Part 2, Chapter 1 and Part 1 Chapter 2

My dear friends, it has been a full month me this month. Finding time to get some work done on the story proved more of a challenge than I had initially thought when the month began. I am thankful to those of you that have been calling for the next post of the story (a call made more desperate by the sudden mysterious disappearance of Part 2 of Chapter 1 from the blog). I am humbled by how many of you find the story interesting and are following. I'll do all I can not to disappoint. 

Another challenge I face is linking the beginning parts of the story to those that are meant to be at the end of the story. Someone once said "Knowing where you are going is half the battle." They lied. It's a quarter of the battle. The other three are the bits in between. That being said I am enjoying the pressure it puts on me. It's a drive to produce work of a certain standard.

So, in today's post you are going to get a double hit of Part 2, Chapter 1 and Part 1, Chapter 2. With the writing of Part 1, Chapter 2 I was introduced to another character that has been looming in the shadows of the story. Yes, you get a brief introduction to him in this post - wait, I may be giving too much away here.

Enough blah, blah blah from me. Here's Part 2, Chapter 1 and Part 1, Chapter 2. Read. Enjoy. Let me know what you think.

Part 2, Chapter 1

Night settled on Lanqua City as Adrian walked down the ill-lit street towards the meeting place. Night or day made little difference to some of the people that resided in this part of Lower-City. They were perpetually under the shadow of Mid and Upper-City. They lived in a constant twilight even when the sun was at it’s brightest. The roads here were ill-kept ribbons that had been molested by years of use by heavy trucks. The buildings looked sooty under the cold light of the street lamps that dotted the road. Not too far off was the city habour and the industrial district of Lanqua. At this distance you could smell the industrial chemicals that hung in the still air waiting for a breeze to push them out to sea.

He crossed the main street that led to the habour and walked towards the main Tube, which was no more than two blocks away. There were a few people out at this time. Most had either just arrived home or at their night-shift work duty. A few cars trudged along the streets on their way to various errands. Somewhere in the distance the sound of gunshots rang angrily. A few seconds of quiet as the people walking in the street slowed their pace, expecting more shots. Their awareness heightened as prey does when it expects a predator to come rushing out the bushes. Everyone was waiting to see if the danger was close by. The hands of those with guns hovered nervously over the holstered handles of their guns. When no more gunshots came and it became evident they were in no immediate danger, they carried on with their normal pace.

Adrian was the only one that had not been affected by the sound of gunshots as if nothing had happened. When the sound of gunshots reached his ears, he had been able to discern that the gun battle was too far from where he was to warrant any kind of worry. His hands were in his pockets and walked with the relaxed, unhurried pace of someone taking a tour of the city and enjoying the sights he saw. Of the people he passed on the street only one took any special notice of him. The dishevelled man had noted the suit Adrian wore and the friendliness in his clean-shaven face and took it to be a cue to rush over to beg for spare change. Adrian gave the man a large denomination note and advised him not spend it all on alcohol. Then gave him a little extra along with the instruction to buy some new clothes and shoes, the stench that wafted from him was disturbingly strong. As he walked on he was sure the man would use all the money he’d just received on getting drunk or worse. The thought came to him unbidden, but he knew with a certainty that that’s what was going to happen. He turned once to regard the man shuffling hurriedly away from him. As he watch the man walk he could feel something stir in him. He felt knew the man. Knew  where he came from, his history indeed his entire family’s history. HE could almost see flashes of all the people the man was connected to and their entire histories too. Adrian was a the edge of something more than a mere epiphany. That instant was like trying to remember an elusive dream.  Before he could place his finger on it though the sound of a truck horn pulled back to reality. 

Further down the street he found the bar that was the meeting place. The main city Tube was less than five hundred meters from the door of the bar. He could see the reflected light of Lower-City in the windows of the turbo-lift-cabins as they went up or down in their never-ending task. Looking through the store-front window of the bar, Adrian could see that the bar was lit just enough to chase the dark away. There was a noisy gang occupying a section of the busy bar. They were all armed with an assortment of guns, some even brandishing them at their friends.

He could tell from the nervous glances some of the patrons shot at the gang that they had been rowdy for most of the night. The serving girls had gotten to a point where they refused to serve their table. He could hear them from outside and they were getting louder. Bragging to each other about their conquests, the number of people they had robbed, beaten, even killed. He walked through the door.

The group of men were brazenly calling out to the servicing girls. Requesting all manner of favours in harsh tones. But his had not been enough for the brutish man that, from the way they were all gathered around him, was their leader. The thug wanted to prove his bravado to his friends, show them why he was leader. Throw his muscular weight around. He scanned the patrons of the bar. Average people out at a bar in the early hours of the evening. No one stood out. There was an old man at the corner of the bar counter enjoying a beer. He wasn’t even wearing a gun belt. There was a table of young men and women out to drown the day’s troubles before heading home for a rest they looked like they really needed. None of them looked even worth the trouble. There were small pockets of people here and there and no one looked like they were ready to challenge him.

It was at that moment that Adrian walked in. As he walked he took in the layout of the bar. Taking note of who was where as he made his way to the bar counter. He just wanted to have a quiet drink while he waited for his brothers and this place seemed noisy enough to give him the quiet he wanted.

Spotting a new victim the gang leader made his way to intercept Adrian and stamp his dominance. He purposefully bumped into Adrian as he had made his way to the bar. No reaction. Adrian simply noted the man was there and moved on around him without a word. At the glossy dark-wood bar he ordered his drink and sat on bar stool. The vinyl covered cushion of the barstool made a barely audible whoosh as Adrian’s weight settled on it. The bar-girl with multi-coloured hair poured the whiskey. Her well-practiced hands worked smoothly and precisely even as she kept an eye on the thug who was smugly addressing his gang about the lack of manners of the people in this city. When the drink was ready she slid it over to Adrian with a short nod and took the money he had placed on the bar.

The lack of response from Adrian had led the boisterous man to the belief that he was an easy target. Someone to push around. The gang leader’s focus came back around to Adrian as the bull-faced man made his way to the bar to order another round for his gang. He pressed himself up on Adrian. Passing what his evidently feeble mind believed to be insults in a whisper that could be heard over the quiet chatter of people and the bar’s background music.  Adrian raised his glass to drink. Ignoring the alcohol stench that accosted his nostrils and the hefty man it belonged to. The thug purposefully bumped Adrian’s arm. Spilling some of his drink. Adrian sighed, his normally friendly face showing a hint of irritation at the persistence of the man. The ice in the whiskey bounced gently off the sides of the glass as Adrian put the drink down. The dart of the bar-lady’s eyes under the bar counter told Adrian there was some form of protection stashed under there for situations that got out of hand. Her instincts’ screaming that this was about to be one of those out of hand situations began to show clearly on her face. One or two bullet holes in the wall behind the bar showed situations had gotten out of hand before. She put the drink she was pouring down and let her eyes settle cold stare on the thug behind Adrian. A quiet settled in the bar. Anticipation filled the room.

Just then the main doors to the bar opened and two men walked in. Though they had not tried to hide their presence, Adrian’s would be tormentor did not notice them come in. “Maybe you should get back to your friends.” A firm voice said from behind Adrian. There was steel in that baritone. A cold no nonsense reproach. Adrian recognized the voice and the presence of its owner. There was no need to turn around.

“He won’t listen.” Another voice. Sounding more relaxed than the first. Also familiar to Adrian. The would be tormentor turned from Adrian to glare at those who dared disturb his sport. The two men the thug now faced were threatening even as they stood passively. There was inhuman menace even in the way they stood. Nothing about them said soft or meek. Unlike the man he had been accosting they didn’t wear suits like some soft uptown businesses men. They were in plain ordinary clothes of the middle class. In his quick assessment of the two before him, he thug noted that one of them had the hulking stature of a man that spends most of his time lifting heavy objects. The other had what seemed to be engine oil stains in the edges of his nails. A mechanic. A simple middle-class grease monkey.  But something about them put them far beyond the middle class. Their eyes told a story of violence and complete disregard for the law. Or human life for that matter. Men that were not too different from him. This was the crucial moment for him. All that talk, all that bravado and showing off had led to this; a square-off with men just like him. The atmosphere was charged with tense anticipation.

“Who the fuck are you?” He spat at them, resting his hand on the hilt of the gun holstered at his side.

“Told you he won’t listen.” Kelvin said with a self-satisfied grin aimed at his companion. Luis drew his gun from its holster at his thigh. Its big stubby cartridge that protruded from just in front of the trigger guard gave the snub-nosed double barrel gun a hulking stature. Much like it’s owner.  The gun rested comfortably in Luis’s bear-like hand as he held it next to his thigh. Not bothering to point it at the man. The gang at the table all pulled their guns out too. In total seven men pointing ten guns at Luis. The bar lady’s hand slid under the bar and was stalled there by a subtle shake of Adrian head. With this many drawn guns in the room she would only be making herself another target.

 From his left side, Kelvin drew what seemed to be more of a precision weapon when compared to Luis’. Then another from the other side. Their modified barrels clearly spoke of high performance guns. The extra length cartridge that stuck out from the base of each hilt and the obviously modified barrels confirmed this. Kelvin knew that thirty high velocity rounds would spill out from each muzzle in very rapid succession before he would have to reload. It was more than enough firepower to deal with the situation they were in. He leveled the guns at the gang. A light smile on his face.

The tension that gripped the bar was palpable. Nobody made a move. All eyes on what was about to happen. The gang now had their guns pointed at Luis and Kelvin. Kelvin had his sights set on them. There was no cover to speak of. Adrian downed what was left of his whiskey and turned to look questioningly his brothers. Still ignoring the gang leader. Something passed between them. Luis, who had caught Adrian’s questioning look simply shrugged. “We have work to do.” Adrian said. With that he gave the bargirl one last nod and started to walk away from the bar. The leader of the gang snatched out his gun while letting out a few choice curses. His intention was to take Adrian by surprise as he walked away. Before he could get the gun up into a firing position Adrian had drawn his gun and had it levelled so close to the man’s face he could smell metallic death. There had been no indication of where the gun came from. It seemed to materialize in Adrian’s hand. The thug found himself staring down the barrel of the gun into a darkness that was ready to consume him if he made the wrong move. He’d been on the business end of a gun before, but something about this particular gun sent shivers down his spine and made his very soul cry out in fear.  It was more than the eight-chambered cylinder behind the barrel. Much more than the fact that he could tell that a large calibre bullet would leap from the muzzle to take his head clean off. There was an otherworldly purpose to it. The gun was dark yet very bright at the same time. And when the thug’s eyes met Adrian’s, his soul wanted to tear itself from him in utter terror. In those ice grey eyes the man saw into the depths of hell. The entire bar felt it. A settling of something beyond their human conception. Adrian’s thumb pulled back on the gun’s hammer. The sound of it locking into position resonated in the room like the toll of some dreadful bell. There was no doubt in the man’s mind that this was his last day of life and that even his soul would be destroyed by that weapon. Fear spread like a cold blanket through the barroom.

Then she was there. Up close. A gentle hand on Adrian’s gun. Beseeching he lower it. “His time is not now…” She said calmingly. Her musical voice almost brought the thug to his knees. Suddenly she was all he could see as he stood next to the man holding the weapon that was about to send him to his doom. Her back was to him. Her dark hair seemed to glow in the dim light of the bar. The soothing presence of this slim bodied woman had materialized out of thin air. There was a peace that settled in his heart that was paradox to the terror that twisted his soul.  The fires of hell subsided in Adrian’s eyes. They took on a slight blue tinge as if in response to those that now looked deep in to his calmingly. Adrian lowered the dreadful weapon. His eyes still focused on the thug who stood frozen in the knowledge he had just been at the brink of something worse than death. The thugs hand that held his half-drawn gun shook and tremored with that knowledge. Luis holstered his gun and started for the bar’s door. Kelvin dud not lower his guns yet. Disappointment was written all over his wide eyed face. He needed just one reason, any reason to pull the triggers. The woman’s bright blue eyes turned to the thug. They were shockingly cold. “Fuck off.” She said to him quietly. Something in that simple statement shot a lightning bolt through his psyche. He immediately bolted for the door leaving his now baffled friends behind. The bright blue eyes turned to them and they too ran without need for a prompt. Adrian returned his gun to its shoulder holster under his suit’s jacket. Kelvin groaned as he watched the men exit the bar. He holstered his guns sullenly. Almereal turned her eyes back to Adrian. “We don’t have long.” She said.

End of Part 2, Chapter 1

Part 1, Chapter 2

The morning started in a manner typical of every other Saturday since they arrived in this city and took up residence in the white house. Christine spent the early post dawn hours in meditation while Raeve took a walk to Mid-City to see the sun rise from one of his three favourite places in the diseased city. The Eastern overhang gave a spectacular view of the wave battered shoreline of the small stretch of beach that sat as a golden brow of the seaside mountain around which Lanqua was built. The sun coloured the sky a beautiful orange as it rose.  The cold morning wind that swept in from the sea was pregnant with the cacophony sounds of a city waking up. Just as he was loosing himself in the moment of the creation of another day, Christine called urgently in his mind “I need you”.

Those words shot a bolt of worry through him and, uncharacteristically, he unfurled his wings and leapt into Heaven only to dive back to the house magnificent white house as he drew his sword. His sudden, majestic appearance in the living room of the house startled Cecraelle so much she immediately called forth her sword and attacked him without pause to asses the situation. Her eons of training came to bare as she hacked at him, furious that he dared explode in to the house with a sword in his hand. She slashed at him violently, but her blows were as nothing to him. He parried them with ease, then drove a thundering fist into her abdomen. As she doubled over he raised his sword to cut her down. All that rang in his mind was Christine’s call. He brought the glistening sword down to slash through her exposed back. His face an expressionless mask of pure purpose. Christine stepped through one of the doors to the room. Her look disapproving of what Raeve was about to do. The word “No.” was thrown silently directly in to his psyche. His deadly strike was halted mere millimetres from the back of the silk dress that Cecraelle wore. He stepped around the wheezing Cecraelle walking hurriedly to Christine. When he got to her he didn’t need to speak a single word. His worry about her was written all over his face. She laid a gentle hand on his face. “I’m ok.” she comforted, “Just get me out of here for a while.” Her request was earnest and he made a move towards the main door that lead out of the house.

“Where are you going?” Cecraelle coughed from behind Raeve, “I’m not through with you yet.” she had been joined by three daemons. All of them were spoiling for a fight.

“Cecrealle, you may not have fallen as far as a daemon yet, but I’m sure you know that there aren’t enough of you here to take on an arch-angel.” Christine chided as Raeve turned back menacingly. It was clear that war rode him like a wild battle steed that could barely be controlled. Christine took him by the arm and pulled him out the room as the four faltered at the sight of the angel of war gathering himself up.

Not long after the encounter at the house were Raeve and Christine driving through Upper-Lanqua. Raeve had clasped his wings back in and again resumed a form no different from an average human. Christine still maintained her earthly form. Even when she had called to him she had not broken out of that from. She refused to wield her power. And though she stubbornly kept it in check, he could not help but be sucked in by her when she took the time to center herself.  Her very being called to him and he could no more refuse than ask the sun to stop rising. She had taken a moment back at the house to calm him and it had momentarily undone his resilience to her. He immediately longed for the overhang of Mid-Laqua. It was part of his Saturday morning ritual to keep himself together. Something he did to give Christine space for her meditation and keep him from being absorbed into her presence.

Raeve sat driver’s seat of the car. Christine in the passenger seat next to him. The car glided smoothly through the streets of Upper-Lanqua. As he drove he kept an eye on her, and the daemons that were following them. The daemons made every attempt to keep themselves hidden, blinking in and out of this realm at various points on their route. Doing all they could to remain inconspicuous. Hiding among the general populance of the city; a daemon in human form materialized from thin air, a random man in a suit hurrying to an appointment while keeping a close eye on the jet black car flowing along with the traffic of the city.  A few blocks along the route, another daemon in human form;  enjoying a cup of coffee at a cafe. Though everything about her said she was taking a break from the busy morning schedule. Only her eyes gave her away. They were focused on the jet black car and every move it made. The daemons were taking the instructions of not to let Christine out of their sight very seriously. Raeve knew his brother would not allow her to be hurt, but he could not let her get away. She was the key to him winning the coming battle. So he made sure to keep an eye on her. No matter where she went one or more of his underlings were within the vicinity. Keeping an eye on her. Raeve was certain that Christine was also aware of them. How she kept calm about the whole situation was beyond him.

 The car now hummed along the outskirts of Upper-Lanqua. Thecity traffic thinned out to few cars here and there. The morning sun reflected off the jet black paint of the coupe in a myriad of lights as each smooth angle of the car’s body sent in a different direction. Raeve was generally not a huge fan of cars, but there was a lot different about this car. It was carefully crafted. It was filled with the spirit of its craftsman. Every detail was perfect. It seemed to almost have a soul and will of it’s own. And that soul sung a mechanical song directly to the heart and mind of the driver. But Raeve’s mind was far from contemplating the message of the car’s song. The sound from the engine did not have the normal calming effect. The smooth ride did not lull his heart from the worry that filled him. He glanced at Christine. She seemed lost in her own thoughts. It was rare that Raeve and Christine would be out this early in the day. Even more rare that she would ask for them to take the car. Everything that morning had been out of the normal weekend routine.

The car hummed along contentedly as Raeve struggled to understand what had been so desperate that she called to him sop urgently. It was not normal for her to break her meditation to call to him. Something was clearly bothering her. Just beyond the outskirts of Upper-Lanqua, Christine asked him to pull over. They stopped next to a park near the main road leading out to Upper-City. She took off her shoes, got out the car and walked a few steps on to the lush green grass of the park. From here, on the top of the mountain that was the foundation of Lanqua,  she could look out over most of the three tiers of the city. If she cast her eyes up slightly she could see the outer sea with the mid-morning sun sparkling off it’s blue waters. He watched as she stood taking in the still air and the quiet that came with being this far out from the city centre. There was a peacefulness here that stood paradox to the constant hustle and bustle of the city. Even the quieter suburbs where the white house was were not as calm and quiet as this park. Raeve also got out the car. He took a moment to look up both directions of the road as he stood by the drivers door. The daemons were nowhere to be seen. They had lost their cover now that the car had gone so far from the city. He was sure they still had an eye on the car somehow.

As he turned to head to where Christine stood he noted a car in the distance. It wouldn’t be too long before the car got to where they had pulled off. He waited. Casually leaning on the jet black coupe he’d driven from the city. A light breeze blew through the park. And he cast a quick glance at Christine who had her arms spread to take in the full effect of the breeze. Soon the car that had been driving up the road was passing by. There was something familiar about the styling of the deep metallic blue car. It had four occupants. The driver a sandy haired man with sunglasses on and an air of casual relaxation. In the passenger seat next to him a hulking man with a stern face. The huge man was engage in a book he held in his bear like hand. Behind the bulky man sat another, dressed in a suit. This man was calmly admiring the jet black coupe Raeve was leaning on. His tranquil grey eyes took in every detail of the car.  In the seat behind the driver, a little girl with hair so shockingly blonde it was almost white. She regarded  Raeve vacantly as the car drove by. There was something oddly familiar in the girls empty green eyes.

The blue car trudged on towards Upper-City. Only two of it’s occupants had given any regard to the car parked next to the quiet park. Raeve turned back to Christine who had walked further in to the park. As he walked to her a man dressed in a crisp suit materialized some meters from Christine. He strolled barefoot towards her, smiling pleasantly at her. He reached her at the same time that Raeve pulled up next to her. He paused and adjusted the rimless glasses on his beautiful, youthful face. The pleasant smile on his lips spread wider when he noted that Raeve was watching his every move. Then he spoke in a smooth, musical voice, “Look where we are.” He cooed. “A beautiful, serene park. Yet somehow you look edgy, Raeve.” Pause “You really should take a load off, old boy. Wouldn’t you agree, Christine?”

“How can I relax when your people are staring holes in to my back, Lucifer?” Raeve rasped before Christine could answer. Somehow the pleasant smile on the Morning Star’s face grew even wider. His eyes full of mirth.

End Part 1, Chapter 2

Well? Thoughts? I do hope you enjoyed this bit from the story if The Shinning. As per usual your feed back is greatly valued. So don't be shy, post a comment or send me an email on reisonance@gmail.com. 

Ya'll have a good one out there. Take care.

Nic. Out.