Chapter 2: The Fated Meeting
A tall man, with platinum-white hair, brilliant blue eyes, and a stern face, Malachite sat in his car, facing the Syllabus residence, reading the dossier he had taken from the MPD.
"Hm. She is a very powerful 'woman' indeed. That was an understatement. My target should be her daughter. If I take her daughter, she'll crumble like bleu cheese..."
Looking in his mirror, he traces the scar that ran down his cheek.
"You two, Armitage and Syllabus... I'll take great pleasure in destroying you. I was among those in the tanks you both destroyed during the Dunwich Hill fiasco. I was lucky to survive because of that shield I created. Thank god my training taught me to create shields with my essence. But very soon, revenge will be mine!"
The rain poured down in never-ending sheets...
[In Armitage's bedroom]
Ross awoke to find himself alone. Walking out softly, he sees a light on in the kitchen. As he walked in, he saw Armitage, sitting at the table, gazing out the window. But. her hands were shaking. He had never seen her hands shake. Not even when they were under attack at Dunwich Hill. But now...
"Naomi. What is it? What's wrong?" he asks, resting his strong hands on her shoulders.
"I had a nightmare. A man, in dark clothing... had Yoko. I tried to stop him, but he stopped my shot, and then used some type of... I don't know what it was. But I remember burning..." She trailed off as Ross clasped his arms around her.
"Hey, it'll be alright. I'm here with you, and nobody is taking you, or Yoko anywhere."
Turning her face to his, he gently kisses her, the sounds of the rain making a soothing background.
The motorcycle approached the house where Armitage and Syllabus sat in their kitchen. The man's sunglasses, reflective even though it was night flashed twice, signaling his arrival. Slowing the bike, he parks it in front of the house. Dismounting, he walks up to the door, knocking softly.
The knock at the door surprised Naomi and Ross. With a look, he went into the bedroom to get his weapon, while Naomi grabbed her gun from its sheath near the front door, and walked over, pressing the button for the front door monitor. Seeing a man with blonde hair, and sunglasses on, she cocks the pistol, and holds it behind her back. Slowly opening the door, she invites the stranger in.
Briskly, the visitor walks in, and turns to face her.
"Naomi Armitage, I presume?"
Armitage raises her gun, pointing it at the visitor's head, as Ross comes up behind, training his weapon at the side of the visitor's head.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" asked Armitage.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Steven Moshendo. I have been searching for you, Naomi. This house is not safe for you, your husband, or your daughter anymore. I am asking you if you will come with me to a safe haven."
Cocking the pistol, Ross glares at the man, while looking at Armitage as well.
"What do you think? Should we let him go? .Or should we finish him?"
Steven spoke again, "You could try to shoot me, but if I really wanted to harm you, I wouldn't have had to put myself in harm's way. I would have attacked you from afar, instead of risking my personal safety to meet you."
Armitage looks back at Ross. "I suppose that's a good reason. But Ross, keep your gun trained on him. If there's any funny business, fire."
Holstering her weapon, she sits on the couch, and motions for him to sit in a nearby chair.
"Who are you?" Naomi asks.
"I am Steven Moshendo. I am here to protect you, your husband, and your daughter from a rogue Stormfist coven warrior."
"A what?" Ross asked.
"A Stormfist coven warrior. We come from Earth. Supernatural martial artists, I guess you could refer to us as. We harness our innate energy, called Essence to perform attacks and feats of great skill. Those who follow our precepts join what are known as covens, which are groups of allied warriors. I am a member of the Shadowstar coven. And my task is to protect all 3 of you."
"And who is after us?"
"I don't know. His craft name is Fallen Angel. From what I remember, he's a very powerful warrior in his own right, so I advise you to wake your daughter up, and get ready to follow me to a safe place."
Astonished, Ross leaves to pack up their daughter, and some personal belongings. As he walks out, Steven stiffens up.
"Wha... what is it?" Naomi asks.
"He's here. Fallen Angel is here. You must hurry along, and get to safety. I'll meet you at the Midgar Street diner. Now hurry!!"
With those words, Naomi hurries off to help get all 3 ready, as Steven cracks his neck, and starts channeling essence. The door disintegrates, and the figure of Malachite (a.k.a. Fallen Angel) stands there.
"So... it's ShadowTalon... great warrior of the Shadowstar coven."
"Indeed, Fallen Angel. I've been sent to stop you!"
"You can't stop me, weakling! By the Goddess I summon my energy.. Soulfire!!!"
The attack billows out, but Steven dances around it, delivering a sharp blow to Malachite's face. Hearing the car in the driveway start, and pull out, he knew they had escaped. Softly speaking the words, he activates the power he had been channeling his essence into. "Power of the Ancients, grant me the soul of the wild! Speed of Tiger!!"
His movements accelerated, the pair began fighting, their fists flying back and forth, with Steven making 4 attacks to every 1 of Malachite's. As both landed furious blows, the battle waged on for several minutes, until Malachite fell to the ground, with his wrist fractured.
"I'll yield this point to you for now... ShadowTalon! But mark my words, I'll succeed in my mission, and then you will perish! Farewell!"
With a burst of black light, he disappears, leaving behind him the slowly burning flame of Soulfire. Turning to the flame of Soulfire, Steven focuses his energy.
"By the Goddess, I summon your concern. Dispel this energy, and grant me strength from the dispelling. Dispel Taint!"
The fire goes out, having done very little damage. Looking around, Steven is amazed at how untouched the house was.
"Upon my word... things should be very interesting. I should go and meet them."
Hurrying out to his motorcycle, he hops on and rides off, as the police sirens wail in the distance... *********************** Hope you liked this story. Chapter 3 will be forthcoming soon, until then, please read and rate, and tell me what you think.
A tall man, with platinum-white hair, brilliant blue eyes, and a stern face, Malachite sat in his car, facing the Syllabus residence, reading the dossier he had taken from the MPD.
"Hm. She is a very powerful 'woman' indeed. That was an understatement. My target should be her daughter. If I take her daughter, she'll crumble like bleu cheese..."
Looking in his mirror, he traces the scar that ran down his cheek.
"You two, Armitage and Syllabus... I'll take great pleasure in destroying you. I was among those in the tanks you both destroyed during the Dunwich Hill fiasco. I was lucky to survive because of that shield I created. Thank god my training taught me to create shields with my essence. But very soon, revenge will be mine!"
The rain poured down in never-ending sheets...
[In Armitage's bedroom]
Ross awoke to find himself alone. Walking out softly, he sees a light on in the kitchen. As he walked in, he saw Armitage, sitting at the table, gazing out the window. But. her hands were shaking. He had never seen her hands shake. Not even when they were under attack at Dunwich Hill. But now...
"Naomi. What is it? What's wrong?" he asks, resting his strong hands on her shoulders.
"I had a nightmare. A man, in dark clothing... had Yoko. I tried to stop him, but he stopped my shot, and then used some type of... I don't know what it was. But I remember burning..." She trailed off as Ross clasped his arms around her.
"Hey, it'll be alright. I'm here with you, and nobody is taking you, or Yoko anywhere."
Turning her face to his, he gently kisses her, the sounds of the rain making a soothing background.
The motorcycle approached the house where Armitage and Syllabus sat in their kitchen. The man's sunglasses, reflective even though it was night flashed twice, signaling his arrival. Slowing the bike, he parks it in front of the house. Dismounting, he walks up to the door, knocking softly.
The knock at the door surprised Naomi and Ross. With a look, he went into the bedroom to get his weapon, while Naomi grabbed her gun from its sheath near the front door, and walked over, pressing the button for the front door monitor. Seeing a man with blonde hair, and sunglasses on, she cocks the pistol, and holds it behind her back. Slowly opening the door, she invites the stranger in.
Briskly, the visitor walks in, and turns to face her.
"Naomi Armitage, I presume?"
Armitage raises her gun, pointing it at the visitor's head, as Ross comes up behind, training his weapon at the side of the visitor's head.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" asked Armitage.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Steven Moshendo. I have been searching for you, Naomi. This house is not safe for you, your husband, or your daughter anymore. I am asking you if you will come with me to a safe haven."
Cocking the pistol, Ross glares at the man, while looking at Armitage as well.
"What do you think? Should we let him go? .Or should we finish him?"
Steven spoke again, "You could try to shoot me, but if I really wanted to harm you, I wouldn't have had to put myself in harm's way. I would have attacked you from afar, instead of risking my personal safety to meet you."
Armitage looks back at Ross. "I suppose that's a good reason. But Ross, keep your gun trained on him. If there's any funny business, fire."
Holstering her weapon, she sits on the couch, and motions for him to sit in a nearby chair.
"Who are you?" Naomi asks.
"I am Steven Moshendo. I am here to protect you, your husband, and your daughter from a rogue Stormfist coven warrior."
"A what?" Ross asked.
"A Stormfist coven warrior. We come from Earth. Supernatural martial artists, I guess you could refer to us as. We harness our innate energy, called Essence to perform attacks and feats of great skill. Those who follow our precepts join what are known as covens, which are groups of allied warriors. I am a member of the Shadowstar coven. And my task is to protect all 3 of you."
"And who is after us?"
"I don't know. His craft name is Fallen Angel. From what I remember, he's a very powerful warrior in his own right, so I advise you to wake your daughter up, and get ready to follow me to a safe place."
Astonished, Ross leaves to pack up their daughter, and some personal belongings. As he walks out, Steven stiffens up.
"Wha... what is it?" Naomi asks.
"He's here. Fallen Angel is here. You must hurry along, and get to safety. I'll meet you at the Midgar Street diner. Now hurry!!"
With those words, Naomi hurries off to help get all 3 ready, as Steven cracks his neck, and starts channeling essence. The door disintegrates, and the figure of Malachite (a.k.a. Fallen Angel) stands there.
"So... it's ShadowTalon... great warrior of the Shadowstar coven."
"Indeed, Fallen Angel. I've been sent to stop you!"
"You can't stop me, weakling! By the Goddess I summon my energy.. Soulfire!!!"
The attack billows out, but Steven dances around it, delivering a sharp blow to Malachite's face. Hearing the car in the driveway start, and pull out, he knew they had escaped. Softly speaking the words, he activates the power he had been channeling his essence into. "Power of the Ancients, grant me the soul of the wild! Speed of Tiger!!"
His movements accelerated, the pair began fighting, their fists flying back and forth, with Steven making 4 attacks to every 1 of Malachite's. As both landed furious blows, the battle waged on for several minutes, until Malachite fell to the ground, with his wrist fractured.
"I'll yield this point to you for now... ShadowTalon! But mark my words, I'll succeed in my mission, and then you will perish! Farewell!"
With a burst of black light, he disappears, leaving behind him the slowly burning flame of Soulfire. Turning to the flame of Soulfire, Steven focuses his energy.
"By the Goddess, I summon your concern. Dispel this energy, and grant me strength from the dispelling. Dispel Taint!"
The fire goes out, having done very little damage. Looking around, Steven is amazed at how untouched the house was.
"Upon my word... things should be very interesting. I should go and meet them."
Hurrying out to his motorcycle, he hops on and rides off, as the police sirens wail in the distance... *********************** Hope you liked this story. Chapter 3 will be forthcoming soon, until then, please read and rate, and tell me what you think.