Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Matius makes his way towards the lights in the distance Matius, a path let leading to London itself. After several minutes of walking he starts passing several homeless people, now living in fear their homes destroyed. He looks to his left seeing several people huddled around an oil drum on fire, desperately trying to keep warm. The figure in the centre raises his head looking at Matius through tired eyes. In discomfort Matius quickly turns away walking on. On his right he notices several people gathered around a large wall. Upon further notice he sees many photos of people pinned up to it, many photos damaged or scratched. With them are letters and some live notes. On the floor below are flowers and candles flickering away in the cold.
   A man ahead carrying a large cardboard box suddenly notices Matius stopping what he’s doing, looking directly at him. Two of his friends turn slowly in dread. Without reason the man lunges at Matius, his teeth, gritted. His two friends quickly spring into action grabbing him against his will. “This is all your fault!!” He shouts is rage, fighting against his friends hold. Matius watches in shock, unable to speak infuriating the guy even more. As the man is dragged away, Matius turns his attention back up ahead. Further up he sees several people surrounding a radio. One man is twisting the knobs, trying to find a signal. “Come on, please work for me”... The noise suddenly blends into a voice as everyone gets excited making themselves comfortable.

“It’s been 6 hours since the attacks began and there has yet to be any break through. The police forces are suffering heavy losses and reports of dead are in the thousands and still counting, many people are reported missing and several homes have been destroyed in the wake of these attacks. It is highly recommended that people stay locked in their homes and shut all windows. I repeat start in your homes and shut all windows. Make sure all loved ones are safe and make no effort I repeat no effort to go outside. If you are unable to find shelter stay off the streets, find cover. If near a subway station stay down there, help is coming. These attacks are world wide, with attacks in America, Germany, Spain and many other country’s.
   The voice suddenly fades into static again much to the group of people’s frustration. “Come on you piece of junk!....” one of them blasts. Another homeless plays around with the dial finding the signal again. “The Prime Minister earlier today was evacuated on a private jet in the wake to these attacks. But there is yet to be any news on the Prime Minister’s status. Many people believe these attacks are linked with the creature nicknamed ‘Dark Avenger’, a name given to him by the newspapers. As of yet there have been no reports of his appearance…” As the radio continues the group realise someone is behind them, turning to find Matius behind them their expressions change. Angered they turn back towards the radio, ignoring Matius who lowers his head in rejection.

As he does this a women runs up from behind him, gripping his arm. “Hey I know you!”, Matius pauses turning to see a young women, her clothes dirtied and torn. “Please, I need your help, it’s my boyfriend, he’s dying. I know you can help him, I’ve seen what you can do!”, she asks in desperation holding his arm. Matius looks at her then back at the people listening to the radio, now watching him. He looks back at the women, with little choice. “Where is he?”, he questions. “ Please Follow me”, she utters walking towards several tents put up not to far from the memorial. She leads him into a dim lit tent with an electric lamp giving light, flies dancing around the bulb. On the left is a young man resting on a bed, several bandaging covering him. On his stomach the blood has bled through, the damage looking severe. The man weakly turns his head, flickering his eyes open.
   Matius looks down at him in sadness, just small example what hell has to offer. The women appears at Matius’s side, watching as “He’s dying. Please can you help him?”, she asks looking very desperate. Her boyfriend remaining motionless with the exception of the raising chest of a weak heartbeat. Matius looks at the body unsure what to do, lost for words. Matius lowers himself down, placing his hand on the man’s matted hair. His girlfriend watching behind, full of nerves. Matius closes his eyes concentrating his energy on the man’s body, as it flows through him.
  Closing his eyes Matius bows his head.”I can’t help him”, Matius utters, “he’s lost too much blood”. The women looks bedazzled oblivious to the truth. “Why can’t you save him?…You can do anything, can’t you?”, she stutters her eyes ablaze looking at him. Matius lowers his head, in frustration. “No… he’s just to far gone gone and I…I’m no healer”. “you’re lying!”, she shouts a tear rolling down her cheek. Matius remains silent , looking at the dying man. The woman then bursts out a rage, looking hatefully at Matius. . “You know what you are?”, she blasts sobbing, “You’re nothing but a monster! You just don’t care who lives and who dies. That’s all you’ll ever be!”. Finished she bursts out of the tent, leaving Matius to the dying man who looks outside.

Matius quickly leaves the tent, grabbing several people’s attention. Finished Matius continues his walk towards London passing the group listening to the radio, it’s signal comes back online.

“There are no reports on when these attacks may end, the Vatican have no leading information and the catholic churches do not know, all I can say is this. If there is a god in our world, would he allow this hell on earth to exist?...If so are they watching, is the Dark Avenger watching?”

Matius continues walking towards London, arriving at the suburbs noting all the abandoned streets and shops all deserted in silence.  Many windows are bordered up where glass has failed to hold, along the street several dead bodies lay where demons attacked their dried trails of blood decorating the floor. Matius walks ahead nerved by the silence, unaware of the moment deep in the clouds above. Matius spots a television shop across the road, the glass window visibly broken.  Curious he approaches the shop watching a television screen as a someone is giving the news, it’s screen flashing from it’s poor single. Lost in the television a winged demon drops down from the sky quietly approaching Matius. Finished Matius makes his way down the silent street, the winged demon following stealthy, keeping to cover. Approaching an alley Matius suddenly stops, unsure where to go looking deep into it. He walks inside it, the demon following close behind. Matius then stops hearing something behind him. Realising its cover’s been blown the demon leaps into the air claws draw, jaw wide dripping with saliva.
    Before Matius can react the demon is on top of him, trying to bite him. Angered Matius attempts to wrestle the demon off, trying to push it aside. With some effort Matius manages to knock the demon into a trashcan, knocking it over spilling it’s contents. In panic Matius tries to get up, in retaliation the winged demon screams in anger leaping at Matius It claws quickly dig into Matius’s back.  In pain Matius swings his body, slamming it into a shop window breaking the glass. Matius then loses his balance dropping onto the cold pavement, the demon on top of him. Matius gazes at the demon’s gleaming eyes noticing a silhouette of a man approaching hin. The demon quickly tries to bite Matius as he grips onto its neck holding it back. Suddenly the axe drops down into the demons head instantly yelping in pain. Hurt the demon quickly spins around knocking over a figure before quickly taking flight back into the sky.

Shaken Matius lifts himself from the ground, nursing his back he quickly remembers the figure. Matius approaches the man who himself is lifting himself up uneasily from the floor. “Hey are you alright?”, Matius question just as the middle aged man looks at him. “Yes I’m fine”, he quickly replies dusting himself off. The Man glances at Matius is expressions changes. “Wait…I know you! You’re that guy that’s been in the newspapers, are you responsible for this?!” He questions slightly angered. “No… I’m not”, Matius apologetically replies as they leave alley back into the street. “Just where is everyone?” Matius questions in confusion, “When did this happen?”. “We got attacked”, the man replies standing in the street, ”About three hours ago they came. Many of us were indoors when they came, we could hear them in the sky their wings flapping. Vile things…they didn’t give anyone a chance. Everyone outside started panicking, running as those things dropped from the sky snatching anyone they could. I was in my shop at the time, it was horrible”, he adds.
  “If you are not responsible for this then just who is?”, the middle aged man questions approaching his shop well reinforced. “Someone in hell is behind this”, Matius states as the man is thumbing in his pockets, “and I will stop him when I’ve done all I can for these people”. The middle aged man glances at Matius in surprise stuck for words. “Why are you doing this for us? We treat no better than a criminal, a threat…why?”. Matius pauses looking back to the man, “because this same man destroyed my life. I lost my home, my friends, everything. This is the only place I have left, and I won’t let him take this away”.

“Well…I’m sorry that I misplaced you”, the man replies pulling out a key from his jacket pocket. With it he unlocks the shop door gently pushing it open. The man urges Matius in as he looks around the shop noticing no food on the shelves. “All the food’s in the basement”, the middle aged man states noticing Matius’s attention, “it’s to stop anyone stealing our food while I’m downstairs. Please follow me”. Matius follows the man as he opens a door leading to a staircase, going down the creaking floorboards. Matius can hear voices down below as they descend down, dust falling above his head. “Do you think you could quieten down? I’m trying to listen to this!”, a voice blasts grabbing Matius’s attention. As they both reach the bottom a group of people

Ivan continues walking through the volcanic  wildlands, watching his footing carefully. Suddenly three large lizards come close shrouded in scales, the flames flickering against their scales.  Ivan quickly withdraws his sword ready to defend himself, watching each one. One of them snarls it’s scales moving around it’s neck, underneath it’s scales lava like protects it. Without warning one of the beasts leaps for Ivan knocking him over the edge. Falling down towards the volcanos, one of the beasts trys to bite Ivan while falling. Ivan attempts to punch the beasts head only for the scales to take the blows. Ivan falls heavily onto the rocky surface as the beast lands uncomfortably “You want a piece of me? You want a piece of ME?!” Ivan’s skeletal arm suddenly grows cracks of glowing red light as he stares down at the beasts. As the beasts charge for Ivan his skin suddenly changes as pieces of bone grow through his body lined with red glowing markings. With a quick move of his arm Ivan moves his arm through the arm one of his bony productions..