† Phase III †

 

 

The story's preface:

World had seen its chaos... forcefully hammered onto everything that was once its beauty. A new decade of darkness had been created from the light of the most fearsome weapon that has ever existed in the world of men. A mere gray stone that brought ashes of the reality to the true chaotic earth. Amidst the shadows of the skies, quietude seems evident but in actuality war is always present. South Korea is just another country victimized by this merciless hammer of doom. The Demons, led by one of the 7 monarchy of the burning legion, gulped the largest portion of Asia and almost the whole world itself.

The monsters had now taken over more than half of the world under its dark wings. Oppression had occurred, discrimination of all kinds surfaced and insanity manifested around every country under the Devil's banner. "The moon took its darkest crescent form and the stars will be eaten by its dark shadows" the last pope of Vatican had said. Every light and hopes were slain in front of every citizen of every country. Rebels mutilated and beheaded. Torture and destruction roams every part of the victims' bodies. The Demons as chaos incarnate still gave a mocking compassion by letting the sons and daughters of their slave countries live in return for their undying slavery and sacrifices. Imprisoned in their isolated kingdom cities, they suffer a never ending agony under the burning flag of blood and bones made from the men that opposed the forces of the seemingly undefeatable foe.

Still, hope hasn't died yet. Some people remained free from the clutches of such monsters. South Korean soldiers teamed up with the United Nation's alliance to defend their country from the hungry shadows brought by such unmerciful creatures. The Catholic Church had taken its action and introduced their secret organization: Opus Dei (Latin for the "The work of God") and its own army led 60 valiant soldiers, descendant of the wisest of the great Israel Kings, gifted with the power to call forth their demon allies/slaves and fight for men's freedom. As of the present, war had taken its rest.

But something dreadful is about to happen and the brewing of the storm is just in the middle of its completion. One of the victims of Gray Matter possessed something that many people, even the Demons themselves, hadn't foreseen yet. A new breakthrough will come and hope will be rekindled.

Hope will never fade...

It never has and it never will...

† Ω †

 

It was a moistly morning. The sky, as like how it was, is dark and empty... ashes fall like snows and the temperature is slightly chilling. She woke up sweating and feeling a slight pain from her back. She sat up from the tiled floor and flinched the moment she tried to flex her arms for the pain seems to originate from her tired muscles. Then she remembered the events that night...

 

The killings, the environment and their fate.

 

She, as of present, lives hidden at an abandoned apartment situated just behind an orphanage church in the western districts of Gangnam. She, and two others, had lived in the shadows alone and after the events that occurred during the fated night, she had always been completely exhausted and somewhat disturbed.

 

It was almost two months since the occurrence of the so-called "Day of Tribulation". She remembered everything that happened since that time until the present day. It never left her mind and had haunted her for the past days. The memory of seeing her roommates, Sunny, lying lifeless at the door of their room struck by ten red burning arrows at the least and Hyoyeon's body whom lay at the entrance door, bathing in her own blood, beheaded with the missing top rolling towards her feet carrying an agonized expression. The shock that she experienced...the traumatized Seohyun and the almost insane Tiffany, everything was still too hard to be true and felt like it was just a nightmare. She still cannot get over the day she lost two of her closest friends... How the world came as it is now... How unimaginable creatures appeared from nowhere... How she and her remaining roommates were saved by this mysterious man. Everything is a question that needs almost unseen to actually non-existent answers at all.

 

Massaging the back of her head, she slowly got up from the floor of their room and went to the kitchen. She went straight to the small fridge and took out a bottle of water. She felt a weird migraine. She went to the kitchen's counter tables and placed the bottle atop it and leaned a bit with her hands straightly resting on the table. She tried remembering that night. Every memory flashes continuously inside her head like a movie being played or flashcards being revealed.

 

"Yuri..." A voice called her attention. She turned and saw the worried Tiffany approaching her. "How's Seohyun?" She asked. Tiffany went beside her, a solemn expression never leaving her face. "Still the same. She doesn't move and always stare at the wilderness." Tiffany answered.

 

Yuri sighed... Ever since that night, Seohyun had become a lifeless living human being. Shock immediately smashed her thoughts the moment she saw of how death took its way to two of her most beloved unnies. Yuri saw her in the bathroom of their dorm with Tiffany, wavering terribly, her eyes wide and trembling. Her voice was shaking and her hands holding her head tightly. Tears falling freely... Tiffany was never different but somehow with Yuri's help, she managed to regain her composure and calmed her mind. She was a strong girl and contradicting her behavior, Seohyun fell to the worse possible situation. Since then Seohyun had constantly been spacing out, her reaction seemed to left her and at times she will cry and call her unnies' names which actually became a bother for the two older girls for it may become the root of their deaths. But they loved Seohyun and they have hopes that she will come back.

 

She will... on one of the coming days...

 

 "Our goods are almost out. We need to find a new place to stay for the night and restock our supplies." Tiffany said as she leaned against the counter tables. "We had never been able to give Hyoyeon and Sunny a good burial." Tiffany opened up. Yuri looked at her. "I know... But what can we do... I can't even bear to look at the torment they faced during that time." Yuri said. Tiffany nodded.

 

Then loud growls and buzzing sounds emerged from outside the building calling their wary attentions. "Oh my God..." Tiffany and Yuri kneeled immediately as gigantic flying insectoid creatures with gigantic T-shaped horns embedded with metal armors above their bodies descended from the higher sky and passed through outside their windows. Riding them were horned creatures wearing metal armors armed with trident spears and crossbows. "Fany-ah!! Go and get Seohyun quickly!!" Yuri ordered as she, stealthily, went to a drawer and took out a small handgun. Tiffany rushed towards Seohyun's location and Yuri closely followed.

 

They approached the seemingly unmoving young girl and gently pulled her to their side as they quickly and stealthily rushed to safety.

 

"This is the area where the tower detected living spiritual energies. Scatter around the area and find those insects. Check every corner, room, infrastructure and street for any signs of life. I want them gathered, dead or alive." The tall creature clad in full metal armor and wearing a large bull-helm with its spiraling horns evidently seen, ordered in a demonic booming voice. The unit soldiers immediately dispatched accompanied by hellhounds creating loud growls, squeals and whines as they began their thorough search.

 

"Let's go here!!" Yuri whispered as she pulls both Tiffany and Seohyun towards a hallway. From their location, they can clearly hear the monstrous growls and groans coming and surrounding the whole vicinity. As silent as possible, the three survivors made their way towards an emergency exit. Howls and gurgles emerged as whiny sniffs accompanied the coming fearful creatures.

 

Tiffany was holding tight onto Yuri as same with Seohyun whom she pulled by the arm. "Yuri-ah..." Tiffany's voice was trembling and her pace is very stiff. Fear is evident in her.  "We'll be safe. Just trust me." Yuri said as she arms her small gun that she found lying lifelessly on the hands of a decapitated policeman a few days ago. They stopped by a corner and halted their planned actions as a groan was heard from somewhere on the other side of the hallway where they were in. Loud sniffs increases its volume indicating the nearing hostile party. Yuri leaned against the wall, as her breathing pace increased, then looked at Tiffany. Tiffany's eyes widened with confusion and anxiety as the sounds emanating from the other side of the hallway comes nearer.

 

Demonic voices emerged in a strange language as the party nears the hallway intersection. Yuri heaved a sigh as she anxiously and carefully turned towards the intersection to see the coming party. A few seconds passed and the group exposed themselves walking idly led by a sniffing hellhound followed by a creature with a muscular red skinned man-like body clad in an armor of bone and metal mixed together, armed with a crossbow connected, impaled rather, on one of its hands and a giant tomahawk axe resting on its back. Along the creature is a smaller one with three small horns walking on all fours armed with small knives and a strange circular metal container on the back.

 

Yuri waited until the party comes but then something about them strengthened her chills. Her eyes widened and she immediately grabbed Tiffany's arm and pulled her away to find another place. They ran quickly to find a hiding place as the shadows now approaches their location.

 

They run and run until they reached a large door that leads to the emergency exit ladder. "There!!" Yuri said as she dashed and opened the door and let Tiffany and Seohyun exit then got out herself.

 

"Yuri..." Tiffany's voice is now louder and is trembling harder. Yuri, after shutting the door turned to her back and was shocked to see the gigantic insectoid facing them, its rider glaring at them with its burning red eyes. Then the door behind them banged forcefully, startling them as load roars emerge from the other side. "Let's go down!! NOW!!" Yuri shouted as she, Tiffany and the now shocked Seohyun ran down the metal stairs in an attempt to escape. The insectoid creature rushed to follow them as the door was smashed open and the creatures followed them immediately. They were nearing the next flat form when the creature flew and landed forcefully before they take another step and caused the stairs to shutter and fall along with them.

 

"YURI!!!" Tiffany called as then they felt a strange sensation... A warm and soothing sensation and the three saw a bright yellow light and as everything darkened upon their sight, they saw a figure flying towards them.

 

† Ω †

 

"I heard a scream...

A loud scream of fear and upcoming agony... and everything else followed. I woke up stammering as loud booms and bangs; Screams from outside my dorm and fearful roars glided through the air to my dreams. Flashes of lights blinded my eyes.

"Yuri!!! Hide!!!" I heard Sunny as I felt her push me to a room and locked the door. "IIIYYYAAAHHH!!!" I heard her scream. It was loud, it was frightening...

Another flash of light blinded my eyes.

A vision of a grotesque being standing before me as I stood just outside my door stunned and immobile.

Mysterious cloaked man facing the grotesque creature... I can't hear my scream... I can't move my body...

Another flash blinded my eyes. I felt a ringing sound resonating upon my ears.

I saw Tiffany crying in helpless torment with Seohyun in her arms trembling madly grasping, tightly, Tiffany's embrace.

My eyes blurred and flashes blinded me..."

 

† Ω †

 

"Ugh..." The long dark brown-haired girl's eyes started to open revealing her sight in a slight blur. She turned her eyes to see her strange, unfamiliar surroundings then focused slowly to a familiar, similarly long-haired girl looking at her with a smile. Her eyes shot wide as her mind quickly registers the identity of the first person she saw. "Seohyun!!" She shot herself up and threw an embrace to the timid young girl. "Unnie..." Seohyun returned the hug with a smile and with teary eyes. Yuri closed her eyes and savored the feeling of extreme relief knowing that one of her best sisters had recovered her state. Breaking the hug, Yuri gently pushed Seohyun a few meters away from her. "How are you!? Are you alright? Hurt?" She asked eagerly. "I'm fine, unnie. I'm actually feeling a bit better now. Sorry for worrying you and Tiffany unnie." She said.

 

Yuri snapped hearing Seohyun's answer. "Wait! Where's Tiffany!? And what happened!?" She said still holding the younger girl and turning her head from left to right until she briefly saw an unfamiliar figure wearing a black ragged cloak and hooded, standing near an opening from the area looking out for some dangers that might come. "Fany-unnie is still asleep. We were saved, unnie." Seohyun smiled, serenely. Yuri then finally saw Tiffany lying unconsciously a few meters away from her, and then she eyed Seohyun and smiled hugging her again. "I'm glad you're fine now, Hyunnie!! We are so worried about you." Yuri said as the younger girl answered with a sweet hum.

 

Yuri, whilst hugging Seohyun, turned accidentally towards the mysterious guy and eyed him, "Who's he?" She asked as she breaks the hug. "He is the one who saved us, unnie." Seohyun said as she mimicked Yuri and turned to the guy.

 

"For now, we are safe." The man said his voice mild and calm. He turned to them and removed his hood exposing his messed-up Mohawk letting his fringes fall to the level of his eyes. His eyes were thin but it exudes an aura of tranquility. Yuri was amazed by such presence and also felt relief knowing that there is another survivor aside from them.

 

"W-what happened?" Yuri asked making sure that she is careful with her words. "You lost your consciousness while falling from an emergency stair." The man said as he held out his hand in an attempt to help Yuri stand up. Yuri, seeing the hand, hesitated... True that she had found a new companion to possibly aid the three of them in their conflict for survival, but it wouldn't assure her to immediately trust the man. Seohyun, however, gave her the assurance that she wanted when she gently took the guy's hand and let herself be helped in standing up.  "Unnie, this is Taeyang-oppa." Seohyun smiled. "Oppa, this is Yuri-unnie." She now turned to the young man who seems older than them two. Yuri stood up by herself and dusted her hand as she gestures for a handshake. Taeyang didn't hesitate and immediately answered her invitation. "Pleased to meet you." Yuri bowed. Taeyang bowed in return. "Pleasure." He answered.

 

A few more hours passed and Tiffany had already recovered her senses and experienced the same shock that Yuri did. The three girls grouped together inside a small stock room whilst Taeyang was scouting the area. They stayed in the same room of the building for a few more hours while Taeyang, who's outside, lets some massive insect drones pass by without attracting detection before assuring that they are presumably safe and returned to his companions. Once Taeyang arrived to their place, he kneeled in front of them, "Have you guys eaten already?" Taeyang asked to the three who sat hidden behind the barricaded flipped tables. The girls looked at each other. They haven't eaten since morning and it is already past noon. They felt their stomachs grumbling and their mouths drying from thirst. Taeyang, however, need not ask again to know as he can see the answer all over them.

 

"Here." He took out his small body bag from inside his cloak and gave them his whole loaf bread and some readymade kimbap that he found on the building's canteen. He also took out three cans of coffee milk followed by a large bottle of water and gave it to them. "Eat well... we will have a long journey ahead of us. Take your time and rest after eating. Hopefully by daybreak tomorrow, you guys have recovered your strengths and we can move to find the safe sanctuary of the Vatican." He said. The girls, although confused, nodded and humbly thanked the blessings as they started munching the food and taking careful sips from the drinks. Taeyang smiled at them seeing how they were really exhausted with the hide and seek that they've been through in this current world. Yuri noticed him and unknowingly a smile crept to her face. She has somehow caught interest in the guy. He was mysterious but kind. "How about you, Taeyang-oppa? Have you eaten already?" Seohyun asked. Tiffany and Yuri looked at him. "I'm fine, Seohyun, I already had my quick lunch after taking some food for you guys at the cafeteria. I already took some stocks to bring on our journey." He smiled as he gently wiped the dirt on Seohyun's left cheek causing the girl to blush briefly. Yuri didn't fail to see this and a strange feeling came to her the moment she saw how Taeyang cared for Seohyun and somehow she wanted to feel the same.

 

After eating, the girls fell asleep as time goes by seemingly slowly. Taeyang left for a brief moment and gave them ample time to take back their lost energy before they head out to the outside world of danger. Taeyang was carefully walking in the lobby whilst scanning his surroundings. He cannot be assured by such silence for unexpected things tend to happen in the wastelands of the once prosperous country. He walked and exited the building and turned to the north, eyeing something that ensembles a city surrounding a large sturdy tower that seems to touch the sky. Small flying figures accompanied by a gigantic snake-like flying creature surrounded the city and gray lights emerged from each of the towers levels. It was the home base of the demons that descended to the land and the tower in the middle, The Gray Tower, is their stronghold.

 

"Have you noticed something different from her?" A low-solemn voice emerged from behind Taeyang, who turned his head to acknowledge the new comer's presence. He knew that voice for it was a voice he had grown familiar to his whole life. "She possesses something that had been awakened when the gray matter's light touched her body." He stated, knowingly.

 

"She had the eyes of Teiaiel, the Angel of Foresight." The voice said. Taeyang nodded. "It had been manifesting in her even before the awakening of the stones and has been amplified during the course of the stone's awakening. I can feel that it is somewhat in a neutral state."

 

An ethereal tall lean man in black cloak and hat slowly took its form as it walks idly from behind Taeyang to his side also eyeing the Tower that exudes an aura of doom. "Youngbae, you know that running away from your destiny will further escalate chaos. Madness had drawn its way to this world's people. They need a savior." The man said calling Taeyang by his human name. The sky as dark as it is, is already becoming darker signaling the coming of nighttime.

 

"Seunghyun-hyung, you know that I am still not ready to accept my fate as the Sacrificial King, Sol. My powers are still immature and ever since the dissolution of our Order and your imprisonment, I had stopped my training and had long attempted to find your whereabouts." He said. The guy, Seunghyun, looked at him with his piercing yet gentle eyes carefully reading his companion's thoughts. "You still have your faith, do you not?" He asked. Taeyang remained silent for a brief moment, he wasn't actually sure of what answer is definite for such a question. Ever since he became an orphan, he had never lost his faith to the Almighty one. Until now, he had continued his faith and his will to help the others in need. But seeing the events that occurred as foretold but prematurely, he felt a glint of anxiety. His once solid mindset became unclear and his decisions became unsure. Seunghyun however can see more than what Taeyang can feel.

 

"I can still sense the faith in you, Youngbae." Seunghyun said. "Continue grabbing onto it and your path will open up in front of you. The descendant of Teiaiel is on your side." Seunghyun said. Taeyang nodded still maintaining his poker face. "I will meet with you at the Seoul's city hall. During the time of my escape, I have gathered some members of our order and we have been intact for some days." Seunghyun said. "The Witches' Organization, Moon Shade, had also agreed to give us assistance."

 

Taeyang nodded. "I will take the girls first to the main Catholic refuge area. It's somehow a few miles from here. I want to talk with the archbishop." He said. "Opus Dei had been standing strong for the last month. Their Goetian Knights, Solomon's descendants, have lived up to our predictions." Taeyang said. "Then I'll accompany you there." Seunghyun said with a nod.

 

"Then I will meet you at the Myeongdong Cathedral Church hopefully by tomorrow. The Opus Dei's refuge sanctuary is actually hidden in there." Taeyang said as he heads on back to the building. "I understand. Take your rest now. I don't sense any malice near your area. You need your rest too. See you, Youngbae, May the Almighty one, be with you as always." Seunghyun said before his image left not seeing Youngbae's kind smile as before he went to the others.

 

[~†-----TBC----+~] † Ω † [~+-----TBC----†~]

 

 

A/N

Yes I am very sorry for all the events in this chapter T_T but still read at your own risk~

Anticipating comments :)