The Eye of the Storm
Bois De Vincennes, France
April 2220
Her breath frosted on the air as she stepped out of the tent and gazed at the surrounding vista. Mist coiled about the ground giving the landscape an eerie appearance. Shivering she pulled her cloak tighter, for April in France could be cold especially in the early hours before dawn. Nonetheless, she thought as she looked over the multitudes of tents below her, the heat of battle would soon warm the air. She surveyed her forces with a critical eye. Her Methuselah troops along with the armies of the nations who survived the Armageddon were united and spread below her; all of them backed by the might and power of the Vatican. She herself received the Pope's blessing and from his hand was bestowed control over the Vatican and secular forces. Closing her eyes, she listened as the muffled sounds of soldiers readying for war drifted on the wind. How many would die this day? How many of the dead would haunt her dreams?
Across the field, the fires of the opposing army shone like beacons in the night giving direction to the war ships hovering above. The large flagship caught her attention as it moved into position. Campfires reflected off its metal hull like the fires of hell and that was fitting, she thought wryly, for the commanders aboard the ship had sworn to purge the earth with flames. Because of their hatred humanity was embroiled in a war for supremacy; forever divided into the infected and non-infected, the Methuselah and Terran. Now she must help the Terran make a stand and fight for their very existence. Failure would mean a life of slavery for the humans, the survivors becoming little more than cattle for the victors. Her armies must hold strong, braving the tempest while giving no quarter while she entered the eye of the storm in an attempt to harness the lightening and bend it to her will. Tears slid down her cheeks for she knew failure would mean that his destruction would be her only recourse.
"Lilith, you don't have to face him." A soft voice spoke from the mist. "Cain is the more dangerous; you should concentrate your attack against him and leave Abel for my command to deal with."
Lilith turned to watch her best friend and the commander of her Methuselah troops walk out of the fog. Just beyond the young Methuselah woman, she knew the leaders of the combined forces awaited her direction. However, none of them would have the audacity to break her reveries like this one.
"You know as well as I, he will only listen to me." Lilith spoke quietly. "To him you are like a beloved yet annoying little sister, because of this he will not kill you, but he certainly will not listen to your pleas. As for your troops, he will have no qualms about destroying them. No, if we have any chance of convincing Abel to join us it must come from me. I only hope my love is enough to save him…"
The commander bowed low her armor creaking. "It shall be as you wish, General. I came to tell you all are in readiness, we await only your command to proceed."
"Good, let us hope this plan works and my brethren fall into our trap." Lilith rubbed her hands together. "God willing this will end today."
"I pray that is so for peace seems so elusive." The warrior looked toward the opposing army. "Too much depends on the Nightlord's actions and I worry…"
Lilith looked at the young woman while tying back her long red hair. "Come my friend you have doubts tell them to me."
"Well, we are counting on Cain, Seth, and Abel to react in a specific way but what if they ignore our well laid traps leaving them for their troops to handle? While I am sure my forces can dance with Cain until he tires of us, what will you do if Seth supports Abel in battle? Unlike Cain neither of them likes to output at 100 and so they often assist each other." The young woman looked worried. "Also the Crusniks may expend their energy but there will be a lot of Methuselah blood upon the ground to refresh them…"
"My dear these thoughts have also crossed my mind but I dismissed them and will tell you why. First off, I have thought about Abel and Seth joining forces against me but it will not happen. I believe that if she attempts to cross me, Abel will stop her so he can face me alone. Remember, he feels I have betrayed him and will wish for justification. Trust me when I tell you he would allow no other to interfere with our confrontation. Secondly, you know as well as I how arrogant these three have become; they will be unable to resist utilizing their Crusnik powers. Cain is a master of Psychological Warfare and he will order the other two to display their might in a bid to sow panic among our troops. This will deplete their energy making it easier for us to hamper their movements." Lilith sighed. "Lastly, do not forget the UV lights in place around the battlefield and on our aircraft. They will continually scour the ground burning up Methuselah bodies and blood in hopes of leaving no nourishment for the Crusniks to consume. Which reminds me did your troops drink the liquid silver I developed? I have no wish to burn up my own Methuselah army."
"There were a few side effects we will have to discuss at a later date, but yes they have all partaken of the silver. The few who had the adverse reactions I mentioned have been stationed within the warships safe behind UV shields." With a sigh, the commander ran a hand over her face. "I suppose I'm being overly worrisome but…"
"My dearest," Lilith laughed. "That is why I made you commander! You worry a subject like a dog with a bone until you are satisfied of it's outcome. It makes you very effective as a leader. Now come let us go down to the others and brief them before Cain begins the assault. It should not be too much longer; they will want to attack before the suns rays cripple their army."
The other senior officers bowed low as the two approached. With kind words and soft inquiries, Lilith moved among them looking more serene than she felt for a restless air hung over the assembly; each man and woman in attendance realized the coming conflict would be the decisive battle of the war. Each one of them helped devise the battle plan soon to be put into action so they listened intently, questioning key points and giving last minute suggestions on implementation. Lilith adjourned the meeting when she was satisfied that everyone understood their part in the upcoming campaign. As she watched them leave, she prayed for these brave men and women who would stand on the front lines bleeding with their troops. Looking once more to the enemy's flagship she asked God for strength. A quiet cough caught her attention and turning she spied the young priest attached to her retinue.
"You wish something Father?" She eyed him curiously.
"I thought you might wish to receive the Sacraments before the battle begins." His voice was soft and soothing in the dark.
"Yes, I would like that, Father. It will ease my troubled heart."
While she knelt before the priest who whispered softly, aides moved about preparing to gird her for battle. As she finished her absolutions, a loud noise rent the air and looking up she saw the bay doors of the flagship open wide. Three recognizable forms stood within the aperture surveying the land below. The foremost figure spread wide three pair of white wing and launched itself into the air while the smallest of the three unfolded wide fairy wings and followed after. The last figure drew and held her gaze as it stood haughtily considering her army with contempt. With a cry of outrage, it unfurled large black wings and took to the sky.
"Lilith?" At the whispered voice, she turned to see the Methuselah commander kneeling before her holding up a large steaming gold chalice. "I bring you a gift taken from my own body to give you strength."
"I accept this gift with honor my friend and thank you for your sacrifice." Lilith intoned as she gently took the chalice of blood. "So the time has come…" She watched the figures in the sky and sighed. "Nanomachine Crusnik 04 power output 80 authorized."
As the transformation occurred, she felt the seductive strength and voices of the parasites in her blood. They filled her with warmth and the promise of untold power. A long-suffering sigh left her lips as she shook her head. "Be still Legion, have you not yet realized I can never be seduced? God has given me the strength, through my faith, to resist and bend you to my will." She spread multicolored wings wide as silence reigned, the parasites having withdrawn in displeasure. "Come now do not pout," she murmured. "I give you sustenance as a reward for your co-operation." Their voices roared to life in ecstasy as Lilith drank deeply. She moaned softly as the nanos greedily devoured the blood spreading more energy through her.
Both women looked up in time to see the white winged warrior raise his hand. Beneath him, the woods erupted in a maelstrom. A terrific explosion rent the night and the ground shook with the impact. Like some macabre game of pick up sticks, trees flew about to land scattered and broken upon the field. From deep trenches, spotlights slowly arose from the carnage. As they lit the field, cries of horror and pain filled the air. Suddenly, in contrast to the screams, the sound of chimes resounded across the battlefield; it was if Heaven opened its gates as every parish from the greatest of cathedrals to the smallest local church rang its bells. The local clergy, having no battle prowess, gave this small gift to the Terran troops in an effort to bestow strength and hope. Lilith knew that their pealing would continue until the battle was over; at which time they would either herald victory or toll for the dead in defeat.
As the Methuselah commander raced to her troops, Lilith searched the sky for her prey. Lightning gathered in the night and there in the middle of the conflagration she spotted black wings. With his name on her lips, she took to the air while keeping watch on the other Crusniks. Drawing nearer to Abel, she knew the exact moment that he spotted her. With a roar, he shouted her name and discharged the energy about him destroying two of her UV spotlights along with a multitude of warriors. With a beat of his mighty wings, a scythe appeared in his hands as he sped toward her. She raised her weapon in anticipation of his attack, but it never came, instead he stopped a few feet away from her while his wings shuddered with agitation. Their eyes held as he bared his teeth and she gasped, for even in this dark form his beauty was breathtaking. Tears of blood slowly traced down his cheeks in anguish and she felt her heart stutter.
"Why?" It was one word, spoken hoarsely, as if wrenched from his soul and it demanded an explanation.
He rode the wind while awaiting her answer looking so lost and enraged it brought to her minds eye visions of him seen through the past. She pictured him as she had first seen him, a child silent and angry, then as a bitter teenager with eyes full of hate. She remembered him as the laughing young man she had worked so hard to bring forth and as the lover embracing her gently in the deep of night. Finally, she saw him as the newly born Crusnik lying huddled and naked upon her medical room floor while she clutched him tight giving comfort from the horror of what he had become. Now looking at him, she had no comfort to give, only words and she prayed they would be enough.
"Abel, you know why I fight you." She spoke softly. "What you do is wrong. Killing the Terran will not stop your pain; only you can do that. I know your soul; you do not hate the Terran anymore than you hate this world. Deep inside you is the love you try to hide." She drew nearer to him. "Listen to me Abel; it is because you know love that the pain of betrayal is so bitter. You try so hard to protect those you care about out of love and when you fail in this endeavor, you immediately make the world your enemy. Abel, please, it is never too late to change; stop this carnage and join me, help me protect this world."
His red eyes glittered as he considered her. "You are wrong Lilith, look what the foolish Terran have done to this world. They almost destroyed it; did obliterate large portions of it and for what. To control a technology that was not even in their grasp! Did they care that if they destroyed the Earth we would be stranded on Mars? No, they betrayed us for power and gain not caring if we survived. After all we were expendable goods to be cast aside, sacrificed so no one nation could control our discovery and you are foolish if you think otherwise."
"Abel, listen to you!" she cried. "Did you forget we had our own battle on Mars over the technology? Even as they destroyed each other on Earth, we waged war on Mars. Our own colonists damaged our return craft and almost stranded us. The four of us Nightlords forced the colonists to bend to our will and end to the fighting. We made them work together to rebuild the ship so we could return to Earth. So what makes the Methuselah any better than the Terran?"
"It is because the Methuselah," Abel paused as an evil light entered his eyes. "…are our food!"
As he smiled lewdly, Lilith realized she was no longer dealing with just Abel; they had taken control. Sensing energy building around him, she eased back raising her weapon as his power output reached 100. Lightning cracked about him as his form took on that of a fallen angel; a beautiful demon from the depths of Hell. Licking his lips slowly he chuckled evilly.
"So Crusniks, you have chosen to reveal yourselves." She began. "I will tell you now I mean to save Abel from you and your evil"
"Then we will destroy you and feed on your blood!" She heard the words in her mind as he raised his double-bladed scythe. Their weapons clashed and sparks flew from the blades. Like a deadly ballet, they danced around each other as their battle weaved through the sky. Even though the Crusniks boasted of her destruction, it seemed to Lilith that Abel was holding back. She prayed that it meant he was not totally lost to the parasites within him. Then suddenly Abel's eyes widened in fear and his power limit dropped to 80. With amazing speed, he thrust her out of the way just as a missile struck him in the chest. Gracelessly he plummeted to the ground and all the while, his eyes, now full of love, never left hers until the smoke from the battle enveloped his form.
Startled Lilith whirled around in time to see Cain once more deflect a rocket her way. She understood then while dodging out of the way; Abel must have seen Cain's underhanded attack and protected her. With eyes full of hate Cain once more launched an attack but before he could reach her, the arrival of a Vatican airship separated them. Beyond it, Lilith heard Cain's cry of rage and she trembled for it was a sound full of loathing and the promise of retribution. Her strength was quickly waning and she knew a confrontation with Cain was out of the question so using the ship as camouflage she slipped away.
Descending through the air, she was surprised to hear a retreat sound and breaking through the smoke saw the enemy withdrawing from the field. Beneath her, shouts of victory were heard, as the Terran troops harried the Methuselah's retreat. Alighting to the ground amid the chaos, she scanned the horizon. The sun was just lighting the sky and she was shocked to realize just how much time passed while she fought her lover. Once the sun rose, it caste a glow across the battlefield giving it an unearthly radiance. Amid this wonder, the pealing of the bells resonated in triumph lending a surreal quality to the moment. The truth that they had actually managed to win the battle overcame her weary mind. Against all odds, they managed to crush the might of the Methuselah army. Slowly the sound of the wounded and dying penetrated her thoughts and she cast her gaze across the bloody field. Much work still lay ahead of them in the aftermath of the conflict. The wounded would need tending to, the dead buried, and her commanders gathered to assess their losses.
A hand touched her shoulder as a voice whispered hoarsely. "We did it Lilith! We have won!"
Wounded but alive, her Methuselah commander stood before her smiling wearily. Crying out joyfully Lilith hugged the young woman close, just now realizing the depth of her fear at loosing another close friend as she had Lt. Elissa Dar Shrite. Glancing up she chanced to see Seth helping a still weak Abel into their ship and sent a silent prayer heavenward; thankful for the lives of the two beings who meant so much to her. On the wings of her prayer came the fervent hope that her words found fertile ground in Abel's mind for she couldn't help but believe that he still retained a human heart after the way he protected her. She prayed he would return to her and help ensure a peaceful co-existence between the Terran and Methuselah; the alternative was unthinkable. The love seen in his eyes ensured her inability to destroy him, to do so would devastate her. After all, how could one obliterate their own…heart?