The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Book I: War
Flutt'ring his pennons vain plumb down he drops
Ten thousand fadom deep, and to this hour
Down had been falling, had not by ill chance
The strong rebuff of some tumultuous cloud
Instinct with fire and niter hurried him
As many miles aloft: that fury stayed,
Quenched in a boggy Syrtis, neither sea,
Nor good dry land: night foundered on he fares,
Treading the crude consistence, half on foot,
Half flying; behoves him now both oar and sail.
John Milton: Paradise Lost, Book II
The Delta of the Night Land, it was suitable name for that blackened range. A great expanse of sharp mountains and deep valleys and canyons stretching for hundreds of miles. For all of its magnificence it was nearly impossible to travel on. Which made Gaol question once again why he was there?
He stepped on ledge the where Tanneth had placed his foot. He watched his team leader carefully, following every move as they hastily climbed the slope. I t was steep and the knife like surface of the rock was another difficulty. The space between Gaol and Tanneth grew as they continued. He became more frustrated as it happened. He knew it was a difficult climb for Tanneth too, but he scaled it like he was running up its side. His body moved more like he was flying over the surface and his hands were only to guide his path. Tanneth reached the top and stopped, gazing out onto the lighted sky before him. It was still a good distance away but he was satisfied with the pace he kept. Gaol came up behind him. Tanneth didn't turn to check. He grinned as he looked at where he was going.
Gaol knelt beside him wheezing slightly as he breathed. That climb was all and then some more of what Tanneth had warned. His hands were blistered and his arms were strained and sore. Tanneth never ceased to maze him even. He seemed to have no limits of endurance. Gaol was considered to be one of the best and he thought he was until Tanneth came. Where he came was something no one knew. Probably they really never wanted to know.
Crouching Tanneth moved forward and stood up at the ledge. His eyes scanned the setting. He noted the altitude and the geology of it ruling out any chance or a rock coming loose under his foot or landing on too soft ground. The river bellow him was far away and shallow, just the same as rock. He looked at the canyon wall. It was higher than on his side. Jumping wouldn't do it alone. He noticed the wall in front of him had some ledges as to grab. He didn't like it but it was the best there.
He stepped back bending his front knee keeping his other straight. He exhaled then breathed in quickly and deeply. He jumped out into the canyon keeping as streamline as possible but still be able to grip the wall. He turned his face as he hit, bruising him above the eye. Well jumping into a wall did that. When he got his feet planted he began to climb. It was a lot slower than what he did not but a minuet before but still quick compared to most. He moved about ten feet the herd the smack as Gaol hit the side of the rock. He smiled as Gaol cursed after he bit his lip on the impact.
Tanneth climbed over the ledged, which is much more difficult than it sounds. The nearly a hundred mile commando journey was almost a third of the way over. He reached the destination that Master Warlock told him. Now he had to get in and out.
He still wondered why Warlock would take this risk but he did owe a favor. Maybe Warlock does hate the Master more than he does. Probably not.
He stayed crouched on his knees. He crawled closer to the lighted area and got his first view of the outpost. It illuminated by nearly a thousand lights and torches. He saw the large tower in the center which he saw about fifty miles or so ago when he crossed a peak. Three smaller towers surrounded it. They were not towers though. They were Obelisks! Three defending such a small out post in such an unreachable area? It was strange. The crater that place was built in made excellent protection on its own. The Obelisks were fully active he could tell. Their peaks were surrounded by a crimson red aura. They were ready to destroy two legions if they needed to. Tanneth wondered why the Master would build such redundant protection? Maybe to guard form guys like me. He smiled. It was an awesome sight for him. He always loved to challenge and beat all what the Master considered to be masterpieces of his design. Gaol came up behind him and stood in great surprise. Tanneth did not even notice his fellow conspirator. He was too busy scanning he area surrounding the outpost. He noticed all the anchors connected to the sides of the outpost and up the walls of the crater. For power? It didn't matter. He spent a minutes thinking. One of the cables wasn't to far away. It was just a small jump off the cliff onto a razor sharp patch of rocks and metal. Nothing Gaol couldn't handle.
He slid down the ledge to a smaller one bellow. Gaol followed. He jump flying over a pointed piece of warped metal. His feet hit the ground and he rolled on his side, stopping only a few inches from a gagged rock which would have impaled his head. He breathed deeply and moved to where the anchor was. It was some sort of chain like what was used for pulling large gears. It stretched over the ledged to where Tanneth could not see where it went. Closer above the cache where the chain disappeared into the side of the outpost Tanneth noticed the sign of the spider. Strange he thought. That wasn't the emblem of the Master or any leader he had to report to. It had to be the sign which to identify the outpost. The Citadel of the Spider? Must have something to do with the chains. They must be critical to the function of this place. He smiled. This would be a lot easy than what he thought it would be.
Tanneth herd a thump as Gaol landed behind him. Apparently it was smoother for him. He walked slowly up to him. He eyes were still fixed in unbelief at the sight of three Obelisks. Tanneth grabbed a pair of binoculars from his belt. He looked down the crater and watched as the guards did their rounds. Gaol said, "Three…"
"Yeah." Tanneth paid little attention. He saw that the guards walked alone but in sight of one another. It was impossible not to be seen.
They sat there for some ten minutes. Anxiety was heavy on Gaol. He stirred impatiently as Tanneth formulated a strategy. The Obelisks were intimidating but they still could be gotten around without any effort by Tanneth or Gaol. The problem was what to do when they got in. There was no apparent opening besides a guarded door. To make it harder they had no idea of what was inside. Big problems for an infiltration team. Not knowing where you are or going usually spelled failure and death. He looked around the sides of the outpost, trying to get an idea of the area. The biggest problem was that they had no safe or certain way of escape. Tanneth knew he would haft to get away on foot but the Obelisks would kill him and Gaol before they could get to any crevice or mountain for cover. Not as if that would stop an Obelisk. He zoomed in on the Obelisks examining their power cables. They were all independent. He would have to shut them down one by one.
Gaol gave a sigh then moved as to jump into the crater. Tanneth grabbed his shoulder and pulled him down. "Not yet."
Gaol was very testy. "Okay, we have three Obelisks. Not one, three. If we even try to get close we will be burnt to a cinder."
"Yeah…"
"…and we have no idea what are going to do or where we are going to go and unless I'm wrong you agree that we are defiantly going to be seen getting in. Not to mention that I don't even know what we are going to steal!"
"Calm down! If you talk to loud the Obelisks will fire. I know your frustration but trust me. I have it under control," Tanneth said.
"Tanneth I said I will help you until death. Why don't you let me in at least on what we are going to find in this fortress?" Gaol said.
"I don't know." Tanneth said with a sigh. Gaol nearly had a nervous breakdown. He put his hands on his head as if he had a horrible migraine.
"That is not what I need hear. Most defiantly this will follow us forever even after we die. Come on you must know what it is."
"Warlock told me it would help greatly in the coming times," Tanneth said.
"I can't believe you trust him. He's one of the five. He's in the Master's inner circle."
"I can't believe you don't. He has done a lot for me and all of our kind. He is the only one that can make the Master's will bend. I refused this mission at first but he persisted. I don't know why." He truly didn't. Master Warlock was probably the greatest among them of all the people of Makai. Surely the wisest. The Master is nothing but a tyrant. Tanneth agreed with Gaol on one thing, after this they would be branded as traitors. He didn't care. "Look, it is not as hopeless as you see it. Warlock said it would be easy to find it in the outpost. He gave me an idea of what it looks like. It is small, about the size of my palm, and transparent. We won't see it until we're close."
"What does it do," Gaol asked?
"He said it reflects. I'm guessing that is a metaphor for something powerful. Any way the only real other problem is getting out safely. That will be easy if I'm right, suicide if I'm wrong."
"Let's say your right."
"Well the Obelisks won't be a problem."
"Why," asked Gaol?
"Becau…"
As he was speaking a humming noise could be herd coming from one of the Obelisks. It sounded like a million insects swarming overhead. The humming sound turned to a thunderclap when it fired. The crimson bolt fired like lightning. The beam traveled across the terrain and into something in the air. The bolt faded and horse cry cru came and went just as fast. Tanneth and Gaol laid ducked behead a rock with their hands over their heads. They barely even knew it fired. The strike was over too fast, a true demonstration of the Obelisk's power. Tanneth peek over the side of the rock. There nothing there. No trace of whatever the Obelisk terminated remained. He was almost glad. That could easily be them. Tanneth laid with his back against the rock breathing deep from the surprise of the attack. Gaol could have been in shock. He eyes were wide with fear. "Tell me again, why the Obelisks won't be a problem."
Tanneth took another deep breath. "Well you see, the Obelisks are meant more as to intimidate. They're here as to protect the outpost as a whole from some aerial attack not keep people out."
"You mean, what ever we are trying to take is not that important to them."
Tanneth nodded.
"But hey can still use them to kill use when we approach."
"Yeah they could but hey won't. I'm planning to slide in on those chains. There has to be some critical reason for the chains or they would just do with out them. Besides we will be moving fast enough and close enough to where the Obelisks will be slow to target. The thing is that they can easily destroy us on the way out. We will need to disable them one by one. I'll leave that to you." Tanneth opened his back satchel and pulled out a metal ring.
"Okay, but how are you going to get in. And how am I going to find the controls?"
"Like I've said before, we will just have to trust in our training."
"It's still too risky," Gaol said.
"But unavoidable," Tanneth opened the metal ring and clasped it over his arm. The metal on the surface became like liquid then a circle within a triangle appeared engraved in it.
"This better be worth it. We'll be traitors after this, no escaping it. Never thought that we would be going out like this. Hope the rest of the team remembers us."
Tanneth sat in silence for a moment. He thought o the team and all the missions he done successfully and for what. He thought of Sincion and what he had said before leaving to go north. Then a smile trailed across his face. "Gaol, if we are to be traitors then lets be infamous traitors in the Master's mind. When you disable the Obelisks block the power line so tension builds in the structure. It should be some goods fireworks."
Gaol made his usual insidious smile that no one wanted to see. "I knew you'd want to go out with a bang."
They both stood up and back up behind the chain. Tanneth went first. He jumped on the chain and slid down the length. Surfing the chain was interesting. Thirty feet away from the wall he jumped up. He kept his body as un aerodynamic as he could to slow him down. He then fell into the open vent. Gaol followed once Tanneth was in. He crouched low and jumped into the vent. It was dark. He fell some feet before hitting the bottom of the vent. It was slanted. He slid further but was stopped by the slid then fell straight down. He fell far he knew. It began to light up and he could see the end. He stretched out his arms and legs to slow him down. It wasn't going to be a nice landing. He couldn't see beyond the end of the vent as he passed through it, it was too bright. His eyes adjusted and he saw where he was. It was a strange metal shaft. It was lined with lights and pike looking devices. The strangeness of the place only distracted him for a moment. He was in an open shaft! He looked down; it stretched for miles bellow him. Gaol began to wave his arms in a panic. No way to survive this. He looked down again to try to see where Tanneth was. He was about to scream when a hand came down and grabbed his wrist. Gaol looked up to see Tanneth dangling from some cable. Gaol calmed down for a second. He was saved again by this man. "Warlock said it was easy right?"
Tanneth nodded and began to try to climb to the opening the cable was from. They both stopped when they heard a roar echo from bellow them. Are the Obelisks going fire again? No, this device, the outpost is activating! He tied to get to opening but to no avail. A strong gust of wind came up from bellow them. It was too powerful for them to hold on to the sleek cable. It caught them and pushed them up into the shaft. The air seemed electrified with some energy, it stun when it hit them. Tanneth looked down and saw a reddish light draw closer.
Tanneth remembered it, the burning sensation of being surrounded by a ragging heat and it feeling like extreme cold. He remembered the darkness with its blinding sense of hopelessness. The feeling of losing yourself in an empty place where death was the only power. He remembered the helplessness of floating in a void of pain. Worst of all he remembered it. The eyes that pierced his mind with unrelenting malice, always there, always starring, speaking the name of despair. Oh that name! Looking around he saw him, cloaked in darkness and chained in inferno. It reached out calling for him.
Tanneth woke up again in a panic. He was glassine in sweat partially from the humidity but mostly from the dream. His eyes were wide he starred before expecting to see it again. But the only thing he saw was the end of his hotel room bed. "Why was that one there?"
He got up and walked to his open balcony. He didn't notice but it had started to rain. It was probably the same storm that he escaped from that boat on. He looked over the city of New Delhi. It was nice to be sure. He hadn't seen too much of it when he first arrived. It was good thing it was dark. He probably would have been arrested for looking suspicious or being without a passport. He did not blend well in India. He thought of where he would run too next. He couldn't stay there even though he wanted to. It was nice and populated, but he was too unfamiliar with the customs to hind. He thought back to the moments before his flashback had occurred. He thought about her. It had really bothered him back then, that fight. Then at that moment he felt a lot different. Maybe he could find her when he settled this matter with Sincion. You could have done what ever you wanted. Unlike me you weren't chained to duty. Instead you chose to stick with me in my almost hopeless crusade. Almost hopeless. He smiled. It was nice to have pleasant memories. Soldiers needed hope. Unless they are insane. They need something to hold onto, or someone. He sighed at the thought of the near future though. It would the roughest road yet for him at least.
Tanneth went into his bathroom. He filled the sink with water and splashed it over his face. The wound on his shoulder look worse now but that didn't bother him much. He still felt the heat from the memory. Still felt the pain too. He starred at himself in the mirror. Who does that name belong to?! His right arm began to shake at the thought of it. That name, that dreadful name! Tanneth would never dare speak it. He barely could even think of it. It was so unlike any other he'd heard and he had heard many evil names. He touched the scare over his right upper torso just bellow his arm. I still have the scare from that day.
Hiei bent his knee and plunged forward with his fist. The world seemed to slow down at this speed. Almost as if he was in a human movie. He kept his eyes forward on his mark. In a fight of that intensity no warrior would ever want to even blink. It was the most intense battle he had participated in, ever. He never met someone so discipline in his stance and posture, and he was even more precise in his strikes than Kurama. Maybe he was even stronger. Gaol stepped narrowly away from Hiei's punch, moving to the side to counterattack. Hiei expected this. He had been fighting this man, or demon, some hour then. It was his common practice. Hiei opened his hand placed it firmly on the ground. He stood vertically and kicked him hard in the gut. Gaol was knocked back but not out. He quickly flipped and threw a blue sphere at Hiei. Hiei let out a sigh of confidence. He had seen this before and knew exactly what to do. It could even be and advantage to him. It came directly square on his chest. He jumped and made his body completely horizontal. It went straight on its normal heading, right bellow Hiei's back. Unlike before this one exploded right bellow him. Hiei was totally open. He didn't expect that. The sphere burned his back and flung him high into the air. He hit ground hard, skidding alone the concrete tarring pieces out of it as he did. He stopped and winced from the pain. The worst kind of cuts are shallow. They bring the most pain. He got up shaking slightly. Gaol was amused. A wry grin was on his face.
Gaol laughed, "Over confidence, it happens. You weren't expecting me to control it like that. Now come one, Hiei. I want to see the demon who mastered the darkness flame. I want to fight the one who commands it fully."
"I won't need it bring you down but thanks for the praise," Hiei said.
"Well it you're still that confident we'll have to continue." Gaol smiled. It was obvious to Hiei that Gaol was not using his full power. He wanted to draw the fight out to wear Hiei down. Then maybe he would use the darkness technique. Also he wanted to have a nice long duel. Something that he missed for a long time. Hiei almost liked him. He had the conditioning the power and the experience of a true fighter. Something the buffoon Kuwabara would need to work on. Gaol bent his knees and raided one hand toward Hiei he then closed his eyes. Hiei felt a strange surge. It wasn't like he was gathering more power but more as if he was redistributing it. Al most moving it around but not in any focused matter. He opened his eyes and starred straight into Hiei's he made no move though but stayed in that position.
Hiei made no move at him. He has something waiting. Gaol appeared no different than a moment ago. Was he just trying a different technique? Gaol breathed deeply in and out without change. He was waiting for Hiei. Some kind of trap? Might as well. Hiei charged at Gaol aiming a fist at his head. His yes widened when he was inches from Gaol's face. Gaol's body moved almost as if he wasn't doing it. It was so fast the vision of him in Hiei's eyes blurred. Gaol came up beside him and brought a knee into his stomach. Hiei had never felt one harder. It might have killed him a year ago. He flew up into the air. Gaol was already there. He hit his for arm on the back of Hiei. Hiei heard the bone crack. It nearly broke. He flew down completely helpless, not even to move and arm or a leg to prevent him from hitting the ground so hard. He felt almost dead as he hit. The impact broke into the pavement and he sank two feet before stopping. He laid there in that awkward position of a moment. How…so fast……what did he do then? I might have to use to it. He placed move hands down and pushed himself up. He felt a pain. It traveled from his upper arm up his shoulder to his neck. He feel to one knee and held his arm, but that only made it hurt more. His should was dislocated. He knew it. He felt the friction of the bone against the bone with out the cartilage as lubricant. He moved his left hand to his right shoulder then with a sharp movement moved it back into place. It was tow loud popes and a lot of pain but it was. But even then it still hurt.
"You like that? It's not any real special technique. You just need the right teachers. The knowledge of it seems to have gotten lost in this day and age. You stepped is incredible and your agility. It fair surpasses even mine. What I showed you is just a way concentrating, focusing your spirit energy as to get around normal limitations. Kind of like slowing time down. It's way of controlling your muscles as to break boundaries." It was impressive. Hiei would admit that. He saw way he moved. It was no different than casually walking to the side. It would make the fight harder but Hiei still felt he could handle it with out the darkness flame to help him.
"Are you trying to beat me by showing off or will actually try to kill me next time?" Hiei boasted. Gaol's expression was that of concern. He his hiding something? Hiei look around. He just had to by some time. He didn't to use it. He can't just obliterate Gaol. The darkness flame was overkill. His eyes came over a surface that glared the flames from the burning abandoned building. It was his katana. That would help a little. Gaol stood between him and the sword though. He would have to dance with him until he could snatch it.
Gaol was in no hurry. He had never had such a rush of adrenalin even when he sparred with Sincion and Tanneth. This was a fast guy. No wonder he won the Dark Tournament. "Must be interesting."
"What?"
"You have the Jagan eye. You must know how rare it actually is."
"More than you…" he laughed slightly.
"Come on such a rare item gives the bearer more than just the ability to use telepathy and to control the darkness flame. Or have not heard?"
"What are you blabbing about?"
"It opens doors. I wonder how long you've had. You can use the darkness flame and telepathy. Please there's more to dip into than just that. You just have to look. Since you're a fire demon it should be easy."
"Shut up. If I need your advice I'd read your mind." yelled Hiei.
"Maybe Warlock could have showed you what I mean."
Hiei did not to hear who Warlock was, not that he really cared much. He charged Gaol. He fist light up with the mortal flame aimed for Gaol's torso. Gaol jumped away and tried to land a blow to Hiei's head. Head grabbed his hand and pulled him down sinking his flaming fist once again into Gaol's stomach. This Gaol let a small wimp as he kicked Hiei in head sending him to land on his back. Gaol held his gut with his right hand. Angrily he charged Hiei and launched a fury of strikes. Hiei blocked most of them but he got two lucky ones on this head. He was angry. Mostly at himself for falling for such a trick. The punches were much harder than they were before. Hiei fell two his knees from the dizziness. He looked at Gaol he looked like water when you skipped a stone across it. He held his head until his eyes stopped spinning and his sight clear. Gaol was tired. It had been a long time since he got frustrated enough to punch so furiously at any opponent. He looked up and was hit by Hiei's fist. He was caught off guard again, by tactics no more tricky than the games he'd played as a boy in training. Hiei followed up by a kick to the burned stomach and to the head. For the first time in the battle Gaol flew twenty feet away and then hit the ground on the flat of his back. This time he wasn't as angry as shocked. He had met for once a worthy demon of killing. He wanted to kill this demon or at least hurt him to give him a lesson in humility but he wouldn't mind fighting this sort fire demon again.
Hiei then had his chance. He bolted to the sword and picked it up, displaying his excellent hand-eye coordination as he did so. Gaol stood up slowly. He smiled when he saw Hiei holding the katana. This would be interesting. Hiei pointed the sword at Gaol challenging him. Gaol smiled and displayed his right hand to Hiei. The band on his wrist glowed blue then took shape as a knife about fourteen inches long. "Let's go!"
Author's Note (IMPORTANT) Kind of a cliff hanger. Yusuke with fight Gaol next chapter I promise.
Thanks to those who sent characters. I have spots already lined up for you. I still need more keep sending. Normal reviews are especially welcome
Anyway this has nothing to do with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but anyone who likes Gundam type stories might want to check out Bird of Prey on FictionPress. I need suggestions for the story. Just look under Stonehenge
Next Chapter: The Heated Chase
Review Please. Thanks for reading.
