chapter 9:Darkness is coming

Michael must now race to the finish if he wants to prevent Leahcim from awakening Dueldoix.

Michael raced to the elevator shaft and quickly ascended the emergency ladder.Once he made it out he ran to the cities reactor core controller."The crystal is gone?"

"What's  the matter Michael?"

Michael spun round and saw George."You're not dead?"

"When the crystal was removed so too was the dark shroud covering the city.It reversed all that had been done."

"So Leahcim was here himself?In the flesh?"

"Yes.And you read him the entire tale of Dueldoix."

"Then he is on his way to Prayer Temple."

"Indeed.His airship will take him there within the hour."

Michael ran over to him and lifted him high in the air by his throat."Tell me why he wants to wake up Dueldoix!"

"I'll never tell." Michael squeezed a little harder."Agh."

"Tell me you piece of s**t!"

"Put him down Michael!" A soldier dressed in green armor entered the room."He is a good guy."

"He is no good guy.He has turned his back on the human race."

"Is this true?"

"The human race will soon come to an end.All hope is lost!"

The soldier pulled out his handgun."Traitor!"He fired his gun allowing a lead bullet to penetrate George's head.

"What the hell?!I thought lead bullets were banned?"

"They are but we were given some for special occasions."

"Lead bullets were made illegal and out dated centuries ago.If you want to remain with you freedom and not prison,then I suggest that you not use them again." Michael punched him in the head."Let this be a lesson to you."

The soldier got up and pointed out the window."Michael?"

Michael turned and saw what he was pointing at.Meteors were falling from the sky."Oh s**t." The meteors fell from the sky hitting everything in their way.Buildings weer ripped apart and streets fell into the sewers.The city was being ravaged by the unexpected wave of fallen rock.

The voice that had once spoken to Michael days ago,now spoke to him once more."Do not give up hope yet Michael,there is still time to prevent this from happening in other cities."

"I can not make it to the prayer temple before Leahcim does.I have no transport!"

"Do not move and I will get you there one way or another."

Michael blinked and found himself suddenly standing in a field of tall grass.In the center of this area was a huge building made entirely out of wood.It was like an ancient Chinese temple.Michael rushed through the tall grass until he reached the steps to the temple.But something wasn't quite right.It was very quite considering that this was the only temple of its kind. Michael walked up the steps and came across a disturbing sight.The doors were blown open from the outside and dead bodies were scattered everywhere.

Michael rushed inside and saw Leahcim's robots tear up the place.They were fighting against monks and not proving to be very strong against them."Hold on!"Yelled Michael.He sprinted over to a group of monks pinned down and pulled out his sword.Within mare seconds,all of the robots had been mowed down and turned in to scrap.

One of the monks bowed to Michael."Thank you Michael Ablestine.You must hurry now,time is of the essence.If you fail to prevent Dueldoix from being resurrected then we all shall suffer."

"I will not allow him to be awakened."

"Then go down those steps at the back there,they will take you to the resting place of Dueldoix."

Michael ran over to the steps then made his way down them. Before long he came to two huge doors that were locked with a strange looking lock.It was definitely not of that century or any century when Michael was alive.On the doors were loads on hieroglyphs explaining something Michael did not know.

"A great amount of blood was spilled while trying to imprison Dueldoix.In order for the doors to be opened,one must spill blood." Michael looked to his left and right.On his left was a lever and in the middle right where he was standing,a stone platform slightly stuck up out of the ground.It looked like something where a person would be placed with chains.

"Let me out."Groaned a voice.

Michael looked up and saw a person imprisoned inside of a small cage."Well what do we have here?"

"Let me out and I can help you open the doors."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because I am the one who built this place,this prison."

"You built this place?That must have been centuries ago."

"I have been alive to keep watch over this place.God assigned me as the gate keeper to the second most deadly creature in human history."

"God assigned you to this?"

"Yes.And there will come a time when you shall learn of his divine plan.One that has been written for you a long time ago."

"What do you mean?What was written for me along time ago?"

"You destiny."

"My destiny?"

"Yes."

"'What destiny?"

"I can not say Michael for I am here to open the doors,nothing more."

"God has already had all of this planned out?"

"Pull the lever Michael,lower me down onto the platform.If you don't reach the cage before Leahcim then all is lost."

"Ok."Michael pulled the lever allowing the cage to be lowered on top of the platform."What happens now?"

"What I made."The platform began to descend beneath the floor and down into a pool of red liquid.The instant the liquid touched the old mans skin it began to burn his flesh."Oh god!!!"Screamed the old man,the liquid removing his skin and muscle brutally.Just as he was fully submerged,the hole to the room below sealed shut with another flat surfaced rock.

"My god.What did I do?" Michael stared down at his hands."I have the blood of an innocent on my hands."He fell on his knees and began to cry.After all he had ever done,never had he done such a savage thing before.

Leahcim stepped out of the shadows and was clapping."Never in all my life did I think you would stoop so low to prevent something."

"I did not know what would happen."

"Oh no,of course not.You are mister goody two shoes.You would never kill someone to save millions."Leahcim circled Michael."Such irony really.You give your life to save another but never give a life to save yours."

"I did not do it to save myself."

"You did.You killed him to save yourself.If he didn't die then you would fail in your quest to stop me.Killing him to save yourself."

"It's true.I did it to save myself from failing mankind."

"We all fail sometimes Michael.Even those who we we love the most."

"God forgive me."

"You may as well give up anyway.The doors are open now,I no longer need you to do my dirty work for me."

"Your dirty work?"

"Killing the designer of this place.It would be a hard thing to do since I can't read the inscription on the doors."

"You monster."

"So I am.But at least now I can go and awaken Dueldoix.Then this world will have the ruler it so rightfully deserves!"

Michael bowed his head."No."

Author's Note

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