Madeline

Chapter XXIV - Seven Heads

Madeline – Seven Heads

The chains beat the stone bridge that we walked upon. The marbled bricks were like white gold. The bridge rounded itself towards the castle like Cathedral that sat on the rock. Mia and I stood on each side of the prisoner as we walked him along the extensive bridge. With each step I could feel us draw near to answers. I could feel all the effort we've been through to get here. I wish I had my friends at my side, but this time it was different. I had moved forward and made allies with a forces I could trust. By my side was Mia and she alone was enough back up. Even if I had fear and anxiety in my heart. I knew I was not the only one. Archie and his painted faces were going to pay for those they have afflicted their horror upon.

We reached the front gate of the Cathedral. The castle was high and mighty. It's stones were worn down with age. It stood like an ancient building that survived the 1800s. It was almost impossible not marvel at its beauty. At the same time it was terrifying for what laid beyond these castle doors was more than any mortal could handle.

The wooden gates opened forward. Chains released levers that allowed the towering gates to fold inward.

"Fire Team, we've been waiting" A voice invited us in. Mia and I both stepped forward leading the prisoner in with us.

Inside the Cathedral was a round circular room with a hexagon like perimeter. The room had windows on each perimeter of walls. Large stained glass windows that had images of biblical figures. The windows lit the room with assortments of blue, red and orange rays. This gave the illusion of a cold yet fiery tone. The floor was marble and had a magnificent design imprinted on it. The roof of the Cathedral was painted with a picture of red and black clouds with lighting striking through them.

Inside the Cathedral were seven painted faces that each stood on there on side of the room. Each of them stood in front of a stain glassed window. In the middle of the room stood a man with a long coat his hair was buzzed short and his back was turned towards us.

"We've retrieved the prisoner you've requested" I spoke with a deeper tone.

"I see. Well done Fire team. I truly am impressed at how you two managed to get him under control. I suppose you lost your other two members during the process?" The man still didn't turn around.

"One of the prisoners was left unattended and managed to take out two of our men, but we set him straight" I turned to look at Cassidy who gave the middle man a look.

The man was leaned over a table of some sort that had glass. The table was like a rounded box and had nerve like stems that branched out into the ground. The glass illuminated the figures body with a scarlet red.

I turned to Mia then looked around at the other painted faces. Among us was the gorilla Dallas and the Butterfly Cassidy. Within the room there was still two more guys and one other girl. One of the man's face was half painted red and the other black. Another one of the man's face was designed like a dragon. His skin was like red scales. His eyes even presented themselves like serpents. Standing in another corner was another man but he hid his face with a hood. He stood next to a throne like chair that was in the far back in the middle of the room. Standing on the opposite side of the chair was the other female. Her face was like a white tiger. She had white and light blue paint that spun around her face designing the spots of a snow leopard.

"Well then, it seems to me that out of the squads Fire team has also taken it upon themselves to design a new look for themselves" The man turned around and revealed his identity.

His red eyes were the first things I could see. His skull painted face deteriorated in some areas since I had first seen him. Archie stood there with his hands inside his trench coat pockets.