Sirens and multiple bodies had occupied the once quiet streets of New Port.
A body had been found...
People pilled about the yellow tape in macabre wonder of this disturbing sight, the victim's body was dried because of a gaping hole in the right side of their neck. It was just a local man who was well known in the area, even favored amongst his neighbors.
From one of the vehicles of authority exited a woman of strong build. Between her fingers the lung killer itself was lit brightly, burning in a deep crimson once she caught another pull of it.
"So I need you to explain what we're dealing with." She looked at her partner. "You got the full detail, Wayne?"
Compared to her he was a bit shorter and the confidence within her voice can always dwarf his.
"Y...Yes Ms. Suzanne." He stammered.
"Ease off the Miss." Suzanne threw the cigarette to the ground and crushed it. "My son's already in high school last thing I need is you making me feel older."
"Sorry Ms..."
The glare stopped that sentence instantly.
"Suzanne." Defeat was heavy in his voice.
"Good, after this let's get a drink." Suzanne walked under the yellow line, flashing her badge at the questioning officers. "Where's the body?"
At first shock came over the two's face at the corpse, then it was replaced by curiosity.
"Animal attack?" Wayne suggested.
"Now in all our years of being alive, what animal drains a human of blood until they are literally a husk?" Condescended Suzanne.
"R... Right..."
"No this is something a person did." She placed on gloves to examine the hole on the neck. "This looks like a bite mark of a person, but the way they bite through his neck."
"Lunatic who thinks he's a vampire perhaps." Came another voice.
"Detective Shawn." Suzanne acknowledged him without turning around. "Witnesses?"
"Straight to work as usual." Shawn tipped his hat. "You'll be wrinkled with accelerating age from all this stress Justice." He dusted off his long brown coat.
"Don't call me that." Annoyance was shown in her eyes squinting.
Suzanne's record of criminal capture was phenomenal, no one can escape her eyes of judgement. Once you are found guilty she will hound you down.
This sparked the unfavorable name that the officers joked about with, calling her the Eyes of Justice.
"Most investigators and their detectives got everything already." Shawn pulled out his notepad. "Time of death was around eight fourteen p.m., gaping hole ripped into neck, looks like bite marks made by a person so that's a homicide, drainage of blood is the cause of death, Name Anthony Roker a teacher of Orange Bailey and..."
"Orange Bailey I think he's my son's teacher." Suzanne got up. "Crazy how anything can happen to anyone, but this is just awful."
"I'd say terrible luck." Shawn snorted. "He was out throwing away trash and then this happened, got a wife and three kids, but those young ones are out on a cruise. We still have yet to get a hold of them."
"I see." Suzanne gave a look of sympathy, she knows how hard it is for people losing a love one like this. After her husband was struck by a car that ignored road regulations, she vowed to capture every man, woman or child who bends the law. "What's her statement?"
"Was inside watching television." Continued Shawn. "Now this is where things take a weird turn, she heard her husband screaming outside and went to check on him, saw a person clinging to his neck and began draining him of blood."
"You've got to be kidding me." Suzanne rolled her eyes. "First that damned cult now a vampire."
"Things have been getting strange lately." Wayne tried to squeeze himself into the exchange.
"And that's why I need a drink." Suzanne nudged him.
"Why don't I give you information for a few shots?" Shawn proposed.
"Catch you later, Chris." Lora smiled.
The date was a success, was Chris' first thought as he received a kiss from Lora.
From the fancy restaurant, to a long walk on the beach, everything was going too smoothly that he thought he was in a dream.
"Y...Yeah." His face was flushed in red.
"Oh my Gosh!" Lora giggled. "I finally got you stammering over me." She went into her home with a satisfied grin.
Walking in a straight line was impossible as Chris was intoxicated by love's sweet drink.
"She's so amazing." He dreamily stated.
Rustle...
"Hm?"
He turned to the bushes that lie on the road side. It's darkness sending an eerie feeling of hungry eyes on him, before he can claim the noise as imaginative he heard the movement once more, this time seeing it first-hand.
Something was in there...
Chris furrowed his brow and made his hands blaze in their blue flame.
After absorbing Cerberus hell flame, he found himself using his powers without a trigger. Even his chest pain was nonexistent as he can use fire for a extended amount of time.
"Meow..."
From the bushes emerged a cat, it's grey fur covered in leaves.
"Jeez scaring me like that."
Behind the cat came another movement of the bush, thinking it was another cat Chris smiled and was leaving. He heard the hiss of the kitten and painful yowls that was silenced swiftly.
"What the hell!" He gasped and spun around.
From where the kitten last resided emerged a man whose pale skin seemed inhuman, he held the headless corpse of the cat over his head and drank the blood from it. Beneath the paper that hid the mid section of his face, light blue eyes that seemed lifeless locked onto the young man.
"Hungry..." He hissed while staring at Chris.
"What's going on here?" He walked back, eyes locked on the stumbling thing.
It lunged at him with an ajar mouth filled with teeth that can rip him apart.
"As if I'll let you try that!" Chris sent a wave of flames into the monster's face. Once he stopped it's head was missing and the creature fell, sprawled about the center of the road.
"What the hell is that?" He wondered. On closer inspection, Chris noticed how strange the creature's clothing were. It was a long purple garb with an symbol he never saw before in the middle. A piece of paper was taking residence on the creature's face, but now it's gone thanks to Chris attack.
"Hungry..."
Whispers leaked beyond the bushes and deeper into the small patch of nameless woods.
Light blue eyes appeared slowly increasing in numbers, until the whole forest was just those things coming towards Chris.
"Oh...Shi..."
The things all staggered at first, but soon ran at full speed towards him. Without waiting, Chris combusted his feet making him fly above those monsters.
"What the hell are those things?!" He shouted. "I have to let everyone know." Chris turned to the Greek Institute direction and flew towards that way, behind him they followed.
"An emergency is now in full effect." The news woman stated on our radio. "Creatures of unknown origin are now lurking the streets of New Port attacking anyone in their way, police are now trying their best to ward off the creatures."
Anxiety brought it's ugly feeling into Amber's heart as she saw the news report taking control of her T.V.
She turned to her father who lie on the couch in a drunken state, aloof to the danger that lie outside of their doors. She listened closely to the shuffling feet outside of her home, along with constant shouting and gunfire.
"What's going on?" Were the only readable thoughts within her confused mind.
"Stay away from the windows." I warned my mother, while getting dressed.
"Darren, what's happening?" She whispered, yet the hysteria in her voice was visible. "These monsters are everywhere and your planning to go out there."
"Mom..." I sighed and held her hands for reassurance. "I... haven't been fully honest about my job. We... The Greek Institute deals with things like these, but you can't say too much about it." I lifted my right hand before her and let the darkness ooze from it a little.
Her eyes widened.
"Darren... what did they do to you there?"
"Nothing, this is the only way to keep New Port, you and Amber safe." I hugged her. "I'll be back, so please stay inside. Those creatures seem to only attack people on sight." With that I opened my window and leapt out.
A few of those monsters saw me and raced towards my area. My finger clutched Jareb's handle tightly, Sin Jayeon was my best bet of stopping these atrocities. Without any hesitation, my blade made sure to dispatch these things quickly. I quickly spun to see that they were getting back up, my attacks had no effect at all.
"What the hell!" I growled readying to use the dark power.
"Darren!" A voice called from above.
Chris flew down and saw those things coming at us.
"Take out the head!" Chris suggested.
"That's all I need to hear!" I readied my axe once again, this time my aim tore through those thing's paper and neck. I watched the paper burn to ash suddenly and the monster stopped moving quickly.
"I'm gonna check on Amber." I went to her home and called from my phone.
"Darren!" Her voice called out after seeing me through the window. "What's happening."
"I can't say, but I think you should stay inside." I warned her. "Everything is gonna be fine, I'll make sure of it."
Chris looked at his phone with a worried expression, he dialed a number and waited for an answer but didn't get one.
"Come on, Mom." He growled. "This isn't the time to be busy."
I saw his hands glowed a bit from his frustration.
"We'll look for her." I placed a hand on my friend's shoulder. "She told you the last place she was?"
"She said somewhere downtown." He remembered. "But I know Samuel will want all of us to be at the institute."
"We can split up." The suggestion came up suddenly. " I'll look for your mother downtown, you get everyone together and follow up."
"You'll be alright on your own?" Chris gave a worried glance.
"You know I'll be fine." Laughter came from me, I wanted to cheer him up.
"Alright." He sighed but I caught a small smile.
With that notion we split up.
"How annoying." Suzanne panted. She gazed at the pile of bodies on the floor, each missing the paper on their faces. Before her colleagues and herself was a multitude of those monstrosities, their mouths leaking hungrily at the people before them.
"Door is locked, Wayne?" Suzanne asked.
"Y...Yeah." He nodded.
"Damn I was hoping to die from a jealous beauty stabbing me." Shawn sighed in agitation.
"You two can go inside the bar you know." Suzanne suggested. "Staying out here with me is suicide."
"Then I'm suicidal." Wayne laughed.
"Same here." Shawn lit a cigarette and passed it to the other two. "Last light everyone?"
"It's an honor working for you, Suzanne." Wayne took a long pull and aimed his gun at the oncoming things.
"Yeah it has been."
A sudden darkness engulfed the monsters nothing remained of them after the wave of blackness disappeared.
"What the..."
A deep breath was released from me that large attack felt... relieving to use as if I had it built up for so long.
"Wonderful." Malvick chuckled. "You seem to have a knack for using the darkness."
"Shut it." I sternly spoke. "I had no choice cause they were surrounding the place."
"That's the best part." I felt his whispers on my neck. "How many more times will you have no choice, how many more times will darkness be your only answer to defeating stronger foes, eventually I'll have my physical form back thanks to your indecisive nature. You can quiet my voice, but you can't avoid the outcome."
Those haunting words lingered for a while.
I sent out a sigh of frustration.
"Darren?" Suzanne ran to me. "Why are you here, wait did you do that?" She looked at the darkness leaking from my hands.
"It's a long story Ms. Chase." I chuckled nervously. "I came here to make sure your alright, Chris sent me."
"What... How did you..."
Her words failed her continuously.
"No time for that." I stated. "Just get inside and stay there, we'll handle this."
"We?" She gave me a suspicious look. "Whatever you and Chris are doing I..."
Shawn gave her a nudge
"Look Justice, the kid showed he can handle what's going on." He explained. "We should head in for now."
Suzanne gave a look while biting all of those questions she had on her mind.
"Fine..." It was a good answer however reluctant. "Just be careful out there."
"I will." I sprinted to the Greek Institute once they were inside, my phone began to ring showing Cleondra's ID.
"Hello?" I answered.
"I'm sure your aware of the situation." She began. "Mr. Hernandez gave me orders to eradicate those things on sight, all squads are now taking each corner of New Port. Where is your location?"
"I'm heading to the Greek Institute from Down Town area." I stated. "What are those things?"
"Jiang Shi." She answered. "Malevolent zombies from the East, it's still unknown how they made it to New Port. All we know is that by destroying the seals of reanimation on their faces, we should have them down for good."
"Chris figured it out, but what should I do?"
"Isaac will be in your area, help him out." She hung up
I placed my phone back in my pocket.
SMACK!
A body flew past me and into a wall, it was one of the Jiang Shi and it's head was completely crushed.
"Oh! Darren." A voice called out.
From my right side came Isaac, in his humongous hands were two more of those things struggling to get free.
With no hesitation he compressed them tightly until whatever contents in their head oozed out graphically.
"Oh right!" He looked at the paper in his hands and tore them. "Cleondra just told me to help you out, I checked the area where those things..? He tilted his head, once the name suddenly returned to his tongue the odd man blurted it out. "Jiang Shi!"
He pointed to the South.
"Then that's our destination."
"Ew ew ew ew!" Alex screamed after removing another seal. "These things are disgusting!"
"It's zombies." Scoffed Andrew. "They aren't meant to be pretty." He reloaded his firearm and released a multitude of shots, perfectly dispatching the creatures. His earpiece rang. "What is it." Frustration took over.
"You got a read on where the Jiang Shi are coming from?" Cleondra's voice came in.
"Look Darren and Isaac are already heading in that direction." Andrew explained. "Tell them check the shipyard in all of those trailers. Somebody is over there causing these things to spawn."
"Andrew!" Alex screamed. "It got all over me!" She waved about her hand, trying to remove the green substance.
He ignored his sister's cries.
"You alright in there?" His attention turned to Misery and Evelyn.
"Yeah we are." Misery looked at Evelyn and gave a reassuring smile. "You'll be alright." She patted her head.
"The Jiang Shi are attacking New Port?" Cerberus thought. "This can only be Zhong's doing, but why attack all of a sudden, unless he got word of Queen Mary Ann's death and the location of those bastards that slayed her." He chuckled. "It's all over for those brats!"
"Where are you going!?" Samantha followed Joshua.
"Look you have to stay here." He turned. "Whatever is going on out there, isn't something you can handle."
Roots appeared suddenly and pinned Joshua to the wall.
"These roots are gonna hold you still." Samantha held her hands out and began healing.
"I don't have time for th..."
A root interrupted him by wrapping about his lips.
"You talk to much."
Chris tried multiple times to reach Japheth's home by phone, but still no answer.
"Damn it." Chris fumed. "We don't have time for this nonsense." He saw his phone ringing. "Hello?"
"Yo." My voice came through. "Your mom she's alright."
"Thanks dude." Relief took him, causing him to free fall, he eventually caught himself. "Japheth hasn't been answering his phone. He can't still be angry at a time like this."
"Check his house." I suggested. "I'm heading to the docks. We might be able to stop these things if I go there."
"By yourself?"
"With Isaac, we'll be fine." I reassured him. "These Jiang Shi are easy work now that we know how to deal with them."
"Jiang Shi is that what those ugly bastards are called." Chris snickered. "Alright." He hung up.
"Japheth you better have a good reason for not answering." His feet combusted sending him at full speed through the starless night.
Chris saw Japheth's home beneath him, he landed on the roof because of the many Jiang Shi below.
"His house is still closed." Chris thought. "Let me get rid of these things first."
With a burst of flames raining from the sky, he had cleared out the infestation not leaving a trace of those monsters behind.
"Nice." He smiled.
Chris knocked on the peach colored house's door.
"Hello?" He called out.
"Is... Is that Chris?" A worried voice asked.
"Yeah."
A quivering preteen who looked similar to Japheth came out.
"Hey Isiah." Chris smiled. "Have you seen Japheth?"
"He said he was going on a cruise." The young boy answered. "But I can't reach him either."
"A cruise?" Chris sighed. "Well... Is your dad home?"
"Yeah he's asleep though."
"Through all of this?"
"What's going on, Chris?" Isiah face was puzzled. "I saw those thing for one minute then a huge blue flame killed them."
"Uh..." No answer came to Chris mind. "Between you and me I'm secretly a super hero." He whispered. Chris made the tip of his finger light fire.
Isiah's eyes were bulging from his head.
"Woah!" He exclaimed.
"Me, Japheth, Darren and Joshua are trying to save the world."
"Really!?"
"Yeah but it's a secret." Chris made a gesture with his fingers to his lips. "Stay inside we'll handle this."
After Isiah closed the door, Chris took to the air again.
"Fine night for a cruise." He scoffed.
"Damn it..." Joshua let out a curse after finally being freed.
"There now you can bang yourself up again." Samantha yawned. "I'm going to bed."
"Shouldn't you be helping the town?" Joshua gave her the side eye.
"My squad can handle that."
"So your just sending people out there?"
"Who says they are people." Samantha gave a sly smile.
White suits marched forward from the Greek Institute they looked like soldiers, their menacing steps echoed through the empty streets of New Port.
"You guys... What are these things?" Questions were appearing and leaving Joshua's mind.
"A little funding from the Rusi made it easier to mass produce our little army." Samantha explained. "Dad may be a... well inconsiderate ass, but he always has a plan. Those are robots we call Sentinels."
"What a turn of events." Samuel looked over New Port. "I wonder how the people would react seeing the heroic act of my institute." His chair creaked from the agonizing weight. "How wonderful."
"Talk about creepy." Joshua walked past the Sentinels, all of their lifeless faces looked forward uncaring of the young man walking past them.
Each was equipped with an automatic firearm, immediately their heads snapped to the right then their bodies raised the weapon.
Joshua saw a single Jiang Shi being eradicated by a rain of bullets, once done they split up and went into different directions.
"Overkill." Sympathy came from him, but it was replaced by the sudden feeling of looking about New Port to find if his friends was alright.
Buzzz... Buzzz
Joshua removed his phone from his pocket, he gave a look of displeasure yet still managed to answer his phone properly.
"What?"
"Don't answer me like that!" His father boomed.
"Look, I don't have time for you right now."
"Nonsense!" Was the reply he knew well. "Where are you now, these monsters are all over New Port the least you can do is stay safe at home."
Blood escaped from Joshua's face.
"Why the hell are you outside!" He shouted to the phone. "Where are you heading?"
"I'm going to that institute to drag you back home." His father answered. "I'm passing Black forest I should be there soon."
"Look I'll meet you there, so sto..."
His words were halted as the sound of a crash was heard.
"Dad!" Joshua shouted.
No answer.
"Damn it old man answer me!" He hung up the phone and flew into the air scanning the area by his old school. His eyes soon caught smoke from near Black Forest, with a mass pressure building beneath his body, it sent him hurdling towards his father.
Joshua landed with a crash, wildly, he scanned the wrecked silver van. His father's head lie on the steering wheel making the horn loudly sound out through the night. Beneath the car was a Jiang Shi trying it's best to move, but the mangled legs that were attached seem to deny it to stand. It writhed in agitated hunger.
He removed his injured father from the vehicle.
"Wake up! Dad!" Joshua shook him.
Mr. Kenny slowly opened his eyes, he removed his cracked glasses and sat up.
"Joshua..." Weakly his arm went to the top of his son's head. "Can you... just come home, your mother said she wanted you to try the meatloaf she made tonight."
Growls echoing from Black forest caught Joshua off guard, he turned around to see more of the Jiang Shi coming towards them.
"You should go." His father smiled. "I'll only slow you down."
Memories flashed before his eyes a bit, from the very first moment his son was born all he wanted was the best. It was tough love, an authoritarian way of parenting that was taught to him by his father. That was all he knew.
"Listen because it was best for you." He didn't see how he pushed away his only child.
By doing this sacrificial thing for him he thought it would make up for everything he ever did.
"Stop... Telling me what to do!"
Whirlwinds circled about Joshua, he sharpened it until the wind became dagger like. Once he unleashed it upon the Jiang Shi their seals were scattered into pieces along with the limbs that was now detached and soaring about the two.
"J...Joshua?" His father was stunned.
"Don't go saying something corny like that." Joshua lifted Mr. Kenny with ease. "Your not gonna die yet." He flew into the air.
"H...Hey!" Mr. Kenny was about to struggle from shock.
"Calm down." Joshua sighed. "I'll take you home and you stay there. I'll take care of everything happening."
Only the whipping air was about them along with it a silence, Mr. Kenny had many questions. Word after word overlapped until finally they settled with not saying anything at all.
Joshua dropped him off and was about to take flight once again.
"Joshua." Mr. Kenny called out, but his son already left. "Be careful..."