The Omega Existence

Chapter 9

For the first time in his existence, Rakael was scared. He had searched high and low, chasing rumours and whispers of the Rae’lium cross and the woman who wore it. What had first seemed like a straightforward search and retrieve task had descended into a fight for survival. Rakael had discovered that the Rae’lium cross had been seen in South Africa. A place fraught with enough danger before the first rapture, it now brimmed with manic criminals, warring gangs seemed to take over the city of Johannesburg to the point where he had to shimmer anywhere he wanted to go to avoid the possibility of being attacked by anyone.

The apartment room shook as the land quaked beneath him. Rakael steadied himself against the wall, knowing silently that this was just the beginning. A single cry reached him from the streets below followed by random gunfire. Foolish humans they had no idea what they were facing and yet they still run in, guns blazing. The gunfire suddenly stopped, and Rakael knew he had to keep moving. He shimmered again, trying to put some more space between him and his stalker, even though he knew he was taking an enormous risk. Out of all the places death could have gone to, why did he have to be here, and following him no less.

Rakael hurried down the street towards the old church he had been looking for. He had hoped to lose his new found follower with the added distance, but it seemed he wouldn’t easily give up that easily. Angels were formed in fire, much tastier than one made from earth like humans Rakael supposed. He chanced a glace behind him to check if he had been spotted by anyone else, the streets were empty.

Rakael was just about to turn back before he spotted a bird suddenly plummet from the sky. He watched it fall head first to the ground before disappearing out of his line of sight. Damn it, he was closer than he thought. Hurrying to the church that was now in sight Rakael was surprised to find the doors locked shut. Shimmering into the church he immediately began praying to sanctify the church in the hope of keeping  Death out.

Rakael held his arm out and dug his fingers deep into the flesh of his host. He felt his fingers piercing the skin, the warm blood trickling down his arm to pool in his cupped hand. Rakael began to scribe ancient symbols into the door muttering words of power as he created the seal that could save his life. Rakael finished the seal and his prayers just as something pounded against the door. Rakael stepped back a few paces and waited, he tried to calm himself, but his permanent destruction stood but a couple of meters before him.

“Angel!” A voice ripped through the air like an icy wind.

“You will be mine this day!” Rakael shivered, not if he had anything to do with it.

He turned around to face the Son of God, looking down at him from his wooden cross that had been raised above the alter. Rakael walked down the aisles, ignoring his blood that dripped onto the plush red carpet underfoot. He walked past the altar and found an unlocked office behind the draped velvet curtain. Filled bookshelves filled every wall of the office, Rakael felt as if he had walked into a mini library. Religious and fanatical text lay sprawled on every surface, the priests robes hung on a cabinet door, heavily decorated in golden stitching. Rakael noticed a potted plant in the far corner, just in front of the desk, its once luscious green leaves now withered to a black coal, Death’s influence was spreading, even with the seal. He didn’t have much time.   

Rushing to the desk Rakael began rummaging through the draws trying to find anything that would help him track down the woman he had been tasked to find. Where was it? Rakael paused to calm himself, this wasn’t helping. He couldn’t let himself lose control, or he would make mistakes. Closing his eyes, he calmed his mind and spread his spirit over the room. He could feel every word on every book, each single robe and its texture, the carpet beneath his feet, the bottle of scotch hidden behind a row of books, the files of kept on every member of the clergy, and then there was something he couldn’t feel.