part0006

I could just make out the massive ship as it approached. The moon piercing through the vast sails uncovered a great phoenix painted on the side. I grabbed the torch and stood up, waving my arms. The ship seemed to slow in that moment, like the crew had just seen me standing there. A light flickered from the ship, confirming it.

I looked around and saw a kayak on the shore next to where I was sitting. I quickly jumped in and paddled toward the outsized vessel.

The closer I got, the more nervous I became; my life would never be the same. I was a murderer on the run from the police and the Syreni. Richards had risked his life to free me, so I must not disappoint him. Taylor had died so I could live on, and I had to continue for her.

The closer I got to the ship, the more enormous it became; both the vessel and the enormity of the undertaking bore down on me.

A ladder made from ropes came barreling down the side as I approached. I hesitated as I reached for it. I looked back at the shore where I had sat. One day, I would return and get justice for those who did not deserve to die. I climbed the ladder and a hand reached over the edge. I reluctantly grabbed it, and they pulled me up on board. Standing in front of me was a man with long black hair, wearing a robe of some sort. I just stood there nervously waiting for him to speak. The ship moved again, heading back out into the abyss.

“Mark Parker, we have been waiting a very long time for this,” the robed man said.

“I’m here to help, I want to take down those responsible. ”

“Patience; you need to be ready first.”

“Patience?” Another man cut in, approaching us. “We don’t have time for that, Josiah!”

The first thing I noticed about the other man was a sword strapped to his belt with a tiger’s head atop the handle. His hand was resting on it, ready to pull it out at any moment.

“Mark, my name is Josiah Lai, leader of the Order. This is Lucian Cole, my advisor,” he explained.

“It’s nice to meet you both, I’ve heard a little about the Order.”

“We lost contact with Richards and Taylor a while ago, what happened?” Josiah asked.

“The Syreni, including my own mother… They killed Taylor with some kind of poison on an ancient knife.”

“The Venom Dagger,” Lucian cut in with terror on his face.

“The Venom Dagger was one of many great weapons forged by our ancestors long ago,” Josiah explained.

“We had that dagger at a secure location. If they indeed have it, that location has been breached,” Lucian muttered, kicking a bucket into the dark sea. “Things are far worse than we feared.”

“Calm down Lucian, you’ll frighten the boy. Tell us what happened with Richards.”

I closed my eyes, still trying to understand how this was real.

“Mark, just breathe, try to remember everything,” Josiah said, putting his hand on my shoulder.

A memory entered my mind, but it was not my own; a giant bird, a phoenix, flapped its mighty wings above a horde of demonic beings .

I took a step back, dropping Josiah’s hand from my shoulder as I looked back at him. He nodded at me as if he had seen the same thing.

“Well boy, we are waiting for an answer!” Lucian yelled.

“Richards and Taylor were working together. I didn’t know they were a part of the Order. Richards saved me, he freed me from the Syreni! Taylor died saving me; they both saved me.”

“Thank you, Mark, I am sorry you had to go through all of this, but you need to understand that you are part of this. We need you if we are going to stop the evil that exists. I am sure you have many questions, but you need to rest for now.”

“Wait, aren’t we going to go back for Richards?” I yelped as he turned to walk away.

Josiah turned and walked over to me again. “He knew one day, he would have to sacrifice himself for something bigger. Show him to his room, Lucian.”

“They will kill him when they find out what he did!”

“Let’s go, kid,” Lucian demanded, pushing me back.

I walked toward the door as it began to rain. The waves grew in size, rocking us back and forth.

“Down here, kid,” Lucian said, pointing at a cot in the corner of the room.

“What did he mean, something bigger than himself ?”

“You, you are the chosen one .”

“You don’t seem to believe that, almost as much as I don’t.”

“There is a great war coming, so maybe you are this great warrior our ancestors told us about. Maybe you’re not. All I’m saying is I’ve been training my whole life for this fight and I’m not going to let some kid come in and get in my way. ”

He hung a lantern near the cot and walked out of the door, locking it. I walked over to the cot and sat down next to a trunk on the floor. I kneeled down and opened the ancient-looking wooden box. Inside were several pictures and other little items. I pulled out one picture with Josiah standing next to a few children, holding it closer to the lantern and seeing that two of the children were Taylor and Richards. They must have been with the Order when they were kids.

It hit me. Josiah looked like in his late thirties in this picture, yet he appeared exactly the same now. I turned the picture over and a single year, 1989, was written in ink. He would have to be around sixty if this date was right.

The light from the lantern dimmed, turning off. A single glare from the moon peered under the door, giving me enough light to make it onto the cot. The ship, rocking harder, the crackling noise of the wood bending, scared me.

The storm outside was forcing my cot to swing back and forth. Lying down, I held onto the ropes, praying for it to stop, the force of the waves rocking the ship farther to the side. Turning back, clinging to the rope, it swung back the other way, making me hit my head on the wood. I felt the top of my scalp, where wetness covered my fingers. Feeling dizzy, I closed my eyes, feeling heavy, drifting away.

A sense of unease quickly overcame me. I looked around, and was back on Mermaid Cliff. I stood up and walked toward the edge where a girl was perched. She had her back to me so I couldn’t make out who she was. Rain began falling, the silvery drops hitting my head. The girl took a step forward and walked right off the edge as I stood by and watched.

“No!” I screamed.

I ran over, lying down, pulling myself closer for a better look. The girl’s body lay now on the sharp rocks, while beside her was the creature they called Aurora. A sword was sticking out of its chest, blood-soaked sand all around them. The more I focused, the more I could see of the gruesome scene. And my mother and Josiah lay motionless by them both.

The raging sea taunted me, a wild and massive wave forming deep in the ocean. The water rising higher and higher, my heart pounded. But this giant wave was not a wave at all; something was rising there, beneath the ocean. The water swirled, the clouds darkening, turning red. The rain fell harder and harder, burning my eyes. I wiped them, but it was no use; blinded by the rain, a screech then deafened me. I closed my eyes and the noises stopped.

And I found I wasn’t on the beach anymore, when I next cast a look about me. Wind blustered around me. I stepped forward and nearly walked right off a massive building. I stepped back in fear and noticed a telescope ahead, balanced on the parapet of a long drop; it seemed I was atop a building with several smaller ones below and a shiny black wall surrounding the city. Just on the other side of the black wall was desert as far as the eye could see. Far in the distance, I could just make out mountains.

I walked over to the telescope and looked through, pointing it toward the ground below me. A large dome-shaped building was constructed in the middle of the city. Several people stood around it. I focused the lens more and was stunned. Creatures walked around in clothing. Animals, blue, pink too, all walking among humans. Just then, a black armored car pulled up outside of the coliseum. The back door shot open and out stepped a man with slicked black hair. He wielded a pickaxe. A group of armored males escorted him inside the building.

I moved the telescope to focus on the mountains in the far distance. I could just make out birds flying high above them. I zoomed in and focused the lens as much as possible; they weren’t birds at all. Flying around the mountain were dragons. Now, I scanned a river far to the East before finally moving away from the scope and staring up at the sky. It turned red around me as the wind picked up. I closed my eyes and told myself to wake up.

“Mark, it’s time,” a voice called out above me.

“Mom?” I questioned.

I opened my eyes and fell to the ground, then focused on Lucian as he stood above me.

“What happened?” I asked, trying to stand up on the wobbling ship.

“You wouldn’t get up, so I flipped your cot,” he smirked. “Sounded like you were having a nightmare.”

I stood up as an intense pain came over me. I remembered hitting my head the night before, and a bandage had been wrapped around my forehead. I pulled it off and tossed it onto the cot.

“Did you put this on my head?”

“No, one of our people did, do you know what day it is?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve been asleep for a few days, kid. We’re almost here, you need to come with me now.”

“What happened to me, where are we?”

“The last place you’ll ever call home,” he said as he walked out of the door.

Wiping my eyes again, I quickly remembered the dream I’d had, so much death and darkness consuming my thoughts. As I walked to the door, I heard a noise, like a whisper, behind me. I turned quickly and scanned the dark room; nothing.

I opened the door and was immediately blinded by the bright sun, followed quickly by a cold breeze. I closed my eyes and stumbled backward. On deck, I was immediately hit with cold air.

“Take it all in, Mark,” a voice said from behind me.

Blinking a few times, I squinted, a woman standing to my side .

“How are you doing? I see you took your bandage off.”

“Yeah, are you the one who put it on for me?”

“Yes, my name is Deluca, I am the doctor around here. We noticed you had hit your head so I stitched you up, but you were out for a few days.”

I noticed a glow about her, like a light omitting from her.

“Well thank you, I can’t believe I was out for so long.”

“Ah, Mrs. Deluca, thank you for taking care of Mark the past few days,” Josiah uttered as she walked away.

“Come with me, Mark, I want to talk with you,” he said, leading me to the front of the ship.

“The other day, when you came aboard, you saw something when I touched you.”

I hesitated, trying to remember what he was talking about.

“When you put your hand on my shoulder, I saw something. A great bird, flying above a horde of creatures.”

“You get these visions a lot, don’t you?”

“Ever since Veronica was killed, I’ve had nightmares and glimpses of dark stuff.”

“Mark, you are very special, you have to realize that. Your dreams, visions, they are your soul trying to tell you something. Whether it’s a glimpse into the past or future, or a future that could happen, it’s a truly amazing gift. I want to tell you, though, you have demon blood flowing through your veins. Not everyone here is going to accept you.”

“Why am I this special chosen one though? I know my family is a part of this sinister cult, but why me?”

“Forces beyond our control chose you long ago. My ancestors spoke of a boy who would break free from the corruption and lead us to eternal peace. I believe you are that boy, but just because it is foretold, does not mean it will happen. You will be faced with incredible challenges along the way.”

“That’s a lot of responsibility for a sixteen-year-old,” I laughed nervously, staring out at the water. “What do you mean, demon blood in my veins? That’s not literal, right?”

“Have you ever heard of a Cambion or Nephilim?”

“Long ago, there were more demons that would walk amongst us, taking the form of people. Your family’s ancestors would have relations with these demons in rituals.”

“Wait, you mean my ancestors had sex with demons?”

“Yes, they would reproduce through the generations, carrying this ‘sacred’ bloodline. The name given to these half humans, half demons, was Cambion.”

I was stunned at what he was telling me. I leaned over the railing and took all of this information in, and it hit me.

“So, you’re saying I am a Cambion?”

“Exactly, you have darkness in you, but you have seen the light. You can break free and destroy this disease.”

“Demons, creatures, cults, my life has taken a huge turn the past month.”

“This is only the beginning, Mark. I wish we had years to prep you, but Aurora is growing in strength.”

“I understand. I am ready to do whatever it takes. What else do I need to know?”

“You are going to meet some interesting people here at the sanctuary.”

“Taylor told me Dracfort was just as corrupt as Rockport! How is it a sanctuary? ”

“There is a part of Dracfort, where we are going, that is protected from the demonic bloodline. It is secure and hidden from the rest of the world. Our ancestors put an ancient blessing on it, preventing anyone or thing from the Syreni—or of Cambion nature—from entering.”

“You just said I’m a demon, so how am I getting in?”

“I said you were half demon, Mark, and that is where things get tricky. We have to brand you with a symbol that will grant you entry.”

“Like a tattoo?”

“I guess I can do that, I’ve always wanted a tattoo.”

“There’s one more thing, Mark; humans and Cambions aren’t the only ones in this world. Long ago, angels also lived amongst us. They had relations with members of the Order, creating Nephilims, half human, half angel. These bloodlines, like mine, use light to guide them.”

I stepped away and leaned back over the railing, I let out with a sigh. There is so much in this world I never knew about. Angels and demons living amongst us? This was far more than I ever imagined.

“So, you are a Nephilim, and I am a Cambion? You are half human half angel, and I am half human half demon?”

“Essentially, yes, it’s in our bloodlines, Mark, we are descendants of these ancient beings. There hasn’t been a pure angel walk this land since the demon, Aurora, rose.”

“Ok, one more time. The Order is filled with half angels, known as Nephilim, and the Syreni is filled with half demons, known as Cambion?”

“Mostly, yes, which is why some people at the sanctuary will not like you being there. Your mere presence will upset some. Those who can look past it, who see that you are here for a reason, will accept you. We are not all Nephilim, we have humans in the Order as well. ”

“I think I understand what you are telling me, after the few weeks I’ve had, I wouldn’t be surprised if the tooth fairy was at the sanctuary.”

“We are almost home, we must give you the tattoo now,” he said, walking toward the cabin.

I followed him to the door and looked out over the water, able to see land in the distance. Inside the room was a chair, with Lucian, Josiah, and Mrs. Deluca standing around it. I walked over and grew nervous, scared. I’d always wanted a tattoo ever since Jason got one, but actually doing it was another thing. I noticed the chair was bolted to the ground, straps hanging from the arms.

“So, is this going to hurt? My friend Jason got a tattoo once from his dad’s friend, and he said it didn’t hurt, but I could tell it did.”

Just then, a memory entered my mind of Jason getting stabbed repeatedly on Mermaid Cliff. I shook it off.

“Take a seat, kid!” Lucian demanded.

“Don’t worry, Mark, it won’t be too bad. Please remove your shirt so I can get a better look,” Mrs. Deluca responded.

Taking my shirt off, I sat down on the chair, and was suddenly shackled around the ankles, wrists, and stomach.

“What’s going on?” I screeched.

“We’ve done this before to a Cambion and haven’t had the best reaction. Your soul is partially demonic, which rejects anything holy. This tattoo we give you, is an ancient spiral, allowing light to pass through you. Trust us, Mark, we just need to be careful,” Josiah explained.

“Now bite down on this, it’s going to burn a little,” she suggested, putting a wooden spoon in my mouth.

I bit down on it while I watched as she pulled something out of a bag, a bone-like stick, with a large, jagged, tooth on the end. Seeing the shark-like tooth made me squirm as Lucian held me down. She reached in the bag again, pulling out a chisel-like object, a small hammer, and a black bottle of what I imagined to be the ‘holy’ ink.

“You ready?” she asked, holding the sharp tooth inches from my arm.

I nodded, looking at the floor. I closed my eyes. The tooth punctured my skin, tearing my flesh. The pain grew as I bit down harder on the spoon. The cutting kept going, constant pain, pulling at my skin. I shook, feeling the darkness inside me grow.

“Are you seeing this, Josiah?” she asked as she continued.

I glanced over, noticing a spiral shape she’d cut into my arm. Black liquid poured out of it, burning.

“Continue!” Josiah demanded as she dipped the tool in the ink.

I watched as she held it to the spiral and tapped it with the hammer, sending pain radiating through my body. I could feel this darkness inside me, wanting to take over, growing in power. With every tap of the hammer into my skin, the power grew.

She chanted something in another language. The door to the cabin opened and closed, crates moving across the room.

“Hurry!” Lucian yelled, holding me down as hard as he could.

The wood floor and walls moaned around us, trying to break off from the ship. I could not hold it anymore; this rage inside me was boiling over. The bolts popped out of the bottom of the chair, flying across the room.

“Finished!” Deluca yelled, backing away from me.

I sat back, trying to catch my breath as Lucian removed the straps. I looked over at my arm and black smoke seeped out of the tattoo, forming a ball, before disintegrating into nothing. The tattoo briefly lit up, burning, before settling.

“That was the reaction you were talking about?” I asked, catching my breath .

“That was worse, much worse,” Lucian said.

“You are far more powerful than I had imagined,” Josiah uttered.

“So, this spiral will allow me to get into the sanctuary?”

“Yes, it is an ancient mark, used with a tooth from a great beast, and the ink of something you don’t want to know,” Josiah answered.

“Did I make those crates and the door move?”

“Like I said, Mark, you are incredibly powerful; you just need to learn to control it.”

“Josiah, we are approaching the falls!” someone yelled from the deck.

“Come with me, Mark, you’re not going to want to miss this.”

I followed Josiah out onto the deck and up the stairs to the front of the ship, where I was amazed at the sight of tumultuous waterfall, larger and wider than anything I’d ever seen; it was the most majestic sight, sound, smell, and color. The blue water came crashing down into the ocean, creating a white fog around the base. The salty, musty smell was so intense I could taste it.

“Where do we go from here?” I asked, mesmerized by the sight.

“Through it,” Josiah laughed. “Bring it up!”

“Through it?” I questioned.

Suddenly the crew cranked two wheels, raising tall poles from either side of the ship. They rose higher, just above the sails, before opening. They spread out, revealing giant masts, almost like an umbrella over the entire ship.

I was in awe at what I was witnessing, staring at the great structure around me. I was still skeptical we could make it through the massive falls, but we moved closer and closer to them.

“Brace yourselves!” Lucian called out, as I grabbed onto the railing .

The ship moved right to the edge of the crashing water, pushing us into the falls. The immense but thin wall of water revealed a hidden passage behind it. The water, crashing down on the umbrella-like-roof, rushed down the sides of the ship as we passed through. I reached my hand out into the torrent coming down around us. I cupped my hand and grabbed some of the ice-cold water. I brought it to my lips and tasted it. Fresh, fresh and ice cold, meeting the ocean.

Once we were through, I looked back at the falls, still in shock at what just happened.

I looked back out the front of the ship; we were in a cave of some kind. Torches lit the tunnel series, guiding us through. The poles lowered, reeling back into the ship’s sides. A sudden pain came over my arm, lighting up my tattoo, before fading. Looking at it further, a perfect black spiral covered my arm.

Moving through the tunnels, I could see pictures painted on the cave walls, ancient men, demon, and angels at constant war with each other. Great beasts, animals were painted with them, creatures emerging from beneath the ground. A great war had been painted on the walls. I saw other creatures too, some from my dream. I looked around further and noticed vast circular objects painted here and there. These creatures I’d seen in my dream were painted next to them. It was like the circles were some portal for the creatures to come and go.

“How was that?” Josiah asked.

“Insane, amazing, crazy?” I answered, turning in his direction.

“We’re almost there, it’s just up ahead now.”

“These images, are they real?”

“Yes, of course, my ancestors painted these here to tell stories of how our people lived. Angels, humans, and animals all fought side by side against the foul creatures.”

“How is all of this kept from the rest of the world? ”

“Well, in the past 500 years, it’s been only Aurora who has walked this land. The Syreni have slowly been feeding her through the centuries. With Rockport being such a small town, no one gave it any attention.”

“So, what is stopping other demons from rising up?”

“The stories tell of an ancient barrier preventing demons from coming through. It says the barrier can only be lifted by a demon, however. We just haven’t found anything that suggests there are more of them; they take forms of people and animals, so could be anywhere. The Syreni are planning something though, I can feel it.”

“Josiah, I wanted to ask you, I found a picture by my cot. It was dated 1989 and it was a picture of you, Taylor, and Richards. The thing is, you looked exactly how you look now, like a thirty-year-old man. How is that possible?”

“I left that there for you to see. My ancestors gave me this gift many years ago. I do not age, but yes, I can and will die one day. It does come with a price; however, I have to watch those I love grow old and die around me. My time is coming to an end though, it does not last forever.”

“So, you’re immortal, but going to die soon because you’ve lived too long?”

“Something like that, Mark,” he laughed, pointing ahead.

Suddenly, we exited the cave, revealing an amazing sight ahead. A town, community, waited there.

“Josiah, I have another question,” I said. “Back in Rockport, I found a secret library. It was filled with weird books with names like ‘Folia’ and ‘Magarass’. They had bizarre creatures in them. What do they mean?”

“You are opening your eyes to a new world here, Mark,” he answered. “Those books are ancient for a reason. Do not worry yourself over them. You need to focus on the now; we have much work to do.”