A Bridge Between Worlds Ch. 10

Persephone stood in the center of the island, awaiting her instructions. Edward, meanwhile, began using his katana to carve three symbols in the dirt. Three large circles surrounded Persephone, placed at the points of a triangle, and within each circle was a rough drawing of a strange creature. The first was a winged animal of some sort, the second a large serpent, and the third appearing to be a bull or steer. As he finished the symbols, Edward looked up to the sky in the distance, feeling a powerful presence approaching.

"Looks like Mike is coming to crash our little party," he mused. "Too bad he's far too late. Are you ready, my dear?"

"I am. Master, I thank you for having me as your servant for all these many years. Nothing has made me happier than doing your bidding and aiding you in accomplishing the will of the great Lucifer. I know not whether we will see each other again, but I take comfort in knowing the wondrous things this world will accomplish with you as its leader."

Smiling, Edward stood on a large rock overlooking the clearing in which Persephone stood. Concentrating his full power on each of the symbols, he began to recite an incantation.

"From the depths of Hell, I call to thee, beasts of land, sea, and sky. Commanded by the prophet of Lucifer, your master now am I. My willing servant do I offer, a tribute to your mighty power. Gladly, she gives her existence, bringing you life in her final hour."

As he spoke, the ground surrounding Persephone's feet began to crack, slowly opening around her. Soon, searing hot flames began to form from the fissures, beginning to engulf Persephone's body. Through it all, she smiled, happy to be aiding her master one final time. Finally, the ground around her erupted forth, a mighty blast of flame swallowing her completely. Despite her willingness, the pain she felt was unbearable; she was literally being burned alive before her descent into Hell. Unable to bear the pain any longer, Persephone finally let loose a bloodcurdling scream as she was drug through the hole in the ground, disappearing from view altogether.

"Obey me now, and hear my plea, we shall rule o'er these lands. With your mighty wings, jaws, and horns, I shall reshape this world with my hands. Soon, all Mankind will bow to us, worshipping my lord with their cries. Come forth now, terrible beasts... Ziz, Leviathan, Behemoth, RISE!!!"

*****

Melody, can you hear me?

Sure can, Mike. What's up?

I think I've tracked Edward down. He's back in San Francisco, near... Alcatraz Island? Wonder what he wants there?

No clue, but it can't be good. I'll alert Selena. We need to get the armies mobilized over there as fast as we can. If Edward's in San Francisco, it can only mean that he plans to finish what he started.

Got it. I'll try to slow him down as best I can. I'll keep you posted.

As Mike neared the Golden Gate Bridge, an explosion of power coming from Alcatraz Island suddenly stunned him. Catching his breath, Mike was terrified at seeing three bright lights glowing from the island, one red, one yellow, and one blue. Knowing that this had to be connected to Edward, he rocketed towards the tiny island at top speed, soon approaching from the sky.

"Baldwin!" he shouted, hovering over his adversary.

"Mike, good to see you!" Edward shouted pleasantly. "I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't show... not that it matters. The seal has been broken, and nothing can stop what is to come, not even you."

"Seal? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Hell is precisely what I am talking about," he grinned. "Watch."

Mike now saw that the glowing lights were being emitted from three symbols Edward had drawn on the ground. Before he could even try to comprehend what was happening, each symbol exploded, their light temporarily blinding him. After rubbing his eyes, Mike finally was able to see, yet began to hope that what he saw was an illusion. Before him were three terrifying monsters: a bird-like creature with the lower body of a lion, a long serpent, and an angry bull, each one easily as large as a house.

"Are you familiar with the terrible beasts of Jewish folklore, my friend?" Edward sneered.

"Matter of fact, I am," Mike replied. "You're saying these are Ziz of the air, Leviathan of the seas, and Behemoth of the land?"

"I am indeed. My master has granted me control over them, as well as his elite battalion of soldiers. I am close... so close to fulfilling his vision and absorbing his power. Today, I shall command his armies in glorious victory!"

As he spoke, hundreds of demonic warriors began to emerge from the large hole in the center of the island. They ranged from foot soldiers with swords and shields, to snipers with spears and crossbows, and even to huge bruisers with clubs the size of school busses. Every one of them had black, scaly skin that seemed to be scorched by the fires of Hell itself, save for their eyes, which burned with bright red flames. As for Edward, his typical black dress shirt and pants began to burst into flames, slowly engulfing everything but his face. When the fires had receded, he now wore a set of ornate, black armor. Functionally, the armor appeared nearly identical to Mike's Armor of God, though with a stylized 666 emblem on the breastplate. Finally, Edward placed on his head a horned helmet, covering his face completely and giving him a strikingly similar appearance to the Behemoth that stood behind him.

"Powerful as you may be, Champion of God, you cannot possibly hope to stand against Lucifer's mightiest warriors," Edward jeered. "Run away now, while you still can."

"Sorry, not my style," Mike replied with a smirk.

In a flash, Mike drew his sword and immediately dove into the army before him, hacking and slashing everything that moved. The demons were strong, but simply could not withstand the sheer power of the Armor of God; they melted the moment they were hit by any one of Mike's attacks. As Mike continued his offensive, Edward simply walked from the field of battle towards the beasts.

"Go! The time is now!" he commanded them. "Take as many lives as you are able to in the name of Lucifer!"

With a deafening roar, the beasts began making their way towards the remains of San Francisco. Leviathan dove beneath the waters of the San Francisco Bay, gliding silently towards the shoreline. Ziz took flight, latching onto Behemoth with its lion-like paws to carry it over the waters to the city. Edward followed the trio closely, readying his sword to begin working his way towards finally becoming the Antichrist.

"Ah shit!" Mike cursed, seeing Edward getting away. Fending off a few more soldiers, it was clear to him that their sheer numbers would soon begin to overwhelm his valiant efforts. Leaping into the sky, he took off after Edward and the three beasts.

Melody, you there?

I'm here. We're making preparations; the armies should be ready to move out in twenty minutes or so.

Forget that. Get anyone you can over here NOW! San Francisco's in serious trouble over here.

On it, just hang in there, baby!

By this time, Mike was nearing the shore. Though he had lost sight of Edward, his attention was immediately brought to the sight of Leviathan emerging from the waters surrounding Fisherman's Wharf. As it hissed and flailed about, the innocent bystanders on land ran for their lives, trying to find a safe place to hide. A nearby police officer attempted to help direct them to safety, but was quickly targeted by the beast, which caught the man by the leg with its long, snake-like tongue. The poor officer screamed in terror, trying desperately to break free, but to no avail. His nightstick had no effect on the monster, and he had dropped his service firearm in the chaos of the earthquakes from the previous day.

"Hang on!" Mike shouted, flying straight for them. Just as the creature was about to toss the man into his mouth, Mike flew straight through the tongue, slicing off the tip with his sword. Circling around, he deftly caught the officer, flying him to shore as Leviathan roared in pain. Managing to stay out of sight of the beast, Mike landed with the officer in a nearby alleyway.

"You ok?"

"Wha... what the fuck... is that THING?!" the man stammered.

"No time to explain, officer," Mike said. "Right now, what you need to know is that something big is about to go down in this city, and a lot of people are going to die unless we act fast. Do you know where more police are located?"

"Uh, yeah... some of my buddies are trapped in a bank about a block over from here. Bunch of rubble is blockin' the doors."

"Show me."

As they ran through the back alleys to avoid the gaze of Leviathan, Mike asked, "What's your name, if I may ask?"

"Sargent Bob Riley. You?"

"Mike Braxton. Good to know you, Bob."

"You too. Ok, this is it."

Arriving at a Wells Fargo, the front doors had collapsed just as Bob had described, trapping the civilians inside. For Mike, however, clearing the rubble was simple, allowing the pair entry. Once inside the lobby, a group of police officers immediately perked up.

"Riley! You're alive!"

"Yeah, thanks to this guy," he replied, gesturing to Mike. "Gentlemen, let me be frank. Some serious shit is goin' on right now. Some kinda sea monster just attacked Fisherman's Wharf, and a lot of people are gonna get hurt. We gotta mobilize and get as many civilians to safety as we can. Anyone hurt in here?"

"No, we're all fine. A few civilians are hiding in the vault, the rest of the building is empty," replied a large black man. "Captain Carl Winters. Thank you for helping my Sargent, young man."

"My pleasure. Mike Braxton."

"Mike!"

Turning around, Mike saw the unmistakable red wine hair of his wife. "Melody, thank God you got here!"

Greeting her with a hug, Mike turned back to the officers. "This is my wife, Melody. She's going to help y'all coordinate and get people to safety. Don't underestimate her; she's basically as strong as I am. Get as many citizens out of here as you can, she'll cover you. Understand?"

Though the men were having difficulty comprehending everything that was happening, they all nodded in agreement.

"What about you?" Melody asked.

"I'm going after Edward. Where's the Council of Four?"

"Should be arriving with the armies any second now."

"Alright, I'll meet up with them. I love you, Melody."

"I love you too. Be careful."

The couple shared a tender kiss before Mike left, prompting a chorus of whistles and cheers from the group of cops. Mike saluted the men before exiting the building and taking to the sky once more.

Jesus, are you seeing all of this? Mike asked.

Sure am. Edward's not playing around.

And we can't charge up the armor in a crowded city like this. We need a way to lure him to a secluded location... any ideas?

Not at the moment. Michael and I will think on that. Let us know if you come up with anything.

Will do.

From his aerial vantage point, Mike could now clearly see the three beasts spread across the city. Leviathan was still ravaging the shore, destroying cars and buildings with every swipe of his massive tail. Ziz was circling the city, scouting for potential victims, but seemed to be playing more cautiously than the other beasts. Behemoth had found the famed Steeps, bounding up and down the sloped roads recklessly and goring any vehicle that dared to get in its way.

"Mike! Over here!"

"Selena, there you are!"

Flying over to a nearby rooftop, Mike saw that the Council of Four had arrived, clad in battle armor and ready to assist however they could.

"What is the situation?" Salim asked.

"Ok, long story short, Edward released the three monsters currently tearing the city apart. Priority one is getting as many people to safety as possible; Melody's working on that. The four of you need to find a way to shut down these beasts somehow. As for me, I still have to track down Edward, and... oh shit."

As he spoke, Mike saw Alcatraz Island in the distance. The demonic army that he had left on the island had begun to ride towards the city, some on flaming chariots drawn by horses as black as the soldiers, while others rode on strange flying creatures resembling Pterodactyls. As they approached San Francisco, Mike knew their time was short.

"Ok... that army you see there is directly from Hell itself, just like these monsters. They're strong, but not like Edward; they mostly rely on their sheer numbers to try and overpower enemies. Any thoughts on how to handle them?" Mike asked.

Ardashir chuckled. "Why not fight an army... with an army?"

Above them, a portal of some sort opened in the sky, pouring out the soldiers from all four tribes of the Jinn. Each one landed on a nearby rooftop, gathering with their units to prepare the plan of attack. Mike was blown away by the sheer size of their forces, totaling easily over four thousand.

"Umm... that'll work," Mike finally replied.

"Good. Additionally, I have analyzed the strength of the beasts," Ardashir said. "They are strong, yes, but not nearly as powerful as Edward would have you believe. They have not one brain among them, relying on fear and intimidation to accomplish their goals. A King Jinn, Selena included, would surely be a match for them. I shall engage with Behemoth down there."

"Flight is my specialty, so leave Ziz to me," Nadir agreed.

"And I will handle Leviathan," Selena said.

Chuckling, Mike said, "You guys are makin' my job really easy. Just... ya know, don't get killed or anything. Stay in contact. Here, take these." Holding out his hand, Mike used the armor to conjure up a set of earpiece microphones, allowing him to communicate with the Council of Four during the battle.

"We will," Selena replied. "King Salim, the armies are at your command while we do battle with these monsters. Can you handle Lucifer's soldiers?"

Gripping his spear tightly, Salim grinned and said, "By day's end, they will be crying at our feet."

Smiling, Selena said to Mike, "Go. Find Edward. We can take care of this."

"Alright then, I'm off."

*****

Can all this... really be happening?

Samuel Bradley stood at the window, looking out from the top floor of the office building. He was President of the United States, arguably the most powerful man on the planet, yet was at a complete loss as to what was happening and what to do about it. Yesterday had started well enough, meeting with the world leaders that had traveled to San Francisco for this energy summit, discussing the best technological strategies to secure the future for their citizens. They all were in excellent spirits, working through their differences and disagreements with grace and understanding. It was more than he could have ever hoped for.

Better still, Sam's wife, Chloe, had surprised him by coming to see him during their break. He had thought she was home recovering from a recent surgery, but she had made his Secret Service agents hide her to surprise him at just the right time. That, of course, was when disaster struck. The largest earthquake California had ever experienced struck that afternoon, wrecking the city and killing hundreds of innocent people. The building they were meeting in was strong enough to withstand the tremors, but parts of it had still collapsed in, blocking every possible exit and stranding them on the top floor until help arrived. Every other leader present could at least take solace in knowing that their loved ones were safe at home, but not Sam. And now, to make matters worse, the world itself seemed to be coming to an end. Looking out the window, he at first swore the monsters he was seeing had to be a horrible nightmare, but he soon realized that there was no waking from this.

"Sam?"

"Uh, yes?" he replied, snapping back to reality.

"Dear, it won't do any good to keep watching... that," Chloe said, her smooth, sultry voice providing a calming effect.

Sighing, Sam said, "I know... I know..."

"Come on, handsome. Let's take a walk," she smiled, grabbing his arm like he was her prom date. Though the President and First Lady were in their early forties, it was no secret that they were still as hot for each other as when they were twenty-something newlyweds. The tabloids had, on more than one occasion, caught Chloe grabbing Sam's ass just as he was about to go on stage for a press conference.

The pair strolled across the large conference room, Sam occasionally speaking to the various world leaders and representatives lining the walls. He stopped momentarily to chat with the British Prime Minister, a close personal friend of his in addition to a fellow leader, and offered a few words of encouragement. As they approached the door to the adjoining hallway, a large Secret Service agent stood guard at the door, eying them warily.

"John, I appreciate your dedication," Sam said to him, "but we both know that this floor is completely empty save for the people in this room and your men in the hallways. My wife and I just need a change of scenery."

John stood stone-faced for several long moments before finally acquiescing, opening the door for them. "Ten minutes, Mr. President, then I come looking for you," he said sternly.

"Thanks," Sam replied.

Exiting the conference room, the couple passed a trio of agents as they walked, waving in acknowledgement to them. The men nodded in reply, keeping a close watch on the pair the entire time. As they turned a corner and left their sight, Chloe threw a look over her shoulder to ensure that they were alone before grabbing her husband's arm and flinging him into a nearby office, locking the door behind her as she followed him.

"Chloe, this is hot and all, but really not the right time," Sam protested.

"Don't care," she said with a naughty grin, pushing him to sit in the rolling desk chair in the disheveled office.

"Honey, seriousl-"

She immediately silenced him with a passionate kiss on the lips, her tongue wrapping its way around his. Chloe refused to hold back in all matters of sex, but particularly now, with the world coming to pieces before their very eyes. She fully intended to savor everything the man she loved had to give.

"You say something, Mr. President?" she purred as their lips parted.

Sam drew a sharp breath in; she knew damn well how sexy he found it when she started calling him "Mr. President." Hell, everything about her just oozed with pure sexiness. Her luxurious chocolate brown hair was stunning in any scenario, whether it flowed down her shoulders for a night at the opera or was messed up and rumpled first thing in the morning. Today, she had it done up in a tight, sexy bun, with just a strand or two free to outline her pretty face. She wore a bit of faint eye shadow, but no other makeup to speak of, not that she needed it. Even with the traces of dirt on her cheeks from yesterday's quake, her lightly tanned white skin was still as gorgeous as ever.

"You're evil," he finally replied.

"And you love it," she shot back.

Standing back up tall, Chloe straightened her black pencil skirt a bit before kneeling down in front of him. She then unbuttoned her silky turquoise blouse, slowly revealing her lacy black bra.

"Little surprise I had planned for you yesterday," she said. "Figured I can still put it to good use."

"But Chloe, we can't-"

"I know, doctor's orders."

Unbeknownst to all but their most trusted friends and family members, Chloe had struggled for years with infertility. The Bradleys had been trying for quite some time to start a family, but with no success. Sometimes, Chloe wondered who had it worse: herself, or her sister, who had two children, but miscarried three times before their youngest was born. Five days prior to Sam's trip to San Francisco, he and Chloe had undergone IVF treatments, their third attempt. The doctor ordered Chloe to have no sexual activity for a week, ensuring that nothing was accidentally disturbed from the procedure. Having gone through this long and expensive process twice before, both had decided that this was their last chance; if it didn't work this time, they would never be getting pregnant.