Flashback Entry 155: Mardockt -Christina-

"Christina! Stop being a baby!", Mardockt was all ready halfway up the cliff face.

"I'm not a baby!", I was only a quarter of the way up and advancing slowly.

Patrick quickly scrambled past, catching up and passing Mardockt easily. Patrick had always been the most physically fit of all the unsigned Gods. He was known for his resistance to physical harm. I once saw him swim in a pool of lava with out clothes on, and that's something that some signed Gods couldn't even do.

I was never so lucky with my skill. I always tried to match Patrick's strength, but he was always just above me. How ever, my special trait put us on equal ground and made our battles last for hours.

I was born with sight. I had amazing vision normally, three times more powerful than a normal human’s, but I also could see things unseen. The entire ability was new and unknown even to the Highest Tier.

Mardockt was one of the special ones born with a trait that wouldn't manifest until a specific trigger activated it. Unlucky for Mardockt, the trigger was his death. It was unknown what would happen, but it has been speculated that he was the embodiment of the apocalypse. It was said that his death would clear the planet of mortals and allow the Higher Tier to create a new mortal race.

Climbing this cliff had been Mardockt's idea. At the top was supposed to be the origin of all God-types, and it was forbidden to go all the way to the top. Being children; we completely ignored that rule.

I wish we hadn't.

I was ten feet from the top when I saw Patrick fly over the edge with a flash of light close behind. The light hit him in mid-air and he dropped to the ground far below.

"Patrick!" I'd never seen him lose consciousness, but as I watched him fall, I saw his eyes close. The sight of the toughest of the three of us falling unconscious scared me more then anything I'd ever seen. I scrambled up the last few feet and was met with a sight I'd never thought possible.

Mardockt’s body lay only a few feet away in a puddle of his blood. I'd never seen any of our kind bleed like that in the ten years I'd been alive. I could see the life force slip from him and dissipate in to the air.

"Mardockt!", I ran over to him as the last of his life force faded.

I leaped out of the way as a bolt of light hit the ground where Mardockt lay, knocking me and him to the side. I turned to see an old man standing a few feet away, his hands developing another blast of light. Just as he prepared to fire, a pulse erupted from Mardockt's body.

I watched as Mardockt pulled himself to his feet, and knew that he was not the same. He was one of my closest friends and used to be very kind. Now he was something darker, something scary. He pointed at the old man, who fell dead immediately.

Mardockt laughed lightly and then smiled at me.

What had just happened?

Entry 154: Save The Girl Who Was Trying To Kill You Earlier -Carl-

I watched her fall to her knees and cover her face. She was shaking like a leaf.

"Would you mind being a pal and concentrating on me for a moment?!", Vincent yelled at me.

"Who said I was your pal?"

"Just get me out of here!"

The hams stood almost as tall as me and had no eyes nor mouth. Their arms were thin and black like they were drawn with a crayon. Every last one held a blade of similar size as the girl who was cowering at my feet. The tallest one held out Vincent and pointed to the girl.

"You want a trade?"

"He agrees! Take the girl and let me go. We won't bother you again!" Vincent was wiggling and yelling.

Another gesture was made and I glanced at the girl, then the door. Something was very wrong here. Ham doesn't just start walking. There was something we weren't catching and maybe the girl knows.

I stepped in front of the girl, "Over my dead body."

"Are you INSANE?! She tried to kill us!"

I ignored the bear and got ready to fight. I figured this was gonna be easy. They were ham, after all.

The first came from the left. Its blade swung down to me, but I slipped backwards and the back of my fist collided with where I figured its face would be. It fell with a squeal and after several attempts to stand again, it disappeared. They came at me three at a time, their blades a deadly wall to be avoided before my kicks and punches found them.

Melissa had flown up to a statue and was enjoying the show with a smile.

It wasn't long before I realized that their numbers weren't lessening. Every time I killed one, another stepped from the shadows.

And I was getting tired.

Entry 153: Torture -Ben-

The world came into view and the pain in my head made everything slightly blurry. Across from me was another person, unmoving and dark.

"So you've woke up."

"Where am I?"

"Ben, you are in a special place I've designed just for you."

The lights came on and as my vision cleared I saw the person in front of me was a young child. She was tied so tight that she couldn't move, and aimed at her head was a very large shotgun. Her cries were muffled by a sock, but you could tell by her eyes that she was terrified.

"Andrew?"

"So he told you didn't he? Well, he'll soon shut his yap."

"What do you want?"

"How does that movie go? Oh yes! Ben, ask me again."

"Just tell me what you want!"

I heard a light laughter from behind me, "Want to play a game?"

Entry 152: Scared Of Armed Ham? -Carl-

I opened my eyes to see a small, familiar being holding the blade from cutting me in two.

"Only I can kill him, you ugly meanie.", Melissa squeaked.

"A pixie?", the over-powered warrior looked very confused, "Didn't they all die? Move away little thing. I am busy."

Melissa kicked the blade to the side and turned to wink at me. Then she flew up close to the blond and poked her in the nose.

"I won't let you touch him. He's mine to kill. Mine alone. What's your name?"

An exasperated look came over the blonde’s face, "What is with you humans? I have never seen a group of humans so difficult to deal with. Not even the Spartans were such a bothe-"

She was cut off from a loud crack as Melissa smacked her across the face. "I asked you a question."

A small welt appeared on the now angry warrior’s face, "Christina."

"Would you all stop fighting?!", Vincent’s voice came from closer to the door, "We have more important things to deal with! Ben is gone!"

Everyone turned to look at where Ben had been standing. A small puddle of blood was all that could be seen.

"Also, I don't know if any of you noticed, but we're completely surrounded by very armed and very angry pieces of ham."

I glanced around the room to find that Vincent was right. In fact, he was being held at sword point. I looked at Melissa and the blond warrior and could have sworn I saw the color drain from the warrior that had been so fearless before.

Was she scared?

Entry 151: What In The World? -Christina-

I planted my knee in the face of the one I'd been fighting just to keep him occupied, and turned to the new combatant. I could sense his resolve as he ran at me, but I also noticed his form was off. He ran like he was much smaller; with very little steps.

I prepared to avoid the attack when he jumped above me and swung. I almost smiled as I watched the swing go far above my head. I was about to say something when I felt the burning steel fly past my face.

How had he done that? Not even my kind can disguise themselves from me like that.

I flipped back as he landed and put my hands up as he swung again. I felt a sharp pain in my gut as the weapon burned through my armor. This was ridiculous. His soul was saying that he was somewhere he wasn't. Had humans actually achieved such heights of technology? Were they so advanced that they've even surpassed the ancient magics?

I blocked the other guy’s attack with my arm and spun around him, swinging my foot toward the weapon wielder’s face. My foot hit nothing but air.

"Why is she missing? How are you hitting her? Just before I couldn't even make a dent."

I pushed away from them, opened my eyes, and almost burst out laughing. The explanation for my trouble was very simple. Somehow, the one with the weapon had his soul possessing a small stuffed animal that resembled a bear, but was much too small and cute.

I'd have to fight using my eyes.

The bear swung and I easily avoided his attack by jumping a little. I swung my foot out and caught him in his cute little face, causing him to release my weapon and fly backwards. I leaned down to avoid the tall one’s simple fist and grasped my weapon.

My weapon swung up with the killing stroke. No human could survive this, not with out losing limbs; which in fighting terms is a loss. It was too fast to dodge and too strong to live through. It was over.

You can probably understand my surprise when my blade was stopped halfway.

Entry 150: I Fight Like A Girl? -Carl-

The door flew open after a single kick. It didn't take much of Vincent’s explanation to get us working to get out of the room. We all stepped out to an unusual sight.

All the Policemen and scientists were in pieces on the floor. Not bloody pieces, but cleanly cut and burned pieces.

"What is going on?", Ben walked toward the door.

"I have no clue. It seems we've walked in to another problem." I knelt down to look at the stump of a dismembered arm. It was a sword, a really hot sword.

"Guys, I think we have a problem.", I said as I stood up, "We should probably do what we need to do and then leave."

"You will not touch the door, or use the door in any manner. You will leave now." A dirty blond woman stepped out from behind the door as Ben approached. She stood slightly taller than Ben and was covered in leather armor from the chest down. In her hand she held a sword that seemed much too large for her to wield.

I cracked my knuckles as I headed over to her, "Ben, keep working. I'll take care of her."

"Got it." Ben started to move toward the door but was stopped by the swing of her blade.

"I don't want to hurt you. Please, back away." She looked in Ben's eyes with out a smile.

"I can't."

I swung at her, but only hit air as she leaped over my head. I dived to the left as her sword smashed down where I had been standing. Before I could get my bearings again, my chest exploded with pain as the hilt of her sword made my ribs feel like butter. Her strength was something beyond even the Gods I had faced could muster.

"What the Hell are you?!", I exclaimed as I rolled to avoid her blade.

I had been pushed in to a corner and watched as she lifted her blade above her head. It was over for me if this hit. She swung her arm down and I winced, until I realized I hadn't felt anything. Her weapon was gone and from the look on her face, she was as surprised as I was. I wasn't going to wait to figure out what happened.

My foot caught her in the stomach with a follow up to her face. She was knocked back enough for me to see Vincent dragging her weapon to the other side of the room. I jumped to my feet and swung at her face again, only to have it caught and deflected. That's when I noticed her eyes were closed.

Four hits to the chest and six kicks in the face was all it took to realize I wasn't anywhere near good enough to survive this battle, if she ever got her weapon back. My body felt like a punching bag as she grabbed my arm and tossed me in to a wall as if I weighed nothing.

"You are surprisingly resistant. Who did you train under? Aries?", she walked over toward me, her eyes still closed, "You also don't seem to fear me yet. Have humans really become so bold?"

"Why are you guarding the doorway so much? Is speaking to the dead that powerful?"

"Speaking to the dead?" She seemed genuinely confused.

I pulled myself to my feet and steadied myself, "Isn't that what it does?", I avoided an attack and missed with one of my own. This was not going well.

"HAH!" She rolled to the left as her own weapon narrowly missed cutting her in half. Vincent had somehow gotten the strength to wield the massive sword. It was a very clumsy attempt, so I reached down to take it from him but he pulled it away.

"No. I found it, so it's mine. Go find your own magic sword." He glared at me.

"You can't be serious! She's going to kill us with the way you swing that thing!"

"Are you saying I can't fight?!"

"Yeah, you fight like a girl!"

"A girl! I fight like a girl?!?! Would you like me to show you how I fight?!" Vincent puffed his chest out the best he could.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see the look of confusion and annoyance growing in her face.

"Are you threatening me?!"

"Take a swing and see!"

"Fine!"

We both attacked her at the same time.

Flashback Entry 149: Awakened -Christina-

My blade cut through his neck cleanly. Its magical red, hot blade searing the cut closed to keep it from bleeding. I hate blood. Five more warriors leaped at me, but they were too slow and my blade made each of them legless eunuchs before they knew I'd moved. I glanced back at the door and then at the crowd of warriors flowing in to the room.

The amount of people didn't scare me, I'd faced many more in other raids. People had always attempted to get to the door, and just because this time it was Egyptians didn't mean I couldn't take every man in that room with my eyes closed.

So I closed them and jumped. I could smell the steel as a blade nearly took off my nose, and decided that it'd gotten too close.

The wielder never swung again.

I felt their confidence turn to fear as one after another fell with out screaming out. I heard the young ones run when they realized that fighting like a beast while blind wasn't something they could deal with. I didn't follow, my job isn't to kill; it's to protect.

"It's just a girl. Stab her all rea-" Don't scream next to a blind warrior.

When they stopped fighting I stood and sheathed my sword. The room's feeling had changed from a group of desperate men, to something that I had never felt before. Someone new was here.

"Christina." I knew who that was.

"Patrick." Now my confidence wavered. I had to fight to keep my face from showing the growing uneasiness.

"So, you were set as the guardian of the door? The warrior who fights better with her eyes closed?", I heard him laugh. He'd gotten closer with out me realizing it.

"It's much more noble than what you're in charge of. Waste duty, is it?", I felt his annoyance and smiled.

My blade was out to deflect his fist in seconds. I heard the men at the sides gasp as though I'd done something unheard of. Patrick's next attack came from below and connected cleanly with my ribs. I was lifted off the floor and felt the wind as he spun to put a leg in to my side. I flew toward the wall and at the last second was able to right myself by dragging my blade along the ground.

"I need the door Christina. Just stop fighting."

"You stopped your job and now look where you are. You'll have to kill me before I stop." I stood up and picked up my weapon. Patrick attacked again but I was ready. I knocked his fist away with my blade and laughed I heard him cry out as it cut in to his flesh. He was too powerful to lose a limb, but it stalled him enough.

I leaped into the air and introduced his face to my foot. He grunted as he was knocked back on the defensive. I swung at him knowing they'd be blocked by his wrists, but I wanted him to stay on the defensive. When his concentration was only on my blade, I swung my foot forward and connected where no man wants to be hit.

A collective gasp from the male warriors nearly made me laugh, but I kept it in as I looked down at him. I couldn't see him. I was mainly doing it for effect. Nothing more belittling than being looked down upon for real.

"Christina, I urge you to stop. I don't want to kill you. I'm not a bad guy."

"If you are trying to put this door in human hands . . . then you are a bad guy, and I have to stop you."

His feet swung up and I dodged backwards. I felt the blade enter me from behind. A lone soldier had gotten up the nerve to step forward and was in the right place at the right time. The wound was nothing, but it made me too weak to stop Patrick from round-housing me in the face.

"Bring it in! Bring in the urn!" I heard the dragging of stone against stone and opened my eyes to see Patrick kneel next to me.

"I'm not going to kill you Christina, but I need your help. He's coming back and we have to stop him. All the others don't believe it, which is why I'm stuck doing the job I'm doing. I'm going to keep you in that urn until you're needed, and then you will be released. I'm sorry, but it has to be done this way."

I saw the urgency in his face, "Are you sure he's coming back? I can't feel anything at all."

My strength was getting lower as I lost blood, so I didn't bother fighting back as he lifted me up and slipped me in to the jar.

"I'm sure, Christina. If you can't feel him when you come out then you can kill me."

"I look forward to it." My vision faded.

The darkness of the urn and the screams of people outside startled me as I woke up, but what startled me more was the feeling I got.

He was coming, and very soon.

Entry 148: What Fear Is . . . -Andrew-

"Are you scared?"

She was huddled with her arms wrapped around her knees. She was only fourteen by the looks of it ,and the fear in her face was a kind of beauty you can't appreciate unless you've been where I have. Her eyes were so close to overflowing with tears as she looked up at me.

"I want to go home, but the doors won't open. We're trapped."

I knelt and laid a comforting hand on her back. A properly faked smile looked to have helped her fear fade a little.

"Being trapped isn't something you need to be scared of. You'll get out of here. I promise."

She sniffled and looked to the doors and back at me.

"Really? You promise?"

"Yes. Besides, there are so many other things worse then being trapped."

Like a flower blooming, her apprehension opened across her face.

"Like what?"

I sat next to her and pointed to a dark corner, "You see those shadows?"

"Yeah?"

"What you don't know is that within every dark shadow, a creature awaits. It sits behind the veil of darkness watching the people walk past, its stomach growling. See, the creatures diet consists of human meat, so it sits there staring at us, waiting for its moment to escape."

I felt her shiver next to me and edge away from the nearest dark shadow.

"If they were to escape, I am confident that they would keep to the shadows because their eyes aren't adjusted to the harsh lights. From what I know of them, they'd first drag their victim in to the shadows to hinder its sight. Then, they'd take their large club-like feet and stomp on the person’s rib cage until they'd broken them and punctured their lungs."

She was staring at me, her face having gone from trusting to horrified in an instant.

"Then, they'd take their razor sharp cup-like hands and proceed to scoop up the flesh and muscle of the victim’s limbs. All this time, the person is alive and screaming, only their punctured lungs turn it in to a soundless breath. The creatures then open the shattered ribcage, which usually kills them."

She sat for a while not speaking, then she breathed deeply, her eyes never leaving the shadow, "I don't believe you."

"Oh really?", I stood up and held out my hand which she took like a stupid puppy. I led her closer to the shadows and pointed.

"If you look inside really hard, then you can just make out them moving. They're real. Very, very real."

I heard her gasp and grab my arm. Her breathing became sobs as she tried to drag me away from the darkness.

"My greatest fear, is of them escaping their holds and being released on humanity."

I grasped her shirt and lifted her off the ground. She began to scream wildly as I moved her closer to the shadows.

"Are you scared now?", I laughed as she tried to fight back.

She screamed for help again, but no one would hear her; she had broken away from the group a while back. She shook her head as I inched her closer and closer.

"Yes, I’m scared! Stop! Please, stop!"

"No."

And I tossed her in the darkness.

Entry 147: Darkened Skies, Opened Hearts -Saba-

The clouds came quickly and bloated out the sun with a supernatural speed as the taxi stopped in front of the museum. Ben was in there. I had to see Ben, but the feelings I was getting from this building made me hesitate.

"Oh just suck it up. You're stalling progress, you baby."

I realized it was my own voice as my feet began walking of their own accord toward the large doors. With a swift tug, I found the door choosing not listen to my commands.

"Nothing in this universe can stop me from going where I want. Get out of my way, door." I swung my hand, the door unlocked itself and swung open.

As I stepped in to the building the world got darker behind me and the door closed tightly. I probably wouldn't be able to open it again; not that I wanted to. The building was lit only by its own light. The sunlight was completely blocked by the clouds outside.

People had collected in to the large entrance and were muttering between themselves, while the security guards attempted to contact the outside world on their cell phones. They could help me.

I grasped one by their neck and lifted him above my head, "Ben. Now."

I laughed as the other guards attempted to stop my attack. I dispatched them quickly with their own weapons. They weren't dead but when they woke up, they probably wouldn't ever walk again. I squeezed the man’s neck tighter.

"I don't know where he is.", the guard spoke between coughs.

"Door Of The Dead?" He was getting on my nerves.

The commotion had caught the attention of the crowd, and they had started screaming and backing away. Most of them were small children so I paid them no heed as the guard pointed toward my goal.

"You won't be missed.", I said right before I snapped his neck. Simple security guard who will make no impact on this world; worthless really.

"Well said." I spun to see a man leaning against one of the columns that bordered the large entrance hall. He smiled as he walked up to me. It was a smile that was laced with instability and darkness. It was a smile I'd seen when I looked in the mirror.

"You should get with the others before you get in my way."

"If you're looking for Ben, then I'm all ready in your way. See, I have plans for him and his friends; plans that don't involve you interfering." His confidence was a pressure on my own. He was ruining my cool with words.

"You must not know who I am. Move." I grasped his arm and swung it to throw him behind me.

With surprising speed, he grabbed my arm and used the momentum to pull my arm behind me. A loud popping sound reached me as my arm came out of its socket. Pain flooded up my arm as he pushed me forward against the wall.

"You see, I know exactly who you are, what you are, and all your weaknesses. I used my time in the Other lands wisely. I studied up on all those around Vincent and trained for this moment. There isn't a thing you can do to me that I won't expect." With the word "expect", he smashed my face in to the stone wall.

I fell to the floor and as the world went black, I felt him grab my leg and begin to drag me toward the Door Of The Dead.

"Ben, help.", he mocked.

Entry 146: Andrew -Vincent-

"Soon."

No one else heard the voice as we traveled through out the museum toward The Door Of The Dead. I would have stopped walking if I was walking. Being in such a public place meant that I had to play dead for a while. Lucky for me, Ben had opted to hold me over Carl.

"When I come back, I'm going to go and find every one of your friends."

Andrew.

"I'm surprised to find you walking around Vincent. I thought you were dead."

I thought he was dead too. I had made sure he wouldn't move again after he made me watch what he did.

"I'll find them, Vincent. I'll make you alone again."

Could a Teddy Bear feel fear? If I'd had a face that could show emotion, it'd be easier to find out. I had to find him. I had to find him fast. How could he talk to me and me alone?

"Watch as I rip their wiggly spines through their chests."

That's when Ben turned the corner and we were all in awe at the size of the massive door. The door was surrounded by police and scientists as they studied the remains of that poor security guard that had been killed there.

"Oh, you must be Ben."

No.

"My name is Fredrick."

The fact that I was turned so that I couldn't see who was talking didn't hide their identity from me.

"As you can see, the police are still investigating, so you'll have to wait until they’re done before you can go take a look."

It was just impossible.

"Meanwhile, I'd like you to head that way. I'll show you where you can put your things until they're done."

Ben turned and began to walk where directed. As we shuffled in to the room I caught a glimpse of the speaker and watched as he looked directly at me.

He smiled.

Andrew.

Entry 145: Fame and Fear -Nick-

"We need to get these people out of the way!"

It turns out that just getting to the museum would take a lot of time. The second the three of them had stepped out of the building they had been surrounded by news reporters and large groups of people.

"Can't you just make us invisible or something?", Will yelled over the crowds of people.

When Crystal and I ran out of the room, Will had been close behind. Even though he wasn't my favorite person, he was very persistent and had somehow gotten more information than any of the reporters here. I quickly waved to Crystal to head back in to the hotel. With great effort we shut the doors behind us, and fell to the floor in exhaustion.

"I am not the most experienced of Warlocks. I only know a few spells and I'm not even good at them."

Will raised an eyebrow and frowned, "So, you're useless to the group then?", his gaze shifted to Crystal, "Why is he even here?"

I really didn't like this guy, he's very condescending and annoying. I almost missed the response Crystal gave because I was running through my head as to how to get to the museum.

"Eventually he'll be stronger, and that's what scares me." Crystal’s voice was very low and she kept looking in another direction from mine.

My thoughts halted, I stared at her in surprise, "You're scared of me? What did I ever do to scare you?"

"For one, you killed that man on the plane."

"He was a serious threat. If I had left him like that, he would have killed us all. I was protecting my friends, and I don't regret doing that. I wish that maybe we could have helped him but we had no time, and he was too strong." Truthfully, I regretted taking the man’s life even if he was dangerous, but I had to weigh the choices. Either I regret killing a man, or I regret letting him kill so many people; including my friends.

Looking at the way Crystal was avoiding looking at me, I could tell there was more, but before I could ask Will interrupted, "So, I might have missed something, but why do we need to get to the museum if we were told to stay here?"

"The Door Of The Dead is a dangerous mythical object of ancient Egypt. It's supposed to allow a person to speak to the dead, but that isn't what it does. Basically, it reaches out and finds someone’s worst fear, then it changes reality to make it true."

Will looked puzzled but to my surprise quickly accepted what I had said, "So, why hasn't it been activated until now, and how could the ancient Egyptians have mistaken it for a way to speak to the dead?"

"All I know is that it mimics the voices of dead people you know to lure you close. I can't remember anything else. Everything is foggy since I blacked out. Like there's memories that are hiding away."

I didn't mistake the fear in Crystal’s eyes.