Mordred 17.1

17.

The Previous Realm

Merlin walked up to the steel structure to have a closer look at the figure standing inside. He was marvelled by the appearance of the figure; standing at the height of man and yet there was an aura of mythic. He walked around the structure and tested the strength of the bars. It was manmade but the properties of the bars were of a difference as if it was enhanced with some spiritual spells.

“Surely the great Master of the art crafts need not ponder more on my holding cell.” The one named the Archangel of Death spoke up. “No structure may hold me unless I allowed it.”

With the archangel spread out the wings to the side and the steel bars fell apart. With a sweep of the wings, the bars were sent to the far walls spearing onto the flesh or stone walls in its path. The surrounding audience called for the guards but none dare moved against the evil incarnated archangel.

“Feeble structure for one who is the master of the all.” Azrael voiced out while he stepped forth to meet Merlin. The old master had raised his defence and readied himself with the counter attack but he soon felt himself frozen in his act.

“Surely, you do not intend to strike me.” Azrael looked to the old master eyes and then smiled. “You whom I admired should not be my foe.”

Unseen by the archangel, one of the wild creatures of furred nature sprang forth at him. With a wave of the hand, Azrael had the man wolf slammed into the far wall. He then turned to look at the King of Serpent.

“You have poor manners when it comes to greeting your guest.” Azrael told Keb. “I will tolerate that for now, but be known that I can be nastier than this.”

The archangel spread out his hands and from it the red shaded flames flared upwards from it. It struck at the ceiling stone walls and tore into it to create a hole. The stones that fell down were red hot brimstones that reached the flooring. The gathered at the flooring ran clear to avoid the hot stones by climbing or pushing into each other. The attended rushed for the exits but there were knocking and kicking into each other.

“I …” Azrael called out but was interrupted by Merlin.

“Enough of it, you imbecile.” Merlin shouted. “I am not here to view your acts.” Merlin called on the wind to sweep the brimstones off into the dark corners, and then he directed his mental push at the archangel. The later was blasted by the mental push but he stood his ground. His feet firmly grounded prevented him from being slammed into the walls. Azrael then laughed out loud at the old master. He then paced himself towards Keb before turning back.

“So my pyro act was not worth your view. But this one is to all of you.” With that, Azrael raised his hands. “Show your allegiance to your rightful master.”

Among the gathered, a number of hands were seen hovering above their heads from the blood drinkers to the furry ones. 

They were great in numbers and when ordered to show their loyalty, they became more aggressive in manners.

“Keb, among your people there are mine. We numbered no less than one third of yours, but outside of these walls, we hold more numbers.” Azrael then paraded over to Merlin. “Your people are more for they were mine before they crossed over.”

“I shall not bow to you, vile creature.” Merlin shouted out. “I have heard of your kind from the ancient books. They spoke of the fallen ones from the heavenly planes to here. Grigori was their names.”

“Grigori? Yes, some of us were termed as it. But do not bite the master who showed you the ways of the Gods. I brought you the art of fire and weapons. With those, you have prospered as a whole. Out gift make you superior to the other creatures, and yet you forsaken us when the so named righteous prophets spoke of us as if we were the evil incarnated.” 

Azrael paced himself in front of the leaders then. “Merlin, behold your realm is in danger. A vortex will soon come over and all that you see here may be destroyed.”

Merlin looked in disbelieved at the words spoken by Azrael. He had known about the vortex from his own knowledge but to be told by this archangel distressed him.

“Surely at your era, could you have thought of any ways to stop it? Or perhaps avert it. Your current inventions are primitive in design when it was only the horse driven carts that took you long distance. Such there were your art crafts but have you ever wondered could it counter a large vortex?” Azrael had his expression frowned when you spoke of the vortex. “Of your crafts, who penned down those ancient books. Or gave the crafts by birth to the gifted ones?”

“A fool could tell you that it was given to you. And only fools will think that they knew it by themselves.” Azrael mocked Merlin on it. “I did it all for you but we attached a prize to it. I have a need of your skills. The one thing I truly lacked is the innovations that. You were to carry us over, so that we could unite with our other brethren of the Fallen. We were scattered in the last Great War with the others, and spread out to the different dimensions. Now we are united once more.”

“Behold the Grigori that survived here.” The voice of Azrael reverted off the walls. From within walls of the cave, there were rumblings and then the loose stones on the ceiling and walls then crumbled. From the walls, figures towering over three times the height of Man stepped out to the cave flooring. Their frame was dark in shade and cladded in stones. They stepped forth among the gathered that have pushed themselves to the corners and walls to avoid the gigantic Grigori. Merlin counted a total of twenty five of them then.

“A fraction of their actual numbers, behold the Grigori or you may termed them as the Watchers.  They were here before the passages of time were ever recorded. They were to observe but soon overcome by their mind to live among those they were to observe. It was claimed that the Great Flood swept away those dark times and the Grigori were interned in the stones of wall.”

“Now I have freed them. They are not our friends but our brothers.” Azrael looked at Merlin and then at Keb. “You have a call to make. With or against us, that’s the call.”