Requiem: Book One in The Apocalypse Trilogy

Chapter Ten

 

The crumbling city on the horizon loomed over them as they came closer; casting large, dark shadows across the dead and barren landscape. The truck came to a rumbling stop on the outskirts of town. It was never safe to bring the truck into the city. Not only could it lure any creature hiding in the city’s many dark crevices, but there was always the hazard of the truck falling into one of the many gigantic holes in the earth.

Soldiers jumped from the truck and Lorelei followed, her feet landing hard on the warped asphalt. She tightened the strap of her gun against her and cocked her pistol. Lorelei quickly counted the bullets in her hand before she shoved them into the pockets of her cargo pants.

“Alright, listen up!” Kent said, leaning against the side of the truck, his gun rested on his shoulders. “Remember the rules. Stick together in groups. If you wander off alone, we will not come and find you. You are on your own. Keep track of the time,” Kent pointed the barrel of the gun toward the Sun. “The Sun will tell you when to return to the truck. If you are late, we will leave you behind. Being out here in the dark is foolish and suicidal, especially since Demons hunt better in the dark. If you get into trouble, we all have Bluetooths. If something happens and our communication is cut, which has happened in the past, use one of the many flares you will have on you. Any questions?”

The soldiers stood there silently. Some coughs and shuffles of feet could be heard. Heavy breathing came from the new soldiers and Lorelei felt slightly sympathetic toward them. Being a soldier was a heavy responsibility to put on one's shoulders, especially the men and women who were sixteen; still children. Lorelei was a soldier at that age, but she had always been told that it was where she belonged.  

Though she was only nineteen, Lorelei hunted better than most of the soldiers. She was faster, braver, but she was not physically stronger than most of them. Lorelei was emotionally and mentally stronger, which to her, was far better than just being physically strong. Hunting and killing Demons came as a second nature to her.

“Lorelei, come with us,” Kent said as three soldiers came to stand beside him. Lorelei realized, staring at them, that she had never seen them before. How could that have been possible, when she grew up with many of the soldiers here? A shuffling of feet came up from behind Lorelei.“Not you, Jadis,” Kent snapped as Jadis took a step toward the group. “I need you to keep a watch on the new recruits. Keep them safe.”

Jadis took a step back and frowned. Lorelei knew tensions between Kent and her were not the best, but she had never seen Kent attack Jadis the way he just had. Staring at him now, Lorelei could see a big difference in him. His eyes, once the prettiest shade of brown and so full of life, were dull and emotionless. Dark bags clung to the skin beneath his eyes as if he had not slept in days. Kent’s skin was an ashen color and if Lorelei looked close enough, she could see the bluegreen of his veins in his thick neck.

There was something off about him. Something Lorelei could not put her finger on.

Lorelei kept her ears strained as they walked through the Chicago streets. Her gun felt heavy in her hands and her fingers trembled. Why was she so paranoid? Lorelei couldn’t answer it for herself, but she knew it had something to do with Kent. The past couple of days they had managed to bring each other to the breaking point and Lorelei began to wonder if there was much more behind his actions than his obvious grudge against Archer and the fact that she had stood up for him. Lorelei guessed that her standing up for a Demon may have been the last straw for Kent, which would explain why he did not speak to her as they walked through the deserted streets.

“Why is it taking the Demons this long to come and find us?” Lorelei asked as she stepped over a dead bird that laid in the street. “They would have known that we’re here by now.”

“Good point,” Kent murmured and he came to a halt, swiveling his head up toward the tall building beside them. One of the few buildings in the city that was intact. “Well, if they aren’t going to bring the fight to us, we’ll have to bring it to them.”

Lorelei’s boots crunched on the broken glass as they walked through the shattered door. She gripped onto her gun tightly, turning her knuckles white. They made their way to the stairwell and began their descent upwards. Lorelei walked behind the group, keeping her ears strained for any signs that a Demon may be near.

One of the soldiers that she had not seen before, leaned forward, whispering something into Kent’s ear.  Lorelei’s eyebrows pulled together in a tight V as she strained to hear what he was saying, but he spoke so softly, that even if she stood right behind them she would have been able to hear their conversation.

“Care to share with the rest of the group?” Lorelei called ahead of her, causing the entire group to stop and turn to look at her.

“It’s nothing, Lorel,” Kent said harshly and turned to start walking again. “Don’t worry about it.”

“If it wasn’t so important, why are you being so defensive?” Lorelei challenged and Kent shot her a glare over his shoulder, but he did not reply back.

The group came to a halt at the center of the stairwell, where there was a break in the stairs. Two doors split off from where they stood. Kent turned to face everyone and he cocked his gun before resting it on his shoulder.

“We should split up. You two can come with me to the roof. And you,” Kent pointed to a soldier with green eyes and dark hair. “can go with Lorelei to one of the other top floors.”

“I can handle myself,” Lorelei tipped her chin up defiantely. It wasn’t that Lorelei wanted to go alone, because she always knew it was safe to go with another person--especially if Demons had been spotted in the city--but she would rather go with someone she knew; like Kent, even if they were at crossroads at the moment.

“Lorelei,” Kent says her name like she is a misbehaved child and he pinches the bridge of his nose in irritation. “Fine. Come with me to the roof. You three can go to another top floor.”

Lorelei follows Kent through one of the doors that leads up to the roof. There is a bounce in her step. She had won the argument between herself and Kent, although it wasn’t truly a fight. Honestly, it seemed like Kent gave up easily. A little too easy, Lorelei noted.

As they come to the roof, Lorelei is the one who pushes the door open. Bright light from the Sun explodes into the dark stairwell and Lorelei hisses, blocking the Sun with her hand. Lorelei blinks a few times, clearing her vision of the black splotches, and walks onto the roof.

Lorelei only made it a few feet, before she was suddenly knocked off of her own feet. She went tumbling, head over heels, across the roof. When she came to a stop, Lorelei was sprawled out on her stomach. The taste of copper filled her mouth and her tongue stung from where she had bit into it. Lorelei quickly rolled over onto her back--

And froze.

A man, dressed in black armor stood over her. His black, shoulder length hair billowed out from behind him as a small breeze picked up. The man’s eyes were liquid gold as he stared down at her, a cruel smirk plastered across his pale lips.

Lorelei quickly reached for her pistol, and it was knocked out of her hand by an invisible force. Her gun went flying across the roof, bouncing against the concrete before it stopped just by the edge. Lorelei snapped her attention back up at him, a snarl on her lips.

“Who are you?” Lorelei demanded and she inched backwards, her elbows scratching against the roof’s rough surface.

“I have many names,” The man said and a set of four wings spread out from behind them. Lorelei’s breath caught in her throat. His wings were made of bone, with fragments of black feathers still attached. “but you, my dear, can call me the King of Hell.”

He sits on a throne made of bones and wears a broken crown.

“Lucifer,” Lorelei breathed, her eyes widening as she stared up at the Fallen Angel.