AEON BIRTH: BLOOD BROTHER

1400 A.D. was marked with the dominance of Roman Catholic Church, it
emerged as the most powerful and undeserving ruling class of the then
Europe. possessing this gift of leadership and power for many years, a
seed of ego and tyranny born into the hearts of Catholic priests, which
with the passage of time completely transformed into a thick wood of
insanity. Within hundred and fifty years the Roman Catholic Church
completely devastated Europe’s ruling families and itself became a self
proclaimed ruler, possessing ominous gift of inhumanity and dark magic,
with a glimpse of merciless science.

For many years European soul remained silent, owing to the birth of fear
within them because of their helpless condition against priests’ magic
and science. But it is said that a long exposure to any grimace or disease
always develops immunity against them.

Church’s prolonged sins sparked a rebellion attitude among the

European laymen. This resulted into the formation of numerous
organized groups who called themselves ‘Protestants’. Out of these,
‘Angel Feathers’ was the strongest. This group had its activities across
the Europe. Their major works included; secret enlightenment,
establishment of underground churches and ammunition dealings and
other activities. Rumors were there that its main headquarters was
situated in Transylvania and also that it had undercover persons
working under the command of Roman Catholic Church.

It was a dark date of April, when one of Angel Feather’s underground

church was set to fire. The adobe, where protestant priests used to
produce people the true lines of Bible, contrary to the dark paras of
Roman Church. That adobe was now bathing into the flames. The pages
that used to preach Christianity were now flying into the air, left battered
by the severity of the fire. Dark fumes producing out of the burning
materials was a grim example for the Protestants set by the Catholics.

The occasional witnesses of this example were a pair of human souls,

with protestant blood rushing through their veins. They were claiming a
small under stair portion of a ground of a private residence, situated
about hundred meters away from the church, on the other side of the
road.

One was a thirty four years old female with long white hair and wood-
brown eyes. She was wearing long purple colored robe with long green
skirt, while her companion was a tall and lean man with bald head and
mild moustache. He was dressed in long black overcoat with same
colored trousers and navy blue shirt. A serious conversation was
breathing in between them.

“This is sad!” said the woman, slowly.

“No this is terrible!” commented the man.

“Fifty persons including women and children were slaughtered.” she said,
“They are beasts!” she added disgustfully.

“You were doubtful about that!”

“The organization is getting weaker!” she expressed her sorrows,

“Commander Hopes have to do something about this!”

“Only God knows what is going in his mind!”

He was started feeling better, till a gust of warm air that was arriving
from the direction of flaming church didn’t pull him back into the state of
grimness. He slowly staggered away from the tragic scene, without
replying the inquiring calls of his companion.

Meanwhile, thousand miles away, in a woody domain of Transylvania:

Commander Graham Hopes was breathing in a balcony of an old castle

that exists in the midst of the same forest. The cold and filtered air,
rushing through the trees was hitting flat on his face. This was giving
him a mild relaxation, temporarily parting him away from the grim
thoughts that were invading his mind.

He was a tall and broad man, with chocolate brown hair and deep blue
eyes. Currently, he was dressed in navy blue overcoat with similar shirt
and trouser, lastly wearing long black boots.

Suddenly a warm and friendly voice forced Hopes to leave the arms of
silence.

“Ahem! Commander Hopes?”

Hopes slowly turned back to found a young man of twenty two years of
age waiting eagerly for him to reply.

“Yes?”
“Lady Martha is willing to meet you!” he replied.

“Tell her I’m busy!” ordered Hopes.

“I’m already here!”

A soft female voice interrupted their conversation. Next moment, the very
same was present at the tragic scene entered the balcony.

“Lady Martha you shouldn’t have come here!” commented Hopes, “I’m
well aware of the news!”

“I’m not here for that,” she replied politely, “I only want to know, what
necessary steps you’ll take after this incident, to strengthen the
organization and to avoid any similar happenings in the future!”

“Still I’m far from any judgment,’ replied Hopes.

“You must act fast!” cautioned Martha, “You don’t have much time!”

“I know,” agreed Hopes, “but we’re running short of men and

ammunition!”

“Then you look for a fresh way!” said Martha, calmly.

“What do you mean?” asked Hopes, as he was unable to grasp Martha’s

intentions.

“I’m talking about your brother!” cleared Martha.

“No,” denied Hopes, “Wipe out this idea from your mind!” he added.

“Why?” questioned Martha, “He has every right to join the organization!”

“He still considers himself responsible for the death of our father. This
burden will create obstacles in his acts. This is harmful for the
organization!” Graham kept his point of view.

“Then it is your job to make him clear that no one is responsible for
Major Talon’s death!”

“No!” denied Graham, “He must learn this all by himself, else he will die!”

In the meantime, about and fifty miles away, on a highway, running

along the North West boundary of Transylvania.
The highway was heavily guarded by the Catholic soldiers, armed with
swords and semi-machineguns that could fire twenty bullets on a single
press of the trigger. As usual, the highway was mildly guarded with the
inspection force, so as to check the trespassing of the rebellions from the
neighboring countries to Transylvania.

Leaving soldiers, the highway was loaded with several big and small
carriages and pedestrians, but the main attraction for the people was a
long and wonderfully decorated stagecoach that was burdened by seven
horses. Such stagecoaches were generally used for very long journeys
and that to were used rarely and carry with them a bit large number of
persons.

At that time, about twenty eight persons were present in the

compartment, out of which about ten persons were sitting dumbly.
Nearly all of them were drowning into the pool of fear and worry, except a
young man that was sitting just next to the door. He was about twenty
six years old; with long brown hair that covers a major part of his face
and a pair of sapphire blue eyes. He was dressed in a long fur overcoat
and loose trouser with dirty green shirt and long boots. His whole
attention was on another traveler that was resting in his front. He could
clearly see his fear and worry and a small Leather bound book that was
resting below his palms, bearing a cross on its cover, was clearly
explaining his intentions.

Soon the Catholic soldiers dawned to the stagecoach. The person with
the bible quietly slipped it into his robes. The captain then asked the
coachman to unlock the carriage. He quietly followed the order and
shifted aside, allowing the guards to take up the scene.

“Give me the list of the passengers!” ordered the captain.

After receiving the list from the coachman, the captain stepped into the
stagecoach. Two rows of seats (carrying thirty seats each) were lying
along the length of the compartment, with a certain space in between
them. The space was more than enough for a well built man to stand
with ease. The captain gave a sensory look to the passengers and then
started reciting the name enlisted on the paper.

The jotting out of each name was increasing the concentration of fear
among those nine persons, especially the one sitting beside the door. He
was the first among them. He slipped the deeper into his clothes.

“Francois Dante!” called the captain.

Hearing his name, Francois (the same passenger sitting beside the door)
opened his mouth, but due to fear and seriousness of the situation only
few broken words born out of his mouth. This aroused a seed of
suspicion in the mind of captain. He slowly stretched towards him.

“You!” he roared, “Is something worrying you?”

“N_ _ No!” replied François with some hesitation.

“Let me search you!” said the captain stretching his hands towards
Francois.

At this point Francois showed some sloppiness that misfortunately

resulted in the slipping of the bible onto the floor. The sight of the
prohibited bible was an unbearable for the captain’s patience.

“Filthy protestant!” he roared disrespectfully, “You have to pay __ _”

Rest of the words died in his mouth, as a cold touch of metallic death
that traveled from his mouth to the brain, piercing his hard palate, made
him still. He fell onto the wooden floor as a useless dry log of wood. Two
other soldiers that were accompanying the victim were left stunned for
few moments as they hadn’t thought of this. They looked towards the
young man who was sitting in front of Francois. A shiny metallic sword
was resting in his hand. Suddenly, the call of duty pulled back the
soldiers from the state of stillness.

“He got the sword!” both the soldiers screamed to their full extent, in
order to alert the rest of soldiers present in the surrounding.

The youthful stranger was a bit faster than their judgment. With an
amusing speed he left his position, crossed the soldier standing in front
of him and acquired a position just in front of the second and the last
soldier present in the compartment. Naturally he was left awkward by
the demand of the situation, his fingers lost their movement for few
seconds and this micro span of idleness was enough to gift him the
similar fate that embraced his captain.

After a quick dealing with his second rival, the stranger turned his
attention towards the last one. Till the moment the second soldier had
regained his consciousness and was ready to make an attack. The time
was less for the stranger, perhaps lesser than demand. But anything
worse could happen, Francois, who was sitting behind the soldier,
watching the whole incident dumbly, gathered a bit of strength. He
suddenly (impossible for anyone to believe) grabbed a heavy vase resting
next to him and delivered a tough blow of it on the soldier’s head. He fell
onto the floor like a loose bag.

The young man looked towards his helper. Francois was looking
awkwardly at the fallen soldier. He still couldn’t believe that he had done
this. Coming to his senses, the stranger darted towards the door and
glanced outside. The remaining soldiers were running straightforward
towards the stagecoach from the distance.

The stranger then kicked open the other door of the compartment. It was
staring the dense woods, situated a way below the road. He turned
towards the Francois.

“Hey! What’s your name?” he asked.

“Fran __ Francois!” replied Francois showing a bit of hesitation.

“Listen Francois, I want you to guide all these people in that forest and
wait for me near the only pond of that forest!” instructed the stranger.

He then turned towards the frightened passengers.

“All of you listen to me!” he yelled, “No matter in which side you are, you
all are in a grave danger! So kindly Follow Francois. Now Move!”

Immediately the environment became full of the sudden rush of the

passengers towards the door. Without bothering about anything, even
the shouting soldiers (that were rushing towards the forest. Soon, almost
the whole compartment reached the state of near lifelessness. Only the
stranger was breathing soul left there.

He then quickly took out a palm sized semi-hemispherical metallic object

from the inner pocket of his overcoat and searched its bottom. His
fingers stopped over a small button, situated at the middle. He then
gently pushed it, immediately two rows of small blades appeared out of
that object. They were running throughout its surface, with fixed
distance between them. Furthermore, he gave a clockwise rotation to the
upper part of the semi-hemisphere. Next moment, both the rows of
blades start rotating in two opposite directions. He then kept it on the
floor and briskly slipped out of the stagecoach.

When the soldiers reached the spot, they found no one in the
compartment. Only the battered bodies of their captain and two other
soldiers were catching their eyes. Suddenly, one of the soldiers’ eyes fell
on the same hemi-spherical object.
“Look, what the hell is this!” he uttered, facing his companions.

Curiously, all of them leaned over that object. Suddenly the motion of the
blades died away and they were pulled back into the main body,
automatically. Understanding the situation, one of the soldiers’ cried
using his full strength.

“Run!!”

But the time had already slipped from their hands. Next moment, the
whole compartment was blown away with a deafening sound. The silent
environment was now a scene of unbearable chaos.

Meanwhile François, as directed, was waiting for his helper near the only
pond situated not so far from the accidental spot. Only eight passengers
(all of them were Protestants) were accompanying him. When the
stranger reached the spot, Francois briskly staggered towards him.

“Only eight! Where are the rest of the passengers?” asked the stranger.

“Didn’t come!” replied Francois and further added, “Said that they are
still sure that the authority won’t harm them!”

“Blind fool!” remarked the stranger.

“Shall we look for them?” asked Francois.

“No!” he replied, “It’ll only waste our time. We must move on!”

“But_ _”

“The only thing which you can do for them is to pray!”

The news of this sudden attack on the inquiring force stretched across
Transylvania like a forest fire and within six hours the whole highway
(especially the incidental area) was under the control of Catholic army.

Squadron leader, Hankel Varsova was busy in controlling the activities

and instructing the soldiers when suddenly an official automobile
attracted his attention. Automobiles were used to be rare attractions in
those days. Only Catholic army officials, politicians, government people,
persons of high status and royal relatives were used to be the owners of
these automobiles. The class and condition of the automobile was judged
according to the position of its owner.
This automobile was a typical was automobile with its fore tires about
three times bigger than the hind tires. The major body was made up of
an alloy of iron and titanium and a thick and strong glass was claiming
the position of wind shield and window glasses. Then the door of that
automobile opens upward and three armored guards stepped out on the
highway, followed by their commander, Adolf Muddock.

Adolf Muddock, the commander of a regiment of the Catholic army was a

tall and broad man with nearly hairless head and a blue eye; his other
eye was destroyed during a battle that held a long time back. His left
hand also wasn’t accompanying him. On its place, a prosthetic had
(designed in special laboratory cum operation theatre of Catholic Armed
Medical Facility).

“What is the current situation serge?” asked Adolf on reaching near to

Hankel.

“The situation is in under control, sir!” replied Hankel showing a bit of

dignity, “Our soldiers are searching the every bit of this forest and the
nearby areas! The chances of their rescue are minimal!”

Suddenly one of the Catholic soldiers approached the scene. He was

panting a little bit.

“What happened?” asked Hankel curiously, while Adolf was maintaining

his cold expression.

“We’ve been able to catch the eighteen passengers that were traveling in
that stagecoach.” replied the soldier, “In fact, they were making their way
back to us!”

“What?” uttered Hankel with a bit of surprise, “What did they say?”

“They are claiming that they are innocent and what happened hours
back is not their fault! They further said that it happened so quick that
they were unable to think anything!” said the soldier, “They also said
that they will help with all means so as to catch the culprits!”

“Good!” remarked Adolf, “Guide us there! Maybe it can prove their lucky
day!”

When Adolf entered the desired spot along with Hankel and the other
soldier, he could clearly see the mist of fear and nervousness that was
encircling their faces.
“You!” uttered Adolf harshly while pointing towards an old passenger,
“What is your name?” he demanded.

“O_ Octavious!” replied the old man, hesitatingly.

“Tell me what you know?” ordered Adolf.

“There were two men that are responsible for this consequence. Because
of them on_ only this incident has occurred!” replied Octavious, “But o_
one man with long b_ brown hair and blue eyes was the one who killed
those soldiers!”

“Something else that you know?” inquired Hankel.

“Y_ Yes,” replied Octavious, “T _They were planning to stretch towards

south.” suddenly tears began to roll out from the corners of his eyes. He
gripped Adolf’s legs and started pleading, “P_ Please spare me!” he
begged, “I _ I’ve a wife and two child_ children!”

Adolf slowly fell on his knees and gently grabs Octavious’ shoulders,
“Tch-tch-tch! Don’t regret old man.” said Adolf slowly, “Catholics are just
like my relatives and you, you remind me of my father! You soul is
innocent and pure, but your body has been left dirty by breathing along
protestants. It shall be purified. Don’t worry! Jesus will do justice to
you!”

Adolf gently kissed on Octavious’ head and balanced himself back on his
feet.

“N _No My Lord!” uttered Octavious, drowning completely into the state

of fear and hopelessness.

Overlooking him, Adolf confronted Hankel and nodded slightly.

Understanding his intentions, Hankel in reply looked towards a cluster of
soldiers that were claiming the field.

Next moment, the whole atmosphere was dawned with the deafening
noise of gunfire and unbearable cries of the innocent victims that died
within few moments. No Catholic soldier bothered about these killings
and if there were any, then they thought it better to not to comment.

Desmund Tutu was one of the several Captains that used to serve ‘Angel
feathers’. He was a short guy with small black hair and shiny blue eyes.
He was the in-charge of ‘Bucharest Underground Hideout’, a secret place
for the orphans and the affected Protestants. About fifty rebellions were
at his command. Currently he was sitting in the safe chamber of his
hideout along with Lady Martha. A warm argument was developing
between them.

“I don’t agree with you!” said Martha while delivering a punch on the
table.

“There’s nothing wrong in it!” commented Desmund.

“No, the whole setup is wrong!” argued Martha, “It’ll cost the innocent
people’s lives! Catholic they may be, but they’re innocent Christians and
it’s our duty to make sure that they must not be harmed!”

“This is our last chance to save Nicoli Bruno’s, else they’ll hang him!”
Desmund kept his point of view.

“But why this date?” inquired Martha desperately, “When the whole city
will be drowning in the lime light of Christmas!”

“The court has decided to hang Nicoli Bruno on the eve of Christmas!”
replied Desmund, “They think that it’ll purify his soul!”

“We’re fighting against the system Demund, not against the people!”
yelled Martha.

“I won’t force you,” said Desmund flatly, “but we aren’t alone this time,
‘Hawk Eyes’ are supporting us.”

Martha thought it right to end the prevailing argument. So she quietly

left her position and slowly staggered towards the door, “You got four
days,” said Desmund from behind, “only if you change your mind.”

Meanwhile, about fifty miles away from Bucharest, in the hideout of

‘Hawk Eyes’:

Group leader Joseph Dolmen wasn’t expecting some visitor when he was
busy in some work. He knew this person, but their meeting wasn’t
because of his willingness, he was forced to do so. It was the same young
man with Francois and other eight persons.

“Ah, Jason! What a heavenly surprise to see you!” uttered Joseph,

bringing a forceful frankness on the face.
“Don’t showoff Joseph!” said Jason quietly, “I know that you aren’t much
for my company!”

Jason’s last sentence didn’t suit Joseph, due to which he suddenly

became serious.
“Why are you here?” asked Joseph, disrespectfully.

“You heard the recent incident that occurred at cross-border highway?”

asked Jason and further added, “These are the survivors of that incident,
running away from the Catholic soldiers. I _ _”

“No way!” interrupted Joseph, “I’m not going to shelter them and you
shouldn’t have come here. The soldiers are after you. You people are a
danger to me, my people and my group!”

“I’m not asking you to give them any kind of shelter,” said Jason, “I only
want you to send these people to Angel Feathers!”

“You’re at wrong place!” replied Joseph.

Jason thought it better to leave the place. He along with other persons
slowly staggered towards the door. He was still on his way towards the
door when suddenly he stops motioning and turns around to face
Joseph.

“Tell me Joseph,” said Jason, “what will happen when Angel Feathers
and other organizations will come to know about your denial in providing
shelter to the harmless Protestants just because of a bad talk with me?”

Jason once again began staggering towards the door, when suddenly a
nervous call from Joseph forced him to stop.

“Jason, wait!” yelled Joseph.

“So, you want to change your decision?” mocked Jason.

“Okay, I present my agreement,” said Joseph and quickly added, “but

there’s one condition!”

“Condition?”

A cunning smile born on Joseph’s face, “You’ve to help me on my mission

with Angel Feathers!”

“What?” yelled Joseph, “No way, I don’t fight anymore!”

“Is that your last decision?” mocked Joseph, “Don’t tell me that you’ve no
sympathy for these innocent people?”

The last conversation with Desmund had left Martha a bit confused.
Battling with her thoughts she was covering her way along a pavement
fairly loaded with the pedestrians, but contrary to general condition
people were swaying in a particular direction. This was a clear evidence
for the birth of a grim incident.

Surprisingly, Martha (opposite to her nature) was untouched by this

ludicrous situation. Maybe she had taken the talk with Demund more
serious than the original requirement. Only when she took a sharp turn
from the corner of the road, the cluster of people pulled her attention.
She slowly approached near them and questioned one of the men present
there.

“They killed him!” he replied grimly.

“Killed? Who?” asked Martha, she was unable to clarify that person’s
statement.

“The boy!” said the man, “They killed the boy!”

“What?” yelled Martha, disbelievingly.

Suddenly a weak and old woman joined the conversation.

“Those filthy hypocrites!” she uttered disrespectfully, “Killed this boy?

Why? Only because he made a mistake by taking eatables from a
protestant family? It’s insane!”

The old lady then moved away from there, wiping out her tears.

“The end of humanity is just to come!” said the man, slowly.

Martha didn’t ask any further questions; rather she stood there, staring
the dead and horrible face of that soulless innocent body. His dead
expressions were the evidence of the mercy that he was seeking in the
last moments of his life. Tears began to roll out from the corners of
Martha’s eyes. She didn’t try to stop them.

Oh God! Such a _ _ _

Commander Adolf Muddock wasn’t among them who like to wait, rather
he used to get an err feeling when someone forces him to wait so long,
but it was his helplessness that he couldn’t say anything to the supreme
authority. Currently, he was occupying the only chair resting in front of
the judicial desk, a part of the huge hall that was situated in the Royal
Castle of Transylvania. a group of five persons was occupying the judicial
desk. For past half an hour the silence was engulfing the environment
that was ultimately broken by the chief judicial.
“Commander Adolf Muddock!” said the chief judicial in a croaky voice,
“You are here to give us the clearing regarding the cross-border highway
incident.”

Adolf remained silent.

“You haven’t been able to collect any influencing clue,” said the first
deputy judicial, “Do you have to say anything about that?”

“I’ve been working hard and I guarantee that _ _ _”

“Don’t lay me excuses!” roared the chief judicial, “I demand results!”

“Well, I’ve a plan which can cause a major damage to the rebellion
groups!”

“You know what the royal authority doesn’t like?” asked the chief judicial
and further added, “Boasting persons! If you’ve a plan then prove its
fruitfulness, otherwise you’ll be debarred from your position. Now go!”

Adolf Muddock left his position and slowly staggered out of the hall,
leaving everyone to stare him awkwardly.

Meanwhile, in a congested room of ‘Bucharest Underground Hideout’:

Lady Martha, Captain Demund Tutu and two other associated officials
were claiming their positions around a round table. A street map of
Bucharest was lying open on that table.

“Look,” began Desmund, drawing a red circle around the posh area of the
city, “This whole area will be fully loaded with the people, who will be
there for Christmas celebration!”

“Everyone knows this.” commented one of the other officials.

“But very few know that there is an underground tunnel that ran across
the whole city!” replied Desmund confidently, “This tunnel is under the
control of Catholic Authority and is a passage to its secret command
centers and this is our luck that they’ll keep Nicoli Bruno in one of those
hideouts on the very same night and at very same place.”
“Nice plan Desmund!” praised Martha, “But tell me one thing, how will
you execute it with such a tight security that’ll guard that area?”

“Good question Lady Martha!” commented Desmund, “But I’ve some

arrangements for it!”
“Arrangements?”

“Yes,” replied Desmund and further added, “I’ve arranged two vehicles
that are the perfect imitations of the army vehicles used by Catholic
soldiers at the time of riot or when there is the question of national or
important security. These vehicles will guide ours and Hawk Eyes’
members into that tunnel.”

“And from where did you get these vehicles?” asked Martha suspiciously.

“I’ve some important connections!” replied Desmund airily and further

added, “Now I want all of you to complete your pre-operational tasks
within two days before we start the operation.”

“Desmund you still haven’t told us that how will we make in that
tunnel?” asked Martha, suddenly.

“Ah! I’ve a plan for it and I’ll distribute it to our interested persons today,
by the break of dusk!” said Desmund and left the scene along with other
members except Martha. She stood there, staring Desmund deeply.

Jason was following Joseph along a narrow corridor. Though Jason had
agreed to participate in the mission, yet still he wasn’t a bit interested in
it, rather sticking up with Joseph was an irritating task for him.

“Thank you for becoming a part of our mission!” said Joseph, grinningly.

“Keep you gratitude with yourself!” replied Jason coldly, “you better know
that I’m not doing this task for you.”

“I also don’t have any interest in you!” said Joseph, showing the same
dignity.

“Nicoli Bruno? Isn’t he the same person who is a renowned scientist?”

asked Jason after a short pause.

“Yes,” replied Joseph.

“He is a Catholic then why they’ll execute him?”

“He is a scientist!” replied Joseph, “And anything which is harmful to

Catholic belief system is their foe!”
The corridor ended into a huge hall, mildly burdened with small horse
carriages, few automobiles and a heavy fuel vehicle (typically military).
This heavy vehicle was the only thing that grabbed Jason’s attention.

“My God! This can’t be or is it_ _?”

“Don’t stare it dumbly,” said Joseph, “It is just an imitation of real

Catholic Army vehicle. It is a wonderful gift from Angel Feathers!”

Jason along with Joseph stepped inside the vehicle. Really, it was a
perfect imitation of a Catholic Army Vehicle and this is what that created
a little bit of suspicion in his mind.

“Tell me who has produced this vehicle?” asked Jason suspiciously.

“Calm down!” said Joseph in an assuring tone, “You can blindly trust
that man!”

The Christmas night brought a great zeal among the Bucharest residents
and the outsiders. A large swarm of people was engulfing the streets of
the city. They were swaying towards the city’s heart, holding crosses
Jesus’ sculptures, being completely drowned into the wonderful limelight
of the Christmas Eve. Heavy security was keeping an eye on this event so
as to avoid any accident and also to prevent any Anti-Catholic activities.
But both groups were unaware of the unusual conspiracy that was going
to exist by rebellions from Angel Feathers and Hawk eyes and that
certainly was going to prove a big slap on Catholic Authority.

Meanwhile two miles away, in an imitated army vehicle possessed by

Joseph, Jason and twenty other rebels:

“Okay, listen to me carefully,” Joseph’s voice pulled the rebels from their
state of laziness. An open map of Bucharest was lying on a small table,
placed between them, “We’re suppose to meet Angel Feathers after one
mile, here!” he put a cross on St. Gobian road, “From here we’ll
straightforward stretch towards crowded area. We can do this with ease.
There we have to enter in the clock tower. Very few know that there is a
secret way to the tunnel through that tower!”

“And what about the security system of that tunnel?” inquired Jason in
between, “There must be some kind of security system in that tunnel!”

“Don’t worry,” Joseph assured him, “I have a security plan for that
tunnel. The whole tunnel is loaded with gas-lights. You can’t suspect
them at first sight, but actually half of them are sensors, capable of
sensing any type of motioning. They are place alternatively along with the
simple gas-lights. Once you come in their contact, it will be all over!”

As par the program, Joseph’s vehicle joined Desmund’s after one mile,
further continuing their journey they reached the check-post area, the
mouth to enter the heart of the city. Desmund handed his fake ID batch
to the Post Officer.

“Alexander Berman!” He uttered giving a sensory look to Desmund, “So

why you and your team is willing to enter the celebration area?” he
asked.

“Security concerns!” replied Desmund calmly, “The authority thought it

better to send a little more help.”

The Post Officer returned Desmund’s ID batch, “You’re lucky!” he said,

“At least you don’t have to sit here to suffer boredom!” he added and then
ordered his men to open the gate.

Within ten minutes they were confronting the clock tower. The joyous
public had marched away from there and so the security. Therefore the
area was deeply calm, only few motioning people and beggars could be
seen there along with the mildly flowing air that was providing a little bit
of relaxation to their basic instincts.

Desmund then pushed the door and ordered everyone to follow him.
During this Martha, who had recognized Jason at first sight silently
slipped towards him.

“I thought you left fighting?” she asked slight surprise.

“You caught it right!” replied Jason.

“Then why are you here?” Martha threw another question.

“I’ve my personal problems!” replied Jason and further added in a

whispering tone, “Look, I don’t believe these guys, I only believe you!
Maybe it is a trap for us or maybe not, but I don’t want to take any
unnecessary risk!”

“Then what are you planning to do?”

“Let us step into that tunnel. From there I’ll part away from you people
and then I’ll carry out the operation in my own way!”
Desmund led them into a narrow corridor, situated at the back of the
tower, below the machinery room. The corridor further guided them to its
dead end, where only a way to manhole was catching their attention.

“Now?’ inquired Martha.

“This gutter will lead us to our destination!” said Desmund with a smile
on the face.

Meanwhile, the scene of security cell; situated within the limits of the
same tunnel:
Nicoli Bruno was occupying a metallic seat behind the iron bars, while
Adolf Muddock was standing outside the cell, wearing a cruel smile on
the face. An unfriendly conversation was stretching between them.

“Mr. Bruno, I’m seeing that you aren’t taking your meal. Water alone
can’t make you feel better!” said Adolf, showing fake curiosity.

“Keep your worry for you!” replied Bruno flatly, “You need it more!” he
added.

“You are a Catholic Mr. Bruno then why are you defying us?” asked
Adolf.

“I’m a scientist first,” said Bruno, “I’ll do what is good for science and
mankind and not for Catholic Authority!”

“This attitude can cost you your life.” cautioned Adolf.

“Huh! I’m scared!” mocked Bruno.

Suddenly a common soldier entered the scene and whispered something

in Adolf’s ears.

“We’ll meet very soon Mr. Bruno,” said Adolf, “Unluckily, you can’t enjoy
today’s celebrations!” he added and left the scene, followed by the soldier.

Back to Desmund and others:

When all of them stepped inside the tunnel, Jason quietly slipped away
from there. Desmund and others (though Martha knew this fact, yet she
decided to not to disclose it) realized after they stretched deeper into the
tunnel.

“Where is Jason?” questioned Desmund, showing a little panic.

“I don’t know!” replied Joseph with confusion.

“You don’t know!” yelled Desmund with frustration, “Hell to you Joseph!
Isn’t it your duty to keep an eye on your men?”

“He is not under my command!” argued Joseph, “He’s only assisting me!”

“Well, then I must thank you for our forthcoming failure!”

“Enough Desmund!” interrupted Martha, “Jason is Graham’s brother, he

knows very well where to step on, better than you. Therefore we must
concentrate on our task.”

Desmund after a short thinking finally agreed with Martha, but his mind
was revolving around Jason.

His answer wasn’t lying too far. Jason was crawling his way through the
air-duct that was built for the purpose of supplying ample air into the
tunnel. Actually, Jason was keeping a secret eye on Desmund and his
group. He had sensed something wrong that others were unable to
detect.

Meanwhile, Desmund and others were successful in reaching the high

security area. Martha stared at the deeper portion. Desmund’s
information was right. A number of gas-lights were arraying themselves
along the tunnel, maintaining a definite distance between them. One
more peculiar thing was accompanying these lights. These lights didn’t
burn continuously, but they burn alternatively. Each light burns up and
down for a fixed time interval (about ten seconds).

“I want you people to divide yourselves into different groups. There must
only three persons in a group. After that start crossing the tunnel.”
ordered Desmund, “Wait till the light with a sensor doesn’t get off. We
have to follow this strategy for many meters. We’ll disable the system
while making our return and for your knowledge the first light is an
ordinary one. Now proceed!”

Following Desmund’s instructions everyone started making his way along

the tunnel, showing a bit of cautiousness. For first fifty meters nothing
unusual incident marked its presence, but what was going to happen
next, everyone certainly would have wished not to happen.

When Joseph (who was the front most individual) stepped into the reach
of twenty first gas-light, suddenly the security alarms began screaming
with their full intensity.

“What the _ _ uttered Joseph, moonstruck by the change of situation.

“What is wrong here?”

Martha turned towards Desmund, “You said that the sensors were
placed in an alternate order?” she questioned.

“I don’t_ _”

Suddenly the echoes of numerous footsteps forced Desmund to kill his

statement.

“Guards are arriving!” yelled Joseph, in panic.

“It’s a trap, run!!” shrieked Martha.

“No, we can’t!” said Desmund, “They’re coming from both ways!”

Within moments they were completely surrounded by the security

guards, with several semi-automatics taking a clear aim of them.

“What should we do now?” whispered Joseph; he was standing closer to

Martha.

“Think sensibly!” replied Martha.

“Imposters, you’ve chosen your fate!” yelled the group sergeant.

Adolf was claiming his presence in the balcony of a multi-storied

building, situated near the clock tower. His eyes were fixed on the
celebration that was going on the roads, but his mind was swaying
somewhere else. Probably he was waiting for the arrival of some
prominent news. His wait soon ended with the entry of a Catholic soldier.

“What happened?” asked Adolf, keeping himself busy with his previous
task.

In reply, the soldier whispered something into his ears, “Tell them to wait
for me!” ordered Adolf.

Meanwhile back into the tunnel something impossible was about to mark
its presence and the guards that were overpowering Desmund and others
didn’t think of its possibility.

While the guards were busy staring the imposters, two small metallic
cylinders fell through the grill that was attached to the air duct. Next
moment an explosion battered the guards who were present I the deeper
section of the tunnel.

Immediately, the remaining guards were gripped into the state of panic.
They were still unaware of the situational meaning when two more
similar objects gifted them the same fate. Angel Feathers and Hawk eyes
were among the ones who were eager to know the situation. Suddenly
Jason who was hiding till now made his way into the tunnel through
nearest grill.

“Jason!” uttered Martha with a mixed feeling of relief and surprise.

“There’s a door that’ll take you into one of the nearest buildings. It is the
first one in the forthcoming section.” said Jason and further added, “I
want you people to go on its roof and wait there for me.”

“Where are you going?” inquired Desmund.

“To fetch Dr. Bruno!” replied Jason and disappeared into the deeper side
of the tunnel.

Suddenly Martha was pulled back to her consciousness, “Why all of you
are standing dead?” she uttered, “Didn’t you hear what the man just
said!”

The Protestant soldiers along with Desmund and Joseph made a brisk
response to Martha’s statement.

Nicoli Bruno was swaying into deep thoughts when suddenly a noise of
collision (born near his cell) forced him to throw his attention. He slowly
left his fallen position and stared towards the door to find Jason entering
the scene. Jason unlocked the door and took a short scan of Bruno, from
top to bottom.

“Nicoli Bruno?” inquired Jason. Bruno shook his head in approval,

“Today is your lucky day!” he added.

In the meantime, Desmund and others were waiting for Jason and
Bruno, on the roof of the building. Dying time was increasing their
anxiety.
“Damn it! Where the hell are they?” uttered Desmund, in frustration.

Joseph performed a brisk look of the surrounding roads.

“Oh My God, the army is here!” he yelled nervously.

Suddenly Jason and Bruno entered the scene.

“Jason!” Martha darted towards him and Bruno.

“Come on, we must leave quickly.” said Jason, darting towards the left
end of the roof.

A bridge was claiming its position at the left end that connects that
building to an adjoining one.

“Seeing that bridge? I want you to take Nicoli and others to that building
through that bridge.” said Jason, confronting Martha.

“What about you?” asked Martha, wearing a worried expression on her

face.

“I will come after you people.” replied Jason, “Now go!”

In a simultaneous situation:
When Adolf arrived at the scene, what he heard was beyond his
tolerance.

“What? You allowed those worthless humans to escape from that tunnel!”
roared Adolf.

“I accept my fault!’ replied the responsible sergeant, “But we were

unaware of the fact that one of them was hiding in the air duct!”

“Now where are they?” asked Adolf in a comparatively calm tone.

“We’ve trapped them in this building!” he replied.

Accidentally, Adolf’s eyes fell onto the bridge that was joining both the
buildings. After a deeper look he could dimly see the rebellions making
their way through it.

“You fool!” roared Adolf, confronting the sergeant, “They’re running away.
Destroy that bridge!”

Adolf’s recent firm order made Joseph to lose his nerves. He was in the
midst of the bridge along with other soldiers. Desmund, Martha and
Bruno were the first to cross the bridge, while Jason was still on the
previous building.

“O-Oh, they’re going to blow up the bridge!” yelled Joseph, overwhelmed

by fear and panic.
Reacting to Joseph’s statement, Jason and others looked downwards, at
the road. Catholic soldiers were taking an aim of the bridge, by an
assault vehicle.

“Run!” Joseph gave a sudden scream, “Run for your lives!”

The environment was immediately gripped into a state of chaos and

panic. Apathy develops among the rebellion men. They staggered towards
both ends of the bridge. Few terribly ended their lives by slipping through
the bridge. But before anyone could make to its either ends, the whole
bridge suddenly plunged to pieces. Those standing near the bridge fell
away from their places due to the impact of the explosion.

Adolf, who was watching this scene from the road turned towards his
men, “What are you morons looking at, go and catch those filthy
humans!” he roared.

Giving an immediate response to Adolf’s order, Catholic soldiers rushed

into the target buildings.

Meanwhile, Jason had regained his normal state. He turned towards

Martha and others.

“Go and find another way!” he yelled, “Till we’ll look for our chance that
can make us out of this building. Also give the signal to our men in the
vehicles to be prepared for our arrival!”

Jason then along with five other soldier plunged towards the deeper part
of the building.

“They’re coming upwards!” yelled one of the rebellions, on seeing Catholic

soldiers rushing upwards.

Jason hastily ran his eyes over the surroundings. A door leading to
hardware room gripped his attention. It was situated one storey down.

“Everyone, make into that room!” yelled Jason.

Following Jason’s commands, the rebellions darted towards the

hardware room.

“Hey! Does anyone have some grenades?” inquired Jason.

“Yes,” replied one of the men. He then took out some grenade and
handed them to Jason.
“There must be some way in that room that can lead you out of here!”
uttered Jason and further added, “Go and meet Martha and others and
tell them to not to wait for me. Now go!”

Once all the rebellions were out of the scene, Jason tied all the grenades
together to the railing with the help of a string and then wrapped the
other end of the string to a nail that was present on the opposite wall.
Thee string was so thin that one couldn’t notice it in a hurry. Now
another thing that Jason ought to do was to showoff in front of the
Catholic soldiers. Very soon he was able to fulfill his wish, as one of the
soldiers caught his blurred glimpse.

“There’s one of them!” he roared.

Immediately their adrenaline content rose up and they stormed their way
towards greater storey. Within minutes they were able to reach the
desired spot. Their duty made them so blind that they didn’t realize that
one of them had accidentally broken the thread, making the clips to
plunge out of the grenades. Next moment an explosion cloaked up the
whole area, reducing the soldiers to mere fleshy fragments. It wasn’t a
pleasing experience for Adolf, who was breathing in the front hall of the
ground floor.

“What was that?’ roared Adolf.

“Bad news sir!” uttered one of his soldiers, “The troop that was up
there__ that__ I _”

“Don’t produce riddles!” said Adolf harshly.

“Well, a big explosion__ they’re dead!” said the soldier, showing great
difficulty.

“You all are fools!” roared Adolf, “Go catch them!”

The soldier gave a haste bow and left the scene. Adolf turned towards his
sergeant, “These idiots are of no use! Time has come for me to enter the
battle.” said Adolf.
“I’m with you, commander!”

The explosion was a matter of temporary relief for Jason; soon other
soldiers acquired the scene. The area that was within the range of
explosion was heavily damaged which was preventing them from
stepping on the higher floors. So, they were firing from the safe zone and
for Jason it was impossible to keep himself away from the bullets for
another few minutes.

In order to find the solution of this problem, Jason performed a quick

scan of his surroundings. Soon, something brought a bit of hope in him.
It was a large gas light that was hanging to the roof of the building with
the help of a thick iron rope. The other end of that rope was stretching
towards the first floor. Jason made a quick decision in his mind. He then
took out his belt. For another few minutes he remained in his hiding
position, taking deep breaths and preparing himself for the forthcoming
situation.

He suddenly darted towards the railing and steps on it and then

performs a jump towards the iron rope. Somehow he was able to grab the
rope. During this attempt a bullet fractioned against his shoulder, but
this didn’t mind him. He quickly wraps his belt around the rope and
started sliding downwards. Fortunately, he was able to make it to the
ground without bearing any lethal injuries.

After stepping on the ground, Jason stormed towards the door and had
he not dived aside sensing the forthcoming danger then certainly he
would have been torn into fragments, as next moment something fast
and flaming flew past him and hit the back wall, ruining it into pieces.
Jason looked towards the front door and found Adolf standing there,
gripping a launcher in his hands.

“Greetings boy!” mocked Adolf and took another aim of Jason.

Jason realizing the situational demand briskly left his position and
plunged towards the man-sized hole on the back wall that was created by
the previous explosion. Seeing him escaping, Adolf made another fire of
his explosive launcher. Next moment the area encompassing the hole got
filled with dense fumes and deafening noise. Fortunately, Jason was
successful in diving through that hole in time.

Adolf searched for his foe’s corpse, but was unable to find it. He then
staggered towards the hole that dropped him into an old and dusty place
that used to be some kind of ceremonial hall in the past. Adolf performed
a quick and careful scan of the surroundings, but couldn’t find Jason.

“Where are you boy?” yelled Adolf, “Won’t you show me what you got _
eh_?”

Adolf was forced to kill his statement, as a sudden and faint noise
distracted Adolf’s attention. He turned quickly to detect its cause, but a
tough kick forced him to touch the ground. He lost his control over his
weapon and it slipped form his hand. Within moments Jason was
standing over his head. With an immediate reaction Adolf crawled
towards his weapon, but before he could grab it, Jason kicked it away.

Jason grabbed his collars and forced him to be on his feet. He then
delivered a punch on Adolf’s gut, then another on his right side. Jason
made another attack, but Adolf was ready for it. He suddenly caught
Jason’s hand and delivered a blow of the prosthetic hand on Jason’s gut.
Its force made Jason to touch the ground. Jason briskly balanced
himself, but a powerful round kick threw him away. He hit a pillar and
fell onto the ground.

“I must admire your courage, “uttered Adolf, showering a little praise,

“but you’ll are blind fools!” Adolf delivered another kick on Jason’s back.

“Uhh!” a faint cry born out of his mouth.

“You people didn’t think for even one minute that no one can copy the
Catholic technology!” commented Adolf, “A perfect imitation. Huh! It was
a real army vehicle!”

“It appears to me that you were expecting this.” said Adolf, on finding
that Jason wasn’t surprised to his expectation, “then you will be aware of
the fact that I still have the dice. What do you think, who’d produced
these vehicles to Desmund, told him the secret way to the tunnel and
who gave him the security plan? It was me! I’m his secret connection!
But one thing was told wrong to you, the pattern of the sensors changes
after 20th light.” Adolf looked towards Jason, he was as silent as a dead,
“Now keep thinking about this in hell!”

Adolf headed towards Jason with a little carelessness. This was going to
prove hard for him. As against his expectation Jason showed a brisk
movement. He suddenly delivered a low drop kick to Adolf and he
strangled forward with a jerk. A thin line of blood protrudes out of his
nose.

“You” roared Adolf, angrily.

He quickly balanced himself and made a punch attack, but Jason

showing a bit of cleverness bent down and delivered a cracking punch on
Adolf’s waist, then one more punch on another side and finally a round
kick forced Adolf to leave the ground and to hit an old cupboard. This in
turn made the cupboard to fall on Adolf, plunging him into the state of
temporary unconsciousness. This was a golden chance for Jason to
escape from there. He searched the place for a possible slip-way. Soon an
air duct attracted his attention that could lead him out of this place.
Jason had successfully made out of the danger area and was sprinting
along the dark and deserted streets in the breathing moment. Catholic
soldiers had forced the people out of the area, killing the celebrations,
because of the grave emergency that gripped Bucharest.

While his run, a heavy army vehicle caught his attention. It was taking a
sharp turn from the front side of that road. Overwhelming with sudden
anxiety, Jason briskly stretched towards a nearby alley, but a little bit
familiar voice forced him to give up his decision. He looked towards the
vehicle and found that one of the Hawk Eyes’ soldiers was hanging out of
the vehicle, waving furiously. Jason immediately darted towards him.

“Where are the other people?” inquired Jason desperately, on

approaching the vehicle.

“Gone,” he replied and further added, “Said us to wait for you!”

“We’ve to hurry!” uttered Jason while storming into the vehicle.

“What happened?” asked the soldier, showing a bit of nervousness.

“They’re in danger!” replied Jason.

Meanwhile, Desmund, Martha and Bruno along with other five soldiers
were riding on another army vehicle, along a deserted flyover, about half
an hour away from Jason’s side. Desmund was standing beside the
driver; a semi-automatic was resting in his hands. Martha and Bruno
were accompanying other soldiers, at the back.

“I still doubt, whether your decision to leave majority of the soldiers for
Jason and moving alone was correct or not?” inquired Martha.

“Don’t worry about it,” assured Desmund, “I’m going to make you free
and you’ll thank me for this!”

“What?” uttered Martha, sensing some kind of strange unusualness.

Before she could understand anything the surrounding atmosphere

drowns into the noise of frequent gunshots. Next moment, she found
herself lying on the cold floor of the vehicle along with her dead
companions. She was terrible covered in blood; bullets battered her
shoulders, legs and abdominal regions. She then lifted her heavy and
shivering head in search of the traitor. Desmund was heading out of the
vehicle, pulling Bruno along with him. Martha tried to make herself on
the feet, but her wounded body, shivering head and weary eyes forced
her to breathe the fallen position.

“W _What have y_ you done?” uttered Bruno. He was swaying into the
forest of fear and blurred perceptions.

“Shut up!” roared Desmund, who was now loading a signal flare. After
loading it, he aimed the sky and pressed the trigger. A fine flaming light
produced out of the barrel. After traveling a fair height, it got fixed in the
sky.

“W _What are y _you doing?” asked Bruno, showing great difficulty.

“Calling the Catholic soldiers.” replied Desmund coldly.

“What?” yelled Bruno, “You can’t do this!”

Suddenly Desmund grabbed Bruno’s neck and aimed him with his gun,
“Listen Bruno, maybe you are important to the authority, but you’re of
no price to me! So if you’ll _ _”

“Desmund!”

Suddenly, a weak but tough female voice grabbed Desmund’s attention.

He turned back to find Martha standing with trembling feet. She was
holding a gun in one hand and a grenade in another hand. With an
immediate reaction, Desmund’s hand stretched towards his gun, but
Martha was fully prepared for it. She briskly opened the mouth of her
gun, battering Desmund’s right shoulder.

Martha then delivers a powerful blow of the gun’s but on Desmund’s

forehead. A thin line of blood leaked out from the affected area. Desmund
looked towards Martha, fully overwhelmed by the fear of death.

“You’re a parasite to Angel Feathers!” uttered Martha, disrespectfully.

She then activated the grenade and delivered it to Desmund’s pocket,

“Say me hello to Satan!” said Martha and gifted an uppercut on his chin.

Due to the impact of the blow, Desmund lost his balance and fell from
the flyover. But to Martha’s grimmest thoughts, while confronting a fall,
Desmund’s accidentally (or maybe intentionally) caught Bruno’s hand.
Martha, recollecting her remaining strength, dived towards Bruno, but
misfortunately couldn’t make it one time. Their bodies fell towards the
ground, but before they could touch the ground, the explosion claimed
their lives, spraying their body fragments all over the ground. Martha, for
few seconds continued watching this tragic and nightmarish scene,
balancing against the barrier, then slowly fell onto the ground due to
utter weakness.

When Jason and others reached the spot, they found only few dead
soldiers, a vehicle and Martha, breathing the last moments of her life.
They couldn’t found Desmund and Bruno. Jason lapped Martha’s head
and gently slapped on her cheeks.

“Martha!” called Jason, “Martha, open your eyes!”

Hearing a familiar voice, Martha somehow opened her eyes, “W _Who’s

it?” she uttered, showing signs of great weariness.

“It’s me; Jason.” replied Jason and further added, “What has happened
here? Where are Desmund and Bruno?”

In reply, a faint smile (clear indication of her dying strength) appeared on

Martha’s face, “Dead_ I _ w _was un_ unable to protect B _Bruno!
Desmund, h _how _ _”

Suddenly Martha stopped speaking. Her breathing halted, pulse rate

died, eyelids slowly fell down and her head bended in one side. Jason
looked towards remaining soldiers. They were confronting the while
scenario dumbly, wearing grave expressions on their faces.

“She’s dead!” said Jason slowly, “Transfer the corpses of the fellow
soldiers into the vehicle. We’ve to leave this place as soon as possible,
before the arrival of the Catholic soldiers.” he added, lifting Martha’s
body in his arms.

Adolf was going to receive something worst after ten hours of this sudden
and inevitable incident. He was standing in front of the previous body of
judicial. He was waiting for the final decision that was to be made by the
chief judicial. His facial expressions were clearly evidencing that the
recent chaos had hit him really hard.

“Commander Adolf Muddock!” uttered the chief judicial in his cold and
croaky voice, “Your responsibility was to protect Nicoli Bruno, until his
public confession on the same night, after the ceremony, in which you
failed completely! Therefore through the passed decision of the judiciary
body I command ‘Military Organization’ to cut off you from current
position and also to transfer you out of the domain of Transylvania.
You’ve seven days to claim against the decision, if you are interested to
do so!”
Adolf said nothing. Now he was in no willingness to favor Catholic
Authority with his about-to-die position. A cloak of hatred and vengeance
had had replaced the cloak of sincerity and ruthless responsibility.

Graham hadn’t felt as bad in his whole life as he had felt on confronting
Martha’s corpse. Martha was like her sister, his right hand which now
has been chopped off from his rest of the body. Currently he was
claiming his presence under the shower of the filtered sunrays that were
trying to turn his attention away from a white tombstone and the words
engraved on it.

“That’s why I’m not joining the organization!”

Suddenly, Jason’s voice claimed his attention. He was standing behind

him, holding luggage.

“So you’re going?” inquired Graham.

“Yes.” replied Jason calmly, “I’ve meet someone I promised!”

“Hope you’ll find your man!”

“Man?”

“So what should I call that person?”

“Nothing,” replied Jason and further added, “Anyway, thanks for your
statement! Goodbye!” Jason slowly turned around and started moving
away from his current position, leaving Graham alone to stare him
dumbly with an inquiring look on the face.

EPILOGUE
The night was unusually cold as compared to what it used to be in other
days. It might be devoted to the trickle of fear that was evident in the
veins of the nature sensing that she would be a witness to something
unholy and unnatural that was going to occur at that date of night. Yet
she was so overwhelmed with curiosity that she was denying any retreat
from the location.

But there was a sharp contrast in her and that stranger’s behavior. On
the contrary, he was cold, silent, and lacking any activity that could
relate him to a nervous personality. The bonfire in the company of his
dark blue robe, a bowler hat and a muffler wrapped around his face, was
giving him the reflection of Lucifer, who had left his sleep and Hades, and
had arrived on earth to be a guest of Gaea and also to admire the beauty
that she had attained in all these lonesome years.

His eyes slowly rose toward the sky, and in the moonlight he saw drifting
of the clouds by a mild gust of wind as if they were cherry blossoms. His
eyes then traveled to a violin resting aside, it was urging him to create a
spectacular note that could match with the gayness of the wind.

Accepting the request, his hands slowly got the hold of the violin and he
brought it closer to his heart, as if it were some of great tenderness, and
he was protecting it from any possible harm. Carefully and slowly, his
fingers began to play on it. At first some melodious and slightly unrelated
notes emerged out of the instrument that gradually transformed into a
melodramatic current traveling across the atmosphere and making the
shrubs to dance along with the musical tides. But the violin wasn’t alone
to enjoy the night; his lips, too, began to quiver in definite rhythm; giving
birth to a gloomily ludicrous song;

Someone is out there, beyond.

Lurking in the dark,
Waiting for the dawn.
To dance with the sunlight.
To claim what nature holds.
To sing for pagan gods; and
To recite the tales untold.
_ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _

He pauses in between and gave a distant structure a deep stare. It was

appearing a glorious structure to him with all its lights peering out
through the numerous windows of the architectural quality. Yes! Lights,
going to increase its brightness for greater good.

Michael Nadal, a not so enthusiastic young man in his twenties, sat on a

stone bench brushing his fingers through his auburn hair, and dragging
his wood-brown eyes through the sternly guarded exterior. His eyes were
enjoying the exterior while his mind was cursing him for joining the ‘Red
Crucifix’ instead of ‘General Army’. No outcome for, only daylong agony.
And so far nobody owned any courage to descend on any official
quarters.

“Who’s that?” A heavy voice claimed Michael’s attention and he turned to

find his usual companion David Othello breathing behind him. He then
looked in the direction marked by David and found a tiny bonfire existing
in the distance.

“Acting Captain says nothing serious, just a poor nomad, camping here
for a while.” Replied Michael, calmly.

“Anyway, did you hear about the rumor going on recently?” asked David,
enthusiastically.

“No,” replied Michael and further added, “What is it?”

“There’s an unknown package in the storehouse. We were about to move

him when someone told the Captain that it belongs to Captain Holland.
But, unfortunately, we have no means to prove it as Captain is away on a
mission with no possible communication.”

“So what is the deal?” asked Michael, curiously.

“We will not move it in the present, but one guard is assigned to keep a
check on it periodically.” replied David.

“Do you think it could be some explosive?” asked Michael, doubt cloaking
his mind.

David broke into laughter, “Are you insane!” he said, controlling his
laughter, “Who is brave enough to call on the temper of Catholic
Military.”

Meanwhile, steps below inside the underground store house facility of

the quarter.

Roger Clandestine gave another careless look before indulging into his
dreaming. Just like Michael, he was another soul drowned in frustration,
weariness and demanding stamina of being a ‘Catholic Army man’.
Whatever it was, at least he thought that he had some right to take a
good nap, just for a while.

Suddenly there was another faint tick of the clock and it aroused a mild
curiosity within Roger. He straightened up and searched for its source.
He found it stemming out of the package sent by Holland.

For a few seconds, he kept staring the package, doubtfully, then he

slowly reached the package, caution packed on his face, inevitably. After
the wraps of a couple of minutes he slowly pressed his ear against the
surface, attempting to extract some meaningful information. Suddenly,
the faint clicking sound paces up and before he could back away a flare
of light and fire materialized of the box, and completely engulfed Roger,
illuminating the very core of his heart, turning him into ashes.

Meanwhile, the emergence of the thunderous sound within the quarters

startled the Red Crucifix Men.

“Hey, you two, come with me!” yelled the acting captain to Michael and
David, while passing them.

Both of them reacted instantly and followed the Captain. But,

unfortunately, as they stepped into the building, the explosion engulfed
them, shredding them into pieces. The event created emotional
satisfaction within the stranger. Yes, the light of enlightenment…..so
calm….so illuminated.

He then collected his instruments, killed the fire and disappeared into
the woods, leaving behind a trail of some unanswered questions.
…………………………………………………………………………………………

‫הסוף להתחלה חדשה‬