The Lost Priest
Chapter 22
Raging Storm
(A/N Sorry it took me so long. I just got out of school and I've had work. I might end up quitting my job a look for a new one. I won't bore you with details of that. You all came here to read this chapter so get reading.)
SOUNDS/sound
Thoughts
Telepathy
(Last Time)
"What are you so giddy about," Abel finally asked, feeling a little uneasy. "Is there something you need to tell us before everything begins?"
"No, not really," Alucard grinned as Abel raised an eyebrow. "I'm just thinking of something. It's very ironic.
"Oh," Abel said.
He turned to look out from his hiding place at all the Millennium soldiers. They were almost in place now. A small pager on his belt went off, signaling the shield was going down. Now it was just 10 minutes until the UV particles dispersed fully. Just 10 more minutes of being with a smug looking nosferatu.
"Then what are you thinking about," Seras whispered. "We're all dying to know what's so ironic."
"It's my little secret," Alucard grinned, putting a gloved finger on his lips as his eyes shift back to Abel. "Perhaps the dear Duchess of Milan will tell you when she feels like it."
"What about Catherina," Abel said, whipping around to look at him.
"It's nothing bad," Alucard said, looking at Abel's eyes narrow for a moment. "I don't mean to upset you in any way."
Abel just turned back to the soldiers as they moved around the streets. He couldn't wait until the air cleared and real fighting would begin. Something about Alucard today was making him mighty uneasy. Was this something that he should know about his Catherina? He really hated when Alucard played his little mind games. This fight couldn't come soon enough.
(Present)
They all grabbed their weapons tight and got into position. Thirty seconds left. They adjusted their armor and rubbed the nervous sweat from their faces. Twenty seconds left. They waited anxiously twitching and fidgeting. 10… 9…. 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
The pagers on their hips went off just as the air around them went from hazy to crystal clear. They watched as the Millennium soldiers started to burn under the rays of the sun as they tried to make it to safety. It was now or never as everyone one fighting for Empire rushed from their hiding places and started taking down every single Millennium soldier that were trying to make it to safety of the dark buildings.
They were like fish caught in a net. They were dead center out in the open with the Empire's forces closing in around them from all sides. This was going to the easy part of the battle. For those who were stupid enough to follow decoys their fate was to burn but those who were smart and stayed inside and those who made it to safety were going to be little more difficult to locate and eradicate.
Seven minutes into the battle and the Millennium soldiers that were out in the open air were nothing more than smoldering ashes. Now it was time to find and remove the ones that are hiding. The Empire's army started going through each and every building rooting out and destroying every enemy soldier they could find.
Abel was with a team consisting of Ion, Tres, Anderson, and Hugue, while Alucard was with Seras, Walter, and Asta. So far things were going smoothly but that didn't mean complications could still happen. They were now in closed-in areas, which would make fighting mostly close range. There was also no telling just how many enemy soldiers were in the buildings. There could be 3 or there could be 30.
Alucard and his group stumbled upon a nice little camp of about 28 enemy soldiers. The soldiers were so far unaware of their presents and apparently from the looks of things they didn't even know anything about what had been going on around them outside. There was no radio signal in this crumpled ruin. They were just waiting for the sun to go down.
Alucard turned to Walter with a certain grin. Walter returned the same smile and he started weave a careful web of thin sharp wire around the enemy camp. The soldiers had no idea what happened next. Eight heads were cut clean off in a split second. Before they could register what happened and grab their weapon a rain of bullets and streams of green energy showered upon them from what seemed like all around.
It was like shooting fish in a barrel. Walter's wires were everywhere; if a bullet didn't hit the targets the wires would slice them into chunks of meat. In less that a minutes all of soldiers were destroyed just bloodied lumps of meat of the ground. It was now on to the next group.
This was a little on the boring side for Alucard. He sort of wished there was a little more fighting going on, but the whole point of this attack was the element of surprise. However, Millennium did the same to them, so why not return the favor in full? Despite that he still wanted more entertainment than what was being handed to him.
Abel and his group stumbled upon a group of about 15 enemy soldiers. The group quietly split up, ducking behind rubble and damaged furniture. Abel and Tres cocked and aimed their guns as Anderson, Hugue, and Ion withdrew their sharp blades from their sheaths. Their attack must be swift and quick.
Abel and Tres went first bringing down a shower of bullets as Anderson and the others came in low, getting those who tried to run. This was the 3rd group they hit in the last 34 minutes. This was proving to be more time consuming than anything. They locate the enemy, they get into position, and then they go in for the kill. A 3 step process that was very simple but it was also very tedious.
The other soldiers were feeling the same way, however, as an hour or so progressed by the hiding Millennium soldiers finally got wind of what was happening. Surprise attacks were happening everywhere. Now that the jig was up some real fighting had begun to take place as more Millennium soldiers became aware of the attacks.
They were now devising their own surprise attacks against the Empire. They would lure Empire soldiers in with decoys and ensnare them, killing them brutally. Some of the enemy soldiers decided to play them at their own game. They would take the identity of Empire soldiers to radio information about what happening back to Millennium.
Now things were really starting to heat up. No one knew who was on whose team anymore. Too many uniform changes from both sides began to cause a large amount of confusion and fear. Was it a Methuselah or a Nosferatu? Now Methuselah were killing Methuselah and Nosferatu were killing Nosferatu. Identity checks had become more highly enforced before anyone could even enter or leave the palace gates and even those already inside were screened. This whole plan had gone to shit in less than 4 hours after it started.
The leaders stared at the monitors and listened to the radio reports. It was chaos out there. No one could tell who was who anymore. They were so confused they began kill their own comrades without even knowing it. No one looked nervous than Cain a slumped down in his chair and bit lightly on the end of his thumb. This was his idea and it was going to pieces before his eyes.
"CALL EVERYONE ONE BACK! NOW! BEFORE WE END UP KILLING EACH OTHER!" Augusta yelled at the top of her lungs. "I WANT EVERYONE BACK AND THROULY SCREENED BEFORE THEY ARE RELEASED!"
"Yes, your Majesty," the radio operators said as they started sending out the retreat order.
"Cain, I hope you know that this fiasco falls on you," Integra huffed as she bit down hard on the end of her cigar. "It was your plan after all and it bombed. We all hope you have backup plan for this and that you will share it with us."
Cain let out a long sigh as he pushed himself back up in his seat and closed his eyes as if to think. He slowly reopened his eyes, looking down his lap before lifting his head to look at a scarlet faced Integra.
"I do not," Cain said with a shrug. "This possibility didn't even occur to me."
"You've created a hazard for all of us," Maxwell hissed. "Now no one is safe! Not even in the palace!"
"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Cain growled. "It was a large mistake that can not be fixed! No doubt some of our soldiers had anti-UV gel on them. This will pose another large problem. Any chemist even in early the 2000's could break down the chemical composition of the gel and reproduce it."
"That would cause even more problems for everyone if so much as one tube makes it back to the enemy's HQ," Catherina groaned, rubbing the sides of her head. "Right now is daylight and at this time it's reasonably safe for Rome and Albion. This was part of their plan of course to gather some our era's technology."
"Who knows what else they may get their hands on," Esther bit out. "They have the anti-UV gel and cloths. If we aren't careful they could get hold of Empire's UV shield as well!"
"She's right," Cain said, looking back at Augusta. "They could reduplicate the UV shields and use them for their own benefit. We need to destroy the machines.
"D-destroy them! We can't do that," Augusta barked in surprise. "This whole city thrives on those machines! We can't just destroy them!"
"It may be the only way, you're Majesty," Maxwell stated, from his wheel chair. "If you built them before you can rebuild them again. Whatever other city that may have the protective barer you need to tell them to destroy them!"
Augusta remained silent for a moment or two. The whole Empire was thriving because of those UV shields to take them would cause more harm than help. Unlike the capital some of the poorer cities in the Empire required those shields because a lot the houses didn't have anti-UV windows; some couldn't afford UV cloths, or even UV gel. She had made it standard that every city had a shield installed. Now she had to destroy every single one of them just so that the rest of the world wouldn't suffer.
"Augusta," Esther asked quietly. "Are you all right?"
"Do it. Order the destruction of every UV shield in the Empire," the Empress said in a hushed tone, proving she didn't really like this idea as operators sent out the message. I hope I'm doing the right thing by doing this.
"We were more prepared to fight against each other than we were to fight against something from the past," Catherina sighed in disgust. "They had atomic bombs back in your era, am I correct?"
"Yes," Integra said as Maxwell nodded.
"I hate them damn things," Augusta huffed quietly.
"They are what destroyed the world during Armageddon after all," Cain stated clearly. "Nearly 1000 years later and one can still find devastation from the massive bombing."
"So, do we run the risk of them bombing us with atomic weapons," Esther asked.
"Yes. You don't have to have huge atomic missiles. Dirty bombs will do enough damage," Integra sighed, putting out her cigar. "It's imperative we stop them ASAP before they use them not to mention chemical and biological weapons as well."
"This just keeps getting better and better," Maxwell groaned.
"Tell me about," Catherina huffed out. "What's our status on the retreat?"
"So far everyone that has entered the palace is in a large holding cell, the ballroom in this case, and being screened. The screening is being overseen by the Duchess of Moldova. So far we've caught 135 enemy soldiers. They are now in the dungeons—awaiting both questioning and execution," Baibars announced clearly.
"Oh, great," Augusta drawled.
"However, some of our soldiers will not return even when ordered," Baibars stated. "They wish to continue the fight regardless of the retreat orders. Some of these even include nobles such as the Duchess of Kiev and the Count of Memphis and their parties."
"Alucard, Walter, and Seras will never retreat," Integra boasted. "The same can be said about Catherina's men as well no doubt."
"Or my Anderson, let us not forget," Maxwell spoke up.
"Oh, right your Anderson," Integra said in a blasé tone. "Your one lone fighter."
"So far our two strongest fighters are Abel and Alucard," Catherina said. "Cain, why don't you join your brother out there?"
"You can't get rid of me that easily, dear Catherina," Cain cooed at her. "Why don't we send the beloved Empress out instead? I wonder how good her battle skills are now a days."
"Are you stating that I've lost my edge," Augusta hissed.
"Perhaps your edge is a little rusty," Cain made it sound like a challenge. "Why not show us just how sharp or how dull your edge really is."
"Perhaps at a later date," Augusta barked.
"Empress, we are picking up something on the radar," someone said aloud
"What are you picking up," Augusta asked. "An airship?"
"We would fair better with an airship but this isn't the right kind of radar to pick up an airship," the man stated, walking up to her with the print out and Cain took it from him.
Cain's eyes widened. Oh, yeah. They would all take an air battleship than what was forming right above their heads. Well, this sure as hell topped off their day.
"This is the last thing we need," Cain barked out.
"What is it," Esther asked with worry.
"The weather report and it not sunny anymore." Cain said, looking at it more closely. "Does anyone here know how to duck and cover?"
It was now getting close to 3 in the afternoon. Dead bodies littered the ground of both Methuselah and Nosferatu. The smell of blood hung in the air along with smoke and gunpowder. Dark clouds heavy with threatening rain now covered the once sunny sky. That posed yet another threat. UV gel came off with water or sweat, which is why each Empire soldier kept a tube or two on their person.
Lightning flashed violently over head followed by rolling thunder. This was going to be one wicked storm brought on by the summer heat, but the storm was the last thing on everyone's minds. They were still fighting a war and a summer storm wasn't going hinder them. If it rained they would continue their battles under the protection of the buildings.
Both Abel and Alucard's groups had long become one again. They would attack both head on or by surprise if the opportunity arose. Alucard, Walter, and Anderson preferred the head on approach, while Abel, Seras, and the others liked the element of surprise when they could. Most of the time they would let Alucard in the others go into battle first and follow a bit later when some of the enemy tried to make a run for it.
This was a little bit more to Alucard's liking. Actual battles not the shooting fish in a barrel method they were doing earlier. He just couldn't wait until the darkness and then he would be back in his element. Then he would really have some fun. The sun was no great enemy to him he just didn't like it. It drained him some of vampiric powers.
Also come to think of it Abel wasn't going crusnik. Did the sun bother him in that form? Despite the fact that Abel didn't transform he still used his inhuman speed, strength, and some sort of telekinesis that he used to blast holes in the chests of the enemy.
Hugue, Walter, Ion, and especially Anderson were having fun dismembering the Millennium soldier's bodies into butchered meat chunks. Seras and Asta on the other hand enjoyed blasting everything away, not that they didn't get close and personal to the enemy themselves when they were fighting.
This was a war that cried out to be fought. A storm that was only starting to rear its ugly head just like the one beginning above their heads, and this storm was going to come down hard and heavy. They had to be ready to face it head on.
The wind began to pick up and small watery drops started to fall lightly at first, but as the wind picked up so did the rain. This was not good. They needed to find shelter and fast before the UV gel washed off. Good thing the enemy soldiers didn't know that little detail.
"Seras, we need to get to dry cover," Asta stated.
"Why? What for," Seras asked.
"The UV gel is water soluble," Ion exclaimed, grabbing her hand. "Let's get inside!"
Ion pulled Seras into a building followed by Asta just as the bottom fell out. Despite the rain coming down the foolish Millennium soldiers that didn't read the warning label had begun to burn where the gel had washed off. Alucard, Abel, and the others who stayed outside in the storm made quick work of the burning enemy.
The group outside pussyfooted around a bit in the rain as if a way to cool off from the heat that was until they were getting pelted with golf ball sized hail, coming down by the bucket full. They quickly joined the others inside with their hands over their heads, yelling profanities and yelps of pain.
The storm only started to get worse. They couldn't even see a yard outside the windows. Perhaps it would be best to get far away from the windows and find an inner room with no windows. The windows began to rattle and the building began to creak and moan. They quickly hurried into what looked like a small office with four walls and no windows. They would just have to wade out the storm in the dark.
The whole building was rattling and this one wasn't in shambles. If this wind keeps up it sure would be. A few minutes later their pagers went off. It only flashed "Weather Warning."
"We're not in the middle of a…" Seras asked.
"It is summer time do the math," Anderson said a bit sharply.
"Could we find a lower room somewhere," Ion spoke up over the wind.
"Negative. We are already inside a small room with four walls and no windows," Tres started. "We are currently inside a possible tornado zone leaving this room would be unwise."
"The android has a point, for once," Hugue drawled as they heard glass shatter not far from them. "A very good point."
"We'll take vampires head on but a storm we cower in here like scared rats," Alucard grinned.
"I don't know about you but I don't want to wind up in the Land of Oz," Abel stated with a weak laugh.
"Yeah, no over the rainbow stuff for me please," Seras snorted.
"Well, think of it this way it gives us a break," Walter said, crossing his arms.
"Oh yeah, some break. We're going to be nervous wrecks until the storm passes over," Asta sighed. "Could this day get any worse?"
"HUSH! I think Murphy's ghost is listening in on us," Abel said, putting a hand over her mouth. "And he's applying his law wherever he sees fit! Don't give him any more ideas!"
"I think you may be right," Walter groaned, rubbing the sore muscles in his shoulders. "We didn't get to go home, we started fighting a war, the war turned into a fiasco, and now there's a raging tornado outside. We're good."
Alucard turned his head towards the door with a peculiar look. They weren't alone in the building and with what he saw with his third-eye wasn't anything good. He only had time to yell out a warning.
"GET AWAY FROM THE DOOR!"
KAAAA-BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!
(A/N Sorry, it took so very long. Well, tell me what you think? Was it any good? I should have more chapters to other stories coming up soon. See ya.)
Millie M. Basnhee