Enter the Dark Hunter

Enter the Dark Hunter

Reverend Markus Ghent pulls off a dusty highway side road in his Kabarda Anti-Grav Car which accelerates forward down and along the main highway passing a large green road sign which reads Reflex Mega-City 10 miles.

The car was covered in dirt and dust as it travels along, leaving a small dust plume in the haze of the early morning heat, as it swept along the highway.

The highway itself leading to Reflex Mega City had two lanes heading in either direction with a low level wall separating the two highways.

Markus Ghent checks the time on his wristwatch and compares it with that of the in car clock to confirm that it is 11 am in the morning.

Reaching down with his left hand he changes gear and then reaches over for a bottle of Johnny Walker Black label whiskey which he then calls up and takes a long satisfying pull from before tucking it down in amongst some bids of luggage and paraphernalia.

Thinking to himself he recalls what he packed for his journey which included several personal items such as clothing as well as importantly his collection of books and personal computer on the occult and the supernatural, including his custom revolver, two shot guns and Winchester rifle.

Reaching for the in car radio you change the frequency to better pickup on a news radio broadcast.

“This is Steve Skele with the latest Reflex news and updates on Radio Reflex”.

“With the spate of kidnappings that have swept through reflex mega city, there is yet to be any discernible developments from reflex megacities police force”.

“As of yesterday there has been no further development in yet another kidnapping that has struck yet another family; with a young seven year old boy being taken from his home”.

“Today they were two more sudden and mysterious kidnappings with an 18 year old women and a forty year old man discovered missing in the early hours of this morning”.

“As with other kidnappings there was no sign of forceful entry or identifiable findings to go on”.

Thinking to himself Markus said aloud "I see the angels of death”. “They're gazing down upon me”. “They must be guiding me”.

“Something seems to be striking the large inhabited areas”.

“Whoever is responsible they have to know the end is near, but that makes the situation dangerous indeed?” “I must make haste”. “No time to rest."

“I must be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour”.

“I wonder if the Demon I have been following is truly here, but something tells me that perhaps there is more than one evil at work here or perhaps may be it is all connected”.

Markus reached to his chest and gently pulled out from under his black shirt and out from behind his string vest an ornately patterned silver cross which he gently caressed for luck.

No sooner had he returned the cross, he saw a startling sight, there was a figure walking down the middle of the road completely undisturbed by the busy traffic moving about him. Markus got closer, he saw that the man had long white hair, dressed in all white flowing robes with a cross stitched in red borders on the lower half of the robe. In his right hand he held a staff.

There was something totally off about this situation; in particular the man walking down the middle of the highway was somehow managing to avoid being hit by any traffic at all.

There was something about this whole scene that gave Reverend Markus Ghenta a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, and that there was something bad coming.

The figure dressed in the white robes, long flowing white hair, staff in hand paid little heed to the various cars whizzing by him, nothing more than the buzzing of flies within in his mind. His eyes were focused on a specific anti grav vehicle, a vehicle containing a man who needed to experience the truth, to see that his faith was ill placed in a god that did not exist. Well, at least as he thought God did.

With each step forward, he sees his prey coming closer and as Markus Ghent's car nears him, he simply reaches out with his left hand which phases through the car. His hand solidifies long enough to grab Markus tightly about the neck, then both the man and the hand phase out again. The white hair of the man flips about in the wind, a cruel, cold smile appears upon his face as he gazes upon the now wide eyed Marcus. The white haired man suddenly changes direction, heading towards the field, carrying Marcus, holding him up a few inches above the ground in an effortless manner.

The now empty car of Marcus's veers sharply off towards the wall, slamming into it with tremendous force then careens off that wall to begin cartwheeling down the highway. Anti grav engines whine, rubber tires squeal, engines roar as they try to avoid the careening vehicle only to cause problems of their own. One car piles into another, another piles into another one, each creating a cacophony of screeching, rending and tearing of metal, shattering glass and exploding tires and engines, the highway becomes a road of death and destruction. Soon, there are at least twelve cars warped, twisted and bent together, their bodies shattered as severely as those within but it doesn't end there as two fossil fuel cars explode in a brilliant ball of destruction, flaming pieces and chunks of debris flying across to the other highway where chaos starts again.

The white haired individual neither looks nor cares at the death and carnage taking place behind him but he does derive great pleasure in the look of horror reflected in Markus's eyes. Almost a hundred feet into the field, the man stops and drops Markus to the ground, the ground trembling slightly as a massive explosion happens. The white haired individual pulls the staff closer to his body in a manner to which he can lean upon it, gazing down with uncaring eyes at Markus.

Behind the white haired man, Markus bears witness to a horrible, deadly situation. the highway, both ways is a mess of tangled, broken vehicles; twenty two cars this side, thirty one cars on the other highway. An unnatural fire, blood red and dark purple burns upon the highway and within can be heard the screams and cries of the dying and wounded.

"You, Mr Markus," the white haired man says with a cold tone, "are not a very bright person are you and your faith is as hollow as the god whom you worship!"

Reverend Markus Ghent’s face becomes one of confusion as the strange long-haired individual carrying the staff begins to approach his vehicle as he drives along the highway.

With a stifled cry of surprise Markus Ghent watched a strange man reach towards him and his vehicle, his arm and hand almost phasing out to become solid inside the vehicle as he felt himself being grabbed around the neck and yanked free of his moving vehicle.

Markus then felt himself rising into the air in the strange man’s grasp and as this occurred Markus came to the realisation that his Kabarda Anti-Grav Car would-be pilotless Kenwood careen by itself down the highway to wreck havoc.

Markus looked on in horror and shock as this certainty about his vehicle became true; as he watched it smashed into the highway partition, along with another vehicle which failed to dodge his Kabarda, clipping it as it did so before spinning just in time for another oncoming vehicle to collide with it.

With the ensuing destruction and the panicked screams of people; the crunch of metal on metal Markus could only look on in regret and anger at the situation that had befallen him and the hapless people caught up in it.

Shortly Markus felt the strange long white haired individual bringing them into land in a nearby field nearby the highway.

As the strange individual released him from his grip he immediately fell face down to the ground, the smell of the Earth hitting him immediately, the grass prickling his face.

Turning his head to the left he looked up at the strange white-haired man taking in his strange clothes and the staff he was carrying, but what struck him all the more words that were spoken to him by the strange man.

“You...you...WHAT ARE YOU...WHO ARE YOU?”

“I follow the true faith and my Lord God is true and pure”.

Markus then picks himself up standing to his feet turning to face the strange long-haired man.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:” “For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me”... “Let all those who carry the mark of the beast cover in terror!” “For I will come for them as I follow the murderer's trail”.

“Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found WANTING”.

Markus quickly reaches around with his right arm underneath his long brown leather trench coat to his lower back and reaches for his waistband where is custom revolver is tucked into his trousers and belt.

Snarling as he wheeled around with the weapon he then levelled it at the strange man before him and fired; emptying the revolvers eight shot chamber, a cloud of smoke billowing forth from the empty weapon filling a small portion of the air between Markus and the strange long-haired individual.

The white haired man's eyes widen as though something horrific has just occured to him. He stares blankly for a moment at the hostile and angry Markus, his smoking gun in hand glaring back at him with anything but righteous anger. Where the bullets entered the white haired man's body, the holes heal instantly, vanishing as though they had never existed and not once, did he flinch.

A whimsical look flickers within his eyes, a tiny smile of amusement pulls at the corner of his mouth and for a moment, he remains that way, unmoving, unblinking. Seconds later, he suddenly becomes very animated, arms and hands wailing about in an almost frantic manner, patting himself down as though he were trying to discover something.

"The Mark of the beast? Where, where. I must see, I must see," he wails out in a mocking voice, then just as suddenly as he became animated, he stops and begins to cry, his facial expressions taking on the appearance of sorrow. "I've been weighed and measured, and have been found wanting? Oh no, I feel so.....lost, so stricken with sorrow. Oh woe is me! Where did I go wrong?" he cries but his tone, his words are in a taunting fashion."

He pauses, grinning mockingly at Markus. "So how was my acting? Was it good, did I convince you? Maybe I should get down on my knees and pray to your god for forgiveness or better yet, maybe I can seek your council, oh good and wonderful Reverend. Maybe you can instruct me on proper, godly etiquette, maybe you can help guide me back from my dark ways."

The man takes a step forward, an eerie feeling creeps coldly into Markus's heart. The man seeming to loom over Marcus, a dangerous, deadly predatory look in the white haired man's eyes.

"As to your query about who I am, well, I am Crucifix and your faith is about to be put to the truth, you pompous ass," his grin anything but comforting.

Reverend Markus Ghent shortly after the gun smoke clears begins to utter the words "I am the will of God, messenger of the divine punishment of...Fuck!”

Markus stands absolutely astounded his mouth agape; watching as the bullet holes and exit wounds on the man’s body begin to heal and magically close by themselves.

He then goes on to listen to the man in front of him mark everything he believes in as a lie and mock every word he has said.

Lowering his revolver Markus Ghent simply says “Judge not, that ye be not judged”. “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again”.

With that said Markus turns on his heel and runs from Crucifix.

Crucifx breaks into laughter as Markus spouts off his speal about his beliefs and god and then tries to run away. Oh, the futility of a man who's belief lack true faith. Crucifix watches Markus for a few moments, then with but a thought, appears beside Markus, floating as fast as Markus is running.

"Going somewhere, Markus? Are you running to God or maybe you're seeking out a church to pray to the being you believe in," Crucifix says with a mocking tone. "You know, I find it rather amusing that you talk about faith and your belief in your almighty god and here you are, running away. Here you are, running to save yourself while turning your back and your faith on all those dead and dying back there."

A cold laughter echoes up from deep within him, taunting, mocking and now, ridiculing Markus. "Is your faith as hollow and empty as your words, Marcus," he gleefully shouts.

Reverend Markus Ghent as he runs suddenly catches sight of Crucifix floating alongside beside him; he then pulls a peculiar face in admonished astonishment

Listening to Crucifix berate him some more on his faith and religion, riles him up inside to no end.

“Faith who are you to talk about faith”, snaps Markus.

He then suddenly runs around in a loop tempting to make his way around Crucifix towards the highway and the carnage and destruction that was wrought upon it.

“Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me”.

As he does so he naturally assumes that crucifix himself would change direction to follow him.

“Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?”.

He then waits for this to occur and then faints as if suddenly attempting to change direction again but then lunges instead at Crucifixes staff in an attempt to grab it.

“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”.

Crucifix watches everything take place, even allowing his staff to be taken in Markus's clever move. He had to admit that the good Reverend showed great courage and tenacity, especially being just a simple, normal human. Yes, for a brief moment, he admires Markus's courage, then looses his grip upon his staff, allowing Markus to take it.

"The Lord doth giveth and does taketh away, but he isn't here, I AM," Crucifix answer's in a matter of fact way. "I chose to let you have my staff and now you shall see, be made privy to the cold, hard truth of what life will be like. I'm sorry to say, Markus, but your God is just a small being in the larger scheme of things such as was the death of your brother at the hands of Caleb. He was but a minion doing his task."

Crucifix pauses, offering up a cold, calculating smile to Markus, his eyes are dark and uncaring. "You reap what you sow, Markus," he chides.

((Markus's grip on the staff will become unbreakable, his vision blurs and hazes as something dark, evil and sinister will enter his soul, chill his heart with fear as he begins to relive the death of his brother, relive all his failures and short comings, meeting face to face his greatest fear in life. Whispered voices will taunt him, haunt him, mock him as he suffers, until finally, it ends, yet his grip remains locked upon the staff, Markus somehow knowing that it was not over.))

Crucifix stands inches away from Markus. "Where is your God now Marcus? Will he come to save you? Has he even heard your prayers?" Crucifix says, his words filled with sarcasm. "I doubt he even cares!"

Cold, sinister laughter rumbles up from deep within Crucifix, the kind of laughter which one experiences when they have knowledge others do not. It is the laughter of arrogant confidence!

Reverend Markus Ghent smiles triumphantly as he manages to take away Crucifix’s staff.


Turing round with his left side facing the highway pauses as hears what Crucifix is saying.


“What are you trying to say…are you saying you’re a god”.


“You and Caleb did this, you where responsible for the death of my brother…you murdering basterds…why”.


Markus Ghent soon begins to have the look of worry upon his face as he listens with out much choice to what Crucifix has to further say.


Shortly it begin to dawn on Markus that maybe there was a greater darker scheme to all things in life such as why did bad things happen to good people.


It was then after that thought as he continued to hear the words of Crucifix a cold feeling began to well with in him, rising from the pit of his stomach.


He then suddenly found his grip on the staff would not relinquish and then no sooner had he attempted to struggle his vision began to blur as the cold feeling swept up wards to his chest and then trough out his body filling him with a sense of evil, fear and dread.


It was then he began to see before him part of all that was the worst in him, all that he had failed in, his greatest fears born fruit.


He then unuttered a keening wail as he began to relive the moments of his brothers death, over and over again, the strange voice taunting and mocking him as it swept though the horrific vision before him.


When it ends Markus yells out in aguish but he was left with an odd sense that told him his ordeal was not yet over.


“If my god where hear; he would save me; only he does not see or chooses not too, he does not answer” he says his voice fading under the sinister and cruel of laughter Crucifix.

Crucifix stares with cruel eyes upon the man before him. No feeling, no care for the one named Marcus, a simple man of faith, a simple man of belief..... Just a simple fool. Crucifix steps closer as Markus cries out in pain, his grip held fast to the staff, falling to his knees in agony. Crucifix watches with indifferent amusement, knowing the tortures now taking place within the good Reverend's mind. Crucifix takes a knee before the tortured Marcus.

"That is what all say, all who believe in the almighty god, or Allah or Buddah. Its always the same, always the same pathetic excuse; he does not answer because he chooses not to or he will not answer if he wishes to do so or....." Crucifix reaches out, grabbing Marcus tightly by the throat, bringing the man's face closer to his own. He looks deep into the blurry, fading, tortured eyes of Markus.

"Simple fool! The god you've been led to believe in is a fallacy, a tall tale spun by those who sought to control the masses of people, to lead them around like sheep, to give false hope to those who needed it." Crucifix sneers "Who you pray to is nothing more than a symbol. I, I am a god and that," he chuckles, "is the god's honest truth!"

Crucifix howls with laughter at his own pun,finding himself rather clever. But when he looks down into Markus's fading eyes, he notes the man is not looking at him but up and beyond him. On the Reverend's face, Crucifix watches one corner of the man's mouth turn up in a smile. Crucifix spins on his heels.

He curses in vibrant anger!

((Markus feels his heart suddenly burst with faith as akin to a light exploding with brilliant force, giving him a feeling of comfort and warmth which now battles against the darkness within him. What he sees with his fading eyes is a symbol of his faith as he bears witness to an individual, feathered wings spread wide,descending to the earth. His smile is for the symbol which appears to blaze behind the winged creatures head, a four pointed star within a circle, an Angel's Star.))

((As his eyes fade and he slowly slips into unconsciousness, a war rages within him, the primal battle of good versus evil, right versus wrong, a battle, a crisis of conscience which eventually defines each individual within life. As his eyes close, the vision of his angel burned deep into his mind, only one song of faith speaks forth within his thoughts, a song which had crossed all barriers all cultures and all faiths. A song which he has known for many a year, a song with great spiritual power now plays within his soul but surprisingly, not as he has expected. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvYIjFtPQEk
))

(So yer guy is going out cold so play whatever is going through his now unconscious mind. I'll wake him when its time...hehe So for right now, he lives within his mind. Make it good and interesting...hehe))

Reverend Markus Ghent drops to his knees in grief and pain, his hands sliding down the staff but never losing their grip.

Dizzy Markus sways a little on his knees but remains up right as he listens vainly to what crucifixes saying to him but then the blurred village of crucifix gets closer as he feels his tormentors hand grasping around the throat pulling him closer.

A thought begins to take shape within his mind which soon begins to form words "Darkness, it’s all around me”. “The light that has led me... has deserted me”. “Did it ever exist?”

Forced to hear what Crucifix has to further say as he continues to verbally cast aside everything; Markus gasps as he tries to speak but it was to no avail as he slowly passes out slipping into unconsciousness.

Suddenly within Markus he began to feel something building within his heart then began to emanate throughout him in a bright and vibrant force which began to fill him with comfort and warmth.

He then began to sense that this feeling building forth within him, seems to be almost divine in origin, as he then began to almost rouse to consciousness and as he did so he caught a glimpse of a symbol that was of his faith.

What he saw was a glowing individual with large feathered wings descending to the earth, and it was then that he strongly believed what he was seeing was an angel, and what confirmed this was a glowing image of an Angel star behind it.

Markus Ghent as he saw this vision before him remembered a passage of Luke which soon came to the forefront of his mind “A vision of angels, which said that He was alive”.

It was once again that he slipped into unconsciousness as the struggle within him began to increasingly bulid between that of good aganist evil.

A titanic battle of faith, conscience and will, the defining principle of humanity and life.

Within Markus’s mind an image began to take shape showing the damage structure of the cathedral set up on a hillside.

Inside the cathedral itself a penultimate struggle was taking place, between an image of Markus in his holy regalia, and another image of Markus in his younger days with a more scruffy and dishevelled looking veneer, representing him as a thief from Markus’s past.

It was then that these two images representing the light and dark side within Markus fought vying for control.

Soon the good Markus though the stirring within him as he began to hear music which he recognised as Amazing Grace only it was performed by Native Americans.

The good Markus recognised that this particular piece of music had been heard by him in many different varying forms but it signified that there was a unity amongst all peoples, no matter what race or religion they came from.

This then seemed to inspire the good Markusand seem to imbue him with some kind of new-found strength, and as such it seemed that he began to grow large angel wings from his back.

Upon seeing and experiencing this the evil Markus steps back taking this in and then seemed to growl in anger, in response as his eyes began to glow red and a staff began to appear in his hand.

It was then that these two representations of good and evil within Markus began to do battle in a titanic struggle of the will, faith and strength over each reach other, for the conscience and conscious dominance of the host.

Sergeant Elisha Glass finishes his investigation on the outskirts of Reflex city , he looks back to the corpse of the dead meta that had attacked him . Looking back to his AV-31 ,a one manned Vtol assault vehicle and noticed that the armored glass of his canopy was some what melted. Thinking to himself damn do I hate fire breathers, I just got that fixed last week , Rita is going to kill me . Suddenly something in the back of his mind told him to hold on to something . Grabbing on to the railing to the cockpit the shockwave and deafening boom of a very large explosion rocks his tiny ship so hard that it is nearly flipped over on it’s side . Slamming hard against the fuselage and crumpling to the ground , he is awoken by a concerned male voice over the speakers in his helmet . “Patrol 1491report ,what the hell is going on out there one of the satellites just picked up a huge explosion not more then two miles from you location.” Elisha shakes his head and sits up slowly ,Control ’ I have no idea what that was can you rout a visual to my head up? “No can do all satellite telemetry was lost after the explosion. The last bit of info we go was that it was meta related and what ever it is out there is off the charts!” This can’t be good, says more to himself then control What are my orders control? ” You are to recon the area and do not engage till backup arrives.” Elisha climbs the ladder to the cockpit of his ship and keys the start sequence the heads up display in his helmet shows all systems are green. Taking firm control of the stick and throttle, the craft starts to lift into the air . Even from this distance the flames can be seen, using a toggle on the control stick Elisha magnifies the area. A man lays on the ground, another stands over him in all white robes and a staff. Computer run M.P.L (Meta Power Level) and start recording . The two individuals are then outlined in white numbers start to appear next to the man on the ground and the man in white. The counter next to the man in white only shows a blinking red omega sign next to him. Staring in disbelief hit’s the com button , Control we have a red Omega situation out here. Suddenly a voice he has never heard before comes over the speakers in his helmet. “ This Administrator Gordian Pavilion , who is this and are you sure you have a Red Omega situation ?” Confused as to why the head of the meta taskforce was now questioning who he was ,this is Sergeant Elisha Glass Call sign Pyriel and yes it is plain as day sir. “ Sergeant you are ordered to stand down and leave the area immediately .” Elisha panned the camera left to his utter horror amongst the twisted metal of the crashed cars there where hundreds of civilians standing and watching the scene. Shit ,Control we have civilians all over the area they need to be evacuated ……… “ This is the Administrator, that’s a negative Sergeant, you are to leave the area NOW!” Sir , you do know that if this guy really is a Red he could kill all of these people with a snap of his fingers. “ I know that Sergeant and you won’t be one for long if you don’t get your ass and that Av-31 out of there .” You know what sir people come before machines so you can stuff your orders. Elisha set his Vtol into motion toward the scene before he could get any closer suddenly a winged female human shape is fluttering behind the man in white. After serving for years on the meta taskforce Elisha knew those wings could belong to only one person Angel Star ,things had just gone from bad to worse.

Off in the distance, safe from any immediate prying eyes, stood a lone figure under a large maple tree. He had arrived moments after the multiple car pile had started, witnessing the chaos and carnage created by the being known as Crucifix as he casually reached into a car to pull out a man by the name of Reverend Marcus Ghent. The car the man had once controlled had become a mobile, ballistic weapon which caused the devastation now burning upon both highways with an unholy fire of blood red and muddy colored purple flames.

Across the highways, he could see the exchange taking place between Crucifix and Markus, one man trying to retain his faith in something that did not exist as he had come to be taught while the other taunted, tormented the reverend, stripping away his faith. Things were going Crucifix's way until "she" showed up, causing even the man beneath the maple tree to curse softly at the feathered winged woman known as Angel Star. He could sense, could feel the emotional change in Marcus's mind, the man's faith slowly being built back up, brick by brick, but despite this, the man beneath the maple tree stilled chuckled with a sense of humor.

Markus was a simple Reverend, a normal man who had no real idea of his true destiny, the purpose he would one day come to see and understand but until that time, the good Reverend was free game. Markus was not a man with a great purpose, but given the right situation, the right conditions, one single person with a strong, single belief in which they have strong faith can change the destiny, the course of life itself. But until then, Markus was oblivious!

The man beneath the maple tree, dressed in an unassuming pair of jeans, a plain white cotton shirt and hiking boots looks out over the situation before him, knowing that a fight was about to happen. He chuckles as he turns and begins to walk away, knowing full well how the outcome of this fight, if it happens, would turn out. Crucifix had been out of the picture for some time, recovering from the wounds sustained at his defeat during the Crucifix wars. Even though he knew of Angel Star, he did not know of her and Crucifix, despite what he thought, was not fully in the loop, did not fully understand what was taking place in this dimension.

The Dark One known as Xanfaya gazes up at the warm, glowing late morning, crossing his hands behind his back as he casually strolls along. He would leave the stupidity between Crucifix and his father to them and let Crucifix find out just how strongly Angel Star defends her world, this universe. He had other plans himself and with the entry of Reverend Marcus, Xanfaya, though he had few such thoughts, believed today to be a very wonderful and beautiful day.

Elisha watches in absolute shock and awe as Angel star and the man in white square off . Looking down he sees all of the onlookers still standing there watching. Kicking the throttle into high gear on his Vtol Elisha heads towards the people flipping on the out side speaker as soon as he get in rage. "THIS IS REFLEX CITY PD YOU ARE TO EVACUATE THIS AREA EMEDEATELY ." Some people moved off toward their cars but others just stand there watching the fight that is about to ensue. Damn it what is with these people? GET OUT OF HERE ! The people who stayed all start to kneel down and pray. What the hell are they doin ………he looks from the kneeling people over to Angel star, Oh NO.

Angel Star! Shouted many of the people standing nearby watching the situation unfold.

"Help those who are hurt within the accident," many of them cried out.

"Help the man who fights the one in white," boomed the voices of some.

These were always but a few of the things, the demands and requests heard by her every time she showed up. She had not seen the accident unfold, only felt it, knew it happened a blink of an eye after it did. She had quickly assessed the situation as she arrived; the burning cars in the unnatural fire, the dead, dying and injured scattered about and within and the crowds of people now mingling about. Some were doing what they could for the people involved in the accident until help arrived while others stood in wonder and curiosity, watching the exchange taking place between two men in the field. It was those two men in the field which garnered most of her attention, especially the one in white with the matching colored hair.

She didn't like the look of the one in white and liked him even less as the exchange between him and the other man appeared rather onesided. As she approached, she had witnessed the other man resisting and upon getting closer, she could hear the two men bantering back and forth; the white haired man attacking, the other defending. She noticed the man make a grab for the staff of the man wearing white, noticed the man suddenly drop to his knees moments after acquiring that staff, the man in white leaning over him, taunting him, mocking him and his belief. Angel had gotten close enough to which she could hear the spoken exchange of words, could hear that the man on his knees was a man of god while the other..... Well, what she knew for sure, what she had heard was his claim to being a god.

In the mere seconds it would take for her to land, she could not help hearing the man's cries of sorrow and pain, most likely from the staff he was hanging onto but what stuck out most, what touched her heart were that man's final words before he passed out, "If my god were here, he would save me, only he sees not or chooses not, he does not answer." Those were the words of one who's faith was being tested, who was hanging onto his beliefs in a critical, challenging moment; yet, uttering those words in the understanding of why his god would not show up yet hoping he would.

Angel felt for this man, understood him and as she landed, the man with the long, flowing white hair had spun around to face her, cursing at her in vibrant anger, the type of anger which she somehow felt was more than just the result of her arrival. She believed it was directed at her and was suddenly struck with a dark, uncomfortable feeling of danger!

As her feet touched the ground, she could hear the gathering people shouting out to her, asking, demanding, suggesting, telling her as to her course of action. As always, she took it all in and came to her own conclusions; she had to find a way to put the unnatural blood red, dark purple fire out, keep safe all those standing in harm's way and help the unconscious man who now lays crumpled upon the ground, his hand still fastened to the staff.

Angel did not know why this man in white was here, nor did she know or even understand why he appeared to be angry with her or the foreboding feeling she had been suddenly struck with. But on the other hand, little did she know that her arrival had saved a life and little did she know her arrival, her appearance had salvaged a man's faith.

Angel asks but one simple question, "Who are you?"

His response came in seething, hostile curses as he stalks the two dozen feet which separated the two, dark energy beginning to swirl around his hands.

"I HATE Star Children!"

Elisha lands his vtol just beyond the crowd opening the canopy, he scrambles out of the ship and runs to the crowd . Finally making it to the first person he yanks her off the ground . You’ve got to get out of here this fight is going to get nasty . She just looks at him with glazed eyes and a serene smile on her face she just goes back to her knees. Damn it people you have got to move , he screams . Taking his side arm he fires into the sky this seams to wake a few people out of their trance . You have all got to run ,the backlash of this fight will kill you all. She is not what you think she is!! Suddenly Elisha is blindsided by a rock . Saying nothing a man bends down to pick up another , many do the same . Elisha easy dodges most of the rocks and starts to run back to his Vtol . The people stop throwing as he moves away . Ripping off his helmet , Elisha looks on as the people who where throwing rocks go back to kneeling . Knowing that there is nothing he can do but try to move this fight away from the civilians he climbs back into his vtol and takes off . Central I know you aren’t going to answer me but you have got to send some back up out here to get these people out of here. Nothing but static comes over the speakers. Sighing Elisha arms his weapons and move away from the people and takes aim at the man in white. Thinking to himself ,God please let this work . Elisha fires off a few rounds with his 30 mm cannon and flies off away from the people hopeing Angle star and the man in white would follow . Oh I'm so going to die.........

The first few attacks by Crucifix were batted aside with relative ease by Angel Star as she was feeling him out, so to was he doing the same with her, batting aside her attacks. But for Angel, his last attack had pushed her force field to the limit and unlike him, she had given that fact away. Whoever or whatever he was, he was powerful and though she had turned away his attacks, she knew it would only be a matter of time before he got through her defenses. He could not be taken head on, no! She had to find another way.

To add to this dilemma, she had remained alert to everything else around herself; the people, the odd magical fire still burning out of control and now, somebody, probably the police, had moved in with an Osprey, a winged VTOL which had maneuvering turbo propeller engines. The aircraft had landed as she and Crucifix squared off and being in a position to witness it, she had seen a man try to clear out the people, some of them on their knees, looking out at her as though she were some angelic being sent from God above.

She strained under Crucifix's next attack, his foul mouth blurting out words almost as powerful as the dark force energy blasting forth from his hands. She shook her head knowing that people were kneeling, looking out at her as some divine being and even though she was, she didn't prefer to be seen that way. She loved and valued all of life but she loved humans the most; their curious ways, their odd beliefs and the myriad of emotions which they lived by. Unlike them, she knew they were more like her then they could ever imagine. The same hand that had made her had made the people of this world. Maybe that is why she loved them so much.

Angel Star stopped the first of Crucifix's next attack but the loud "crack" of a weapon distracted her long enough to lose focus on her force field. Dark energy envelops her, launching her twenty yards through the air, hitting the ground hard, furrowing it another twenty yards before coming to a stop. She had been feinting and moving about the field of battle in an effort to position herself to protect the people, but now, she regretted that. As she staggered to her feet, people started to converge on her, surrounding her in an effort to touch her, to speak with her. She looked out towards Crucifix, her heart leaping into her throat as she could see he was gathering energy about himself. This was not good!

As she erected a force field about herself and as many people as she could, she readied herself for his attack. With her force field around so many people, she didn't know how effective it would be and with his previous attack having hurt her someone, she simply hoped it would be enough. His attack never came!

A 30 mm cannon suddenly speaks loud and clearly in defiance against Crucifix, spattering about the ground, a couple of rounds tagging him. Though they did nothing to him, they did anger him, causing him to turn and fire at his new assailant. Even with forty yards between them, Angel could here him speaking vile words as he launches the dark energy he had been gathering for her at his new aggressor. Angel took the moment to quickly speak to the people in words which commanded the people's attention. In the time it took for Crucifix's blast to hit the enemy aircraft, the people had cleared away from Angel.

She saw the damaged craft spinning out of control but she had no time to do anything but take advantage of the situation her benefactor had granted her. "Whoever you are," she whispers, looking out to the Osprey, "Thank you!"

Crucifix watched as his attack slammed into the Osprey, obliterating its left wing, sending the craft into a smoking spin. He smiles in satisfaction as he takes a brief moment to watch the aircraft spin about like a drunken dancer but when he turns his attention back to Angel Star, his smile quickly vanishes! He sees Angel coming down on him, arm cocked back, her face etched in purpose. There was no time to erect anything but a weak defense, little time to do naught but curse her within his mind.

Angel had leapt from her position, sailing through the air with quick ease, using the moment to get the jump on Crucifix. For a moment, as he looked her way, she took pleasure with his look of surprise but only for a moment as her fist came down upon Crucifix, fully intending to bury into the ground. The impact was thunderous causing kinetic energy in both shock waves and localized earth tremors, spewing up earth as the ground shattered one hundred yards in all directions. People were now definitely moving; running, shouting, crying out in fear and terror as they realize the situation had just become real.

In the cloud of dirt, dust and debris, nothing could be seen but the thunderous hits applied to Crucifix by Angel Star could still be heard, sounding almost like the booming thunder of a 125 mm cannon.

As the osprey is running at full speed away from the man in white Elisha feel a warning in the back of his head telling him to dodge right but he pays it no heed . This ends up becoming the biggest mistake of his life. Looking left Elisha sees a bolt of dark energy tear though the wing of his Vtol sending it into a flap spin. Elisha is pressed back into his seat as the airship twirls into the ground sending wreckage everywhere .  

           Elisha awakens to a dull pain in his arms and in both legs . Looking down he sees that his armor is bathed in blood , but the life support systems in the armor had kicked in and was forming a tunicates on his legs to keep him from bleeding to death. Elisha reaches with his left arm to try and open the cockpit door but as he does so he only pulls up a bloody stump his arm lays on the deck of the cockpit . The  systems in the arm of his armor kick in and stems the loss of blood from his arm . Elisha looks out the cockpit window and sees Angel Star as if for the first time . Finally passing out Elisha thinks, at least I will die looking on something beautiful.

Reverend Markus Ghent struggled in his unconscious mind, in a place that was no sense of place at all and yet was a sense of place...was it real or was he descending into madness.

He stood facing off against his evil younger self, who wore a scruffy brown leather jacket, a dirty blue shirt which is open to reveal a grubby white T-shirt underneath, furthermore he wore dark blue jeans and brown walking boots.

His hair was shaggy and unkept, his eyes glowing red as he snarled at Markus Ghent’s good self.

The good version of Markus Ghent as he stood in his fully ordained priest outfit, heard sounds from somewhere nearby which soon gave him a great feeling and sense of religious fervour, along with that of a new presence.

“I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries”. He said out loud directing his gaze to his evil self.

But suddenly it was then as if his otherworldly self garnered with his evil expression, as he began to instil within him some kind of sinister and beguiling presence.

The evil impression of himself walked forward and stood before Markus Ghent and said “your soul is lost, don’t you see your efforts at your perceived redemption are futile; there is no God...only the one who has proven that there are other gods and they are proven to be fact where yours is just simply a foolish idea".

It was then as if remembering something the good Markus stood still with the called sense of fear and dread gnawing at him from within as he spoke slowly the words in reference to crucifix “I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him”.

But it was then in his sudden moment of doubt that he steeled himself once more swinging with his right fist to punch his evil self in the face yelling out the words “Call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord”.

The evil Markus Ghent reeled back from the punch and snarled throwing himself at the good Markus Ghent which then sent the two of them crashing into two nearby wooden and rotted Church pews.

Angel struggles!

She has fought and battled a variety of foes over her years but this person, this being who called himself Crucifix, truly was, a god and she was not strong enough! Her attacks were barely doing anything, her hits seeming to do more to anger him than damaging him, but yet she must fight on, she must lead him away from the people and the devastation already caused by his presence. She also had to know, to find out what happened to the pilot of that Osprey. She owed him her thanks. She had to find a way to deal with him, to contain him.

Only a mere five minutes has passed since her leaping attack, since shattering the ground. She had launched him from the crater with a harsh, well placed uppercut, chased him down, continuing her physical onslaught but with each hit, a sinking feeling took hold as the truth slowly dawned on her; Crucifix was finding this rather amusing, his grin becoming larger and more humored with each of her hits. Angel's power, her endurance could allow her to continue this assault for days, she somehow knew he wouldn't allow it. She was right!

He had to admit, Angel was one tough cookie, having felt everyone of her attacks, especially the initial assault which started it all. Unlike her, he didn't show it, absorbed what pain was managing to get through all for the purpose of what he was seeing in her face now; doubt! Her last attack had been a flurry of fists and feet finishing off with hard backhand to his head followed up with a solid hit to his stomach which forced him to stagger back. He felt that but was not about to show it. Crucifix stands straight, looking Angel's way, wiping the dirt as best he could from his outfit.

"I must say, that is quite a display of power, young lady," he says with a cold humorous look her way. "But I think, by now, you've realized that it just won't be enough."

Angel simply stares at him. This was unbelievable! She had hit him with almost everything and here he was now, seemingly unaffected, talking to her.

His chuckle is cold and empty at seeing the look on Angel's face and knew now it was time to dish out his idea of an ass kicking. "I'm just curious as to what you call yourself, Star Child?" he asks.

"Angel Star," she responds in a somewhat awed voice.

"If you didn't hear earlier, my name is Crucifix!"

"What are you and why are you here?" Angel asks, taking a few steps to her right.

"Well aren't you just a Curious George," he sneers.

Angel scowls back at him but a gut feeling tells her that Crucifix was not about to tell her. She had a feeling that things were about to get ugly, so she steeled herself for the inevitable, hoping that help would be coming soon. She could hear the distant, wailing sirens of emergency vehicles, knew that the local PD and the meta special task forces were either amongst the oncoming emergency vehicles or would be on their way. That was not the help she was looking for. As her eyes quickly scanned the horizon, she wondered if anyone at the Ranch knew what was happening out here. Little did she realize that this man's arrival had also triggered a situation at the Ranch, a situation which had knocked out both Oda and Marilee, this world's two premier telepaths, the owners of the Ranch and the leaders of the meta's which call the Ranch home.

"Looking to the skies for help, Angel?" Crucifix taunts. "I doubt anyone will show up soon enough. Well, they may but not soon enough to help you, little Star Child," he growls.

Though she had been ready, she had not be prepared for this. He simply vanished. She couldn't feel him, sense him anywhere and when he reappeared, there was nothing she could do. His fist hit her with the force of a freight train, snapping her head back, stunning her. With a twist of his body and a snap of his shoulder, his elbow slams into the right side of her face, the force of the impact shatters her jaw, forcefully twisting her head in the opposite direction. She staggers and falls to the ground.

She struggles to stay conscious, her inner voice screaming loudly to fight back, to defend herself, to do something, anything. Angel struggles to her hands and knees, turning her head to gaze upon Crucifix with the glassy eyes of one who has been stunned. Her instincts can do little more than brace for the impact of his next attack which comes from a vicious kick to her mid section. The kick is so brutal, it forces an explosive exhaling of air from her lungs and launches her in a slow twist through the air. She lands almost two hundred feet later, hitting the ground with force, her body bouncing and tumbling for a few feet before coming to lay in a jumbled heap of pain and breathlessness.

Angel struggles to move onto her back. She glances towards Crucifix fully expecting him to follow up his attack, but he hasn't. Fear rises within her heart as dark energy swirls about his hands. Anguish fills her heart as she bears witness to his utter cruelty as his attack kills a number of innocent people.

"Why? Why would he do such a thing," her mind screams. "There was no need for you to do that," she tries to yell to him, but her words broken and slurred because of her shattered jaw.

Crucifix looks her way and simply laughs at how she looks and the ridiculous sounds coming from her mouth. He laughs for a few moments before leveling a cold, malicious glare at her.

"I know what you value little Star Child. I know what all of your kind value," he chides, enjoying the look of pain upon Angel's face. He holds one arm out straight, dark energy swirls about it, building and growing until finally, a young woman appears, held by the neck, within his hand. She kicks and struggles in his grip, Crucifix turning enough so that Angel could see the woman's eyes, pleading, begging for Angel to help her.

Angel struggles to her feet, her healing ability working but ever so slowly. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the eyes of the woman held in Crucifix's grasp, her look searing itself deep within Angel's heart. To the horror of Angel and the terrified screams of the woman, Crucifix simply sucks the life from the woman, dropping a shriveled, wrinkled body to the ground when he was done.

Rage tore through her body at what she had just witnessed. She could not believe his cold, uncaring, indifferent attitude at what he had just done. For the first time in her life, she felt hatred; a burning, deep seeded hatred boiling and broiling deep within her heart. Not long after she was created, a question had been posed to her, "With your powers and abilities, will you choose to serve all of life or will you use that power to your own ends?" She had chosen to serve life, something which she has done to the best of her abilities, not only here, on this world but on many others throughout the universe. But here, at this moment, looking upon Crucifix, she was hard pressed to live by her choice with the anger and rage filling her.

She becomes focused, energy begins to burn with the brilliance of a sun within her. She had to fight, she had to defend the innocent, she had to stop Crucifix! With the anger and rage subsiding, being replaced by her need, her desire to protect the value of life, she had to fight on, had to either hold him till help arrived or find some way to drive off. It was an insurmountable hill which stood before her, but she had been there many times before. Win or lose, this was really no different.

Crucifix smiles at Angel after dropping the body of the gaunt, lifeless woman at his feet. He fully expected to see a defeated woman, one ready to give up, turn about and walk away. Someone ready to secede to his superior might, to acknowledge the fact that he was a god. Crucifix had one weakness; he had a bad habit of underestimating his opponents. His pompous arrogance, his over confidence in himself was his greatest shortcoming.

He howls in violent anger as Angel reengages him with a new found energy and determined resolve.

He really hated Star Children and one day, he would slay them all!

In the mind of Marcus Ghent....


The struggle between good and evil has ever been an ongoing war, be it between two empires or the struggle within an individual's mind. This was the case with Marcus Ghent, his grip upon Crucifix's staff having initiated his current struggle. Little did he know that he was just another little cog in the wheel of life, a tool to be used in affairs he knew nothing about, but no matter the enormity of life or what part anyone plays in the big scheme of things, Marcus's battle was his own.

As the combatants battle each other, off to the side, the dirt and dust begins to swirl, to take a shape, forming into a comely looking, dark haired woman. She watches the situation before her unfold. Marcus Ghent's life was about to become more than he could ever be.

As the two Marcus's fight, whispered words caress the good Marcus's ears with the touch of a lover's hand.

"This is not a fight between good and evil or right and wrong, Marcus, this is a fight about who you are. The good, the bad, the right, the wrong, who you were, who you are, even the evil which "all" people harbor deep within them is part of the whole. It is all part of you! Have faith, Marcus for if you do not have faith in yourself, if you cannot believe in yourself, then how can you have faith in your god? Hurry, Marcus for you are needed!"

The voice fades into silence!


As the battle between Angel and Crucifix continues, emergency vehicles arrive and people run here and there in fear and terror, a small, glowing ball of solid metal appears near the physical body of Marcus. At the edge of the small crater caused by Angel's initial attack upon Crucifix, the glowing ball of energy waits giving off the occasional gentle pulse of light, waiting for the outcome of the battle taking place within Marcus's mind. If faith wins out, it would become the very tool, very weapon which would put Marcus on even footing with the forces of darkness he would soon be fighting. If faith failed, well, it would continue to search.

Xianal needed one who's faith would be unshakable, one who would stand against the darkness when all others quiver and fail. She believed, after a hundred million years she had found that person and maybe, through Marcus, her ancient betrayal could finally see the light of truth.

Ambrose Carrington leaned forward look at what Nahima was gesturing at.

Looking towards the thick dark smoke spiralling upwards into the sky that he could see from inside the antigravity car; he began to focus on the mixture of dark reds and purples emanating from the smoke on the horizon.

There was certainly something about the smog that wasn’t right, came with a sense of foreboding as they gradually began to approach the scene of the smoke.

“Whatever that is, that smoke certainly isn’t natural”.

*************************************

Reverend Markus Ghent struggled with his evil self, the two of them becoming quite dishevelled, as well as battered and bruised.

The two had fought hard in either giving sway to one another until the evil version of Markus; managed to trick the good Markus and gain the upper hand pinning him against a wall.

“See you can’t win, why don’t you submit and give in and embrace what you were really meant to be”. Said the evil Markcus.

“You know not what you speak of, don’t you remember the things we did, the things we had done”. Replied the good Markcus.

“Hahahaha, you fool is how you really see things”. responded the evil Markus

Suddenly the good Markus felt something stirring within his head, it was like something he was having an epiphany; he was fighting himself somehow and it was the good and evil within everyone that was competing against each other, within him.

Then he realised all he had to do was have faith, and have faith in what he believed, after all the real reason he was out in Reflex City was because of the death of his brother.

It was then that he said out loud “I will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed”.

The evil Markus Gent narrowed his eyes glaring at the good Markus Ghent as he held him up against the wall and said “ What, what are you talking about, don’t you see it’s all over, don’t you realise there’s nothing you can do to stop Crucifix, embrace what was meant to be, why continue to change, be what you were”.

It was as if something clicked within the good Markus mind as he thought himself and never mentioned the name crucifix, and so he then steeled himself in preparation as he shouted out “Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul”.

It was then that Marcus Gent for all his weight forward head-butting his evil self full in the face sending him reeling backwards.

The evil Markus clutched his bloody face, covering it with his hands as the good Marcus Gent dashed forward and as he did so he picked up a brick.

Rising upwards with the brick in hand, the good Markus swung it forward into the evil Markus’s gut doubling him over.

Yelling out once more the good Markus said “The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth”.

After the good Marcus’s first strike he followed up with a backhand swing to the side of the evil Markus’s head sending him sprawling to the ground.

The good Marcus and threw himself onto his evil self and raised the brick he clutched in his hand as he said “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance”.

With that said Marcus smashed the Brick into his evil selfs head delivering the final blow.

As she thinks deeply on some upgrades he needed to make to herself Anji’s eyes whip around to where Nahima is pointing and she catches the smoke. Instantly, she didn’t like it. “That’s incredibly not good.” Not only did the colours of the fire strike her as bad but the size of the column of smoke did as well.


Her eyes focus on the distance, trying to get herself a better view, she likes what she sees then even less. “Umm, Nahima, hate to sound like a little miss states the obvious but you know what they say about where there’s smoke...” Anji tenses herself up, ready to fly out of the car as soon a she get the chance.

As the Osprey speeds forward, the trio within the vehicle keep their eyes focused upon the dark, eerie reddish, purple colored thick smoke billowing lazily and eerily into the sky. The dread feeling within the vehicel was growing the closer they got and what they could imagine did not do justice to what they would soon see.

It took only moments to arrive on scene, coming from a south westerly direction compared to the highway. Nahima slows the vehicle to a crawl, handling the vehicle in such a way that the nose of the car was tipped downwards, allowing them to clearly see the situation before them.

Slightly to their left, taking up a big chunk of both sides of the multi-lane highway was the tangled, mangled mess of two multi-car pile ups. The reason for the odd looking color of the smoke is now explained, the fire engulfing the accident burning unnaturally bright and strong in colors of burnt red and dark, murky purples. Bodies of the dead and wounded can be seen scattered about the scene, all three somehow knowing that within that carnage, no living person would be found. Others can be seen trying to tend those a short distance from the fires while others make valiant attempts for those bodies nearer the flames only to be turned back. Stretched out in either direction is the long lines of vehicles, most of them empty, their occupants seemingly to be on the run from the odd looking fires.

Into this mess, the emergency vehicles were now just arriving, both ground and air.

Off to the right of the carnage can be seen another situation, smoke rising from the broken body of a downed, twin engined VTOL called an Osprey. Nahima slowly guides their vehicle in a lazy drifting spin to the right until they could see, about four hundred feet from the downed aircraft, what looked much like a bombshell crater, the ground about it cracked and broken in a spider web like fashion.

Nahima's heart had jumped into her throat the minute she spotted the mayhem and carnage below. She had been in many situations, fought numerous villains in her time but those were nothing to what she witnessed now. She was totally shocked and dismayed at what she was seeing, concern and worry building within for the people below, wondering if the pilot of the aircraft had managed to escape. When her gaze fell upon the shattered ground, something many would think was created by the shell of an artillery piece or a bomb, she knew otherwise. She was known as Blitkrieg; a powerhouse who could run faster than twice the speed of sound and lift about fifty tons and toss it like a rattle. That crater, the impact damage was caused by a person.

As the car slowly spins, a body can just be made out on the edge of the crater closest to the trio's vehicle, a body which seems to be holding an odd looking staff. But as their eyes cast outwards, they see two figures, a few hundred yards away, locked in battle. It was too far out for either her or Ambrose to get a solid identification but Anji could. Being an android, she had the ability to see at greater ranges, so she could make a solid confirmation on who the two combatants were.

"Anji! Get a bead on who those two are. Please, hurry and we need to establish the situation quickly and then deal with what is happening," Nahima suddenly barks out. She gives a quick glance back to Ambrose.

"Welcome the the first day of Ranch life!"

Anji’s eyes focused on the battle barely a nanosecond after Nahani made the request. “Way ahead of you Nahima.” She scans the two quickly, and one of the combatants is blatantly obvious, the other one not so much. She recognizes Angel Star, she also recognizes that Angel looks like she’s slowly loosing the fight. With a man in White that Anji couldn’t recognize. “One’s Angel Star, and she ain’t on the winning side. I don’t know who she’s fighting, but I think he’s pretty unhappy.” The fact that this being was slowly beating Angel Star actually frightens Anji. The look of fear briefly crosses her face. She also takes not of the man laying with the staff.

Anji pans her vision out from the man to get a better look at the battlefield. Aside from the huge impact crater and all the cars that were crashed and destroyed. The cracks in the ground spread out like a spider-web in every direction, with more impact spots dotting the place, resembling flies caught in the web. She looks back to Ambrose, “Please tell me you aren’t squeamish, cause this is ugly and we are really gonna need your help. Day one starts now, sorry!”

Anji looks back to Nahima, “I’m assuming we clear the area of survivors first right?”