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.
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