Chapter 42

Nate paled as he saw the insides of Andrea’s head. There were three personalities in there trying to battle for dominance: Jody’s, Andrea’s, and the downloaded personality Mendell had installed within.

Andrea’s personality had been completely suppressed by the downloaded personality, but Jody was still in there, struggling to take control.

Nate purged her mind of the downloaded personality. He would’ve purged Andrea’s personality as well but he felt wrong doing it. To kill someone was one thing, but to delete their mind and have someone else occupy their body was pure evil. He wasn’t willing to do it.

He struggled with the idea of purging Jody’s memories as well. The man was dead, his physical body somehow implanted into Andrea’s. Should he erase Jody, let him rest in peace? Was Jody still living, even if transplanted into another human being?

Nate shook his head to clear his thoughts. He couldn’t afford to think about these complex issues now. He would let things be as they were.

He let go of Andrea’s body and she crashed on the floor with two personalities still within. Jody and Andrea’s personality would have to work it out amongst themselves, Nate didn’t want to involve himself.

“Did you know?” Nate said glaring at Kiru.

Kiru looked at him dumbfounded. “What’re you talking about?”

Lightning flashed overhead, illuminating Nate’s demonic features with soft violet colors. His ebony-colored horns and angular features contrasted with the fiery red eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.

“Did you know about the experiments?” Nate said in a chillingly low voice as he walked towards Kiru.

“What experiments? Get a grip for God’s sake, you’re losing it!”

First werewolves hunt anyone out after dark. Then blood dens owned by vampires who drink from humans. Then humans who pay millions for a chance to hunt humans. But all of that pales in comparison to the true horror of the Asylum; Mendell’s prison.

Nate felt his barely contained demon breaking lose from the reigns. All this time the greatest evil was right under my nose! Human experiments. Seriously, what the fuck?!

“Nate calm down, the tribulation lightning is going to get you killed.” He heard Kiru say.

Nate glared at Kiru, his whole body shaking with barely contained fury. Kiru took a step back and held his hands up in a placating gesture.

“I’m on your side Nate. There’s no need for this, just smother your demon side and take control. I know you’re not weak enough to allow it to overpower you. Stop this madness Nate.” Kiru said in soft tones.

Nate flashed forward heading for the prison. “Not before I wipe them out.” He would carry out Jody’s last wish, and kill everyone inside the research facility.

Kiru flashed before him obstructing his way. “I can’t let you do that.”

“Get out of my way!” Nate roared as he hurled the God’s Javelin at Kiru.

Kiru dodged the spear, it sailed its way past him and hurtled towards the National guardsmen.

They dove to the side to dodge, not that they could follow the spear, but they knew something was heading in their direction and dodged on instinct. But one wasn’t fast enough to get away. The spear pierced through him, killing him instantly.

In anger the guards all aimed their weapons at Nate.

“No!” Kiru shouted but it was too late.

Bullets came flying at Nate but all it did was stoke the flames of his anger. He held his hand out in front, slowing down all the bullets and stopping them. When the National guards finally stopped there was a wall of bullets before Nate.

Nate turned the bullets in a hundred and eighty degrees then sent them hurtling back towards the National guardsmen.

They screamed as the bullets pierced their bodies, leaving behind so many holes one would think they were swiss cheese.

Lightning flashed overhead and a portal appeared behind Nate. Kiru grit his teeth in anger at Nate’s disregard for human life.

“God dammit! What did I say? I told you this world would cast you out, now it’s too late for you to stay. Just go into the portal before the tribulation lightning strikes you. It will kill you Nate!”

Nate didn’t want to go, the anger he felt for Mendell and his ilk was too great.

The portal began sucking at Nate’s body. Nate resisted the pressure, making his way forward. Kiru appeared before him and threw a lightning bolt at Nate.

Nate dodged the bolt but lifting his feet off the ground allowed the portal to suck him in. He was flying towards the gate when he recalled his spear then jabbed the golden spear on the ground and held on.

“I’m not leaving, not yet.” He shouted in a warbled voice. Straining, he put his feet back on the ground and began inching his way forward gradually.

Thunder rumbled with each step forward. The heavens throbbed with purple lightning like an angry pit of snakes. One of the snakes peeled off. A violet lightning bolt reached down and struck Nate. Nate felt his whole insides rattle in pain as the lightning coursed through him.

He fell to his knees and spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Nate this is madness, it’ll kill you. Just go.” Kiru urged.

It’s useless. Nate thought, unwillingly. Even the heavens are against me. Nate felt the anger drain out of him. He was in too much pain to be angry.

“Yes God! Smite this evil creature. Deliver us from Satan and send him back to hell!” He heard someone shout. Nate looked up and saw an old man with “The end is Near” sign.

His rage bubbled back to the surface like an active volcano. If God existed would he let all the evil that happened back there exist? Would he stand by and watch as people were taken apart and spliced together?! WOULD HE STAND BY AND WATCH AS THE RICH HUNTED THE POOR FOR SPORT?!

Nate accepted all the pain from the lightning bolt and fed it into his stream of anger. He felt the lightning assimilate and become one with him, altering his body subtly.

“God is on your side?” Nate spat as he got off his knees and faced the man. “Then let’s see if God will save you from me!”

Out of sheer anger Nate hurled his spear at the man.

Unbeknownst to Nate, the spear was now purple-gold and crackling with purple lightning. It hurtled towards the man faster than the eye can blink. It pierced through him and struck the wall of the building behind the man.

The spear didn’t stop, it sailed on past the walls of the building until the whole buildings structural integrity was compromised. Nate watched as the building tilted to its side slowly. The few humans still around, ran away in horror, but not enough of them got out of the way in time. The building fell on its side, smothering, and killing off several humans.

His action seemed to get a reaction from the heavens. It rumbled with lightning as another bolt reached down and struck him. This bolt, even stronger than the last. It sent Nate to his knees. The constant suction from the portal ever at his back.

“Nate!” He heard someone shout.

Nate looked up. At a distant rooftop he saw Amelia looking down at him. “Nate survive! Survive and come back to me!” she screamed.

“Amelia?” Nate felt his voice catch in his throat as a single tear streamed down his cheek.

“Go Nate! You have to go. Survive and come back to me!” She shouted again.

How is she still alive?

…

Amelia lie there on the floor bound and gagged. She tried everything to slip the bonds but no matter what happened she couldn’t get free. She was beginning to think she’d never get loose when suddenly the demon untied her.

Charlie and the other vampires were still on the roof with the demon, they saw the demon let go of Amelia, and wondered why.

“I don’t understand?” Amelia said. This demon had ambushed her in the forest just as she was about to go after Nate to stop him from killing Anza. The demon immobilized her with some sort of paralyzing drug, then made Amelia watch as she morphed into her exact replica, not a single hair out of place. Then the demon used her body, and her abilities, to manipulate Nate into killing her. But why?

“It’s too late for you to do anything.” The demon said shrugging her shoulders indifferently.

“No, I don’t believe you.” Amelia said as she realized something. “You could’ve killed Nate long ago, obviously, that’s not your intention. You used me to trick him into transforming into full demon, yet you kept me alive. There has to be a reason for this.”

The demon smiled at Amelia. “Smart.”

Amelia bit her lips in frustration. “I won’t let you use me to manipulate him any longer, I’d rather die than let that happen!”

“Oh, you’ll do your part when the time comes.” The demon chuckled before collapsing into a swirl of shadows.

Amelia went towards the edge of the building, her eyes frantically searching for Nate. She found him down below, his whole body crackling with purple lightning. She saw the fury on his face as the man screamed for god to smite Nate.

Nate produced a purple-gold spear and killed the man without hesitation. She watched the building collapse and kill several humans. This isn’t like him. She thought to herself.

She saw the lightning in the clouds rumble as it struck Nate again. From the corner of her eye she noticed the demon heading towards his location. She was afraid the demon might do something to him so she decided to warn Nate.

“Nate!” She yelled.

Nate turned in her direction. When their eyes met, Amelia saw the flurry of his emotions roiling through him. Relief, joy, hope. Seeing these emotions warmed Amelia’s heart greatly.

“Go Nate! You have to go. Survive and come back to me!” She shouted. She knew that lightning wouldn’t disappear unless Nate left. Her shamanistic senses screamed that much to her.

…

A tear fell down Nate’s face as he saw Amelia looking down at him from the distant building rooftop. Dozens of questions swirled in his head but it didn’t matter. As long as she was alive. Nate felt like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.

He turned back towards the portal, ready to go to the NetherRealm when suddenly a familiar demon appeared before him. The same demon that had killed his whole family.

“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but someday you will thank me for this.” The demon had a serious look on her face for once. She jumped backward and entered the portal.

As the woman fell through the portal, Nate saw a flash of worry and doubt flash across her face. The portal closed after swallowing up the demon. The suction force disappeared and Nate fell to the floor. He looked up at Kiru confused at this new development, but the look on Kiru’s face terrified Nate.

“She set you up. Why would she set you up like that?” Kiru muttered quietly as if speaking to himself.

The lightning overhead crackled and a bolt hurtled towards Nate. The bolt crashed upon him, sending electricity throughout his whole system. Nate’s whole body seized as the lightning ran its course. Finally, when it was over he lie there on the floor.

When he regained enough strength he looked up at Kiru. “What is going on?”

The portal was gone yet the lightning continued to strike at him.

Kiru shook his head. “The lightning will continue to strike until the threat is eliminated. The only chance you had disappeared with the portal.”