Talons of Epsilon

Chapter 6 - A Faint Light

"Nothing can stop the phoenix."

 Israel was charging, careless of how many guards watched him stride by. He was in a hurry because he knew, if he didn't get to her quick enough, they'd kill her. His storming footsteps echoed on the steel floors and as he went, he continued to wonder where this place even was. The visions of a dungeon or basement compartment came across his mind multiple times, but they didn't add up. When he noticed a group of glass capsules held in a corner of the room he went through, he could only believe it was some sort of laboratory. The only thing missing now was an explanation for the cult locking up children and talking about freedom and a savior.

 "Maranda!" He cried out, sliding beside a man in white robes. "Come on.. I know you're around here." He was quickly approaching a corner now, hearing quiet groans behind it. "Please be okay," he repeated to himself a few times. And then, he turned the corner, coming to an immediate halt, his eyes widening.
 Guns were pointed at him. Men in black held their knives out. Maranda lay on the cold ground in a pool of blood. But none of these threats alarmed Israel as much as one that stood out even more. There was another man in another black robe, except he wore a purple band tight around his arm and stood below what appeared to be giant black claws. They hovered over him, aimed at Israel, but they also seemed attached to him.

 "We predicted your arrival," the strange man said firmly. "Just as planned, you rushed to save your friend who will die here anyway." Israel curled his fist and granted the man a glare. "However," the man continued. "I believe to continue our fun, you shall know my name. I am Brook, and I will be your transport to the altar."
 "Altar?" Israel asked. "What are you planning to do?" Brook took a step forward, the hanging claws followed.
 "You will pose as the vessel for the God of the Eclipse. You must be very confused, so I can explain before your task begins."
 "No!" Israel shouted, catching Brook off guard. "Let me and my friend go. I don't know about this 'vessel' crap, and I really don't wanna know anyway, but you've got the wrong guy. I'm leaving and that's final."

 Brook nodded slowly, staring the child down grimly. His stare made Israel's heart shake and gave him goosebumps. There was something off about the man.
 "I see." He came closer and faster than before. One claw flew at Israel, merely slapping him to the wall. "To us, you are a fly. You can either abide by our rules or be swatted until you bleed out and die." 

 Suddenly he was pulled back by someone. Brook turned his head swiftly and watched Archer as he went forth.
 "Leave this to me," he said, taking the nearly unconscious boy and the wounded girl and slinging them both over his shoulders. "I'll take this upon myself, Phoenix Master, leave it all in my hands." Brook nodded and stood aside.
 "Good. Teach these brats another lesson, and make it nasty."

 Archer had taken the children, seemingly less aggressive than the others. He wasn't armed at the moment, and he wasn't grinning maniacally at them either.
 Maranda coughed, watching the walls pass by. She stared at the bystanders, more cultists, then at Archer and Israel, and then... the sound of a rusted door creaking startled her. 

 "Why did you take us here...?" Maranda asked, still unable to see clearly, but she knew this was some kind of entrance - or exit. "Gonna.. t-torture us some more?"
 Archer sighed and continued to walk. The temperatures felt higher than they were in the other room and through Maranda's blurry vision, she could see buildings stretching out into a bigger city. Soon enough, the details came to her -- they left the laboratory, or whatever it was.

 "I won't let you kids get tortured like that," Archer said. "Truth be told, I'm not apart of that sick cult. Those men questioned me when they found me alone in this city, the city of Deltoroid. They asked me if I knew of 'the phoenix' and of course I said yes, they threatened to take my life if I didn't know." He sighed again, gazing out into the broken city. "To this day, I never truly understood what phoenix they were talking about. They always referred to it as 'God' and 'savior,' almost what they told you, Israel."

 Israel recollected and nodded to the man's words.
 "What about the vessel thing?" He asked and Archer lowered his head in response.

 "All I know is that they wanted you for something to do with the phoenix God thing. It's scary, really, knowing they want a child to hold the soul of a bird, and they call it a God! It's sick! With my help, I can assure your safety though. If they get what they want, who knows what they'll do to make this world even more of a hell than it already is."