Beyond Gods 66 Encounter

Brandy, Sam and Lin seemed unworried about their current situation.

"Hey you!," said a voice from near them.

They turned and saw two unfamiliar soliders walking towards them.

"Hi Sir," said Johan tensing up immediately.

Johan had let down his guard as he had tried to think of a way to get them to act more normally.

"There is a curfew in place due to the recent increase in killings pre-tournament," said a solider. "Get yourselves home. It is almost seven, curfew time, you will be arrested if you stay out later."

"Yes Sir," said Johan, "we are heading back right now."

"Good," said the solider, "be on your way. Being with two young women, you should be more responsible. We simply do not have the resources or man power to protect everyone."

The solider stooped down and pet Sam.

"Cute puppy," said the solider.

The solider stood up and walked away with his comrad.

Johan let out a sigh of relief. He realized that as long as he avoided Jade and Armyka that he would be fine. It seemed that the increased solider activity was an extra pre-tournament security measure.

Sam led them through the different turns of the factory out into the city.

"I'll leave you with Luisa," said Johan, "then I'll go to the gym to prepare a bit."

"You're not going to spend time with your girlfriend?," asked Brandy.

"No. She'll understand," said Johan, "tomorrow is the day I have been preparing for every day for over a year."

Johan stopped outside Luisa's apartment and hesitated.

He paused as he was about to open the door.

"Guys," said Johan, "Tell Luisa that I love her and I'll come see her after the fight. Seeing her might make me lower my guard."

"Sir Johan," said Sam, "tis the nobelist of things. I will now get to meet Rey's soul mate, and you have made it clear that it was your decision and choice to free her."

"Johan," said Brandy, "she is your girlfriend, isn't she more important than a fight?"

"Luisa will understand," said Johan, "I'll see you guys later. This is more than just a fight."

Johan turned and walked away leaving Lin, Brandy and Sam at Luisa's apartment door.

-- Ø --

The alley was empty as Johan walked through it alone.

It reminded him of the night that he had first met Athyne and seen him transform and the day his parents were murdered.

"I wonder what is worse," muttered Johan, "living a life where you know it is destined for failure ... or living a life of uncertainty? Here I definitely don't feel like a failure. I do well at fighting, I have a great girlfriend and soon to be wife. Plus, my dad is still around."

A cloud passed over the moon which provided the only light in the area blocking out Johan's vision. Johan instinctively spread out his perception. He remembered the solider's warning about murders being rampant before the fight.

To Johan's surprise there was man in a cloak standing in front of him. He hadn't seen of heard the man walk there.

"Johan," whispered the man.

Johan froze on the spot.

"Who are you?," asked Johan, "have we met before?"

"I am the prophet," said the man.

"The prophet?," said Johan.

"I am here," said the prophet, "because of the creature you saw in your future."

Johan remained silent. Only him and Neil had seen that, but this cloaked man was clearly not Neil, something about him seemed different. Not malicious, but unfathomable and ancient. Familiar ... he realized that his future self had encountered him on occasion, but the memories were too fuzzy for Johan to make sense of them.

But one thing was for sure.

This man was important and trustworthy.

"Soon your life will change," said the prophet. "You will do well in the tournament, if you fight hard, you may even win."

"That's good news," said Johan, "I thought prophets usually brought warnings of more important things. Visions of great and certain events in the future."

"You are not destined to be happiness," said the prophet, "mercenaries have been hired to destroy Looking Glass City. I believe you have met them."

"Silverblade?," said Johan as he felt his soul freeze.

Silverblade had seemed nice. It couldn't be him thought Johan, but he was the only mercenary Johan had met.

"They are working with Armyka and the higher council of Godly Monarchs."

"Why?," asked Johan.

"Because of fear of what this area means for people of strength. They believe that in destroying what they don't understand ... through destroying the things that weaken them via an unknown means, it will help them maintain their power and control. Eliminate a potential technology that can nullify their abilities and make them susceptible to the attacks of lesser beings and throw the Universe into chaos ..."

"Destroy!?," said Johan.

Luisa flashed through Johan head and then Gracey, Tommy, and Pedro.

"Will Luisa be okay?," said Johan, "I have to get her and my friends out of here! I can't risk it."

"Genghis and Athelion will break free of Athelion's realm and come here," said the prophet. "A war will break out in the upper realms among those who side with Genghis, Athelion, the Voodoo Queen ... and others who have been long forgotten."

"Why?," said Johan.

The prophet ignored Johan.

"When the war starts," said the prophet. "Taboos will be broken as the gods are involved. When enough are broken, the creature you saw will awaken to cleanse the Universe and creatures associated with it."

"What is the creature?," asked Johan, "if Looking Glass City is going to be destroyed, we still have time to save everyone. Right?"

"Athyne will awaken," said the prophet, "once again."

"Athyne?," asked Johan, "he will turn into that creature?"

"Neil will return ... with friends," said the prophet, "but he has been damaged, split. But he will have an army of followers. What will become of his ... friend or enemy is unforeseeable currently."

"Damaged?," said Johan.

"... and you will succumb to the path of rage for a time ...," said the prophet. "For reasons I choose not to say."

"Why are you telling me this?," asked Johan. "Aren't you going to give me clarity? How will Looking Glass City be destroyed? Why can't I save the people involved now that I know what is going to happen ahead of time?"

"Where did you come from and how do you know these things?," asked Johan.

"From the darkness," said the prophet, "will come a ray of hope for the future. An ally who will come from unfortunate beginnings and pull you from your despair. This is my gift to you, payment for what you did for me."

"Will we defeat the monster this time around?," asked Johan, "Will I be able to defeat Armyka?"

"That depends on how strong you get," said the prophet, "the future isn't set in stone."

"I can't let anyone get hurt!," said Johan. "I have to stop this!"

The cloud that was blocking out the light of the moons, moved and once again, Johan could see. However, the prophet was gone.

"I'll double back and get everyone out of the city," muttered Johan.

Johan ran back turning a corner towards Luisa's place. He ran directly into a group of soldiers who were patrolling the neighborhood knocking one of them down.

"Sorry!," said Johan.

Johan felt a firm hand come down on his shoulder.

"Boy," said the solider, "you have to come with us. You broke curfew ... that is a week in jail. You know the rules."

"But but," stammered Johan.

Images of Luisa flashed through his head.

Everyone would die, including him if he went to jail if what the prophet said was true!

Worst of all, he was the only who could do anything about it.

Johan felt a pair of hand cuffs clip over his wrists and realized that one of the soldiers had handcuffed him.

Chapter end