By Joshua David Ling (Rated PG)
Read more of this story here.
102: Campfire
Much had happened since their trek up Stone Mountain started.
The Guardians of Atlanta were beginning to feel fainthearted.
Nick, Layla, and Spicy had to move on,
To help Fortune Anderson on Stone Mountain’s lawn.
So together they sat, wondering what to do.
Cyrus, Bobby, William, and Amira, looking very blue.
While they had won their battle with Brock,
All of them still sat in sadness and shock.
No one had ever wished Brock to die.
Then Marlynn broke the silence with a loud sigh.
Marlynn: “The Knights were only part of the Plague’s bag of tricks.
They still know she’s coming here. I don’t like this.”
William: “It’s true. They may head her off before she can get here.
But I see no other wise options right now. It’s time to re-gear.
Everyone take a load off. We’re spending the night.”
Bobby: “Finally! Man, this view is tight!”
Cyrus chuckled, stood up, and stretched.
Cyrus: “It certainly is, Bobby. Stone Mountain is the best.”
It seemed everyone needed the humor,
A balm and relief to them all.
A change of focus was very much needed.
After the battle and fall.
Amira: “It’s such a weird little place. I’d never been here before.
A theme park around it, and the mountain itself I adore.”
William: “It is amazing, a chunk of granite this big?
Stuck in the middle of the woods?
Master Fenris told me it’s been used for centuries.
Long before this country stood.”
Bobby: “Not half as amazing as ya girl, Freak-boy. She’s got problems like mad.”
Marlynn: “I know. I just want to help her. Y’know? She’s seriously all I have.”
Cyrus: “Something is familiar about her.”
Amira: “Yeah! I felt it too!”
Marlynn: “What do you mean?”
Cyrus: “I don’t know. I have no clue.
Except… her eyes seem somewhat familiar to me.”
Amira: “When I’m around her? I feel free.”
Bobby: “I feel like somehow, I met her before a long time ago.”
William: “She hummed a song I knew. That made my heart glow.”
Marlynn: “You all feel it then? Funny. I don’t.
And I’m in touch with magic. Though this Mountain of Stone-
Appears to be home to something quite powerful.”
Bobby: “Intuition is great and all. But it’s all a mouthful
That I personally find way too hard to swallow.
Can’t we just get the job done, guys?”
William: “I lead. You follow.
We’ve fought long and hard today. Let’s get some sleep.
Cyrus, what’s the forecast?”
Cyrus: “Clear and cold.”
William: “Try to keep the temperature up. We’ve no blankets to behold.
Everyone gather close together. We’ll keep warm through the night.
And tomorrow we will find Amy, and set everything right.”
103: Sweet Dreams
The night grew cold incredibly fast,
As darkness closed around them.
William took the first night watch,
As Amira was off in dream-land.
The night fires blazed
As familiarity burned,
And every single soul was equally concerned.
The Eclipse hanging between
Themselves and the sun,
In dreams of frayed memories,
Would they be undone?
As Amira’s mind melted into a dream,
She saw a dark and confusing scene.
Her sister, in a white dress, five feet off the ground,
Meditating and humming, with soft, low, sounds.
She saw the gun wound on the side of Shruti’s trachea,
That had years ago took her life,
And now the whole area-
She floated and burned in black shadows ablaze.
And Amira stared at her, lost in a daze.
Shruti opened her eyes and smiled quite wide.
Shruti: “Hello, Amira. I’m glad you’ve arrived-
To see my ascension, and my becoming.”
Then she continued her ominous humming.
Amira: “What are you talking about, Shruti?
What are you doing here?”
Shruti: “The balance of good and and evil is shifting.
But it will return when the sands of time stop sifting.”
Amira: “I have so much to tell you!
About my recent fate,
About William and the Guardians,
And about my newfound faith.”
Shruti: “I’m glad you’ve found an inner peace.
In Christianity of all things!
But nothing will be able to stop her,
When her siren song she sings.”
The night fires blazed
As familiarity burned,
And every single soul was equally concerned.
The Eclipse hanging between
Themselves and the sun,
In dreams of frayed memories,
Would they be undone?
In a room filled with letters
Right up to the brim,
Bobby Carter sat paralyzed
Unable to move limbs.
He heard a door open,
And the letters tumbled out
Into a room with roses
And a girl he knew all about.
Bobby: “Tamara?” Bobby asked,
“What are you doing here?”
Tamara: “Now now, Bobby,
There’s no reason to fear.”
Her beautifully dark skin shimmered
in red light reflecting off rose petals.
The zeal in her eyes was youthful and bright
like two shiny onyx pebbles.
Bobby stared as she beckoned him forth,
and took his hand in her own.
Tamara: “You don’t have long now, Bobby Carter,” she said,
“You’re in the danger zone.
But while we’re alone, try to enjoy it.
She can’t hurt us here.
Retreat in me. Forget your life.
Let hope disappear.”
The night fires blazed
As familiarity burned,
And every single soul was equally concerned.
The Eclipse hanging between
Themselves and the sun,
In dreams of frayed memories,
Would they be undone?
A cry flew from William’s lips
And a voice came, unknown.
The sound of a baby’s cry
From William’s lips had flown.
He opened his eyes slowly
As a voice calmed his screams.
But what he saw next
Made him realize it was a dream.
The voice he heard was an echo
Of his earliest days.
A song from Mother’s voice
But it wasn’t his Mother’s gaze.
As a toddling infant-
His eyes stared up at Amy.
Who held him close to her
And sang these words to him quietly.
Amy: “O’er the hills to the Mountain you came
To fight for her and end her pain
Yet there’s more you do not know.
You must be strong, William,
To defeat this foe.”
She then kissed William to bid him goodnight.
Amy: “No matter what, William,
Stand and fight.”
The night fires blazed
As familiarity burned,
And every single soul was equally concerned.
The Eclipse hanging between
Themselves and the sun,
In dreams of frayed memories,
Would they be undone?
Cyrus sat in a boat with Connor,
Her fiance who had passed away.
They fished while she cuddled up to him,
And their boat underneath them swayed.
Connor: “You know I’m always watching you.”
He said as he stroked her hair.
Cyrus: “What’s it like in heaven, Connor?
What’s it like up there?”
Connor: “The machines are coming, Cyrus.
They are coming into view.
Just remember this, Cyrus:
I’m always watching you.”
Cyrus’ power seized up inside her
And she had to let a lightning bolt go.
It struck the boat they were sitting in,
And she was caught in the undertow.
She paddled and pulled and pushed herself
Up to the water’s surface,
But when Cyrus viewed the pond’s shore
What she saw made her nervous.
Connor stood there on the bank,
With an otherworldly stare
He made no move to help his love.
No, he just left here there.
Cyrus went under once again,
Then quickly bobbed back to air,
But when she resurfaced she was shocked to see
That someone else was there.
The eyes had not moved from where Connor’s were,
And Cyrus’ mind was doing back flips
For now she knew why Amy looked so familiar.
Connor’s eyes were embedded in Eclipse.
104: The Entrance
The lightning woke them all,
Especially because it was bright.
And although the sky was overcast,
The clouds showed puffy, white, light,
Not at all like rainclouds,
One might have expected.
Cyrus screamed in terror,
And her last meal, she rejected.
William scrambled over to her,
As Bobby and Amira stirred.
William: “Cyrus! What’s wrong? What happened?”
Cyrus: “Our fears were not absurd!
I know Eclipse! I know who she is!”
Amira: “Really, Cyrus? Who?”
Cyrus: “William, we have to save him now!”
William: “Cyrus, what’s wrong with you?”
Bobby: “Did you just say ‘him?’”
Amira: “Guys, let her talk!”
Cyrus: “Eclipse isn’t a normal person!
The truth is far more grim!
We know Phillip Keller experimented on her,
But we do not know why.
We don’t know what he did to her,
But I’ve been starting to try.
And the reason she’s so very familiar,
Is her soft brown eyes.
They belonged to my fiance Connor.”
Bobby: “Cyrus, what’s the big surprise?”
Cyrus: “I don’t mean that sentence metaphorically.
I mean it’s 100% true.
Connor’s eyes were taken from his body,
And glued into her head too!”
The mountain was silent for a moment,
As the Guardians stood disgusted.
Then before anyone could comment,
The silence was interrupted.
Bobby: “The Freakshow’s gone.”
Everyone looked, and they all saw it was true.
William: “Everyone just calm down for a moment.
Let’s think of what to do.”
—
Earlier that morning, Around 4 AM,
Marlynn paced to and fro.
He stared at The Guardians huddled together.
Sleeping with deep breaths, slow.
He knew they were his best shot
At finding his dear friend.
And he knew they were tired and worn out.
But his worry would not end
Until Amy sat with him again.
He turned and went to leave.
But something would not let him go.
Something in his heart cleaved.
He paused for a moment, and bowed his head.
And poured his heart out to God.
Tears streaming down his deformed, scarred, face.
As his feet continued to plod.
But as he prayed: “Lord, show me the way,”
He nearly broke his ankle.
Loose rocks beneath him gave way,
And he began to see a new angle.
He tumbled down but grabbed the ledge,
And saw the way inside.
The dark winding hallway lay before him.
Tears of joy he now cried.
He went to pull himself back up,
But he stopped a moment to think.
Marlynn: “They’ve worked so hard to get me here.
They deserve forty winks.”
He took a granola bar wrapper from his pocket,
And put it halfway under a stone.
Hopefully the Guardians would see the marker
And it wouldn’t get blown.
And so The Freakshow blundered into the dark,
With no natural way to see.
Guided only by an irrational love
For his only friend, Amy.
105: The Way Is Shown
Confusion gripped the Guardians
As they freaked out over a Freakshow.
Yelling, pacing, and trying to figure out,
Just where did Marlynn go?
But finally Amira’s tiny voice got through
All the others’ fear.
Amira: “I put a tracking device on him!”
William: “You did?
Good! Bring that here!”
Amira brought her smart phone over,
And they all gathered ’round the screen.
Bobby: “Is your phone retarded or something, Mir?
Is says he’s right here between-“
Amira: “I know! Alright?!
It must be malfunctioning or something!
Maybe it’s the way-“
William: “Everyone be quiet!”
William knelt down to pray.
They all grew quiet,
and Cyrus bowed her head too.
William silently prayed,
William: “God, I don’t know what to do.
Please help us Lord.
Show us where to go.”
Cyrus opened her eyes,
And Ezekiel stood aglow.
Right before her very eyes,
Her Guardian Angel pointed down,
And a lightning bolt struck right where he pointed,
And burned Marlynn’s wrapper to the ground.
No one said a word,
But they all rushed to the place,
And Amira looked over the edge,
And into the chasm’s face.
Amira: “There’s a cave right in here, Will!”
Cyrus: “Thank you, Lord.” Cyrus breathed.
Bobby: “Sorry, Mir, your phone works fine.”
William: “Guardians, we have a Freakshow to retrieve.”
106: The Cavern
Through the mountain Marlynn stumbled
Pressing through cold and dark.
He clung to the hope of finding Amy.
He lived for that hope’s spark.
He suddenly saw a light ahead,
And he quickened his pace to reach it.
The hall opened up into a large cavern.
Where thirty or more torches were lit.
There were other hallways attached to it,
Going who knew where?
But those barely registered to Marlynn.
For Amy was standing right there.
Marlynn: “Amy!” Marlynn said,
Stepping toward her slowly.
Amy lit the final torch,
And placed it in it’s sconce.
She then turned and smiled at Marlynn,
As the picture of nonchalance.
Marlynn: “Where’ve you been?
Why are you here?”
Amy hugged him and said,
Amy: “Hush now, my dear.
All of this is destiny now.
I know why I’m alive.
This is what I was made to do.
This is my life’s drive.”
Marlynn: “Am I talking to Diana?”
Amy laughed and replied,
Amy: “No, my beautiful Angel.
You have fixed my life.
My path is perfectly clear now.
I am to be the vessel.
For the ancient one, Harbingella.
And I am done with attempts to wrestle
Against all I was created for.”
Marlynn: “Amy, No! Why?!
Do you know who Harbingella even is?!”
Amy: “You obviously do. Tell me how! And don’t lie!”
Marlynn paused for a moment,
As tears filled Amy’s eyes.
Amy: “The only one who’s told me anything,
Is the voice inside my head.
The loud one you call Jezebel.
Her name is Harbingella instead!
While you seek to hide me from all that is dark,
I am alone and an easy mark!”
Marlynn paused before he spoke.
Marlynn: “… Harbingella was a legendary witch
But she is no joke.
She disappeared many years ago.
But her ravaging spans centuries.
She’d skip from one person to another.
By transferring her memories.
It’s a common thing that witches do,
To try and stay alive.”
Amy: “Marlynn, I have to do this.
It’ll be alright.”
Suddenly a rumbling in the caverns
Reared it’s ugly sound.
And all the torches in the room went out,
Amy screamed, and Marlynn fell down.
107: Harbingella’s Return
There was silence in the darkness
For a few moments there.
Marlynn took a moment to collect himself,
And to adjust his eyes’ dark stare.
Marlynn: “Amy?” He said in a cautious tone,
“Amy, are you still here?”
Amy: “There is no more Amy, you silly boy.
Amy has disappeared.”
The torches on the wall exploded with flame,
And Marlynn saw Amy standing tall.
Not hunched, or cowering, tiny, or lonely,
She was no longer small.
Her white dress rippled around her with magic,
That he had seen before.
The kind of beautifying a vain witch would use.
Sparkling and flowing the fabric more.
She walked toward him slowly,
With the swagger of Jezebel.
And she proudly announced,
Amy: “I’m going to put you through hell.”
Marlynn felt every muscle seize up,
As if cramping in sudden pain.
He was pinned to the floor and had no way to move.
No motor skills worked in his brain.
Amy: “And now for the one who rejected my magics,
And murdered his very own mother.
Who self-destructively loves a God who hates him,
For what reason? I have to wonder.
Put that all aside right now,
Come and follow me.
And you can be with the one you love,
I will not ask again of thee.”
Marlynn sat for a brief moment,
Entranced by her augmented beauty.
But even that did not distract him,
From his one great duty.
Marlynn: “I know you’re just a legend.
An echo of one that was.
Harbingella is just an evil woman.
Amy is more because
Harbingella doesn’t really live anymore,
Just the idea of her exists.
Amy, you have to snap out of this now!
You are not Harbingella! You are not Eclipse!
You are not Jezebel, Diana, or the others!
You are Amy! The girl I fell in love with!”
Amy cocked her head to one side.
Amy: “You assume I am just myth?
If that is so then what is Amy?
This girl’s name that you’ve invented?
Your cowardice is amusing, boy.
You are quite demented.”
Marlynn was raised by magics unknown,
And flung against the cave wall,
And then again and again his body was thrown.
All six foot eleven inches tall,
He was thrown around like a rag doll,
As Harbingella amused herself,
And in his delirium, Marlynn prayed
That he and Amy would receive help.
108: All Is Revealed
Marlynn’s prayer was answered shortly,
When his friends, The Guardians, found him.
Amira rushed in and held his head,
He possibly had broken some limbs.
As The Guardians stepped into the cave chamber,
Harbingella swaggered like a peacock.
Harbingella: “Well well, The Guardians of Atlanta.
Isn’t this a shock?
My little lost ones,
Haven’t you learned yet?
You can’t stop what’s destiny.
Why do you whine and fret?”
Marlynn sputtered blood and struggled to speak.
Marlynn: “That isn’t Amy talking now!
She’s possessed by a legendary witch!
But-”
Harbingella: “To save her you don’t know how!
Aww, poor little Freakshow, beaten and bloodied,
When will you ever learn?”
William: “I believe this very moment,
He’s the least of your concern.”
William drew into his hand,
Cromwell his greatsword.
Harbingella frowned at this gesture,
Yawned, and looked quite bored.
Harbingella: “Over the hills you’ve travelled long,
Yet you have never found,
The story of your mother, William.
Yet she stands before you now.”
William: “My mother is dead., said William bluntly,
Harbingella: “Well, not to be contrary,
But just as Connor Murdoch’s parts are in me,
So are Holly Avery’s.”
William wretched as Harbingella smiled
And to Amira, turned her attention.
Harbingella: “You see, Amira, Keller industries
Have made some amazing inventions.
Including ones to save peoples’ lives,
By cadaver parts. But their intentions
With this girl were not so pure, I’m afraid to say.
Their purpose was a vessel to raise me.
And your Freakshow showed me the way!”
Amira: “Intimidate us all you want!
You will never win!”
Harbingella: “I think not, Jana Jukembar.
For you fight against your twin.”
Bobby: “Alright now, this is getting silly!
I know, right? You’re Tamara too!
My closest thing to a girlfriend once,
Talk is over! Come on, witchypoo!
You may have bits of our friends in you
To raise you, or some crap!
It’s time to put you down, Harbingella!
Time to take a nap!”
This flustered Harbingella finally,
So she took the first shot.
A blast like a sound wave levelled the Guardians,
And to their backs, they dropped.
William went to pull himself up,
But Harbingella held him down.
Harbingella: “Naughty William! Why do you struggle?
Why do you make Mommy frown?”
109: The Ballade of Harbingella
Snow fell from the silent ‘bove
In that tiny village in the east-
Where homes full of Christian love
Brought joy from greatest to least.
And warmth and fellowship at every feast
Save the darkness that loomed within
The twelve year old daughter of the priest.
No one would survive her sin.
Though no reason was given for her switch
She radiated darkness throughout.
She practiced the art of a witch
Secretly with none knowing about-
How gleeful and without a doubt-
She planned and executed her scheme
Though she seemed pious and devout
Fiery hell ran through her bloodstream.
The town burned, black on snow,
Gave symmetry to the sound
Of desolation in her soul.
But she lusted for more towns
To flicker, ember, and burn down.
So off she walked to see
What villages – she made the rounds –
Would raise a spark as easily.
A few more towns fell victim to
The same fate as the last.
Fire consuming all then flew
Across nearby towns and fast.
But though the desolation was vast
Many people began to catch on
And questions did they then ask
How to stop her before the dawn.
She changed her tactics as she grew
To influencing others to wreak
The havoc that was in her heart-
She tricked others to seek.
She’d come and go within a week-
And the town would slowly fight
Until their souls had all gone bleak
And she’d drive away in the night.
This went on for her whole life
And then went on for more.
She stored a replica of her soul
In the anklet of a whore.
And every time the anklet wore-
Itself against some skin-
It possessed that person with the lore-
Her soul had held within.
What was then left of this “she,”
Three centuries to the day
Descended upon Standing Peachtree
With malicious intent to sway-
The people to her evil way,
But she finally was quelled,
As thousands showed up that day
To end Harbingella’s spells.
110: The Final Stand
Harbingella moved slowly closer to William,
Her dress billowing in an unfelt breeze.
But Cyrus stood up between them both.
Harbingella: “Cyrus, don’t make me say please.”
Cyrus let a vicious punch fly,
And connected with Harbingella’s face.
And in return, Harbingella
Gladly quickened her pace.
She used her magic to fling
Cyrus against the wall.
Then she was attacked
By the smallest of them all.
Holding Will’s sword, Knox,
In her tiny little hands,
Amira Kadru fought bravely.
Attempting to make a stand.
But Harbingella simply plucked Knox
Right out of her hands,
And slashed at Amira with it,
While heating it like a hot brand.
But something struck a nerve with Harbingella,
When Bobby Carter said:
“Nice anklet, babe. Where’d you get it from?”
For Harbingella wore an anklet,
That was a bronze-ish red.
Bobby hadn’t seen it before,
When he met her a day ago.
And Harbingella retaliated
With a very mighty blow.
But to her surprise, it only hit air,
And Bobby Carter chuckled.
Harbingella: “Illusions?! I’ll show you real magic!”
But then Stone Mountain buckled.
Cyrus had struck it with a lightning bolt,
And its foundations shook.
Harbingella turned to Cyrus
Just long enough to look
At the Angel, Ezekiel,
Who stood right next to her.
Then William swiped at Harbingella’s legs,
In what seemed like a total blur.
But Harbingella jumped over the blade,
And landed on her back.
Marlynn then rose, and spoke dark words
Which he used on Harbingella to trap
Her to the floor, As William struck
At the anklet’d leg.
Harbingella held the blade back with magic,
And then began to beg.
Harbingella: “William, please! Stop!”
Then Amira joined Will’s side.
Her hands on his, she helped him push,
As Bobby made things dance before the witch’s eyes.
Harbingella screamed as she tried to focus,
But she had one more foe.
Cyrus’ bolt struck the mountain again,
And dealt the final blow.
The anklet was severed and Amy was wounded.
But Harbingella was gone.
Potent magic spilled out of the anklet
Which William and the others had sawn.
William pulled it away with his sword,
And struck it again and again.
Dicing it into tiny pieces.
And crushing them with a rock in the end.
Marlynn held Amy close,
As she shivered in his arms.
Amira tended to Amy’s wounds.
They all were now safe from harm.
111: Parting Ways
The combat was fierce
Between Marlynn and Will.
As each other fought violently
Looking for the kill.
Suddenly “Finish Him!”
Was heard from the game,
And Marlynn’s blue ninja
Had William’s yellow one tamed.
The Guardians cheered
As they ate their snacks,
And The Castelle echoed softly
With all the fun and laughs.
It had been a week since Stone Mountain.
A week spent in celebration,
For the defeat of Harbingella,
And all The Plague’s intentions.
So as William arose, drew a toast with cream soda.
William: “I admit defeat. I will sing my coda.”
Cyrus, Bobby, and Amy, laughed and applauded.
Then William continued,
William: “I think I have a place for you to be slotted.
You’ve been an asset, Marlynn,
And we’ve both much to learn.
I about you,
And I’ll teach you in return,
About God’s word, and to be a part of a team.
What say you, Marlynn?
What say you of this scheme?”
Marlynn thought for a moment,
But in the end, sighed.
Marlynn: “I’m sorry, Will, but I must think of Amy.
She’s the light of my life.
She was a person before Keller Industries took that from her.
And I want to see who she really is.
So from your offer, I must deter.
It’s back to New York, for Amy and I.
You understand, Will.
You understand why.”
Amy came over
and held Marlynn’s long hand.
The two together were so different,
Yet together they could stand.
William: “I respect your decision, Mar.
You’re a man of great taste.
A woman who’s been through what she has,
Has a great measure of God’s grace.”
Marlynn: “I’m thankful to Him,
but also to all of you.
Without the Guardians of Atlanta,
I don’t what we’d do.”
Amy: “And I am thankful doubly so.
I am thankful for my life.
I’m thankful for the strength God gave you all.
To stand up and take the fight.”
Amira came over to Will,
And held his hand with a smile.
Amy: “I pray the strength, kindness,
and courage you show
Never go out of style.
But of all the things I learned through this,
This at last I hope everyone knows.
For this is the mark of true courage,
This is how it goes…
Do not fear the blood of the ancients.
They only posture in jest.
For as long as Christ is the Lord of your life,
His heart beats in your chest.”
112: Clipped
Up in the high room, of an old castle’s tower,
Red Death, the bald man from before, sat, incredibly sour.
News had long reached him that The Guardians had,
Put an end to his plans for Harbingella. And now instead,
Of celebrating with feasts he sat in his room alone.
Until a text message came over his phone.
“Clipper is here,” is what the text message said.
“Send him in.” replied Red, and whoever sent the message did.
Clipper came in cowering, looking defeated.
Red Death said to Clipper,
Red Death: “Clipper, don’t look so cheated!
The Guardians of Atlanta were formidable foes.
And if others had done their part, who knows?
Maybe Harbingella would be eating with us now.
But please sit down. Wipe the sweat from your brow.
Have a glass of wine and relax yourself.”
Clipper sat down and took a drink.
and tried to calm himself.
Red: “I know you’ve worked hard, and that the girl slipped away.
We had no clue where The Legend actually was.
That’s why we added the echoes of Harbingella,
and the descendants of those whose cause
It was to seal her away.
It was a potent spell to find it.
But once The Guardians found Harbingella,
they had enough power to bind it.”
Red stood up and paced the floor, Clipper totally on edge.
Clipper took a long chug of his wine and Red smiled and said:
Red: “Mutatio.”
The wine that Clipper had been drinking ripped through his throat,
And through his chest too.
It flew across into Red’s hand,
A dagger it became anew.
Clipper fell across the table, dead.
As Red Death admired the blade.
He pulled out his phone, and then texted his aid.
Text: “Please send in a maid.”
Red sighed and went to a window.
He stared out at the land below.
Red: “Curse The Guardians of Atlanta!…
Well at least now I know…
I hear Los Angeles is nice this time of year.
Perhaps that is where we will go.”
LogoSophia Magazine 