The Forgotten Prophecy: Episode 10 (July 21st, 2702)

Arcadeus waited. He waited for half an hour, as did the rest of them. Marceus and Gallus were rampant, still searching everywhere in the vicinity for their youngest brother. Their father, however, was unmoving, still and patient. He was still trying to understand Cain’s words. Only should they be victorious would he see his son again. Should they fail, he would never see him. He tried to understand the logic behind it, assuming the victory and failure would have the opposite result. What could the Vampires want with his son? What type of God Particle did Juleus possess, if he indeed possessed what they were looking for? Curiosity got the best of him as he ceased to worry whether Juleus was alive and more about what was going on. Were there God Particles among them that were unique?

Otho approached Arcadeus among the ruins of the battle earlier. “We should have seen something by now.” His voice wavered as he spoke. “How long has it been?” Arcadeus asked calmly. “It’s been ten minutes past the deadline.” “This means...” “Juleus wasn’t the one.” Otho laid a friendly hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry we couldn’t find him. Rest assured we will find them. They will pay for what they’ve done.”

Gallus had separated from Marceus on their quest to find their brother. Once he realized what time it was he headed back to find him. He found him a few blocks away, on his knees, crying deep into his hands. The crumbled rocks beneath Gallus disturbed the scene as he walked to his brother. He was trying hard to hide his tears but the redness of his eyes gave him away. Seeing him in such a sorry state forced tears out of Gallus. He lips trembled and his breath taken away. A wave of reality hit him. He was now staring at his only brother. “They... they took him...” Marceus whimpered. “They took him and now he’s gone... forever.” Gallus fell to his knees and embraced him. “Where were we Gallus? Where were we when Juleus needed us!?” he screamed into Gallus’s shoulder.

Deep down in the tunnels, Juleus was alive but in terrible agony. The mysterious man had fed him bizarre limbs from several different animals in the last half hour all the while cutting at his arms and chest. He couldn’t tell if the man was disgusted by what he was performing or just wasn’t seeing the results he was expecting. Juleus vomited for the fourth time before the man stopped. “This cannot be!” he roared. “You must be the one!” Juleus spit out a chunk of an artery he tried to swallow earlier. He had been unchained after experiencing heavy episodes, just when the man thought the ritual was almost over but everything had failed. “...and now it’s too late...” He rested his head against the cold stone wall, rethinking his entire plan. Juleus stared at him and then his unchained wrists.

The Demigod launched a swift kick towards the mysterious man but suddenly missed his target. The man had disappeared right in front of his eyes. “What?” he gasped but now he was alone and an empty hallway was right next to him. Without thinking twice, Juleus darted into the hallway and began to run as fast as he could. Halfway in and a manic laughter erupted sending chills down his spine. He stopped and looked back. Nothing there. He returned his gaze and screamed, losing his balance in the process. Juleus fell on his back as he stared at the man who had appeared in front of him. “I apologize,” he said. “I wasted not only my time but yours as well.” Juleus was frozen in fear. He didn’t know how to respond. “Allow me to take the pain away.”

Juleus wanted no part of what the man was planning and launched a second attack. He finally connected his kick against the man’s left shin and thrust himself up with a punch against his neck. The man toppled but regained his stance. “You Demigods prove to me day after day what a nuisance you really are.” He spat. “What the hell do you want with me?” “I wanted you to fulfill my destiny, Juleus Mara!” “What destiny?” Juleus had his hands up in case of a surprise attack. “There was a ninety percent chance that you were the one I’ve been looking for!” “For what purpose!?” “To become the next Anti-Christ, you fool!” Juleus stared at what was possibly a madman. “What Anti-Christ? What are you on about?” “Were you a man of God before you turned into a half-God, Juleus?” The man asked in a non-aggressive manner. “Because you see, I am talking about what really matters here. Your father is leading some sort of crusade, to rid the lesser races...” “That’s a lie! We’re protecting ourselves!” argued Juleus. “Is that what you call it? Why do Demigods need protection from mortal Humans? Are you that pathetic?” “Because we too are mortal! And they fear us!” “You are mortal because you still choose to be! But you father...” he laughed. “Your father, Arcadeus, is a conniving bastard. He understands the God Particles, although fortunately, not to their truest potential.”

The man folded his arms and rested against the wall. “Are we not fighting?” Juleus asked. He was confused by everything that followed up his attack. “I will not entertain the thought, let alone the reality. You have minutes to live. Make them count.” “Fine. Who are you?” The man smiled at the question. “I am a broken reflection of perfection, or that is what he once said.” He simply answered. “Who’s he?” “The one he who has ever mattered.” “Ok... What is this all about?” “An ancient prophecy.” “About what?” “The end of the world.”

Juleus was ordered back into the stone room. He was convinced that he was a dead man walking. The mysterious man didn’t show any retaliation to any of his attacks and it scared him. He promised him a swift death but also an answer to every question he asked. Juleus knew it would do him no good but he had the need.

When they entered the room, two chairs suddenly popped out of nowhere and the two took their seats. Juleus didn’t know how to react at first but something told him the man he was dealing with wasn’t a Vampire. “I want to know everything.” He said confidently. “Before I begin, I want to assure you that there is no end to this hallway. Should you try to escape, you will find yourself in an endless tunnel.” Juleus tried not to show his fear. “Just tell me about this prophecy.” “Very well, while you and the rest of the Demigod race have tried so hard to stay alive, Vampires have been running errands for me.” “What type of errands?” “Finding you for example.” “What for?” “There is one among you that is more significant from the rest, an alpha Demigod, so to speak. This particular Demigod can be converted into a force of pure good... or evil.” “This particular Demigod can turn into the Anti-Christ?” “Precisely.” “What can an Anti-Christ even do?” “Wipe the slate clean.” The man smiled arrogantly, leaning in towards Juleus. “I can reset the whole universe. Become its master. Recreate it in my own vision.” “You’re just talking about a conjurer of some sort? Because we aren’t real Demigods. That is simply what we chose to call ourselves. That being said, the Anti-Christ doesn’t really have anything to do with Christ now, does it? So who are you trying to scare? You already said that I’m a dead man.” “Juleus... Mara...” He leaned back in his chair. “The truth is what hurts the most sometimes. The people who merged with the God Particles, which in fact are real God Particles, transcended into Demigods. It not no mere name. It is the truth. But that aside, religion, the plague that has haunted this world and plenty others is the sorry truth. There were three prophets once who walked this earth and died for humanity. There is... ehm... a God, and heaven and hell.” Juleus stared blankly for a while, slowly taking in what was said.

There was complete silence for a few minutes. Neither of them said a word. Juleus finally took a deep breath. “One final question.” The man smiled, for he knew what it was. He had waited for it this whole time. To finally reveal who he really was. To show the pathetic Demigod in front of him what kind of world he had stumbled upon. He could finally tell a stranger his identity.

“Who are you?”

“I am... the light bringer.”