CHRONICLES OF THE FOURTH HORSEMAN

THE SECRETS

The trail was beginning to fade.We had followed the map precisely and yet there we were, in the middle of nowhere.Standing at the point where our X should have been.The map had taken us to the middle of the forest.A place scary and I very much doubted anybody would have wanted to live there.There was no house or even an indication there was ever a house built at the place." Maybe we answered the riddle wrong," Said John.He was standing with his hands on his knees.He joined us even though he was supposed to be resting.The hungover was not yet over for him and he threw up all the way.Tom couldn't help laughing at him since he had warned him to not drink too much the previous night but of course he thought he knew better.He was complaining about his tommy and his head and his legs and hands too.Duke just told him it would get worse before it got better but he was not planning to help him do anything about it.Tom thought it was funny and I just wanted to find out if I could help my body and the world.

On the way up there we discussed about the broken seals and my flight to the silver city.Duke had a little knowledge of the magix world that he had learned from the elements and he was sure everything wasn't just going to happen magically.It will take time before the magix realized the veil was down and the bibilical seals were yet to begin.It gave me a little hope.We had to look for something that could help and we needed to look for it quickly.

At first I thought discussing the matter with the elements was the best idea but Duke had convinced me otherwise.As much as it was easier having them on my side which they already were, holding a meeting with them was a painstaking process.The of course had to set the perfect place and time where it would all seem normal so no one would notice.That was of course if we had a way to relay a message across tho them which I had no idea how to and neither did Duke.Every time meeting they ever had was planned by them and they never gave him a way to call unto to them.The fastest way we had at the point was to check the treasure house and hope whoever or whatever was in it would provide a solution as we awaited the elements to show up.Of course I knew they would show up eventually since they also knew the seals were all broken and if they didn't they were to know pretty soon.

The journey to the woods was a long and doubtful one.We had no idea whether we were following the right path or not.The information we had was from long long ago and the address was not in use in the modern world.It was just a number of riddles that gave us coordinates that we had then used to get there.

Now we were standing right at the place where the house should have been but there was nothing.All we saw were bushes and thickets which was strange since all around us there were trees.It was a little clearing.The kind that seemed man made.

Duke started to walk around thumping his feet on the ground and we just stared thinking he was doing it out of frustration.He went on for a moment before stopping."Bingo," he said as he bent down to clear the place a little.There was metallic stuff which looked like a rid to a manhole."A manhole in the middle of nowhere?" John started.We watched as Duke lifted an old lock that seemed to have seated there for a really long time.It was a combination lock.The kind I wasn't sure was invented by the time this ride was put here.I knelt down towards it with numbers clicking in my mind.It felt almost as if I was sure they were the right combination.I put them just as they went round my mind and lock clicked open.Duke bent down and tried to lift the rid but it was too heavy.We joined him and after moments of joint effort the place opened up.

All we could saw were tiny stares that went down to I couldn't tell where but I had a feeling I knew .Duke took a rock and threw it into the hole and in just a few seconds we heard it fall."That's about twenty feet down, we are going in," Duke said.He started off and John followed.Tom and I were left up there wondering if we should follow or wait for them to get down first.We exchanged looks."Stop looking at me like that, you are going down first, you are the gentleman," I said once I had known what the look on his face meant."Aren't you the one who keeps going on and on about ladies first," he retorted back.I slowly walked down the dark hole.Knowing Tom for all those years, I could tell when he was joking and when he was being serious.This was one of his serious moments and he had no plan of going down there if he wasn't the one going in last.He had a strange fear of small spaces and this one looked so tiny.The inside of the hole was moist and warm.There was a dull stench which from where I was smelled like death or bones or something like that.My heart skipped a beat.How could I be soo fearful and yet I knew who I was and what I was capable of? Why did I fear too much?

I was a few steps from the bottom when the lights went on.It caught me by surprise and due to fear I fell and rolled the few steps down.Banging my head on something hard at the bottom."Son of a ....," I cursed angrily and painfully as I got up holding my head.Tom had also come down rolling and fell on my stomach and that hurt soo bad as well.It was soo not my day.I was still cursing when I got up but I stopped halfway to the sight.

This was so not a small space.Shelves filled with books were what the place had for walls.One large study table with books lying on open as if someone was reading them before the heard something and went to check but they never came back.From down there the smell was much stronger.Even the gentleman could smell it."What is that awful smell?," John asked while holding his mouth to prevent the vomit from coming out.He was out looking for a bathroom or a place he could find a container.He was gone for a minute before he came back with his mouth wide open as if he wanted to sa something but words could not come out.

"What is it?," he never answered.He just pointed.Duke grabbed a piece of metal with sharp hooks at the end and which was placed at the table and walked towards the direction John was pointing.Apparently the place was way much bigger than I anticipated."Wow this place is huugee ...," Tom finally said as he finally got the strength to get up from the floor and look around.John was still in shock and I was standing there torn between following Duke or staying back.At last I made a decision.I grabbed my shoe and followed Duke.I turned through the halls fearing something was following me.There were at least ten other rooms with the old fashioned military beds.It seemed like a lot of people lived here some day.I wondered what happened to them.

While still at that thought, I saw Duke running towards me.He was signaling for me to run but I was not paying any attention.he reached to where I was standing and grabbed me by the arm.He pulled me back and in the process I fell down.And that was when I saw it.I super huge snake with an unusual build.It had these two huge fangs protruding from its mouth.Thick saliver like substance coming from its mouth.Its eyes were huge and they glowed Scarlett red.It was officially the ugliest and the most scary thing I had ever seen in my life.And I am talking both fictional as in the world of movies and films and in the real life.I had no time to wake up leave alone run and I just lay there waiting for it to do whatever it planned on doing with me.I watched as it came closer and closer and my heart beat was getting too fast and too loud within the minute.Blood rushed wildly inside my veins and I felt a wave of fire like feeling throughout my body.

It slithered closer and closer and I closed my eyes.I waited for the end.Wondering whether it would choose to swallow me whole or it would tear me up first.I felt the greasy fluid from its mouth fall on my head.It went all the way down to my face and wherever it touched I felt a burning sensation.Just a little bit more.It edged closer, but then it stopped and raised its head.Then the strangest thing happened.As we all watched, the snake slowly shrunk and I could swear I saw feet like thingies as it slowly turned into a handsome young man.My mouth dropped.

"Finally you are here," he said walking towards me in an attempt to help me up.I however pulled myself up and walked back a few steps towards Duke and the boys who were standing still with their mouths wide open.I had never seen Duke soo scared before.The dude who was standing right in front of us n***d then slowly walked towards us with his hands on the air as a show of assurance that he didn't intend to harm us.He went into one of the rooms and came out wrapped in a towel.He showed us back to the huge hall and he took out a book from the shelves and handed it to me.I was hesitant at first and he could see it.He placed the book on the table and I moved forward to pick it.

It was an old book with a leather cover.It had the words "SECRETS OF THE OLD WORLD AGO AND THE NEW WORLD TO COME," engraved on the top front of the cover.Slowly I opened it and crazy enough it had dancing words.After every few seconds the words would shift and the language would change.Looking at it for a moment made me feel light headed.But something about it felt familiar.I could swear I had seen that book before.A few memories flashed by but I wasn't concentrated at them and they went away.I looked at the now seated guy at the table with a lot of questions in my mind but words failed me.

"I will answer all of them if you are willing to sit down and listen," it was almost as if he was reading what was on my mind.We came all this way seeking for answers.We had to get them and even though a snake human was the one holding them, I was willing to sit down and listen.I was still a little bit scared and my heart was still racing wildly.The burning on my face was still happening and I had the urge to touch but he stopped me midway.He reached for a piece of cloth and spited in it.I was reluctant to let him touch me but i didn't stop him.Immediately after he placed the cloth on the burning area the feeling went away.It was like it had never happened.

" I have waited for you for the last two hundred years but I hoped you would stay for a little longer.If you are here it means you've hit rock bottom," I didn't understand a word he was saying.Some memories flashed through my mind though but I couldn't bring them into focus.They were soo mixed up.I just kept listening and maybe before he was done talking I would have known what he was talking about.Right now staring at him I just remembered the ugly thing he was a few minutes earlier.His eyes would still glow from time to time and I was all set to make a run for it if he turned again.That creature was the last thing I wanted to see.

" I know you don't remember all of this and you told me it was for the best.You don't have to worry, will explain everything to you.You see that book?," he was pointing at the book I was still holding on my hands." You wrote that book just about four hundred years ago.You knew you were going to need it one day.You clearly told me it was the last hope for the world and you made me promise to guard it with my life.You also build this bunker and concealed the secrets about all creatures and the world of Magix in it.You also prepared the rooms because you knew that one day you will need an army to put this world in order and prevent dooms day.You then went out to look for the three you called" Weapons" and left me to guard the place.That was in the middle of a war.You were trying to bring peace but your friends betrayed you.

I still remember that day you were seated here reading these books when you heard them call and you went out to check.Before you went you promised me you would be back when there was no any other way to go about it.You went out but you never came back alive.I found your body three days later and placed it on the corner room since I had no idea how you planned on coming back.They are there now," he went on.I stared at him wondering whether he knew what he was saying.Maybe he was mistaking me with someone else.I opened my mouth to ask him a question but he answered even before I could say the first word.

"Yes, yes I am pretty sure who I am talking to.I can never mistake you for someone else Azrael.You are one tricky angel and you know how to disguise yourself but I will always know you in every life or any meat suit.You looked better as a man though.Hey did you find the weapons yet by the way?," he asked.I had no idea what he was talking about but I remembered the elements asked me to choose my weapons wisely.Philomena had also told me not to trust them and to this day I had no idea who she was referring to.Maybe I wasn't supposed to trust the snake guy.After all he was a snake and we all know how those behave.

"You can judge me all you want, but the fact remains.I have done all you asked of me and I will still do what you will ask.I have never betrayed you for all the years we have worked together and I am not planning to start now.I know you don't remember me, but soon you will, then you will understand.You saved my life and I promised to work for you.I haven't changed my mind and I know you don't know it but you have set me free many times than I can count but I turned you down every time.Judge me if you must, but I am here to make sure you don't make another mistake, and yes, I can hear what you are thinking because me and you we are related in more ways that you know,"

I looked at him and then at the three men who were by then too confused to join in the conversation.Even questioning John had nothing to say.The happenings had left him speechless.He had not recover from the incident earlier yet and he was too confused to notice that his hangover was gone.Tom was seated on the floor drawing stuff on the concrete ground with his fingers.His smart a*s brain was soo engaged that he was thinking of everything at large and nothing in particular.

"Oooh what kind of a host am I?," the dude said standing up.We all went back a few steps and Tom stood up ready to run."What part of I don't intend to hurt you don't you guys understand?," he asked a little bit offended.He walked away for a while and we were left to discuss the way forward.I was trying hard not to think about him now that I knew whenever he was close to me he could tell my thoughts.I had not figured how close he needed to be and I was not willing to find out.

"Maybe we should be running out of here," Tom said walking further away towards the stairs."We have no idea who he is or prove that he is a friend as he claims," then looked towards me and asked seriously, " Do you remember him, at all? for all we know he's gone for a knife and maybe a plate and salt.I am not staying here to be his dinner," he concluded.

Some memories about him were flashing in my mind but I couldn't bring them to focus.I wanted to answer Tom's question but I had no answer yet.I was trying hard to focus on the memories and sure enough after some time it all came back to me."Ophie," I called out.He came out smiling and I walked towards him with my arms open wide."Oh crap! how could I even have the guts to forget you old friend, get in here old serpent," I said hugging him tight.I remembered him.He was a normal child ones a long time ago.I remembered everything about him most importantly I came to know him all those years ago.

He was just a little indian boy back then.He and his parents parents had come to this land seeking for greener pastures.Back then some of the magix from the other side had a way to come out and play on the humans.The magix who had gained their abilities through experiments still went on experimenting with poor unsuspecting humans.Ophie was an unfortunate victim.He was grabbed from his mother one evening and he was missing for a few days.Back in those days I was a warrior fighting for those who couldn't fight for themselves.As you by now, i get stronger with every death.I never rejoiced in reaping the innocent before it was their time to go and I fought for the innocent instead all I ever wanted was a purpose and being human had given just that.For days I went out looking for the boy and I found him in the house of a witch who was hosting a Magix known as the chimera.The were mostly scientists from those old days who found a way to induce the elements magic into them creating two different sets of DNA even though they didn't know that then.The therefore had part of them as human and another as something totally different depending with the magic they they exposed themselves to.They wanted to create more like them so they could be strong enough to get the upper hand and push the normal being behind the veil instead of them.A crazy plan that I was willing to do whatever i could to stop.The world was meant for the normal born creatures and humans.There was no way I could let some few walking abominations who weren't even prone to death walk it.The creatures had to stay away.

I broke into the witch's place and there I found little children who had all died during the experiment except for one.The little indian boy.He was still alive but instead of feet he had a snake's tail.I couldn't take him back to his mother.The tiny superstitious community would burn him to ashes.The believed if anything like that happened it was because of a curse and the curse had to be broken.Breaking it meant the whole of that persons immediate family had to die and they believed the curse died with them.Not taking the boy back to his family wasn't just to safe him but also to safe his mother and two sister.I had no idea what to do with him and I looked for the elements so they could take him to the other side of the veil where he belonged.I tried to stage a meeting with them but I never succeeded.I had to stay with him.With time he learned to control his magic and we lived together through lifetimes.In this one however I had no memory of him since I had known it was the last and I wished to live a normal life."Selfish," I thought to myself .I made the bunker and left him in there for all those years just so I could have a normal life.He didn't seem to care though.If roles turned I am pretty sure I would be mad.

He smiled at me and told me it was okey and that he understood.He also explained to me that I had a lot of work to do and I was not supposed to be wasting all that time.Having the memories I now knew how to read the books and as it turned out I had written all the probable future as I had seen from heavens watch room.I had succeeded a few times in postponing the end of the world and even though I had all those times it all came to one moment.The moment I walked into the bunker because I had no other place to go for help.

I always knew it would come to this moment.That was the reason why I had gone out in search of the three weapons that I never seemed to find.I still had no idea what they were and now o seriously had to look for them.I had spent a lot of years down here researching about the world that was about to be created and how to control it.But I needed the three most important weapons if I was to stand a chance.The first one according to the words I had written at the end of the book was the sword of Azrael the flaming sword given to me by my father all those years ago at the garden.The second one was the staff of moses and the third one was the quill of solomon.According to my research I could shape, comand and rewrite the world.Taking it back to a moment where there was and will forever be peace.That sounded like an easy way.But how on earth would I get my hands on those three items?.Why did I even consider then weapons?

The flaming sword was folded away together with the gardens long long ago.No one, not even Gabriel, God's most trusted angel knew where the damn garden was thrown away to.I figured it could be in one of the many pockets dimensions like the one that had just opened with the breaking seals but there were millions of not billions of them.Opening them without knowing which one exactly could open earth up to way much worse problems than we had right now.The staff of Moses was out somewhere and I know I had gone out looking for it more than just a few times but I never found it, and how on earth was I supposed to find a quill that existed millions of years ago.Finding the weapons was one impossible task.Maybe that was what the elements were talking about.Did I have to choose one between the three? if that was the way to go about it how was I to know which one was the wise choice? Even if I found them, how was I supposed to use them?

Maybe the elements knew something.I had to schedule a meeting now.I was pretty sure after all those years I had researched about them.Ophie knew just how since he had stayed with the books for a really long time.He prepared a few ingredients and he called upon them and they came.The were angry but they came and that was the only thing that mattered."You told me to choose the my weapon wisely.What did you mean by that," I asked as soon as they were in the room."We meant exactly that, choose your weapon wisely," they answered in unison

"From weapons am I choosing," I asked."Of your own making or finding," They answered.I hated riddles, but I hated parables even more.Why tell if you are not telling completely? I was a direct to the point kind of person and the taking me round and round wasn't good business for me a tall.The elements were of no help regarding that and I moved on to the next agenda.They explained to me that ones the seals were broken there was no way to hold the magix in the Magix dimension but they knew of a dimension that was empty and we could lock the in there.But tha meant we had to catch them first and that would be one dirty job.Ophie pointed at the rooms with beds back there.I was done talking with the elements and they went off warning me to not call on them again.They were not interested with fighting by my side but they were out there trying to prevent the Magix from mixing with other humans and creatures.Calling them at that moment had just ruined things but we didn't know it yet.

Amongst the books on the walls were books about the creatures.How they behaved, their weaknesses and strengths.We all grabbed each a book and the realization of the fact that there were way more than we had seen I Philomena's book was overwhelming.Some were friendly and meant no harm, others were wild but they could be tamed.Others were dangerous and deadly, some could be killed while others couldn't .They could however be slowed down.Those that were not harmful we planned to let stay only if the promised to never let the world know of their existence, those that we could tame we planned on doing soo and reqruit them to work with us.The ones we could kill, so be it.The others we were going to slow them down and then lock them away in the other dimension.Planning was the easy part but actually doing it was another story.Duke was willing to help by talking to the few people he knew who were aware of the magix and the few magix that still lived with us.Ophie also agreed to be part of the fight and he thought it was the perfect time to pay up his "debt" to me.He was not invisible but he was harmless.In all his existence he had never hurt a human being or any other animal.Not even for food.Whatever he ate while in human form.was enough for him and the serpent beneath.Every day he fought to be better and he had overcome his nature to become one of the most soft being I knew.I loved him for that.

Without putting himself in danger he was capable of living a really long life.Take for example he was seven hundred years and looking at him you could think he was twenty seven years.That was how slowly he aged.His body had the ability to heal real quick and he was immune to all venoms, poisons, viruses and bacteria.His was a long healthy life. He also didn't feel pain like normal people.He was tired of hiding and he figured this was the perfect moment to give back to the world.Tom was willing to fight too and so did John.We had the plan out into place, all we had to do was lay low and await for the Magix to realize the walls were down.We couldn't take the fight to them.None of the people i was with except me And Ophie could servive in there.

It took Ophie sometime to figure out where the smell that was hitting his nose forcing him to sniff around was coming from.I could tell my body was falling apart and he never hesitated to ask.He remainded me that was the main reason why I came to that there in the first place.I hopped whoever or whatever was there knew how to deal with with it.He unfortunately had no answer to that.I had seen everything else coming but that was the one thing I never worked out.There was no book inside there that had even the slightest clue on how to deal with it.My heart sunk a bit.From what he could smell he was sure it would fail within the next week.He however wondered why I felt bad yet I could be just fine with my true form.I could shape to look exactly the way I wanted it to and that meant I could still go on with my normal life provided I never let anyone know there was no weapon on earth that could hurt me or make me bleed.In fact he wondered why I chose to be human in the first place.Being human meant I had to feel pain, fear amongst other things that I didn't have to go through.I however explained to him the reason why I chose being human.I needed a purpose.I needed to get out of the shadows for ones and experience what they experienced,feel what they felt but mostly i had to walk on their shoes to understand them fully.Of course I never expected him or anybody else to understand and as usual only Tom deed.Ophie however made me understand that I could still stay with them even though I could no longer feel or experience.I had lived long enough with them to understand everything and maybe that was enough.I had walked in their shoes long enough.It made sense.I wasn't going to fight to keep the body anymore."Tomorrow is a school day and we have to go," I explained to Ophie and he laughed."What are you doing this time and who are you trying to be like? ,"Damn he knew too much about me.