~ Chapter 4 Episode 5 ~
Woosh, woosh, rocking his head left and right to the swish of the waves and the tune of the birds Samson hands beat the wooden guard rail like a drum.
Poom, yanking around at the smack of a door hitting the deck, an eerie more otherworldly sensation caught Samson's attention. Casting his gaze out to the sea the Rhukin took note of the dark spiral spreading over a tiny island in the distance."Pealim" shifting his gaze up to the Omega taking space next to him he asked. "What is that?"
"That massive dark cloud or the creatures flapping around above that island."
"Umm" thinking for a second Samson replied. "Both."
"That is our next mission, to observe and manage the malevolent forces brewing on that island."
Rubbing underneath the chin of his new ape-like companion, Omer, Samson gaze remained on the swirl. "It's okay Pealim and I will protect you."
Whipping its stingray of a tail the Quintessence began to leap in joy and flip on Samson's shoulder. Smiling at both his disciple and the Mytocopadai, Abbott placed his hand on his abhah free shoulder. "Are you ready to depart?"
Looking up at his Pealim, Samson asked. "How when we are still in the middle of the water?"
"Samson, there is one thing I want you to know. Anything you can see you can reach." Looking beyond the waters to their destination woomp they transported.
~. ~
"Lt. Wollicke…" Ducking his buffalo of a companion slash a white man in a black and white attire threw his arm up a second time blocking another bone breaking blow with a purplish pink shield.
Slamming his horns into the shield, the Arcadian backed up then charged again.
"Lt. Wollicke! This is not you." Ears shifting at the hollers and screams of people all around the soldier fell into a tuck and roll weaving yet another attempt on his head with a club.
Exhaling in annoyance as yet more of his subordinates came charging in, in their Arcadian Forms. "It seems that the four of you have forgotten…"
"Captain Schowan!"
Tossing a swift glance at the leader of their data squad standing on the bleachers a smile swept across his face. "Lory, tell me. Why are our companions going mad?"
"It seems that they have lost all cognition. According to my analysis they may have lost their very soul and move as automatons."
"So they have fallen to their base nature. Wild animals." Poof, emitting his G-Force the Captain kept his eyes focused on his mindless associates.
Boom! Gritting his teeth Captain Schowan gaze slid in the direction of his advisor he asked, "Is there something you haven't told me."
Rubbing the back of her head, Lory gave her superior a half laugh and crooked smile. "It seems during your training rampage a large portion of Atrium have been subdued."
Holding his aggressors hostage with slime the Captain sighed. "Lory when all of this is over you will face punishment. For now open all of the valves to the city and allow those beasts within my grounds.
~ ~
"The City of Atrium, The Land of Hata." Hovering above the City a lion-headed, eagle winged figure gazed down at the chaos and turmoil taking place. "What's this?"
Watching the skylight in the middle of the city rise three thousand feet into the heavens, the floating figure's eyes shot open as a maze of walls sprang upwards next cutting the city off from the world.
"Skyline City." Marvelling at the poly glass-like ceiling closing above them the figure thought. "Where it all begins." Looking at the people scurrying about, woomp a vacuum like hum filled the and a rushing wind swept him up as well as everyone else in the city.
~. ~
"One forty two, one forty three, and one forty four." Stretching out her arm and caressing the dying wind which kept all the mindless individuals swept out of the city and into her chamber at a stand still. "Welcome to my Caven." She told them from the stone pillar where she stood.
Hrrm, flinging their heads up at the scent and sound of their host the beasts began to screech and growl like mad fighting over a morsel.
Tilting her head at the sight of once proud citizens struggling to climb the smooth pillar a twinkle lit in her eye. "What's this? Do you still possess your talents?" Becoming intrigued Lory began to laugh almost maniacally. "Time for analysation."
Diving off the pillar strands of light began to project from Lory like a disco ball. Landing at the base of the column with a point of her finger peeyom she shot across the chamber in a beam of light. "Amazing."
Spinning around staring wide eyed at the mob, a smile crept over her face. "Each and every one of you are connected…" Crouching to go on the attack Lory licked her lips. "And it seems there is only one weakness." Throwing her arms out as if waiting for a hug, laser beams shot out of every molecule of her body. Absorbing into the columns loitering in the chamber the beams of light multiplied then hit the electric slide decapitating everyone in the room.
"Decapitation is the only way to eliminate these beasts."
~. ~
"Decapitation." Dashing through his chamber with leaves crunching underneath his feet and the sounds of a waterfall playing in the background a man made of purely bone and muscle stalked the new inhabitants like a lion. "Lory I'm grateful." Punching a hole through a man's chest zing he cut through his neck before his body exploded. "Now I can properly remove this waste from our Hata." Retracting the bone blade back into his wrist.
"It's my duty. Nephro be careful as everyone else." spoke Lory from her link. "These creatures can spread their contagion and they have already met their demise. They cannot feel or think, only live off their basic instinct; to feed and we are their meal."
"In that case" morphing his body into bone and muscle, Nephro gave himself a more demonic look. Laughing at the Undead falling upon his head from up above Rene arm lashed out like a whip slicing through their necks with ease. "You may have kept your talents and natural instincts but I have my own and yours will be included."
Trying to extract their talents Nephro jaw fell open. "They became butterflies…now that I think of it." Reflecting on his first kill he nodded his head. "So did the other one. What's going on?"
"That is the same question I wonder."
Turning with a smirk on his face Nephro upper and bottom fangs gleamed with menace. "If it wasn't for my talent I probably would have bounded into the air like a scared cat but it is I who owns this jungle."
"Yet you are speaking to a lion itself." Laughing, the man shook his head and his body became that of a woman with long white tangled hair. "Kassir Sala I must mind my rebirth and my purpose."
"Rebirth? Purpose? What is your reasoning for infecting my beloved city?"
"Your city…" bursting out in laughter the woman's voice became deep once again as she made her transition back to male. "This was our city, Lyra, before your Kingdom came and built itself on our lands." Exhaling he went through another transformation as he kept managing his emotions. "But I am grateful" she said. "Because of your intervention I was given a second chance. Now it's my turn to extend a divine hand by converting all to Rhukin."
"Rhukin?"
"Correct, they are now Soul Beings for during their death, they had a choice to live and live their purpose and become the god beings we all are or remain pure dogs shuffling about taking orders and living off only what the material provides."
"Tell me why do you exist?"
"I live for Kassir Sala?"
"What does that mean?"
"I am here to break the chains like that of my creator. Starting with the city which commenced my jouney."
"Who is your creator and what are you?"
"That is what I wondered for three revolutions when it hit me. We are Rhukin and our purpose is to become all we can become through our dreams, motives and ideas." Holding herself and spinning around she told the Rene, "but you can call me Galla The Weatherbeast."
"Are y'all receiving this?"
"We are. Captain, what do you think of this?" Spoke a fourth member.
"My wonder is how many others are there. Nephro, do you believe you could assess the situation?"
"I can and I will." Looking at his singing and dancing guest Nephro asked her. "Are there others like you?"
Halting with a smile Galla replied, "When you say like me do you mean retained their mind?"
"Correct." Moving in a streak of lightning, Galla stopped face to face with Nephro.
Reacting Nephro swung upward in an arc in defense but a bolt of lightning reflected his attack. "Did that come from her hair?"
"And now introductions are up." Zigging backwards in a streak of lightning, Galla put a couple yards between them in a blink.
"Nephro! What happened?"
"She bounded upon me. I thought she was going to attack so I struck first involuntarily."
"You fool."
Observing the Rhukin shifting forms once again Nephro eyes beamed in as the feminine became masculine and a vanilla bean face became a lion's head.
Unfurling eagle wings in a crackle of lightning Galla let loose a thunderous roar which shook the chamber and displayed The Weather Beast Might from his Lions chest and biceps to his bulky feathered forearms and menacing eagle claws. "Tell me do you serve a purpose?"
Pressing a taloned foot upon the dirt with a step, Galla brought forth a blizzard.
Covering his face with an arm boom Nephro took an explosive blow to the chest hurling him through the air and through all that tried to catch him.
Spreading his wings with a flap, waves of rage flowed from the Rhukin, turning over or blowing away all caught in its current. By the second beat lightning twirled and danced around Galla as his feet left, Earth.
Shaking off the blow with a grunt Nephro could feel himself in a daze. "My armor." Peering down at a shattered six inch hole in his chest he began to absorb the energy from his jungle before the blizzard could fully freeze it.
~. ~
Dashing through the silent night Huff Huff the breath of her partner, the fall of their footsteps and her heartbeat was all that could be heard.
"We can make it to the City of Spes…aaaaah."
"You thought you were going to escape? I Bayo The Arcane have one duty and that is to bring followers. You will bow to his will." Bending his knees and pouncing all in one movement the Demonic being snatched the woman up off her by her neck. Holding her up to the little light peeking through the trees his tail whipped out and slapped her husband. "All will Worship Molmet."
~ ~
"Help!"
"My baby"
"aaaaaah."
"Why" reaching his hand out to the scrambling citizens below Samson felt a barrier between him and the city below. Crying because of the invisible force blocking him, the Rhukin could only sit in the heavens listening to the screams and cries below while watching his Rhukin devour and destroy all that moved about animal, baby, woman, man it mattered not.
"What's that?" Sensing a change in the atmosphere the scene changed and two men stood before him in the middle of a jungle underneath the city. "I know her…" Zooming in on the now white haired woman standing in front of the man completely covered in bone.
Flashing into another scene Samson found himself in a cave and to his right his father's nearly lifeless body. "Zawa." Bursting out in tears the Rhukin watched himself go berserk then the woman showed up.
Haaaaf, snapping out of his sleep breathing hard and in sweats Samson took a deep inhale. "I need to go outside." Rolling off his cot the Rhukin stumbled across the underground room and to the ladder hanging from the center. Yawning with a touch woosh Samson was teleported above ground.