The Goliathus Chronicles

Chapter 24- Family

/

Darius Jenner frowned, staring at his sister silently as she scrambled out of her bed absolutely terrified, and backed up quickly against her wall. For a few moments she rubbed her eyes as if to be sure she wasn't dreaming, but when she opened her eyes again, the wavering image of her brother was still there.

"Darry?" she choked out in a hoarse voice. "Darry?"

"Yeah...calm down would you? I ain't gonna hurt ya."

"But...but Darry..." her eyes filled with tears. "Y-you can't be here...this isn't happening...ghosts aren't even real..."

Darry smirked, folding his arms. "Oh, I assure you they are, sis. Personal experience, it's amazing what you learn. Listen..." His expression fell again. "...you've gotta listen to me, and prepare yourself. There's a whole lot of shocking things that you're going to discover and I'm trying to make sure you don't have a psychotic episode over it." He paused. For one moment Trish saw that his eyes looked fuzzy...but it passed quickly. She noticed the lower half of her brother was far more translucent then his upper half, where his face was eerily glowing as if there was a light behind it.

She just shook her head, unsure of how to respond to what he said.

Darry glanced over to her stacks of newspapers and articles, pointing to them. "Plan on getting revenge, don't you?"

Trish followed his gaze and suddenly made a connection. Darry was going to try and stop her, wasn't he? She remembered that fateful night when the creature finally had Darry, arms tight around his neck, and she had pleaded with all her might that her life be traded to spare his. Even when her brother had been absolutely swamped in fear, his love for his sister shown through, he didn't want her to try and talk the creature out of taking him.

"Don't bother Dar...just don't. Don't try and talk me out of this. You don't even know half of what I have planned. The kind of things I plan on doing when I capture that monster. He killed you Darry, and tore a part of me out of my soul. I have to make sure this doesn't happen to any more sisters and brothers...or mothers and sons...fathers and daughters...I..I just can't let it happen anymore." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued to gaze at him, still disbelieving and wondering if maybe she really was dreaming.

Sighing, her brother went out like a light bulb, then reappeared even closer to her. Trish forced herself not to gasp in surprise, feeling a strange static sensations spreading over her arms. She kept staring at his eyes, deep brown doe eyes that always had a way of talking her into giving him anything he wanted when they were kids.

His eyes are still there?

"Sis...listen to me."

"Yeah...yeah Darry I'm listening, I swear." She closed her eyes tight, fighting more tears. Good gawd, but could this all truly be real?

"The Creeper...his name is Goliathus. There is this woman, Ami...she managed to...change him...you have to believe me. But I can't sit here and tell you the whole story, I don't have much energy left. But I can do this..." he reached his arms out to her, touching her shoulders. Trish stiffened, feeling the ice cold sensation on her skin.

And then suddenly..floods of images came, images of the barn, a girl inside talking to the shriveled creature strung up like some kind of carnival display. Images of scientists,

psychologists, a strange large structure with bars and a triangular roof, and...him.

Him.

Trish gave a shrill cry, her mind shrinking back from the sight of the Creeper. Always, always she had tried to block that horrible visage out of her mind, but she knew that if she was going to stop him she had to do research and couldn't hide from it forever. And yet...seeing it this clearly...brought back her fear of him all over again.

"Darry, stop...STOP..." She finally opened her eyes again, to mere slits, peering at her brother, who was barely visible.

"Trish..he's not what you think anymore. You will have to confront him..and learn for yourself."

What..what is he talking about?

"I forgave him sis, and someday you will have to yourself. I have to tell you more, but I'm out of time."

The hell...? Is he fucking serious? Forgive that monster? How could I ever forgive him?

"Darry...you can't expect me to..." her voice drifted, as she realized her brother's image had faded. He was gone just like that, and she hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye.

/

"Wake up, sleeping beauty." Marcus stood standing over the shriveled form of Dinarius, whose eyes had slowly opened as the head-claws pulled back.. "Ten years are up, time for you to get to work." He grinned wickedly, and kicked the heradus in the side. There was a wheeze, a weak snarl, and the cloudy eyes focused on him.

"You've got some humans to kill, and two little freaks of nature who should never have been born. And meanwhile..." he twirled the whistle in one hand. "...I've got a problem to finally get rid of."

Dinarius tried to think of where he was...or why he was here, but nothing would come to his mind which felt like an empty tomb. All he knew was that the Hunger was flickering inside him and then...it burst into a raging lion, pain spreading all throughout his body and demanding all of his attention. He screamed out, a pitiful, weak cry that only made Marcus chuckle.

"Now you've only got ten days...my little slave...so don't disappoint me. I'd be very unhappy if I had to wait another ten years for your pathetic self to wake up again."

Dinarius struggled to get to his feet. His breath came in wheezing, dusty drags and he looked as if he might fall over and back into unconsciousness at any moment.

"Hun-ger..." he managed, looking helplessly at Marcus.

Sighing in great annoyance, Marcus turned and left the room, leaving the damaged heradus to stare at the door, wondering what to do next. A few minutes later however, Marcus had come back, with a bloody bucket and something sloshing around inside.

"Here, eat this for now. It should suffice, and then no more delaying. You need to get out there and find those kids first...then that girl Miss Ami..."

Kids? Ami?

At his blank look, Marcus struck him hard across the face.

"The CHILDREN, you fool. Navius, and Solarus. Kill them first, and then their mother. Is that so hard to understand?" He rose his fist to strike again, but Dinarius shrank back.

"Yes...I...I under...stand..."

"Good. And don't even think you can resist. That demon has you as its puppet, and you will obey." He chuckled, grinning evilly, and shoved the bucket into his taloned hands before turning and walking purposefully out of the cell door, still twirling the whistle in his fingers.

/

Navi looked down at the ground below, standing high upon the precipice of the mountain close to their home. She had watched her father jump, dive, and then spread out his enormous wingspan before flapping twice and disappearing into the cloud-filled sky.

Now, you try it.

Her father was nowhere to be seen, but she could still clearly hear his mental sending. Navi looked around, but her eyes were moist and she put her arms around herself.

Too...high...

Navi... She felt her father's words, trying to soothe her. You must learn to fly. Going about soaring all the time will do you no good. Those wings of yours will work, trust me.

There was no response. She dug her talons into the rock beneath her feet, and simply stared at the tiny rivets they were making.

Navi?

A whimper escaped her, and she looked back towards the Atrium in the distance.

Can we go home?

Are you going to even try?

I want to go home.

NAVI.

She looked back down over the rock, and saw the ground far below. It was weird, she was never afraid of soaring around the Atrium or going to the high ledges. She knew she had even flown up to some of those ledges, or at least it felt like she had. But here...here was an entirely different matter. It was so high up...and the wind was loud in her ears...

Her voice cracked, as she spoke out loud, tears now streaming down her face.

"Too high, daddy..too high!"

In the next moment he came down from high above, whooshing down upon the precipice and sending great gusts of wind over Navi, who stumbled a few steps back as she regained her balance.

I would never have expected...that any heradus would be afraid of heights.

She blinked up at him with wide, moist orbs of blue.

I did not want to believe that before, but now...

I'm sorry...daddy...

I am not angry. But you must learn to overcome this. I have overcome many things...and so can you.

He reached out his arms to her and Navi hugged him tight. But his intentions were not a mere gesture of affection but rather he leapt up into the air with her, high above the clouds.

Navi did not scream but kept her eyes tightly shut as she clung to him against his chest.

And then...he suddenly dropped her.

Now she screamed, flailing impulsively and instinctively turning her body around, fanning out her wings. She glided, but her direction was aimless and the wind carried her to its whims.

Move your wings! Ride the currents, do not simply let them carry you away! Goliathus followed her quickly, keeping a close eye. He had hoped for better, but his daughter's terror was pounding in his head and he wondered if she had even heard him.

The current carried her down, and she was fast approaching the hard earth below.

Navi! Listen to me, flap your wings and ride the currents!

But despite Goliathus' desperate instruction, Navi did nothing but glide haphazardly, still spiraling downwards and paralyzed from her inner turmoil.

Growling slightly he quickly dove and brought his wings tight against his body, rapidly increasing the speed of his descent. He caught up to her and grabbed her in his arms only seconds before his feet met the ground, and a bit roughly at that.

After a few minutes of stunned silence, he heard his daughter's sobs. She shrieked, kicking at him angrily and pushing away from him, tumbling onto the ground.

Navi...

She shrieked at him again, piercing and loud. Then she bolted towards the Atrium, leaving him standing there and wondering if he could ever make her understand what had just happened.

He watched her for a few long minutes as she ran farther and farther away, then slowly made his own way down the path.

/

Back at the Atrium, Ami was elbow-deep into her old journals and study sessions she had done with Goliathus. Julie stood nearby, helping her out and talking about some of the Resistance Tests and how they had improved over the years. There was a loud slam of the door, and Ami looked up to see her daughter crying and running to her room. The children no longer stayed in the Atrium, Ami had finally gotten them bedrooms of their own, mostly to Navius' delight. She did lover her little brother, but his cocky attitude and constant teasing had led into frequent squabbles, causing Ami to feel it was time they had a little more space between them.

Frowning, she looked over to Julie, who shrugged, shaking her head. Ami sighed and got up quickly, heading towards the bedrooms. She found her daughter's room locked and knocked quietly, but could only hear continued sobs on the other side.

Navi? It's momma. What happened, are you OK?

Knocking on the door again, her frown deepened. Navi was very sensitive and she knew this, but even this was more crying than usual.

Navi..sweetie?

Momma!

Yes, I'm here. Are you OK?

Yes but...he dropped me! Why did he do that?

What? Dropped you? What do you mean? Are you talking about daddy?

Yes! He wanted me to go on another flying lesson, but I couldn't jump, it was so high and I was so nervous. He came down and I thought he was going to take me back home...but then we went up real high above the clouds and he just...dropped me!

The sobs continued, and Ami felt the hairs bristle on her neck.

Well...what happened then?

I just...I just fell..sort of half-gliding towards the ground...but before I crashed, daddy caught me. I was so mad at him though that I just ran away. I don't understand, momma, how he could do that to me! I was really scared...

Oh, oh Navi. Your father is only trying to teach you. Although him and I are going to have a discussion about it tonight, you can be sure of that. It's okay sweetie...you can come out and I'll make you some dinner. Are you hungry?

A few more stifled sobs sounded through the door, then there was a click as she opened it.

Yeah...

Ami smiled warmly, gathering her into a hug. Navi wrapped her small arms around her neck as her mother carried her into the kitchen. As she warmed up some choice organ meats for her, Solarus came scrabbling onto the linoleum floor as if on cue, sniffing the air deeply.

Navi saw him over her mother's shoulder and giggled instantly at his antics.

Oh, well, look who came out of his dungeon. Ami raised an eyebrow at her son, grinning.

He shrugged with a wry grin and looked up at Navi, blinking his golden-bright eyes at her.

You look a little sad...

Yeah, long story.

Oh...you ok?

Yeah, I guess.

Solarus didn't know what else to say to his sister, he was never good at consoling. Instead, he just waited impatiently as Ami prepared their meal.

Goliathus had finally made his way back, thinking intently the whole way. He truly hoped he had not gone too far with Navius, but he had thought his plan would work. The fact that it hadn't worried him in more ways than one. Navius was extremely talented now with the bow and arrow. She loved to paint and was a natural artist like her father.

And yet...she still couldn't fly. She was afraid of heights, and didn't trust her own abilities.

Afraid of heights...is it..a human trait? She is after all, part human...

He sighed deeply, and caught a whiff of the meat being warmed in the kitchen. Licking his lips he lost his train of thought as the hunger set in and made his way towards the scent.

When he got there, he saw both of his children eating...and Ami was scowling at him.

He huffed, whined, and then sat at the table, knowing she was displeased with him.

Goliathus, what the hell?

It was as you once told me, how in nature birds will often teach their young ones to fly by kicking them out of the nest. It seemed like a good plan.

Ami shook her head, clicking her tongue. Except this isn't a baby bird. This is your daughter, with thoughts and feelings. Feelings that are telling me she's got an issue with heights. And you really blew it this time. How is she going to trust you the next time you try to go on a flying lesson?

He looked over at Navi, who met eyes with him briefly, but then quickly looked away. Her expression was more hurt than angry, however, which tore at Goliathus' heart.

I suppose I am not good at being..delicate. But you cannot teach her this Ami, so who else is there?

Yes I know...and sometimes I wish I did have wings, but, all you need to do, Gollie, is remember that she's still young, and looks up to you. She's also very sensitive. Trying to force her to fly is not going to work, you'll have to come up with something else.

Goliathus only nodded at this, feeling misery build within him. What on Earth had caused him to make such a sudden, drastic decision?

Navi...forgive me. I will not do that again. I thought it would work, but I was wholly wrong...we will have to come up with something else. But I do not want you to give up.

She turned to him, eyes softening.

Ok daddy...I forgive you. She sighed, as if still very frustrated with him, but he could tell that her fear had evaporated and she was already letting the event be behind her. It was far easier then he had thought.

This child, her heart was like shining gold, something he wished his own heart could be, but knew would never happen. And yet, he smiled at her with a goofy grin, causing Navi to giggle. Solarus blinked, looking back and forth between them, chewing slowly on a piece of liver.

Peh, I'm not scared, are you going to take ME flying, dad?

Ami chuckled at her son, the ever fearless one. Lately Solarus had been gliding with more gusto everywhere, it certainly seemed he was up to the task far more than his sister, even though he was younger.

Hm...maybe Solarus. And maybe you can even help your sister build confidence. That might be a grand idea, actually.

Solarus grinned through his mouthful of meat, pleased at the unexpected praise.

/

Patricia sat on her bed, sniffling and wiping the tears from her eyes. She stared and stared at the spot her brother's ghostly image had been, not knowing whether to believe what she had seen or refuse the whole situation and erase it from her mind. After all, how could Darry tell her not to try and destroy that thing? To tell her it had changed?

She scowled, getting off the bed quickly and swiping at a pile of her collected papers, knocking them off the desk. Maybe the creature was trying to fool her, and this really wasn't Darry at all.

She watched the papers as they settled on the ground, and she titled her head curiously, catching sight of something familiar. Slowly she reached down and picked up an old, worn photograph. Looking at the picture closer she saw a silly picture of her brother with his new beat-up looking first car, standing near it with a proud and lopsided grin on his face. She remembered how unimpressed she had been with Darry's insistence to buy the old clunker, but how the car ended up being good after all. In fact, they had chosen to drive to college in it and go on a little adventurous expedition.

An expedition that had ended in tragedy.

But as Trish suddenly began to sob, it wasn't really the picture that got to her, or even the memory. It was the words he had written on it with a black Sharpie, staring back at her and proving what she had seen.

Every last moment of it.

'Trust me on this one, sis!'

/

Dinarius flew through the night air almost blindly, letting familiar scents lead him where they may. He had woken up with few memories, but they seemed to slowly be returning as little fragments, here and there.

He did remember Navius...but Solarus? There were two now? And why did he hate them so much? He couldn't remember any reason to hate them, and yet he felt nothing but a desire to kill them, and brutally. Confused he clutched his head, moaning. He heard an icy, whispered voice, and surged forward, reaching ever closer to the Atrium.

There was an emptiness as well, as for some odd reason he reached around his neck under his white mane, as if expecting something to be there. But all he felt was the surface of his rough, scaly hide. He frowned, trying hard to remember, but all he could see in his mind was blackness, swirling around like a dust storm. The hunger leapt to a new level of pain in his midsection and with a groan, he beat his wings harder, forcing himself to go faster towards the scent.

/

The Atrium became eerily quiet as the children were fast asleep and most of the lights were turned off. Ami was still awake, doing another session with Goliathus, who came to her now deeply troubled over the event earlier in the day with Navi. Ami would frown, trying to express that it was merely poor judgment and that reminding him that he had given a heart-felt apology to his offspring. Still, the heradus was in a sad mood, and this sort of mood was difficult for Ami to bear. She listened closely, as Goliathus then began to reminisce about similar situations that brought about bad judgment, such as the time with a certain older psychiatrist.

I know you still miss her, Gollie. But...I told you, it was an accident. And I don't know if it was necessarily your bad judgment, but more of hers.

She trusted me. And that trust cost her her life. Is that will what will happen with Navi? She will trust me, but one day, I will be such a fool as to cause her death? He shuddered, fighting the urge to let tears form.

You can't possibly compare the death of Dr. Leyden with the flying lesson. She persisted, Goliathus, to get the most difficult memories out of you, the ones you didn't want to remember, because you knew they would fill you with rage. Perhaps you even sensed she would be in danger if you told her, and so you tried to resist. But the whole reason you decided to tell her in the first place is because you cared about her.

You care about Navi, she is your daughter and I know you love her as much as I do. I think, in a way, you need to learn from this event, and see that you need her as much as she needs you. She will teach you things about yourself that perhaps you didn't realize before, and in doing so, you will become stronger.

Ami smiled, sipping on her usual mug of tea. And when she sees you are getting stronger, her own confidence will grow.

Goliathus looked bewildered, meeting her gaze. She is lacking confidence because...she senses my own unease?

Yes...I think so. I wouldn't doubt it.

He nodded, but Ami wasn't sure what all he meant by it. Understanding , or another sense of defeat? She hoped it wasn't the latter.

Suddenly, Ami saw a growing tension in his eyes, as his head jerked to the side, and a growl erupted from his chest.

"What is it?" she whispered, staying still but eyes anxiously scanning the room. "Vampire?"

No...it is Dinarius...

Ami's face drained of all color. She put the mug down slowly.

For ten long years, she had tried to forget about Dinarius, and suddenly, his return was here.

What were they going to do?

He'll go after the children, Goliathus... Her mental voice was full of anguish.

Snarling, the huge heradus stood, claws tensing.

He will have to get through ME first.

/

End of Chapter 24.

Hey there folks! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I purposefully made it long (part of it was from the next chapter but I decided to combine it instead) and I am glad to say that this story is back on track. ;) I have ideas on how to finish it, and soon I'll get around to starting the third installment. I will appreciate your reviews with much appreciation, so let me know what you think.