting an ambulance please and a forensic squad over?” “Yes they will be with you soon”
  With the talk over the officer turns towards his co workers. “Do you really think he’s responsible for this?” one of his co workers asks scanning the floor for evidence. “Can’t really say, he’s been known to help people, and heck he’s helped us many a time, but this is something new...” The other co worker investigates another fallen teenager, looking through his possessions. “Well one thing for sure is they were underage to be drinking alcohol” “Guess we have no choice” Johnson admits rising up, “Get to the news channels, tell them that Matius is a suspected murderer”.  Matius watches the officers exit the alley as the police car drives into the distance. Matius lowers his head in worry, looking up to the night. “I don’t like this... not one bit”

The next day several people walk past the television shop, showing the local news. “ On today’s news three teenagers were found dead in burton alley last night. The alley has since been cornered off due to investigation into the murders. Officer Johnson in charge of the investigation has declared that Matius is the possible murderer. Many people in the vicinity claim that they have seen Matius around the vicinity during when the murders took place” Eva walks past with her mum, hearing Matius she suddenly stops listening to the news. The teenager who ran out of the alley appears on the television with the reporter, “I was with my friends about to go a house party we... we decided to go through this alley in hopes of a shortcut. That’s when I saw something flying above the alley that’s when I ran out of the alley...” “Officials are still trying to put together what happened however” “Noo Matius...” Eva replies in worry, “he would never do something like that” Her mother turns towards her in comfort, “If he is innocent, he would like any normal person prove his innocence and help with the investigation”. Eva lowers her head back at the television before walking away with her mother in the pouring rain.

Later on at night in the streets of everything is silent except for the sound of rain falling onto the roof tiles and concrete floor. Down in an alley a couple quickly walk through the alley, scared of the rain and of the dark night.
  “Jesus it’s cold tonight” a women utters bringing her arms towards her chest, “How far to the house?” The man looks down, staring at his watch, “It’s not far now, just a couple of blocks” The man squints towards the sky, “I wish this rain would stop”. Just as he says this he glimpses something move above the sky. “What the hell was that? God don’t let it be him...” His wife notices him standing still, curiously she walks over to him. “What’s the matter?” she asks looking into the sky. He turns towards him in suprise, “nothing... just my imagination. Let’s get out of here”.

Hurrily they walk through the alley, her high heels hitting the wet pavement. They continue walking hurrily, splashing the puddles as they walk.
   He suddenly stops moving looking ahead seeing a gate up ahead closed shut. He curses his mistake silently, before facing the other way. “I thought you said there was an exit to this?!” she replies in anger. He starts quickly walking back the way they came before rain continues to fall down. Suddenly something drops from the sky blocking their path. “Who is that?!” the man stutters in panic....Taking several steps back. The figure moves forwards casually treading the wet pavement, forcing the couple back. “Here you want money? Take my wallet, please just don’t hurt us!”The man removes his wallet from hsi trenchcoat dropping it onto the floor in a panic looking back at the mysterious figure, “please just leave us alone!” The mysterious moves closer looking down at the leather wallet before looking back at the man. “I’m not interested in the money, I’m only interested in you”...

Matius hears a scream again close to where he is before rushing towards the area again only to miss the killer..... heads to the church only to find police outside with the priest looking upwards to the skies. Matius flees