Prologue
Max and Izume walk along a bridge held up by anti gravity field generators. The floor of the bridge itself is made up of a klathonite glass, a form of heavily refined klathon ore. A number of transport craft with soundless thrusters fly through the air between buildings. Looking up shows a tiny black hole with six kinetic energy field beams creating a blue sphere around the black hole.
Taking notice of it Max asks. “Remind me how a black hole acting as the Earths core isn’t a problem?”
“Seeker theorists think that the energy field that surrounds the black hole is designed to get stronger the more the black hole tries to pull it in. They believe that not only does the energy field get strengthened the more the gravity tries to pull it in. It’s still under heavy research, but they think that the six energy fields extract energy from the black hole which fuels the entire underground city, and powers artificial planetary gravity generators all over the world.” Izume answers.
The strange thing about the underground city is that the city is built on the under side of the upper mantle around the entire planet. It’s almost the Earth was cored out by something. Given the highly advanced designs are well beyond Seeker understanding, it could be easy to assume that the Earth was dying when whoever built the city made it, and might have built everything to ensure the Earth could go on existing long after they’re gone.
“I’d like to talk to whoever came up with the idea to use a black hole as a power source.” He says, as he follows Izume to the right of the bridge towards a gravity lift.
The kitsune places her hand on a panel, saying. “Level seven, SHD verification code one six nine eight five.”
“Seeker Hunting Division code verified, level seven has been informed on your approach.” The well composed voice of a woman opens.
The gravity lift doors close. The lift itself is a cylinder with a glass like force field, four rings on each level of the lift, with a panel for palm scanning on the third ring on level with the top of the torso.
The rings light up, and the floor opens revealing a very long drop. Despite the fear of falling they rise as though they’re standing on the ground. Izume looks out at the vast city with a smile on her face. From her view it’s been over a thousand years since she’s been to the underground city.
For Max it feels like he’s on an entirely different planet. Which makes it hard to believe all of this exists inside the Earth, with a generated environment that mimics the safer weather from the surface all around the city with an elaborately generated sky. All of it has him looking around struck with awe.
“Everyone who came here when we first activated the Bifrost on Vanir had the same reaction. We were struck with a child like awe at the sights before us. The same species that created the Bifrost created this wonder that we’re still trying to figure out.” Izume says, her voice full of curiosity.
Max nods, saying. “I’m still trying to get over the fact that stuff everyone says is science fiction actually exists.”
They’re silent until the gravity lift stops them at a set of rings similar to the ones from before, and the floor closes landing them on what is assumed to be level seven. The lift opens out into a hallway with silvery gray walls, and dark blue floors, and a pale gray ceiling. As they step off the lift two female kitsune wearing skin tight body suits covered with pieces of armor that edges into sharp point. The torso and pelvis armor pieces are interconnected by smaller pieces to allow flexibility in combat. These warriors hold staffs with four diamond like spikes on the top.
“Rezepez iviren i’au. Vevel rice i’au rarem.” One of the two states.
Izume bows to the warriors saying. “Verin fazrez zanaz.”
The two warriors nod, and begin walking ahead of them. Max and Izume follow behind them, looking around at the walls, which are painted with hours upon hours of intense warding symbols of every single culture known by the Seekers. They proceed down hallway after hallway making various left turns and right turns, until exiting out into a chamber where a number of sphere like structures with crescents around it with an anti gravity field generator similar to the ones that holding the bridge from before, though these generators hold what appear to be pillars. Standing in front of each generator is a female kitsune in armor similar to the two escorting the couple.
It leads Max to assume that these kitsune are members of the Sisters of Tysek. While learning about the Seekers from Izume, he learned the Sisters of Tysek play a role in gathering intel, as well as carrying out missions by order of Seeker division leaders, as well as members functioning as a personal guard for division leaders in buildings like this one which acts as the central location for the Hunting Division.
Izume’s heart is racing. Outside of hearing about the original few in her Shattered Star training she’s never actually seen a member of the group. To even have the honor of being in the presence of such warriors with a mastery of ethereal essence is something she never thought she’d see the day of.
As she knew from the early days of the Seekers, the Sisters of Tysek were warriors hand picked by the same council that created the Shattered Star. While kitsune culture has never had any gender specific divisions, the creation of the Sisters of Tysek was chosen only because those picked out by the council were warriors from a matriarch led clan whose best warriors were sent to become part of the specialist division.
As they pass through the chamber they enter into a hallway that leads to a room with a small table with a man with black hair, pale skin, and red eyes who wears a lab coat with a card with an identification which reads as, SSD, Lionel Valtek. Sitting next to him is a man with silvery gray hair, tanned skin, and red eyes, who wears a black suit. Next to him is a man who wears a white uniform with a tag that reads BWRD, Kennith Vasrin
“Thank you lieutenants, please wait outside.” Opens the man in the black suit.
Izume bows saying. “Director Hannible it’s good to see you again. It’s good to finally meet you in person doctor Valtek. I’ve heard good things about your research into Artificial Intelligence.”
“Thank you both for coming on such short notice. I apologize for interrupting your vacation.” Opens the director.
Max nods but asks. “What’s the Bio Weapons Response Division doing here for the debriefing?”
“We’ll get into that after you’ve been debriefed Mr. Raza. Let us start with the inciting incident that resulted in you finding out about our division. What exactly happened in the case that led to the discovery?” The director asks.
Sighing the man answers. “Izume and I were looking into what we thought was a werewolf gone crazy kind of case. But when we arrived at the scene of the attack, it was a mess of dried blood and scratches on the floor.”
“The scratches were on par with werewolf claws, but the blood shed was likened to that of a rougarou. At first I thought we were dealing with a damon, though rare and difficult to summon have been encountered by other SHD members.” Izume adds.
A hologram of the piece of the ark appears, with a hologram of the building where it was found. The lobby of the building plus the hallways and rooms are highlighted, with the rest of the building hologram vanishing.
“The police report claimed it was a wild animal that did it, yet your report makes reference to a hellhound, and a demon. Why don’t you explain that to us.” The director says.
Max nods but responds. “Sir there’s some context prior to the attack that you should know before we explain it.”
“Before the attack I assumed I was payed a visit by you when I went to the hotel Max and I were staying in on the day in question. I didn’t know it at the time but I had been given a killing mark. As all SHD members now know, demons with hellhounds have to use summoners marks because they don’t have any control over the devil dogs. While I acknowledge my ignorance, and have no place asking this, I ask that no blame be assigned until the end of the debriefing.” Izume explains.
Director Vasrin nods saying. “These are simply questions commander Minori, no blame will be assigned unless it is due.”
Director Hannible gives a silent nod in agreement. He motions the two to continue. Max lets out a sigh before standing.
“I spoke with one of the scientists who wasn’t there during the attack. He said that whatever did it killed the scientists involved in the discovery of the tablet, including Illyana Stone, the one who found it. I figured that whatever killed them would come for the tablet so I took it with me to the hotel, as Izume checked out the morgue. She found the killing mark used by a summoner. It took us a few hours of research to figure out what it was summoners mark. That was right before we were attacked by the demon after the tablet. If you’ll forgive my language… We were getting our asses handed to us, it was only after Izume spent all her energy just staying ahead of the hellhound that I was able to kill the demon.” Max explained.
Izume nods saying. “During the fight the demon went on a rant about the Seekers. At the time I thought either you betrayed us or there was something else going on. So I decided to wait until I had more details. But I informed Max of the basics about the Seekers.”
“It is likely you were visited by my brother, Azriel. That followed by a demon attack that almost killed both of you, I see why you chose silence until now.” Director Hannible responds.
Director Vasrin nods saying. “Lets go to information regarding the entity known as Eredael. What is it exactly?”
“She was the Knight of Hell, Itria. But she was captured by Lucifer and the knights of the round table and later purified. As she explained it sirs, the ritual made her a being that can use both her seraphim, and Knight of Hell abilities. She is also Max’s mother.” Izume explains.
At the time she didn’t trust Eredael, because she knew her Knight of Hell reputation as ‘Itria The Fire Bringer’. That alone was cause for worry when she reached out to Max the day she walked free.
“In another case despite your distrust of Eredael, you joined Mr. Raza in looking for a Limbo gate, and despite the possibility he might die you let him walk through the gate which closed and trapped him there.” Lionel responds, his voice almost sounding accusatory.
Max looks him in the eye saying. “Izume and I are lovers. If you’re going to condemn anyone condemn me. We both didn’t trust Eredael, we knew it was a gamble even going near the Limbo gate. But because of that risk, we learned I had a piece of my soul missing, and that I’m something called a human nephalem.”
“Nephalem?” Director Vasrin asks.
With a nod Izume answers. “Eredael explained it after the Limbo thing. The official lore claims that a nephalem is a cross between an angel and a demon. As it was explained to me, a nephalem is the result of a purification ritual.”
“You mentioned Lucifer was the one who captured Itria. But he is the devil that does not make sense.” Director Hannible replies, in a puzzled voice.
In all his research of biblical lore everything points to Lucifer being the devil. In that same context if he is the devil why would he get the help of the knights of the round table to capture a Knight of Hell, let alone try to purify it.
The kitsune nods explaining. “Everyone who knows the bible knows the human version of the story. But the true story is still very much a mystery, all we know right now is that the fight between Michael and Lucifer that the bible tells will happen, already happened. It was the fight that flooded the Earth. No one knows how but Michael managed to talk some sense into Lucifer, who vanished.”
“That was until I walked through the Limbo portal. Some time after purifying her Eredael made a deal with Lucifer, that she would go through a Hell gate if he would watch over me. In order to carry out that deal he had the help of a reaper in getting a piece of my soul to lock my abilities away, so I wouldn’t be an immediate target of Lilith or the Knights of Hell.” Max adds.
The directors exchange looks. While director Vasrin, and Lionel seem surprised director Hannible maintains a calm and collected look. It almost leaves them to wonder if he had someone follow them. Similarly Max and Izume exchange nervous looks.
Hannible gives a nod asking. “How do you know that Eredael made a deal with Lucifer to protect you?”
“I’ve spoken with him while walking the woods outside the house. We spoke about a lot of things.” Max answers.
Izume looks to the director, saying. “Before my loyalty comes into question. We were almost killed by a Knight of Hell following the demon attack, it was only two months after we claimed the tablet that Eredael reached out to Max about reclaiming the missing piece of his soul. When the gamble proved fruitful Both she and Lucifer earned my trust and support to their cause.”
“If you are what you say Maxwell Raza, then prove it.” States Kennith.
Izume looks to Michael saying. “Sir, it takes a lot of energy for him to fly, carrying passengers.”
“Izume, I don’t think they’re going to listen unless I do something. Besides, I don’t think their looking for me to fly them across the world. I’ve been practicing this for a while.” Max responds.
He stands and walks to around the table so he’s facing the wall. The lights in the room begin to flicker. The two kitsune warriors raise their staffs, blue markings appearing all over the kanthenite metal that makes up the staffs. The lights go out as their eyes flare with purple ethereal flames.
The two directors and scientist turn to a bright light that manifests from Max’s body as his eyes glow a bright orange. The light illuminates the shadows of feathery wings which stretch.
The very sight of the wings and the glow of the eyes catches the attention of the two warriors who let the flames around their eyes disappear, the glowing markings on their staffs vanishing. The lights turn back on as Max returns to a normal look.
The two warriors disappear from the room shortly after, leaving Lionel, Michael, and Kennith to exchange confused looks.
“I have known them for three hundred years. In all the time I’ve known those two I’ve never seen them react in such a manner.” Michael opens.
Izume looks to him asking. “Is it not true that the understanding the Sisters of Tysek have of ethereal essence allows them to glimpse certain prophecies?”
“What do you mean commander?” Lionel asks, his voice full of surprise at the sight of angelic wings.
She turns to him, answering. “Eredael mentioned the word of a prophet, ‘and it is written that when the first and only of his kind returns from Limbo, he will be the key to changing the world’. From what we’ve learned the angels seem to believe the prophecy refers to Max, because he is as far as we know, the only human nephalem in existence. Recently when Eredael’s first lieutenant, Alastair reached out to us about a plan to purify another Knight of Hell. Recent events have presented us with an opportunity to shift the balance in favor of the purified.”
“Mr. Raza, do you trust the word of this ‘Alastair’?” Kennith asks.
With a nod Max answers. “I hesitate to trust anything a demon says director. But Eredael says he can be trusted. We’re revealing this information at the request of Lucifer. His offer is the full support of the crossroads to slip information on the Shadows Bane to the Seekers. In exchange he asks I be given a division assignment as a representative of the Seekers to the angels.”
“If he is making such an offer why is he not here in person?” Michael asks.
Izume gives an understanding nod, answering. “An increase in omens demanded his presence to investigate. But I believe the offer presents us with an extremely rare opportunity to learn more about the angels.”
While she was the scribe of one of the many libraries in the city she stored informal on thousands of species. But the records of angels are so rare there’s only a handful of notes in a few books. Not only does the offer present her and Max with the chance to help them. It presents them with the chance to learn more about the angels, and events prior to the great flood.
“I will have to confirm it with the other divisions but, I believe they will agree, the opportunity to learn more is one we must take.” Michael says.
Lionel looks to him saying. “You’re not going to do anything about their recklessness.”
“Doctor Valtek, you are a scientist, and often are not in the field as often as a hunter. You would do well to put yourself in their position before casting judgment.” Michael states.
Director Vasrin looks to Max and Izume, saying. “If you’re hunting a Knight of Hell I might be be able to point you in the right direction. We were responding to what we thought was some sort of bio terror attack in Crystal Falls. But it turned out all the towns spirits turned vengeful all at once. By the time we got into town the attack was over, and all the windows and doors were lined with rock salt. There were three eye witness accounts of a man who entered the graveyard at least thirty minutes prior to the spirits going vengeful.”
“A lot of the omens we noticed were very close to Crystal Falls, and no demon type we know of can swing the kind of dark magic to make all the town caspers go crazy all at once.” Izume responds.
Michael nods saying. “It could be this Knight of Hell you’re looking for.”
“We’ll look into it, and report whatever we find.” Max replies, standing.
