Army of Sin - Season 2 - The Gathering

Episode V - A Visitor Upon the Night

Location: Marseille, France

Henrí glanced up from where he sat behind the laptop, having sensed a subtle disturbance in his hotel suite. A woman in her early thirties - and owner of the laptop - lay curled in business suit on the sprawl of his king sized bed. Her face was a myriad of emotions. Soft, moist lips parted soundlessly, eyes tightly shut. Severing the mental command to scroll the series of web pages at a speed too fast for the human mind, Henrí came to his feet in a fluid motion, leaving the sleeping woman and the laptop he had commandeered where they lay.

Not an ounce of wariness marred his face, having already recognized the signature of his guest. Now he simply waited. It started as a wisp of black smoke; the room dimming as the shadows of the room poured into one spot on the carpet. The volume of the smoke grew into a column, before finally taking on a humanoid shape. "Greetings Angel!" a husky feminine voice came from within.

"Lady Aurelia," Henrí greeted with a slight bow at the waist.

The wisps of smoke covering her body seemed alive, shifting ever so often to reveal the dusted bronze of her skin hidden beneath. Lifting a smoke-gloved hand to her face, Henrí's guest simply stared at her hand in silence. 

The black tendrils of smoke began retracting slowly from her body, starting from her feet. Bronze skin clad in obsidian gemstones came into view, followed by the hem of a burgundy dress that clung to shapely calves. Further, the smoke disappeared to reveal a row of the same black gemstones that travelled from just above her navel to below the curve of her left breast. The smoke finally receded to the centre of her chest, the wisps clinging to her face retreating to the top of her head to form a crown of obsidian. Beneath this crown stood Julia Aurelia Zenobia, the fallen former ruler of the lands that stretched from India all the way to Alexandria, one hand resting on her jeweled dagger as her dark eyes drew in Henrí's appearance. She was a tall, striking beauty for a mortal; skin boasting a mixture of her Arabic, Macedonian and Egyptian heritage. Yet this elegantly clad woman was the same one reputed to have sacrificed the group of men who had slain her equally fearsome husband - one of those men having been her husband's own nephew.

"You look better Angel," the former queen greeted, clasping both Henri's elbows in her hands, the gemstones on her dress catching the light as she shifted. Clasping the now toned, solid mass of her biceps in his palms, Henrí inclined his head in greeting, "And you look just as ravishing as you did an epoch ago. What brings you here, O Huntress of Panthers?" Laughing softly, perfect white teeth flashing  in joy at a reminder of that particular moniker, the warrior replied, "I can no longer see the two brothers; I take it you have delivered them to the Gates?"

"Indeed," Henrí replied.

"So that must be the reason for your healthy appearance," she offered in a husky whisper. Henrí waited in silence, knowing his guest was not one to make idle visits. No Shadow Warrior was for that matter; the majority of them choosing to disappear for gaps at a time while the world continued to rotate on its axis until some wind of change blew in their direction. At present, only Lady Zenobia and one other warrior walked the earth.

"And they were certainly an interesting pair," she continued, musing aloud.

"You knew it would have only been a matter of time once you reported their general location."

"This is true. Well then Angel, do you have something to hold my interest to the earth? Or shall I join the others in rest?"

Shadow warriors such as Lady Zenobia were unable to see past the Gates of Heaven or Hell. Although they were free to interact with all manner of angelkind alike, they were only permitted free passage anywhere on earth. This came as a result of their agreement made with Mr. Donoma at the time of their respective passing - an opportunity to observe the world and the advancement of man until it no longer held their interest.

"The King is missing," Henrí offered.

Zenobia's eyes widened slightly, before smirking, "It was simply a matter of time."

"True, however, I do not have the resources to expand a search for him. That task is yours."

"Is that an order, Angel?" Her voice dropped an octave.

Smiling broadly, Henrí bowed at the waist, "I would never dream of it, Milady. It is simply a ruse to keep you with us a little while longer."

"Then I accept," she responded, drawing her dagger from its jewelled case before plunging it into the centre of her chest, freeing the smoke contained within her body.

"Be careful, I have no idea what kind of mood he may be in," he added in farewell.

"It has been a while since I have seen your brother," she replied, gaze fixing over her shoulder as the last of the smoke tendrils covered her face, "Tend to your charge, Angel, we shall speak in time."

                    
                    END OF EPISODE