Post by Lucky on Jan 13, 2011 12:48:42 GMT -5
Tempus rolled out from under his black sheets and sat up at the edge of his bed. A cold shiver ran through his body. He thought that the images had gone away. He grabbed his face in his hands. His eyes watered from tears he was holding back, his face stretched back as he ran his hands up through his gold hair. Resting on the back of his neck, his hands interlinked. Starring out into his moonlit room, his eyes twitched. He could still see them, the shadows took form. His dark blue eyes twitched back and forth out of the real world and his nightmares. A single tear escaped his eye and rolled down his face and down his bare chest. The shadows grew and the images started to overtake him. But they all vanished when a hand crested his shoulder.
His body twitched for a second and he turned his head slightly to look behind him. To anyone else, he wouldn’t have seemed like anything was wrong. But Rebecca knew Tempus. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin on his shoulder. Her black hair fell around his shoulder and down his chest. Her vertical pupil’s starred up at his face, one part of her Orriek genes. Vertical pupil’s and pointed ears, along with her jet black hair, a common hair color among Orriek’s.
“You saw it again,” she asked.
“Yes,” he said. He did not move.
She closed her eyes and buried her face more into his shoulder, “Are you in pain?”
His eyes shifted from the shadows to her. Emotion wasn’t what he showed anywhere, only once did he, and it was only with her. He turned around and put his forehead against hers. His eyes had closed and tears were brimming under them. He held her head in his hands and she did the same to him.
“Take the pain away, like you did before,” he said and looked straight into her eyes.
Rebecca smiled and slowly kissed him. The images and shadows disappeared. He saw her. The first time they met, the times she held him, and the times he held her. They were both the missing links to the equation. They both cancel out each other’s pain. They would die for each other and they would kill for each other. Their souls are linked by love.
Tempus laid there running his hand up and down her side. They were both facing each other, nose to nose. Black sheets wrapped around them, their body fitting together like one. All they had to do was touch each others skin to send ecstasy through their bodies, and their kisses sent them into a dizzy haze.
“I’ll always take your pain away,” Rebecca said with a smile.
“I know,” Tempus said with a returning smile.
For a split second, the moonlight flashed, as if something blocked the light. Rebecca didn’t noticed, but her eyes weren’t trained like Tempus. He knew what it was, and it scarred him. He showed it in his eyes, when he’s around her, his eyes always show his emotion. From the fear came a glint of anger that she had never seen. It happened for a split second, but she caught it, and it scared her. He spun out of her arms and jumped out of bed.
Holding out both of his hands he summoned his daggers from the weapon rack on the wall. They were forged with his spirit in Tolkier, by thinking, he could summon them to him. They flew through the air and landed perfectly into his hands. In the nearly three seconds it took, he had positioned into his defensive stance.
“Not fast enough,” he heard in his ear as he felt the cold steel of a sharpened blade against his throat. Rebecca stayed in bed, all she could see was a man dressed in all black and his cloak seemed to be made of shadow itself.
“Did you think you could run forever Tempus?” the man said cynically.
Tempus didn’t flinch.
The man grunted, “Ah, you’ve become rusty.”
Tempus spun in the man’s grip and flicked his wrist as he turned. The man cursed under his breath and stepped back. Tempus pulled his blade up into the moonlight, it was dripping red blood, “I may have been running for five years, but I have yet to become rusty.”
The cloaked man stood silent in the shadow. The sound of a single blood drop seemed to ring in the dead silence. “What do you think to accomplish by denying your destiny Tempus?”
Tempus breathed heavily, “I have left the life of killing innocent people in their sleep. If that’s what I’m running from, then thank God I have legs.”
The man smirked, “But some of the people you have killed deserved it.”
Tempus looked at the floor, he knew it was true. He had killed thieves, terrorists, and even killers themselves right in their own beds. The man could see Tempus shift his stance along with his thoughts. As he shifted, so did the man’s grip on his small sword.
The man turned around, causing Tempus confusion. Never let your guard down, that’s what he had been taught, and now his attacker was open. The man walked over to Rebecca. She just sat there, staring forward, hoping that this was all a dream. She was in for an awakening as the attacker grabbed her by the hair. He dragged her off the bed and into the floor.
She couldn’t help it anymore, tears fell freely from her eyes. She couldn’t look at the attacker, but only at Tempus. She squirmed under her captives grip. The attacker looked down at Rebecca and twisted his hand causing her hair to twist with it.
“The weak point to an assassin’s heart is the one’s closest to him,” The man said and slid the blade of his small sword under Rebecca’s neck.
“Running,” was all Tempus said. In half a second, he tossed his left dagger to Rebecca, and switched his grip on his right one. Rebecca saw what was happening, luckily before her captive could. She reached out, just as Tempus rushed forward. She caught the dagger with her right hand, twisted in the captive’s grip, and shoved the dagger into his groin. He released his grip on her hair and his short sword. She slowly moved out of the way. Tempus was quick to follow with a quick thrust to the attacker’s throat. Then he got face to face with him.
“You are only a speed bump,” he said starring into the wide eyes of his attacker, “You will not stop me.”
With one quick movement he cut the throat out of his attacker sending him collapsing to the floor. Blood sprayed over his arm and chest. Once the attacker’s body stopped twitching, Tempus removed his dagger from the man’s groin.
“We must leave this place as soon as possible.”
Rebecca sat against the wall bathed in moonlight, all she did was nod. Tempus walked to the bathroom and washed the daggers off. He starred into the mirror and looked at his reflection. The blood sprayed along his chest and hands. It was something he was used to, and it made him sick that he was desensitized to it. Pulling his pants off, he proceeded to the shower and washed it off.
The shower curtain was pulled back a couple of inches, he could see Rebecca leaning against the wall, “Where will we go?” she asked.
“No where,” Tempus said as the hot water streamed down his face.
Rebecca’s piercing blue eyes stared at Tempus, “You can’t defeat them, you said it yourself.”
“I can’t run anymore Rebecca, I refuse to let them control my life.”
“You’re finally taking your own advice, I see.”
Tempus shifted his head and between his locks of gold hair a half-smile crossed his face. But it lasted for only a second, a solemn look faded over him.
Rebecca crossed her hands over her legs and starred at the floor, “You’ve helped me through all of my pain. Isn’t about time someone helped you with yours?”
The faucets squeaked to a close and Tempus walked out of the shower. Drying off, he slipped on a pair of his baggy wool pants. The warm summer air filtered through the window, making him not want to put on a shirt. He sat in the floor next to Rebecca.
She leaned against his arm and wrapped her arms around his. Her long black hair fell across her right eye. Her long pointed ear shined in the moonlight from all of the earrings adorning it.
“You know they will come looking for you, if you stay here.”
Tempus nodded, “And I will … fight to the death,” he glanced over to his weapons rack. Daggers, swords, axes, pistols, shuriken, and a row of smoke bombs underneath it all.
A tear rolled down Rebecca’s cheek, glistening in the moonlight. “How long do you have?”
“An hour, maybe two.”
Rebecca looked up into his dark blue eyes, “Then we must get ready.”
* * *
One hour had passed, the apartment suite had not been changed one bit, or at least to the commoner’s eye. Underneath the floorboards were triggers, triggers that shot up swords for use when activated. Other hidden buttons on the walls let daggers slide out for use. If hit right, two smoke bombs would ignite in the room, sending everyone into a cloud of smoke.
Rebecca stood back, in the shadows of a corner. She had her katana ready. Daggers and a short sword hidden in her battle robe. Tempus stood in the middle of the room, clothed in white. The moonlight reflecting light off of him. He faced the open patio doors with cold ambition. Dagger ready in his hand.
As soon as a hand grabbed the patio railing, Tempus drew his hand back. Then a black hooded head was pulled up, Tempus threw his arm forward. Dagger released. It seemed like slow motion. Pure accuracy. The dagger embedded in the head, up to the hilt. The hand released it’s grip and the body fell backwards. Before the body left the view of the patio, Rebecca had already stepped forward, and Tempus already had a dagger replaced in his hands.
Now their attackers were advancing. They didn’t have the element of surprise. Three men in black cloaks jumped the patio. Standing like shadows in the moonlight, they drew their long swords. Tempus slid his dagger into the holder on his wrist. And pulled out two short swords from his back. They ringed from being unsheathed, the only sound that had broke the dead silence of the apartment. Then the three attacked.
Tempus spun blocking a blade of one attacker and slicing the back of another. The one with the sliced back fell forward only to have his chest punctured by Rebecca’s katana. Rebecca lifted her leg and pushed the attacker off her blade.
The first attacker spun back to face Tempus and then their swords clashed sending another metallic ring through the night air. Tempus stared the man down. Even in the hood, he could sense the man's fear. The long sword started to quiver under his counter. The long sword was pushed away and then Tempus clicked his dagger back into his hand and thrust it into the man’s face. The hood stayed in place, but Tempus could feel the warm blood on his fingers. He withdrew the blade with a spurt of red blood to follow it. The man dropped to the floor. Tempus glanced at his hand, it was covered in crimson blood. A moment regret fell over him. Then his attention was turned to Rebecca. She was battling with the third man.
The space between Rebecca and the third attacker was a blur of blades. Tempus crept up behind the man and ripped his hood off. A head full of brown hair fell out and around the man’s shoulders. He spun around only to have his throat clinched. Blood smeared across the man's neck and chin. Tempus pulled the man to him. He starred into the man’s colorless eyes. He flicked the other dagger out of his other sleeve.
“Death to your clan,” he said stabbing into the man’s groin, “death to your master,” the dagger ripped up the man’s chest, “death to your brothers,” he withdrew the dagger and stabbed it into the man’s heart, “and death to you Martello.”
Pulling his dagger out, Martello eyes glowed red and his legs buckled as he fell to the floor. Now both of his hands were covered in blood. He starred at them, for the longest time. He fell to the floor now being spread with Martello’s blood. He dropped his dagger into the pool of blood. Rebecca stood with her katana, not knowing whether to kneel beside him or not. Tempus screamed, and it seemed to shake the whole apartment.
There Tempus sat, weeping. Anger, fear, and sadness flashed on his face. Rebecca watched helplessly. Suddenly clapping filled the air. Then a short, evil, and dark laugh. Tempus spun around, full rage pulsing along his body.
In the patio, surrounded by five cloaked men, stood another man. Tall, red robes, and long white hair. He stood there clapping and laughing. He advanced with a cynical smile on his face.
“I didn’t want to kill anymore!” Tempus screamed.
“But my dear boy,” the man said with a grin, “that is what you were meant to do. Kill.”
“Only by your sick standards Marcel,” Tempus said and stared back at Martello’s body, “You even let me kill your own son.”
Marcel looked at him with colorless eyes, “Ah, well … as I can see, he wasn’t as strong as he should have been. If at all, I lost a weakling.”
Tempus squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to stop all the pain running through his head. Senseless bastard, he thought. Tempus opened his eyes, flaming with rage. He didn’t want to turn back in what he tried so hard to put behind him. But he realized it was the only way to save himself and Rebecca. He veins pulsed with rage, his eyes turned from dark blue to bright yellow. Rebecca could see his rage take control, she backed into the corner. With one push of his foot, Tempus was airborne.
Duel wielding short swords, he brought his weight down on both blades as he jumped one of the five men. The blades cut straight through the man’s chest and in the same motion fell on the man crushing his body. As he withdrew his blades and stood on the lifeless body. Marcel did not move. The other men took action. Tempus summoned both of his daggers from the floor and shot them at the hidden buttons on the walls. The daggers sunk into the wall and a square on the wall sunk in, opening a small door only the molding. Two smoke bombs ejected and rolled across the ground. Tempus spun his blades around in his hands as to reposition them for attack. The smoke bombs exploded and smoke filled the room.
Marcel walked forward, he knew Tempus was picking his men off left and right. Little did he know, Tempus was doing it in a non-lethal manner. But Marcel was not concerned about Tempus, but more on Rebecca. She saw him emerge from the smoke, before she could raise her katana his metal gauntlet came crashing down on her head. She hit the floor instantly.
As the smoke started to clear, Tempus was still dishing out Marcel’s men. Breaking arms, slicing a leg here, and elbowing one face there. Marcel’s men were not dead, but wallowing in pain along the ground. Tempus turned around at the sound of Rebecca’s scream. Marcel had a vice-like grip on her arm and was dragging her down a long hallway opposite of the patio. Panic swept through his mind. This wasn’t a simple attacker, this was his former master. He dropped his blades and walked forward.
Stepping on the lever in the floorboard making a dagger jump out and into his hand. The floor split in a T at the end of the hall. At the end was also a window. Tempus looked down at Rebecca struggling and screaming in Marcel’s grip. Tempus knew his former master had a grip that could break bones and he was probably crushing Rebecca's arm at that moment. Marcel’s men were coming to. And this time they pulled out composite crossbows. Tempus didn't have many options ahead of him.
“Now Tempus Fugit you will know nothing but hate and rage. Hate and rage I need to accomplish my goals!” Marcel clenched Rebecca's arm more causing her to let out a painful scream, “You will help the company and with this woman out of your way, you won't be blinded anymore!”
Marcel unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Rebecca's neck. With an evil grin he pulled the sword back ready to cut through her neck. Then the sound of glass being shattered rang in the air. A breeze and a whistle went by Tempus' head making his gold hair ripple in the air and Marcel's gauntleted hand exploded into a mess of blood and metal.
Shocked voices came from the men as they dropped their crossbows in fear. Tempus took advantage of the situation and ran forward. Marcel let loose his grip on Rebecca and screamed in agonizing pain. The metal from his gauntlet had shot out and punctured the right side of his face leaving it a bloody mess. And from what he could make of the bloody stump of his arm his vision started to blur and he cursed out loud. By then Tempus was beside him and his dagger was buried deep into his abdomen.
Marcel stumbled backwards towards the window. Tempus summoned his dagger out of Marcel's body. The dagger shot back to into his hand and blood started to pour out on the ground. Behind them Marcel's men started to panic and nervous chattering broke out among them. Tempus watched Marcel fall against the window and slide to his knees in a pool of blood, the hair on his arms started to rise. Their was a sharp smell in the air and it felt like the whole room was covered in static.
Behind Marcel's men a man clothed in navy blue rags and a black hood stood in the balcony's entrance. Underneath his hood eyes flashed like whitish-blue neon lights. They flickered, dimmed, and got bright. The man's robes seemed to spread out and lift slightly into the air around him. Black chains wrapped around the man's arms and started to unravel themselves and made popping noises as waves of electricity swarmed the links.
Walking forward the room felt electric like a storm had started in the apartment. With quick motions the man stretched out his hands commanding the chains to shoot out at an alarming rate. The electrified black chains broke through two of the attacker’s skulls and he lifted them into the air. The man's eyes were the only thing that could be seen within his black hood and they flashed brightly as the bodies danced on his chains, their flesh searing from the electricity.
Dropping the two men, the others tried to escape for the apartment door. Before they could exit they received electric lashings that sent them to the ground in pain and made them immobile. They twitched on the ground and just watched as the man continued toward the hallway. Chains dragging behind him sparking with offshoots of electricity that reached out and absorbed into nearby metallic items.
Marcel was writhing in pain on the ground cursing under his breath, Guns, I HATE guns! Stupid waste of true talent, blades are skill! Guns are cheap, CHEAP!, Marcel spouted quietly as he started to cough blood.
Tempus was helping Rebecca to her feet and turned towards the man with the electric chains, “I was wondering when I would ever see you again Diran. I just never thought you would show up at a time like this.”
Diran chuckled his eyes still glowing with white-blue electricity but dimmer now, “You are a hard man to track down Tempus, I wasn't expecting for you to have company, you never have company.”
Tempus helped Rebecca to their bed and laid her down. He wiped the tears from her face and tried to make her relax, “I'm so sorry my love.”
Rebecca looked up at him, eyes still teary, but a smile on her face, “I would never leave you, I knew this day was coming. I'm so glad that it's over now. I'm so glad that you survived!”
Tempus leaned forward and kissed her, “Rest a moment my love.”
“Ok, I love you. Nice to see you Diran.” Rebecca said.
Diran nodded, “Likewise.”
Tempus looked over at Diran and then out the window, “I'm guessing that well aimed shot wasn't from you?”
“Not at all, you know just as well as the rest of team I'm not a good shot, well,” Diran rustled his chains, “not with a gun at least.”
“Spades is here too isn't he?”
“Oh yes, I'm sure he'll be here momentarily I think first he's just scoping out the place making sure it's safe.”
“Team? So you are still thinking of starting your rebellion?”
“Not just thinking anymore...but,” Diran looked towards Marcel, “we can talk once your guest is taken care of.”
Tempus turned towards the hallway to see Marcel trying to stand but not succeeding. As he approached him Marcel looked up to get kneed in the face. His head snapped back and a loud cracking noise could be heard as Marcel's head slammed into the wall.
“Now you son of a bitch,” Tempus said grabbing Marcel by his chin, “before I send you to the Abyss tell me, where did you relocate? Where are the others?”
Marcel shook his head loose from Tempus' grip and grabbed his shirt with a bloodied hand and leaned forward to speak into his ear, “Just kill me,” he whispered.
Tempus stood up making Marcel drop to the ground, “I will find Dom one day and I will kill him. I will release all the innocent people you have brain washed and enslaved!”
Marcel laughed with blood running out of his mouth, “They aren't innocent, not now.”
Walking back into the bedroom Tempus looked at Diran, “Will you please fry him and make it long. I don't want him to die quickly.”
Diran nodded silently and walked down the hallway. His eyes brightened again and the white-blue light seemed to shoot out of his eyes. As he got closer to Marcel his chains unraveled again and started to pop, “I've heard stories about you, you are a very bad man.”
Marcel looked up at Diran with a grimacing look and shouted, “You know nothing!”
“I know enough,” and Diran's chains were let loose and shot into Marcel's shoulders pinning him to the wall behind him. Small surges of electricity flowed down the chains and into Marcel's body slowly electrifying his body. Diran's eyes brightened as Marcel's flesh popped, seared, and burned. Soon Marcel's body stopped twitching, the chains were removed, and all that was heard was Marcel's body burning.
The apartment door opened and a white haired man walked in. He wore a long dark red trench coat that complemented his crimson colored eyes. Behind his back was strapped a large sniper riffle. Walking between the bodies and seeing what was left of Marcel down the hall, the man smirked approvingly.
“Jack Spades,” Tempus said shaking the man's hand, “I have to thank you, without you Rebecca would be dead and probably I as well. Nice shot.”
“Thank you,” Spades smiled, “and don't even mention it, I'm just glad that Diran and I arrived when we did.”
“Why did you come? How did you find me?”
“We aren't exactly inept Tempus, and we do have eyes all over this city. We know what's going on before anyone else does...well most of the time.” Diran spoke up.
“It's not like we were spying on you Tempus, we just made sure we knew whenever you moved so if we needed you one day we'd know where to find you. I have no reason to keep tabs on you or mistrust your knowledge of us.” Spades replied.
“Good because I never want you to think that. You helped me and Rebecca get in to Dark City, I'm always in your debt.”
“Tempus you know that the team and I will always help you when you need it. I don't even want to know how you got a place in the Middle Ring! As much work as it is to just travel from ring to ring it takes nearly two years to establish living in a different ring.”
“There are some people that I know now, I have more connections than before. I can be sure to introduce you to them, I'm sure the team can benefit greatly from it.”
“That's why I am here, you see, the team could greatly benefit from you. Several months from now the Rebellion will be at it's top level for action and we want you to be a part of that. We could use your talents Tempus.”
“I have given up the life of a killer Jack, I don't want to return to that world.”
“The killer of innocents, the pawn of a demented warrior, and a slave to a company that worked to continue chaos in this city. That is the world you were in Tempus! Not anymore and that's not the world that I am in.”
Tempus looked down at the floor and then over to Rebecca laying on the bed. She smiled at him and it caused his heart to leap. He smiled and then turned back to Jack, “I want to live in a world where she can be safe and not have to worry about when we have to travel again or who is out to kill us next.”
Spades put his hand on Tempus' shoulder, “Then join us Tempus, help us fight against the evil that infects this city and turn it into a place where we can all live in peace.”
Tempus looked back at Rebecca and she smiled and nodded approvingly, “Sign me up, I'm ready to help.”
Jack and Diran smiled, “Then let's take care of your dear Rebecca, gather your things, and head to the Under Slums. I was excited to get back soon because you know those runes we've been trying to decode and figure out their meanings for so long?
“Yes.”
“Well we almost have them figured out and it could help us find out more about Dark City.”
“Who did you find to help decode those runes? It hasn't been too long, I know you couldn't have decoded them this fast without some incredible help!”
“Well he's family used a language similar and he's quite a prodigy with languages. His name is Oki Kuma.”
His body twitched for a second and he turned his head slightly to look behind him. To anyone else, he wouldn’t have seemed like anything was wrong. But Rebecca knew Tempus. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin on his shoulder. Her black hair fell around his shoulder and down his chest. Her vertical pupil’s starred up at his face, one part of her Orriek genes. Vertical pupil’s and pointed ears, along with her jet black hair, a common hair color among Orriek’s.
“You saw it again,” she asked.
“Yes,” he said. He did not move.
She closed her eyes and buried her face more into his shoulder, “Are you in pain?”
His eyes shifted from the shadows to her. Emotion wasn’t what he showed anywhere, only once did he, and it was only with her. He turned around and put his forehead against hers. His eyes had closed and tears were brimming under them. He held her head in his hands and she did the same to him.
“Take the pain away, like you did before,” he said and looked straight into her eyes.
Rebecca smiled and slowly kissed him. The images and shadows disappeared. He saw her. The first time they met, the times she held him, and the times he held her. They were both the missing links to the equation. They both cancel out each other’s pain. They would die for each other and they would kill for each other. Their souls are linked by love.
Tempus laid there running his hand up and down her side. They were both facing each other, nose to nose. Black sheets wrapped around them, their body fitting together like one. All they had to do was touch each others skin to send ecstasy through their bodies, and their kisses sent them into a dizzy haze.
“I’ll always take your pain away,” Rebecca said with a smile.
“I know,” Tempus said with a returning smile.
For a split second, the moonlight flashed, as if something blocked the light. Rebecca didn’t noticed, but her eyes weren’t trained like Tempus. He knew what it was, and it scarred him. He showed it in his eyes, when he’s around her, his eyes always show his emotion. From the fear came a glint of anger that she had never seen. It happened for a split second, but she caught it, and it scared her. He spun out of her arms and jumped out of bed.
Holding out both of his hands he summoned his daggers from the weapon rack on the wall. They were forged with his spirit in Tolkier, by thinking, he could summon them to him. They flew through the air and landed perfectly into his hands. In the nearly three seconds it took, he had positioned into his defensive stance.
“Not fast enough,” he heard in his ear as he felt the cold steel of a sharpened blade against his throat. Rebecca stayed in bed, all she could see was a man dressed in all black and his cloak seemed to be made of shadow itself.
“Did you think you could run forever Tempus?” the man said cynically.
Tempus didn’t flinch.
The man grunted, “Ah, you’ve become rusty.”
Tempus spun in the man’s grip and flicked his wrist as he turned. The man cursed under his breath and stepped back. Tempus pulled his blade up into the moonlight, it was dripping red blood, “I may have been running for five years, but I have yet to become rusty.”
The cloaked man stood silent in the shadow. The sound of a single blood drop seemed to ring in the dead silence. “What do you think to accomplish by denying your destiny Tempus?”
Tempus breathed heavily, “I have left the life of killing innocent people in their sleep. If that’s what I’m running from, then thank God I have legs.”
The man smirked, “But some of the people you have killed deserved it.”
Tempus looked at the floor, he knew it was true. He had killed thieves, terrorists, and even killers themselves right in their own beds. The man could see Tempus shift his stance along with his thoughts. As he shifted, so did the man’s grip on his small sword.
The man turned around, causing Tempus confusion. Never let your guard down, that’s what he had been taught, and now his attacker was open. The man walked over to Rebecca. She just sat there, staring forward, hoping that this was all a dream. She was in for an awakening as the attacker grabbed her by the hair. He dragged her off the bed and into the floor.
She couldn’t help it anymore, tears fell freely from her eyes. She couldn’t look at the attacker, but only at Tempus. She squirmed under her captives grip. The attacker looked down at Rebecca and twisted his hand causing her hair to twist with it.
“The weak point to an assassin’s heart is the one’s closest to him,” The man said and slid the blade of his small sword under Rebecca’s neck.
“Running,” was all Tempus said. In half a second, he tossed his left dagger to Rebecca, and switched his grip on his right one. Rebecca saw what was happening, luckily before her captive could. She reached out, just as Tempus rushed forward. She caught the dagger with her right hand, twisted in the captive’s grip, and shoved the dagger into his groin. He released his grip on her hair and his short sword. She slowly moved out of the way. Tempus was quick to follow with a quick thrust to the attacker’s throat. Then he got face to face with him.
“You are only a speed bump,” he said starring into the wide eyes of his attacker, “You will not stop me.”
With one quick movement he cut the throat out of his attacker sending him collapsing to the floor. Blood sprayed over his arm and chest. Once the attacker’s body stopped twitching, Tempus removed his dagger from the man’s groin.
“We must leave this place as soon as possible.”
Rebecca sat against the wall bathed in moonlight, all she did was nod. Tempus walked to the bathroom and washed the daggers off. He starred into the mirror and looked at his reflection. The blood sprayed along his chest and hands. It was something he was used to, and it made him sick that he was desensitized to it. Pulling his pants off, he proceeded to the shower and washed it off.
The shower curtain was pulled back a couple of inches, he could see Rebecca leaning against the wall, “Where will we go?” she asked.
“No where,” Tempus said as the hot water streamed down his face.
Rebecca’s piercing blue eyes stared at Tempus, “You can’t defeat them, you said it yourself.”
“I can’t run anymore Rebecca, I refuse to let them control my life.”
“You’re finally taking your own advice, I see.”
Tempus shifted his head and between his locks of gold hair a half-smile crossed his face. But it lasted for only a second, a solemn look faded over him.
Rebecca crossed her hands over her legs and starred at the floor, “You’ve helped me through all of my pain. Isn’t about time someone helped you with yours?”
The faucets squeaked to a close and Tempus walked out of the shower. Drying off, he slipped on a pair of his baggy wool pants. The warm summer air filtered through the window, making him not want to put on a shirt. He sat in the floor next to Rebecca.
She leaned against his arm and wrapped her arms around his. Her long black hair fell across her right eye. Her long pointed ear shined in the moonlight from all of the earrings adorning it.
“You know they will come looking for you, if you stay here.”
Tempus nodded, “And I will … fight to the death,” he glanced over to his weapons rack. Daggers, swords, axes, pistols, shuriken, and a row of smoke bombs underneath it all.
A tear rolled down Rebecca’s cheek, glistening in the moonlight. “How long do you have?”
“An hour, maybe two.”
Rebecca looked up into his dark blue eyes, “Then we must get ready.”
* * *
One hour had passed, the apartment suite had not been changed one bit, or at least to the commoner’s eye. Underneath the floorboards were triggers, triggers that shot up swords for use when activated. Other hidden buttons on the walls let daggers slide out for use. If hit right, two smoke bombs would ignite in the room, sending everyone into a cloud of smoke.
Rebecca stood back, in the shadows of a corner. She had her katana ready. Daggers and a short sword hidden in her battle robe. Tempus stood in the middle of the room, clothed in white. The moonlight reflecting light off of him. He faced the open patio doors with cold ambition. Dagger ready in his hand.
As soon as a hand grabbed the patio railing, Tempus drew his hand back. Then a black hooded head was pulled up, Tempus threw his arm forward. Dagger released. It seemed like slow motion. Pure accuracy. The dagger embedded in the head, up to the hilt. The hand released it’s grip and the body fell backwards. Before the body left the view of the patio, Rebecca had already stepped forward, and Tempus already had a dagger replaced in his hands.
Now their attackers were advancing. They didn’t have the element of surprise. Three men in black cloaks jumped the patio. Standing like shadows in the moonlight, they drew their long swords. Tempus slid his dagger into the holder on his wrist. And pulled out two short swords from his back. They ringed from being unsheathed, the only sound that had broke the dead silence of the apartment. Then the three attacked.
Tempus spun blocking a blade of one attacker and slicing the back of another. The one with the sliced back fell forward only to have his chest punctured by Rebecca’s katana. Rebecca lifted her leg and pushed the attacker off her blade.
The first attacker spun back to face Tempus and then their swords clashed sending another metallic ring through the night air. Tempus stared the man down. Even in the hood, he could sense the man's fear. The long sword started to quiver under his counter. The long sword was pushed away and then Tempus clicked his dagger back into his hand and thrust it into the man’s face. The hood stayed in place, but Tempus could feel the warm blood on his fingers. He withdrew the blade with a spurt of red blood to follow it. The man dropped to the floor. Tempus glanced at his hand, it was covered in crimson blood. A moment regret fell over him. Then his attention was turned to Rebecca. She was battling with the third man.
The space between Rebecca and the third attacker was a blur of blades. Tempus crept up behind the man and ripped his hood off. A head full of brown hair fell out and around the man’s shoulders. He spun around only to have his throat clinched. Blood smeared across the man's neck and chin. Tempus pulled the man to him. He starred into the man’s colorless eyes. He flicked the other dagger out of his other sleeve.
“Death to your clan,” he said stabbing into the man’s groin, “death to your master,” the dagger ripped up the man’s chest, “death to your brothers,” he withdrew the dagger and stabbed it into the man’s heart, “and death to you Martello.”
Pulling his dagger out, Martello eyes glowed red and his legs buckled as he fell to the floor. Now both of his hands were covered in blood. He starred at them, for the longest time. He fell to the floor now being spread with Martello’s blood. He dropped his dagger into the pool of blood. Rebecca stood with her katana, not knowing whether to kneel beside him or not. Tempus screamed, and it seemed to shake the whole apartment.
There Tempus sat, weeping. Anger, fear, and sadness flashed on his face. Rebecca watched helplessly. Suddenly clapping filled the air. Then a short, evil, and dark laugh. Tempus spun around, full rage pulsing along his body.
In the patio, surrounded by five cloaked men, stood another man. Tall, red robes, and long white hair. He stood there clapping and laughing. He advanced with a cynical smile on his face.
“I didn’t want to kill anymore!” Tempus screamed.
“But my dear boy,” the man said with a grin, “that is what you were meant to do. Kill.”
“Only by your sick standards Marcel,” Tempus said and stared back at Martello’s body, “You even let me kill your own son.”
Marcel looked at him with colorless eyes, “Ah, well … as I can see, he wasn’t as strong as he should have been. If at all, I lost a weakling.”
Tempus squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to stop all the pain running through his head. Senseless bastard, he thought. Tempus opened his eyes, flaming with rage. He didn’t want to turn back in what he tried so hard to put behind him. But he realized it was the only way to save himself and Rebecca. He veins pulsed with rage, his eyes turned from dark blue to bright yellow. Rebecca could see his rage take control, she backed into the corner. With one push of his foot, Tempus was airborne.
Duel wielding short swords, he brought his weight down on both blades as he jumped one of the five men. The blades cut straight through the man’s chest and in the same motion fell on the man crushing his body. As he withdrew his blades and stood on the lifeless body. Marcel did not move. The other men took action. Tempus summoned both of his daggers from the floor and shot them at the hidden buttons on the walls. The daggers sunk into the wall and a square on the wall sunk in, opening a small door only the molding. Two smoke bombs ejected and rolled across the ground. Tempus spun his blades around in his hands as to reposition them for attack. The smoke bombs exploded and smoke filled the room.
Marcel walked forward, he knew Tempus was picking his men off left and right. Little did he know, Tempus was doing it in a non-lethal manner. But Marcel was not concerned about Tempus, but more on Rebecca. She saw him emerge from the smoke, before she could raise her katana his metal gauntlet came crashing down on her head. She hit the floor instantly.
As the smoke started to clear, Tempus was still dishing out Marcel’s men. Breaking arms, slicing a leg here, and elbowing one face there. Marcel’s men were not dead, but wallowing in pain along the ground. Tempus turned around at the sound of Rebecca’s scream. Marcel had a vice-like grip on her arm and was dragging her down a long hallway opposite of the patio. Panic swept through his mind. This wasn’t a simple attacker, this was his former master. He dropped his blades and walked forward.
Stepping on the lever in the floorboard making a dagger jump out and into his hand. The floor split in a T at the end of the hall. At the end was also a window. Tempus looked down at Rebecca struggling and screaming in Marcel’s grip. Tempus knew his former master had a grip that could break bones and he was probably crushing Rebecca's arm at that moment. Marcel’s men were coming to. And this time they pulled out composite crossbows. Tempus didn't have many options ahead of him.
“Now Tempus Fugit you will know nothing but hate and rage. Hate and rage I need to accomplish my goals!” Marcel clenched Rebecca's arm more causing her to let out a painful scream, “You will help the company and with this woman out of your way, you won't be blinded anymore!”
Marcel unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Rebecca's neck. With an evil grin he pulled the sword back ready to cut through her neck. Then the sound of glass being shattered rang in the air. A breeze and a whistle went by Tempus' head making his gold hair ripple in the air and Marcel's gauntleted hand exploded into a mess of blood and metal.
Shocked voices came from the men as they dropped their crossbows in fear. Tempus took advantage of the situation and ran forward. Marcel let loose his grip on Rebecca and screamed in agonizing pain. The metal from his gauntlet had shot out and punctured the right side of his face leaving it a bloody mess. And from what he could make of the bloody stump of his arm his vision started to blur and he cursed out loud. By then Tempus was beside him and his dagger was buried deep into his abdomen.
Marcel stumbled backwards towards the window. Tempus summoned his dagger out of Marcel's body. The dagger shot back to into his hand and blood started to pour out on the ground. Behind them Marcel's men started to panic and nervous chattering broke out among them. Tempus watched Marcel fall against the window and slide to his knees in a pool of blood, the hair on his arms started to rise. Their was a sharp smell in the air and it felt like the whole room was covered in static.
Behind Marcel's men a man clothed in navy blue rags and a black hood stood in the balcony's entrance. Underneath his hood eyes flashed like whitish-blue neon lights. They flickered, dimmed, and got bright. The man's robes seemed to spread out and lift slightly into the air around him. Black chains wrapped around the man's arms and started to unravel themselves and made popping noises as waves of electricity swarmed the links.
Walking forward the room felt electric like a storm had started in the apartment. With quick motions the man stretched out his hands commanding the chains to shoot out at an alarming rate. The electrified black chains broke through two of the attacker’s skulls and he lifted them into the air. The man's eyes were the only thing that could be seen within his black hood and they flashed brightly as the bodies danced on his chains, their flesh searing from the electricity.
Dropping the two men, the others tried to escape for the apartment door. Before they could exit they received electric lashings that sent them to the ground in pain and made them immobile. They twitched on the ground and just watched as the man continued toward the hallway. Chains dragging behind him sparking with offshoots of electricity that reached out and absorbed into nearby metallic items.
Marcel was writhing in pain on the ground cursing under his breath, Guns, I HATE guns! Stupid waste of true talent, blades are skill! Guns are cheap, CHEAP!, Marcel spouted quietly as he started to cough blood.
Tempus was helping Rebecca to her feet and turned towards the man with the electric chains, “I was wondering when I would ever see you again Diran. I just never thought you would show up at a time like this.”
Diran chuckled his eyes still glowing with white-blue electricity but dimmer now, “You are a hard man to track down Tempus, I wasn't expecting for you to have company, you never have company.”
Tempus helped Rebecca to their bed and laid her down. He wiped the tears from her face and tried to make her relax, “I'm so sorry my love.”
Rebecca looked up at him, eyes still teary, but a smile on her face, “I would never leave you, I knew this day was coming. I'm so glad that it's over now. I'm so glad that you survived!”
Tempus leaned forward and kissed her, “Rest a moment my love.”
“Ok, I love you. Nice to see you Diran.” Rebecca said.
Diran nodded, “Likewise.”
Tempus looked over at Diran and then out the window, “I'm guessing that well aimed shot wasn't from you?”
“Not at all, you know just as well as the rest of team I'm not a good shot, well,” Diran rustled his chains, “not with a gun at least.”
“Spades is here too isn't he?”
“Oh yes, I'm sure he'll be here momentarily I think first he's just scoping out the place making sure it's safe.”
“Team? So you are still thinking of starting your rebellion?”
“Not just thinking anymore...but,” Diran looked towards Marcel, “we can talk once your guest is taken care of.”
Tempus turned towards the hallway to see Marcel trying to stand but not succeeding. As he approached him Marcel looked up to get kneed in the face. His head snapped back and a loud cracking noise could be heard as Marcel's head slammed into the wall.
“Now you son of a bitch,” Tempus said grabbing Marcel by his chin, “before I send you to the Abyss tell me, where did you relocate? Where are the others?”
Marcel shook his head loose from Tempus' grip and grabbed his shirt with a bloodied hand and leaned forward to speak into his ear, “Just kill me,” he whispered.
Tempus stood up making Marcel drop to the ground, “I will find Dom one day and I will kill him. I will release all the innocent people you have brain washed and enslaved!”
Marcel laughed with blood running out of his mouth, “They aren't innocent, not now.”
Walking back into the bedroom Tempus looked at Diran, “Will you please fry him and make it long. I don't want him to die quickly.”
Diran nodded silently and walked down the hallway. His eyes brightened again and the white-blue light seemed to shoot out of his eyes. As he got closer to Marcel his chains unraveled again and started to pop, “I've heard stories about you, you are a very bad man.”
Marcel looked up at Diran with a grimacing look and shouted, “You know nothing!”
“I know enough,” and Diran's chains were let loose and shot into Marcel's shoulders pinning him to the wall behind him. Small surges of electricity flowed down the chains and into Marcel's body slowly electrifying his body. Diran's eyes brightened as Marcel's flesh popped, seared, and burned. Soon Marcel's body stopped twitching, the chains were removed, and all that was heard was Marcel's body burning.
The apartment door opened and a white haired man walked in. He wore a long dark red trench coat that complemented his crimson colored eyes. Behind his back was strapped a large sniper riffle. Walking between the bodies and seeing what was left of Marcel down the hall, the man smirked approvingly.
“Jack Spades,” Tempus said shaking the man's hand, “I have to thank you, without you Rebecca would be dead and probably I as well. Nice shot.”
“Thank you,” Spades smiled, “and don't even mention it, I'm just glad that Diran and I arrived when we did.”
“Why did you come? How did you find me?”
“We aren't exactly inept Tempus, and we do have eyes all over this city. We know what's going on before anyone else does...well most of the time.” Diran spoke up.
“It's not like we were spying on you Tempus, we just made sure we knew whenever you moved so if we needed you one day we'd know where to find you. I have no reason to keep tabs on you or mistrust your knowledge of us.” Spades replied.
“Good because I never want you to think that. You helped me and Rebecca get in to Dark City, I'm always in your debt.”
“Tempus you know that the team and I will always help you when you need it. I don't even want to know how you got a place in the Middle Ring! As much work as it is to just travel from ring to ring it takes nearly two years to establish living in a different ring.”
“There are some people that I know now, I have more connections than before. I can be sure to introduce you to them, I'm sure the team can benefit greatly from it.”
“That's why I am here, you see, the team could greatly benefit from you. Several months from now the Rebellion will be at it's top level for action and we want you to be a part of that. We could use your talents Tempus.”
“I have given up the life of a killer Jack, I don't want to return to that world.”
“The killer of innocents, the pawn of a demented warrior, and a slave to a company that worked to continue chaos in this city. That is the world you were in Tempus! Not anymore and that's not the world that I am in.”
Tempus looked down at the floor and then over to Rebecca laying on the bed. She smiled at him and it caused his heart to leap. He smiled and then turned back to Jack, “I want to live in a world where she can be safe and not have to worry about when we have to travel again or who is out to kill us next.”
Spades put his hand on Tempus' shoulder, “Then join us Tempus, help us fight against the evil that infects this city and turn it into a place where we can all live in peace.”
Tempus looked back at Rebecca and she smiled and nodded approvingly, “Sign me up, I'm ready to help.”
Jack and Diran smiled, “Then let's take care of your dear Rebecca, gather your things, and head to the Under Slums. I was excited to get back soon because you know those runes we've been trying to decode and figure out their meanings for so long?
“Yes.”
“Well we almost have them figured out and it could help us find out more about Dark City.”
“Who did you find to help decode those runes? It hasn't been too long, I know you couldn't have decoded them this fast without some incredible help!”
“Well he's family used a language similar and he's quite a prodigy with languages. His name is Oki Kuma.”
