Factory Reset: Divine Corruption

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three: Origin Pulse

Ja'Kle flew down the staircase, his chest heaving as he tasted the rubber in the air. The rumbling of the earth shook the building, but Mason and the others underground haven't arisen from the chamber yet.

"How can they not hear it!" Ja'Kle yelled, bashing his shoulder into a door to open it. He stumbled out into the lobby, his breathing heavy and labored. The group glanced towards the golden archway, through the glass doors, and out onto the narrow street.

They could see down the asphalt road, and all Ja'Kle could see was a sea of black bodies, electrified with emerald lightning. Ja'Kles breathing never eased up, and he glanced around for any avenue of escape.

"Hannah! Where is your brother and Marissa?" He asked Hannah, who was being held by Cotton, who was holding Sparkles by the throat. Hannah looked fearful, but she replied all the same.

"He's down the road that way." Hannah pointed to the right of Ja'Kle, "We have to move down the street to go there." She added, cuddling against her guardian's fluff. Ja'Kle felt his heartbeat just a tad harder as he heard that.

"Hell... Well, then..." Ja'Kle pronounced. Taking up every ounce of courage he could, he grabbed Cotton's arm and tugged him along. He shouldn't have been able to, considering that Cotton was several hundreds of times heavier than he was, but he was tugged along like he weighed the same as a plastic bag.

Ja'Kle pushed open the glass door, nearly shattering it with his up and coming strength. The moth didn't notice it though, he was far too centered on the growing horde of Pattern-Screamers to take notice.

The four group blasted down the asphalt road, pulled along by Ja'Kles unnatural strength. The Mosomarian reached the council's meeting place that Hannah had pointed out, a small gold and white marble institute with a mausoleum-like architectural design.

Ja'Kle gripped the door knob and twisted it as hard as he could, but it wouldn't budge. He walked back and attacked the door with his shoulder, but still it wouldn't open. A twinge of fear stang in his heart.

"The doors on a timer setup. I can open it as a guardian of Hannah, but it will take some time. Five minutes." Cotton told him, moving Ja'Kle out of the way. He settled down Hannah against the floor, and walked towards the door, opening his palm to generate a small key.

Ja'Kle glanced back at the mob, before glancing down at Hannah. She was scared, she was tired, and she was frustrated. Her eyes were straining to hold back tears, either with the rough treatment of their movement, or because she understood what Ja'Kle meant by Pattern-Screamers.

It was here that Ja'Kle gripped his fist tightly. It was lucky he had just been given a device that rivaled that of Marissa's Heaven's-Gate group. He had heard of their exploits, and their adventures. They were nothing to sneeze at.

That single phrase that Marissa told him when he was gifted the ring rang through his mind, "Don't be a damsel in distress. Don't be a burden."

Well, now it was his time to show that.

Using his basic knowledge that Cotton and Mason gave him, Ja'Kle felt a flurry of energy surge through his very being. The ring super heated quickly in his finger, but he grunted through the pain. It would gradually cool down anyways.

He didn't know how to fight at close range at this point, but he did know how to point and shoot. With incredible focus, a large capacity bolt energy rifle appeared against his arms, promptly falling to the ground with a clatter as he had his arms crossed.

Ja'Kle quickly picked the weapon up, bolstering it against his shoulder. He breathed out, his fingers itching and scrunching up against the cold, metallic hard-light. His finger was right against the trigger, ready to squeeze it.