The Enlightened Ones

Chapter 9 Pt 2: The Game Where the House Always Wins"

POV: John Pearson(Sag 1)

It is fucking dark man! Even with my flame its as if its only illuminating what's right in front of us." I said to the others as Omar and Corpion helped Ayinde walk. While I lead the way we continued to walk until a wall presented itself. It was covered in the glyphs that retained the same aquamarine color as those from before. I placed my hand on one of the glyphs and it glowed red then returned to its original color. I
turned back to face the boys as they dragged Ayinde along. As soon as he saw the wall his eyes began flashing with the gemini symbol amongst them. Deep blue light sprang from his eyes and met the light coming from the glyphs upon the wall. In his
left eye appeared the glyph resembling a pyramid and at first i thought to myself "A crystal pyramid!" But soon it began to fill in becoming bluish then immediately blackened. Corpion began to struggle with him as did Omar. I quickly moved to help
but as I got eye level with him I saw the Gemini symbol in his right eye begin to shift. I could not make out its form then it disappeared, replaced with the blackened pyramid. I saw immediately the pain and anguish in his eyes as his essence was drained away and the pyramids both took form completely. He was on his knees but was beginning to float. His hands both open toward either side he thrust the boys outward from him so much so that they hit the wall falling
unconscious. I stepped back with my back against the wall. There was no where to go. He began to smile and so did I, I could not help it. I summoned my flames in either hand and increased the heat to the point that we both began sweating. His eyes were vacant and white with only the black pyramids to form a sort of pupil. He took a deep breath and extinguished my flames. I sat down and realized i was outmatched. He stood over me and placed his hand in front of him palm open. The center of his palm began to cut itself open until a pyramid formed. It fell inside itself and soon i saw many horrible things including my end and yet I kept my smile.

POV: Ayinde

The darkness was unending as I tried to figure out what had happened to John's light. I wondered as to what to try and do... nothing came to mind. I was quite lost in thought and there was pain, even though i could not feel my body. Then the blackness began fading. I could see various images forming that ended up fusing
together to form John's wicked smile. He was smiling hands on the ground with his back to the wall in a sitting position. I quickly tried to speak but i could not. Suddenly the glyphs began to scream with streams of light at me. I looked down still unable to speak and noticed that i could not put my hand down. John's eyes said intrigue but behind that was a sort of horror I could not imagine. I tried to close my hand...just the fingers at least. Nothing. I peered into John's mind to reflect my own vision off John's... I saw nothing but The End! Even upon seeing this we both agreed on the same wavelength that we quite nearly welcomed it for we had both been touched by Death before.

POV: Kathleen(Gemini III)

I tried to imagine if he was okay. The boys would be okay if he was. I looked in the back seat eyeing Nicole at the very back of the Jeep. She was enjoying her airtime without using her abilities. The canopy was removed in the back and the wind was against her for the first time in a long time. She was ecstatic and it made me smile. I continued looking into the rearview watching Rose and Taylor bicker about changing the radio station and Drew as he asked Maria questions. I then turned my
attention to the road seeing a Red Robin's sign. My stomach growled at me as I thought about their bottomless fries. "Who wants Red Robin's?" I screamed at the group in excitement. Everyone swayed their bodies to the right in unison and
watched the sign go by...mouths watering.

10 mins later

After ordering a feast worth over $117 I quickly sat down and gave Nicole her food then tore into mine. As everyone ate I sensed a disturbance in the warmth of my stuffing myself full of mini burgers. I looked out the window and saw a small cloud
begin to grow dark apart from the rest quickly growing into a storm cloud followed by one lightning strike. My hand began to radiate on the inside just as I looked at Nicole. She had to go to the bathroom. I told everyone we'd be back and grabbed
her hand. "Ow!" She said as the hands we both shared the gembolt on flashed slightly with a crackle of electricity. I picked her up and carried her with me into the restroom. I watched her go into the stall and close the door. I turned to the mirror opposite the stall door complete with a sink. I looked my features over. My
hair seemed longer and curlier reaching almost to the small of my back. I didn't have makeup on so I looked pretty tired but I knew how good I looked! "Nicole are you finished?" I asked aloud thinking that like me she was usually quick to get in and out usually off her feet. I was about to turn around when in the reflection of the stall I saw a light coming from underneath that blinded me completely. I turned around trying to feel my way to the stall. My left hand landed on the door handle but it flung open and I opened my eyes with my abilities in full swing! I saw my
daughter levitating arms outstretched, legs sprawled before her and her head arched toward the ceiling. The light was bending around her as it increased in intensity and I was helpless. I could not step any closer as a barrier presented itself
to my face! As I bounced back, thrust from her I could see her eyes were that aquamarine color with a blackened core and hit my head on the sink.

POV: Drew (♓ II)

Maria is extraordinary to listen to. I pester her questions and she often fires back instantly. "What was it that drew him to you?" I asked "I don't really have the answer to that... I mean he just looked at me in a way that made me love him more. There was a day though it disappeared. I still don't fully understand but it hurt too much. I think maybe I lost him that day." Maria spoke in a way that channeled my attentions greatly and I felt much closer to my answer than before. Finally I decided to ask how she planned to save him and the others. "Maria tell me how is it your
going to save him and company?" "You couldn't have asked at a better time than now." Maria stopped eating and stood up her eyes grew dark. "I only bargained for him, he'll do the rest!" She said in a commanding tone. Everyone inside began to run outside. I watched as the blackness inside her pupil grew and swallowed her thin
brown iris then...well then she grew pale and something began to crawl out of the darkness. A little girl? Face white as printer paper, hair black like that of the night sky during the twilight hours and the light of her soul carried a reflection akin to that of the sun's upon the moon; illuminating her completely blacked out eyes save the rim being ultra white. I began to cry as I watched her fade away inside the darkness. Had this happened before? What could we do but watch. I turned to Taylor and Rose they were frozen in place. My head began to hurt and so I looked toward the bathroom. Underneath the door was light trying to escape. I
couldn't make sense of either situation. Wait there was one explanation. I thought back to our first meeting. I could not read her nor sense another within her. She carried Death with her and Death had come for its offering.

POV: Death

"There have been many contracts in my existence but this one is eternal. I collect upon it endlessly. It is a continuous cycle the roles merely change. I have come for a twin of Pisces and-. "Take me then instead!" Said the male from Pisces house. "You cannot interfere! You will do nothing. Your friends have tried to stop this. Even now I have released the male of Gemini house's ancestor, his doppelganger Air. He holds the other male's of houses Aquarius, Scorpio and Sagittarius at bay while I distract
the female's of his house gripping them as your friends beside you are now...frozen and helpless." I cannot sustain this form for much longer. You will inform The Hog that I have dispatched a contractor to the House of Cancer. His name is Johnnie
and he rides ever closer to his abode. There you will meet him but you will require The Hog's assistance. Then your friends inside the Infrared Pyramid will return to you. But Maria will be mine! And if you are to stray away from this path so will the
gemini's only heir!"

POV: Nicole

It is dark here and I am alone. I can't find my mom and I still don't know where my dad-. I suddenly could see my father he was staring at Uncle John and his friends were sleeping. I called his name and he began to cry. I too cried and then he came toward me but the darkness was leaving. He didn't make it and so I cried louder and I cried until I was angry! "I wish that my parents were both here!" I screamed until a light came to me. It got brighter as it came near. It was my light and it carried me from the dark place to my dad. I reached into his head and set him free then I got
sleepy and mommy was lying on the floor in front of me. I walked over to her she was bleeding from her head. I concentrated on the spot where it must of hurt then she moved and I went to sleep snug next to her.

POV: Kathleen

I awoke screaming! I looked for Nicole with my eyes then sat up and felt her sound asleep in my lap. I exhaled then sighed deeply. "What the hell just happened?" I yelled out. Drew burst in the door moments later panting. "Tell me you guys are alright?" he asked as I felt on my head for a huge bump. I found nothing and realized my death had probably occurred. Even pondering this I smiled at Nicole. She had done something. Rose and Taylor starred in the doorway saying "Why is she smiling so much did she like miss everything that just happened?" Drew explained then asked "So what is it that is actually making you smile?" "Life itself finds a way in our daughter" was my answer. They starred puzzled. "In all that has
happened our eight year old daughter crossed dimensions, tangled with Death, freed her father, and brought me back to life in an instant! She is so damn smart! I love our little girl and we are going to save her father and his friends together." I turned my attention to Maria's incapacitated body. I began to walk over to her with
Nicole in my arms. "We need her whether I like it or not. Girls pick her up were headed back to The Hog." I told Drew to drive and explain in greater detail what had happened when he first met his twin. As he held the door for me he asked "Who the hell is Johnnie?"