THE WATCHMAN

Initiation

It was a cold Sunday night in Berlin. A few minutes to midnight lord Murillo and Ricardo Pereira left the warehouse without anyone noticing.

The previous day, unknown to Ricardo, Lord Murillo had overheard him talking about his lofty ambitions to one of the Watchmen, so he decided he would show him the way.

"You have shown me your own doubted loyalty Ricardo, and I'm going to show you things that no man has ever seen!" Lord Murillo said.

"I do not understand My Lord. Where are we going to at this time of the night Sir? Ricardo asked worriedly.

"When we get there you will know. I know you are a very ambitious young man and I believe that you will go far but for you to go as far as you imagine, there are some sacrifices that you personally need to make. You need to have a heart without emotion". Lord Murillo explained

Ricardo Pereira was confused but he drove on as instructed until they got to an area by the wayside. Lord Murillo immediately ordered him to stop the vehicle. A command which he obeyed.

"My Lord, why are we stopping out here in the middle of nowhere? It's very dangerous!" Ricardo said.

"You ask a lot of questions Ricardo, it may get you killed one day! Lord Murillo said in a cold tone, as he walked into the bushes by the wayside.

Ricardo Pereira quickly followed closely behind. They walked in the bush for about one hour until they began to see flames from a fire in the distance.

They kept going in the direction of the fire until they came to a large clearing with a bonfire in the middle.

There were men in red overall gowns, with hoods covering their heads, so you could not see their faces.

They were walking around the fire and chanting in a mysterious language.

"Where are we, My Lord? Ricardo asked again.

"Quiet!" Lord Murillo instructed him

Ricardo Pereira could count about nine other men across from him who were wearing black overall gowns but their heads were uncovered and they were huddled up in a corner looking really scared.

One of the men in the red overall gowns walked up to them and without saying a word handled one of the gowns over to Lord Murillo.

Lord Murillo silently went to a secluded area and carefully put on the gowns and lifted the hood over his head.

A second man then walked up to Ricardo Pereira and handed him a black gown. It was the same gown the other nine men were wearing.

He was initially skeptical to receive it but Lord Murillo encouraged him.

"Take it and put it on!" Lord Murillo instructed him.

He obeyed immediately and out on the gown. He was about to lift the hood to cover his head but was stopped by Lord Murillo.

"It is not yet time for that". he said.

Lord Murillo then left Ricardo and joined the men in circling and chanting incantations around the fire.

One of the men who was wearing a red overall walked up to Ricardo and led him to stand with the other men who were wearing matching overalls with his.

As Ricardo walked towards them he spotted a long wooden table with metal shackles for both hands and feet.

He could see blood spills on the table.

"Whose blood could this be?" Ricardo pondered.

Suddenly he saw some men drag some naked women into their midst.

The women's heads were covered and the women seemed to be drugged so they'd offered little or no resistance.

Ricardo watched in horror as one of the women was dragged and strapped to the table.

One of the men in his group was called forward and a very sharp knife was handed over to him.

He walked up to the table and then removed the covering on the girl's head. He paused for a moment as if he was shocked at the identity of the lady.

Then suddenly, he lifted the knife and drove the blade straight into her heart.

One of the men in red overalls then proceeded to carve out her heart and placed it inside a tray it and handed it over to the man who killed her.

He was then ushered to stand at a different spot from where Ricardo and the other man were standing.

One by one they were all made to murder the ladies. One man to a lady so continued the ritual.

Ricardo was trembling all over. Lord Murillo did not let him know that he would witness let alone partake in anything like this.

He cursed Lord Murillo from under his breath for forcing him into this.

Finally, it came to Ricardos' turn.

He initially refused to move from the spot he was standing, which prompted Lord Murillos to take off his hood and give Ricardo a cold stare.

Ricardo shook his head in disagreement and stood his ground that he was not going to perform the ritual.

Immediately one of the men in red overalls who was standing guard for the whole group unsheathed a sword and began to walk towards Ricardo.

Lord Murillo on seeing this broke out of the circle and run towards the man and began whispering something in his ear.

He then rushed to meet Ricardo and said. "What are you doing? Do you want to get yourself killed? They will kill you in a heartbeat! You have come too far to turn back now!" Lord Murillo said worriedly.

"But I didn't ask for any of this and I didn't know that this was where you were taking me to!" Ricardo protested.

"But you said you wanted power! You wanted to be someone who people would reckon with. You were tired of being in the shadows right? Now, this is your chance! You can take it, and become the man you have forever dreamt to be or you reject it and no one will ever remember that you existed!" Lord Murillo whispered to him.

Ricardo bent his head in thought for a while, then he took in a deep breath and began to walk up to the table where a lady had been strapped.

He was given the knife by another man.

When he got to the table side, he noticed that the lady on the table was struggling as the effect of the drugs she was given had begun to wane.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered light to her ears.

On hearing his voice, the lady began to struggle even harder, while trying to say something, but she had been gagged and her mouth covered.

Ricardo could not bring himself to remove the covering on her face as he could not bear to look at her in the eyes while he murdered her.

His hands were trembling as he lifted the blade. Then with his eyes closed, he mustered all the strength he could and let out a scream as he drove the blade into her heart.

She let out a muffled scream and then gave up the ghost.

Ricardo staggered backward at the sight of what he had just done. He could see the lady's blood drain all over the table as her heart was being cut out and placed in a tray which was handed over to him.

He was about to take his place among those who had finished their ritual when he was stopped in his tracks by a loud and scary voice.

"The ritual is not over yet! The voice said. "Until you know the gravity of what you have done you cannot receive equal power".

Ricardo was confused at the statement. So he stood there without making a move.

"Uncover the face and reveal her identity!" The voice instructed harshly.

This instruction sent chills down Ricardo's spine as he turned and walked back towards the dead body that lay on the table.

He placed his hand over her head and slowly pulled back the covering over her face.

Immediately Ricardo saw the face of the woman he fell to the ground while screaming and started weeping profusely.

He just murdered his little sister!

***************************************************

Susan cut a frustrated figure as she sat in the corner watching Antonio Jr play around the house.

They had found refuge in the house of one of the top Timekeepers in Berlin through the contact of Camila.

"What is wrong? What's going on in your mind?" The Oraha asked as he took his seat beside Susan and watched Antonio Jr. play around.

"Is there something that you're not telling me? He asked.

" It's nothing!" Susan lied. "It's just that all we do is sit around doing nothing while Antonio is out there in harm's way every day".

"And don't think that I don't see the changes everywhere. Something is going on and we are way behind everyone else!"

"How do you mean?" The Oraha asked.

"Just look at you! A few days ago you were shot in the abdomen and in critical condition and now you're perfectly fine? Humans don't heal that fast My dear Oraha!" Susan replied.

*The last time you saw Antonio was in the land of the Fates right? Camila suddenly asked startling both of them.

They didn't know that she was behind them as they spoke.

"Yes, I did". Susan replied, unsure of why that would interest Camila.

"And he told you that his body was being preserved here in Berlin?" Camilla asked.

"Not really", Susan replied. Unsure of the reasons for Camilas' questions.

"Well, I know a lot of morgues and preservation centers in Germany but there is only one place in Berlin where the human body can be fully preserved without a decaying or getting iced up". Camilla said, " And I know just where it is!"

"So what are we waiting for?" Susan asked.

**************************************************

Leroy was speechless. He knew he had messed up big time!

He tried to remove his hand from Antonio's grasp but Antonio held on tightly.

He began to wince in pain as Antonio squeezed his hand even harder.

"Tell me how you know my last name!" Antonio asked raising his voice a little.

"Everyone knows who Antonio de Castillo is, the Angel de la Muerte!" Leroy replied. "It didn't take so long for me to recognize you". He continued.

"What did you just call me?" Antonio asked.

"Antonios De Castill...."

Leroy was still in the middle of his sentence when Antonios cut him short.

"Not that name! The other one". Antonio said.

"The Angel de la Muerte!" Leroy replied dramatically. "You are the angel of death!"

"And why am I called such an evil name?" Antonio asked with a sad expression on his face.

"Because death goes everywhere you step your foot on!" Leroy replied finally pulling his hand from Antonios monstrously grip.

"Just make sure, nothing happens to my Gwen!" Leroy warned him.

"Do you know that a lot of people will pay handsomely for me to hand you in? But don't worry, I don't need money and I won't want to betray Gwen". Leroy said.

"Betray her in what way? Antonio asked in surprise.

"By handing in the only man she's ever truly loved". Leroy replied.

Just as they were speaking, they heard an explosion and the left-wing of the mansion.

"What was that?" Antonio asked

"What do you think Leroy mockingly replied. ", You obviously led them here!"

" But you said you had deactivated the device". Antonio asked looking confused.

" Yes I have, but that does not mean they couldn't track you before I took it out". Leroy said shrugging his shoulders.

Bang! Bang!! Bang!!!.

They heard three other explosions at the entrance door.

"Don't worry Bro, the doors are reinforced steel, it would take them a while to get through Follow me quickly Leroy said as he led the way. They ran down a flight of stairs hidden in the hallway and entered into a hidden panic room.

The room was full of weapons of all kinds and different tech gadgets, bombs, rifles, guns of all kinds, crossbows, and arrows.

Antonio instinctively went for the crossbow and two Samurai swords that laid across themselves on the wall.

"Hmmmm..."

" Wise choices", Leroy said go Antonio.

Suddenly they heard a lady scream.

"Gwen!" Antonio and Leroy exclaimed together, as they rushed up the steps.