Cyrus took his position outside the hidden place of sacrifice and revival, while Fumbles growled lowly by his side. Scratching the soft fur behind the wolf's head, Cyrus also found himself snarling with anticipation of both the coming battle and the coming war. The term bloodlust could hardly describe the sensation he was feeling; though they were growing stronger with each passing second. Thoughts of murder pulsated in his veins, especially the thought of snapping the neck of the one who tore up his only loyal friend. Thankfully, Jael, healed him quickly and his body felt more than capable to stand up to another tumble. Yet, the presence in the air, the tension and rumble before the next strike, distracted him.
The blonde/white-haired demon queen lay her hand upon his shoulder, as though her touch would provide him with the comfort that he needed. "Don't be fooled," she whispered in his ear, "because there will be a time when your strongest warrior will fall, never to rise up again. It would serve you well not to hold onto obsessiveness and power, for the newly risen Micah is not the boy he once was. None of them are." She smiled wickedly. "What they have seen in the afterlife touched them more than any blade being driven intgh great lengthens to prove it, he was deeply aware that the task set before him would not be as easy as he had hoped. Though he began the movement and led it with a skilled hand and mind, it frightened to no end that during his death that He had easily selected others to take his place. He Who Walks Behind the Rows chose others, the students of the law, to take the highest position and lead new generations down the path of true, untainted righteousness. The religion he began, untainted by sin, was handed to others; to others he felt did not earn such a right.
Idbash walked past Isaac on silent feet and felt her presence being drawn back to the little Silksters, who wished to play with another who could have been like them in another life. The adults quickly learned to stay in the furthest corners, where the shadows could act like blankets to cover them from mother and children. The demon easily shifted into her first and truest form in order for her to have quicker movements while within the world of play; the mother kept a close watch on Idbash, but understood that did not have the capability nor the desire to kill her young. As she changed, she felt Isaac's eyes on her also, envious of her abilities to change and mold and survive.
Sano retreated back into his shape too and scurried out of the room after trying yet again to prove himself to the one who would never have him. The baby silksters meeped with joy as they interacted with a creature so unlike their own, an animal with a soft coat and a short bark-like call; an animal which could twist and turn with ease and endure a careless nip at the skin. An animal so unlike them, yet still a strong survivor. A hunter with form; a hunter who held vengeance close to her heart; a hunter, who like the rest of the guests, could not afford to fail.
Running his hands along the dirt, Malachi happily breathed in his fifth breath of human air, and muttered to himself "I'm home." She stood beside him, utterly bored at of her skull with watching him reminisce about different sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touch. "I'm home and I'm ready to feel his little neck in my hands as I squeeze the life out of him." She sighed as he continued on. "I should have been chosen," he muttered. "Me. It should always have been me. His hands were not tainted with the blood of the unbelievers; mine were. His words spoke of things to come, while my hands made sure that they were carried out. But, now, the power shall be mine." His eyes darkened with glee; she could easily feel his evil energy coursing through out his body.
His strength grows with each breath that he takes; he will consume everything in his path and spill the blood of those who betrayed him. Davina let her eyes wander across the great rows of corn and let out a small grin when she noticed the old barn. "There," she said softly, pointing to the place where the unbelieving children took shelter. "There is the place where not even the great Isaac can detect you; in there, remains the first guardians of these sacred lands. The Raven and the Black Dog of olden times; you should aid them when the final mortal battle begins and ends. After tonight, the war of ages shall indeed begin."
Malachi licked his lips. "War," he growled, "and I shall once again demonstrate why I was chosen to lead the hunts of the interlopers and the children who fell from His grace. Oh yes, they shall remember the name Malachi, and shake with fear."
"They shall," she responded, as though it were already a fact. "They shall fear you and tremble when you come up to slash their mortal bodies down...with your old friend at your side." Pulling out an object wrapped in plain cloth, Davina handed Malachi the only thing he ever believed in and smiled with sinister delight. As his hand lightly tread over the cloth, his breathing deepened as he felt the pulsing beat of his closest companion. "I trust that you shall survive this ordeal."
"With my blade stained in the color of my enemies, I shall never fail."
A black winged bird flew overhead and cawed loudly, obviously disturbed by the new intruders invading the lands of Gatlin, Nebraska.
Davina spoke after the bird flew back to the barn. "Then to battle you shall go. And your blade shall taste blood once more."
Kyle paced around, anxious as he saw that night was moving in fast. He could sense another new presence and shuddered with the thought that Raven was indeed right - that they were just too outnumbered to even create a small dent. But he knew that they had to try and at least take down a former leader.
CAW! CAW!
Picking up his head, he watched as Raven soared in, though not as gracefully as she usually did. Transforming as quickly as she could, he noticed her wild eyes and an expression of -joy?
"Raven? What happened? Did you find a weakness? Did you find out that Admatha was wrong about the scheduling and now must wait another 1000 until this takeover plan can work?" He grabbed her shoulders and with as much calmness as he could muster he asked, "Did the calvary arrive?"
Raven shook off his hands from her shoulders and smiled broadly. "She's here," she gasped. "She's here and she's brought him." The expression onKyle's face told her to explain word-for-word what she meant. "Admatha's daughter is here; she brought Malachi out of Hell." Her eyes shined brightly with the hopes that they had a chance to do some real damage and create enough of a tussle to cause Admatha and He Who Walks Behind the Rows to rethink their ambitions. And if the rumors of Malachi were true, then they really did have God on their side.
"Easy boy. Easy Fumblefoot. You'll get your chance soon enough." Cyrus' eyes flashed with anger as night approached the endless cornfieldsand he grip a new blade; the handle of the new blade was wrapped with leaves blessed by Isaac, who held high hopes that he was a worthy warrior, fighting for the honor of He Who Walks Behind the Rows. "They shall strike, but it is we who will win."
The pup by his side growled in the direction of the barn and stamped his paw into the dirt, very anxious to show him master that he would fight with tooth and claw until he struck down and swallowed by the earth itself.
And they both watched as the sun's rays began to disappear, leaving the sky tainted in colors of fiery red, purple, blue and finally black. The corn swayed though there was no wind and spoke in hushed dark tones. Cyrus listened and listened well.
Malachi moved through the corn with ease and hardly noticed as the stalks made wild attempts to hold him down; his hunting knife gleam brightly and slashed through the fresh green stalks, which screamed in pain. Nothing could stop him; after a while, nothing wanted too. The rows opened up and allowed him a freer range of movement and a better visual of where he was heading. Until the Voice spoke.
Malachi, my child, why have you forsaken me?
Malachi stopped and slowly turned around. A large form, hidden in the stalks, watched him with eyes blazing like the very fire that scourged his soul when he was sent to Damnation. Though outwardly he did not show it, Malachi was afraid of the Beast that stood before him and twisted the words of old.
Malachi, the blood-tainted, power-hungry child who usurped the rule of Isaac, the very boy who saved your life. The very boy who gave you the strength you needed to free yourself from the rule of the infidels. The anger that runs through you made you such a worthy child in my eyes; unfortunately, your anger and PRIDE...was the key to your downfall. I did indeed want you Malachi; I wanted you to suffer for your stupidness. He Who Walks Behind the Rows walked through thestalks, hardly disturbing them. His presence was always in the field and Malachi remembered how Isaac described the truest form of the god that all the children blindly worshiped. And here He was. You suffered when I chose Isaac to be My Voice, yet you forget that I chose you as My Hand. I chose you to strike down those who disobeyed MY Word. And you ignored MY Word when you went against the Keeper of My Word. And once again, you stand before YOUR GOD ready to oppose Him. His laugh was cruel and cold. Malachi, my mistake, my flaw; how many times must I strike this lesson into your fragile body? How many wounds will it take to show you that MY WORD IS ALWAYS LAW!
Malachi stood in the rows and watched as the Beast ever so slowly moved towards him. In another time and place, he would have fallen to his knees with fear and awe, but his fear was not as great. Death provided him some dignity. In a eerily calm voice, Malachi answered his executioner. "Your army shall fail you, oh Lord of the Earth; I shall deliver unto you the head of your most loyal servant and with his vacant eyes, oh Lord of the Rows, you shall see yourself for what you really are..." Malachi lowered his eyes and challenge the Beast. "A false idol of no importance. Powerless and pathetic."
From within the rows of corn, the dark form of He Who Walks Behind the Rows pushed back a few stalks with a clawed hand which dripped with fresh blood. Powerless, he hissed, I did not kill my family has they slept, Mal-a-chi. You were a lonely little boy, undeserving of the life you were given. I gave you the power that you desired. I allowed you to use that power, to destroy those who stood in your way. I ALLOWED you the chance to kill for the pleasure and for the earth itself. What has always been in your heart, I gave the chance to grow. Like the corn. The clawed hand withdrew from the small opening and the stalks shudder amongst themselves.
He Who Walks Behind the Rows vanished back into the fields, not wanting to kill his former pupil just yet. And Malachi knew why.
Raven and Kyle watched with demon eyes as torches were lit and the battle cries of the children grew louder and louder. Micah and Ezekiel each stepped out of the place of hiding and surveyed the land that would one day be ruled by only one. Ezekiel Enright walked over to the battle ready teens and casually blessed those who wished for extra protection; Micah on the other hand, let his eyes rest upon the old barn, and Raven let out a shudder of fear. His heart had changed drastically; no longer was he the boy leader who fulfilled his destiny with He Who Walks Behind the Rows possessing him. Now he was darker, after visiting his truest form in the afterlife; he saw the potential within and his true character embraced it.
Kyle spoke both their fears. "Micah's will is much stronger now and I believe Isaac finally understands that this is his last chance to prove himself worthy of leading the generation of evil until the birth of Samuel. This is not going to be an easy war. This is going to kill the earth in its entirety."
"Look at those children; do they not understand what death is? Are they so blind as to allow He Who Walks Behind the Rows complete control?" Raven look upon them in amazement and wonder. And with sadness.
Amanaka slipped past Sano with ease, as he was cursing his luck with women and paying no attention at all; in her quiet, stealthy form she could see her charge reading the Dark Bible, his green eyes scanning each and every page. Easily shifting back into her human form, she walked over to him, while she scanned the rest of the place. Jael, back in human form also, slowly turned and gave her dark grin, which she promptly returned with one of her own. She saw the baby Silksters tumble over one another, trying to best each other at wrestling. Isaac continued to keep his eyes on the book and hardly noticed when Amanaka dragged her sharp claw underneath his neck. "First rule of death matches," she said in a hushed tone against his ear, "is always be alert. Danger is lurking around every corner."
Isaac, however, hardly budged at the idea that this thing from the bowels of hell would really kill him. Mostly as was stated, he could not die without first killing those who fully destroyed his leadership. And they were living somewhere not close to Gatlin. So, he still had some time left; just not as much as he had hoped.
A/N: AHHHH! COLLEGE ...that is all.