Chapter 4

Chapter 4

All three find themselves teleported into new, unknown territory, they break their hold, all caught in surprise. All the scenery resembles the streets of London, however some of the buildings are completely destroyed, there are no signs of people or cars, everywhere is silent. The pavement and roads have aged, with nature starting to take over. Along the road however bones are littered across the street, each place marks where someone’s died. Some of the bodies still remain decomposing, the flesh still clinging to the bones. Lemionas quickly turns away from the horrors. “I don’t like the looks of this, not one bit”, Lemionas utters, eyeing the streets nervously. Ivan quickly unsheathes his sword, in protection, glaring around the street. “I now see your point of problem” he muffles, turning to Lemionas.
  They advance deeper into the once proud city, where the buildings would be erected tall, proud. Now they stand as monuments of the destruction that took place. “What the hell happened here?” Ivan questions looking in shock. “Do you think Dervish did this?” Lemionas questions. “No... there are no blackened areas from what I’ve seen, although it doesn’t explain a dead  city”, Ivan replies. “come on we need to keep looking” Matius replies looking ahead. Some of the buildings have fallen away. Letting nature have her way with them. Along the roads more bones lie ahead, with abandoned cars. Nature itself is taking back her land, stalks, weeds and moss growing along the surfaces of the buildings, spreading as far as the eye can see. Up ahead they notice one of the buildings has fallen down, with figures on top. Cautiously Matius and the others, quieten their footsteps, stealthy using the scenery for cover, going behind cars and any rubble they can use.

They are about to move when Matius notices Ivan stop dead in his tracks, Matius grabs Ivan on the shoulder, turning to look at him. “What’s wrong?” Matius asks slightly worried. Ivan remains silent, his eyes fixed at the group. “What’s wrong”, Matius asks demandingly. Ivan’s face remains unmoved, before looking at Matius. “That figure...that looks like me...”,Both Matius and Lemionas turn to look ahead.

In the group there is a pack of demons scavenging the area; amongst them they notice a figure wearing dark bulky armour. His one side of his face is covered in a mask with vents, above dangles long black hair going down his face. His one arm is skeletal just like Ivan’s, however it’s rigid, sharp and very rough looking on the surface, each finger ends talon shaped, ready to crush someone’s skull. The figure’s emotionless eye scans the area, unknowingly to the group.

Then with his skeletal arm, he raises his arm pointing intentionally towards the group’s position muffling commands. The demons yelp excitingly, clambering down the ruined building, leaving grove marks into the building, moving quickly, their tails moving wildly. “Run!!”, Ivan shouts, they all abandon their hiding places, all making a run for it. The demons continue pursuing them, easily jumping over the obstacles ripping through weathered concrete.
  “Keep running! They’re gaining on us!” Lemionas shouts hearing their screams getting louder jumping over a smashed car. Ivan himself glances quickly seeing one of the demons leaping onto one of the building ledges for higher ground. Thinking they won’t make it Ivan turns purposely turning towards the demons charging towards them. Both Matius and Lemionas see this and protest. “What are you doing?” Lemionas shouts. Ivan remains motionless, holding his ground. “Go I’ll take care of them”, turning towards Lemionas. Matius answers back, unrestrained, “Are you crazy? You’ll die!”. “Look!” Ivan shouts back angrily, silencing them both, “If I don’t stop them, who will?” Matius pauses, searching for something to answer back with. Lemionas puts his hand on Matius’s shoulder, to calm him down. He turns towards Ivan in an understanding way, acknowledging what must be done, with an expression of regret. Before Matius can do anything Lemionas grabs him, teleporting them both out. Ivan gives a little smile before turning his head towards the oncoming demons, lowering his sword ready for the oncoming attack.

They both reappear on a different version of heaven, again the scenery looks totally different, some of the once beautiful, serine statues have the stains of dried old blood. Some of them chipped, or broken, the gentle feel have been replaced with a war torn look.
  Matius stumbles forward gritting his teeth, slamming his hands in the ground in anger. Angry at Lemionas, angry at Ivan, and angry for this world. Lemionas watches feeling slightly sorry for Matius, approaching him cautiously. “You know Ivan as much as I do. He can take care of himself”. Matius closes him eyes, realising this he calms down, lifting himself up.

Remembering their mission he picks out the piece of mirror from his pocket, passing it over to Lemionas. He gently grips it in his hands, before closing his eyes, focusing on Dervish’s energy signal. His eyelid’s flickering in concentration, homing onto the signal. “I...I can sense him here, he... he’s somewhere trapped”. Matius turns towards Lemionas, somewhat surprised by his answer, “Strange why of all people would he be trapped?” Lemionas queries. “Not sure let’s keep looking” They continue walking, using the shard as a beacon to guide their way, slowly walking through heaven, looking at the changed surroundings. They walk past areas where fights have taken place, amongst the floor bodies scatter the floor, of warriors of heaven and hell. There armour and weapons smeared with dried blood.

They continue walking until something catches Matius’s eye. Matius moves quickly towards the area, slowing down. In the area there are bodies which have fallen apart into ash, their skin and armour blackened. In some parts pieces have fallen away to the wind. Dervish has been here Matius thinks. Lemionas also notices the bodies, quickly turning away unsettled. “This is Dervish’s doing all right”, Matius evaluates.
  He then sees another area ahead, leaving Lemionas behind. Lemionas turns his head seeing Matius. “Hey what the hell. Where are you going?” Matius ignores Lemionas’s words, heading towards a large area. The area has been heavily affected by Dervish with large piles of ash remain lifeless on the floor. Matius approaches the area kneeling down, inspecting the ash. Till he rests his eyes on the face of what was once a demon, with some of its facial features still recognisable, it’s face screaming in anguish. Lemionas appears by his side. Matius touches the demon face with the gentlest of touches before it falls apart, the parts drift away into the wind. Both watch slightly confused by this unexpected discovery. “Why would he go into the trouble of attacking his own men?” Lemionas asks himself, he turns around inspecting the area again, noticing several angel bodies untouched by Dervish’s power, their beautiful armour remaining intricate. Lemionas turns back looking into the distance. “It seems Dervish isn’t who we think he is”, Matius questions. Lemionas takes out the shard of glass moving it around them.

They look ahead noticing a large looking building that stands out from the rest of the scenery, in fairly good condition. Lemionas looks back at the shard the signal getting stronger. “He must be in that building” Lemionas confidently replies. They keep walking towards it as Matius spots a trail of ash leading towards the building. Lemionas takes out the shard once more automatically dropping it as the shard almost burns Lemionas’s hand. He turns towardsMatius, “We must be close”.

They walk directly inside the building, most of the walls are blackened where Dervish has attacked, making the once beautiful area a resting place for the deceased. They step over dead angel warrior bodies and go past the many ash remains of the warriors of hell. “This must have been one hell of a fight”, Matius replies, “There are so many bodies here”. Lemions in surprise feels the shard signal grow in strength in his robes, “we must be very close”. Up ahead they see a circular room, with rays of light shining through untouched by any signs of a fight. Directly in the middle of the room is a large ice block, inside is something frozen in place, the icy surface hiding his appearance. Matius glances at the figure curiously, in response Lemionas reaching to his robes.
  Lifting out the glass shard, raising it into the air, the signal becomes so strong; Lemions drops the shard in surprise. With an idea in mind, Matius walks over to the pillar, wiping away at the frozen pillar revealing someone frozen in motion in imprisonment. Matius and Lemionas judging his clothing slick black clothing, with a leathery texture, his shoulder pads heavily padded attached a long black cloak hangs in mid air frozen in movement. They also take note his expression of fear marked on his face. Matius turns towards Lemionas, somewhat disappointed, “That’s him? That’s the person we’ve feared?”. Matius inspects the figure, turning towards Lemionas, “Are you sure it’s a good idea to break him free”, Matius asks Lemionas unsurely. Lemionas hesitates, “not that I’m comfortable about it but yes” Matius gives a nod of understanding.
   Matius unsheathes his white ivory sword. Looking carefully at the frozen pillar, deciding where to strike before thrusting it deep into the Icy tomb which imprisons Dervish. The ice starts to crack, feeling Dervish’s life force get stronger, the cracks start appearing by Dervish. Then Dervish awakens, with a bit of his power he breaks apart from his frozen cell. The ice shards fall onto the floor, Dervish drops heavily to the floor, both Matius and Lemionas keep on guard, waiting for his next move.

Dervish pants heavily raising his head, looking firstly at Lemionas then squinting at Matius, his eyes sudden widen in fear, getting into a defensive position, drawing his sword out. “Stay away from me! Whoever you are”, looking at both, watching them. Lemionas takes several cautious steps towards him, “Look we’re not going to hurt you”, he explains trying to calm him down. “Well what do you want?” Dervish demands, answering back. “We need some answers” Lemionas replies calmly. Dervish still shaking looks first at Lemionas then turns his attention to Matius, he starts to calm down, catching his breath. He lowers his sword steadily, “You’re not from around here are you” Dervish replies interested, inspecting them. “No” Lemionas replies, “We come from a place which mirrors you own world. You might call it a other world so to speak”.
  Dervish continues engaging in conversation with Dervish while Matius starts investigating the area again, looking for anything which might prove useful. Somewhat frustrated he heads back to the chamber, disturbing their conversation. “Why did this come to pass? Just what happened here?” Matius asks demandingly. Dervish looks back in Matius somewhat angered, and then looks back at Lemionas giving a sigh. “Alright I will tell you what happened, but please... do not think bad off me”.