Harbinger of the Past

Mobius had left in a hurry. This exit was in a quiet corner of the building and well hidden amongst its many edges. For the moment it seemed the plan would go off without a hitch. Though Daniel didn't want to take too much comfort in that notion. Mythiiandros's troops couldn't be that far behind. The theme of danger played endlessly in this desperate quest. He started wondering if Mobius met with an unknown adversary and had already been stricken down. It must have been more than five minutes by now. Though if he made a rash decision and it turned out he was wrong, the entire plan could fall apart. So, he decided to stick it out a little longer and stay by the exit in hopeful anticipation.

"Owe!" Daniel blurted as he swatted the back of his neck. Doing this in retaliation to something biting him. It was a painful sting, and he was certain he pulverized the offender. Dragging his hand away after, there were a few drops of blood on his fingers, yet no insect remains. "Damn it's fast. It got me good." He announced to himself.

Another fifteen seconds passed, and still no sign of the deity. Not the sound of a truck, nor the chatter of the people. Rather, a buzz started ringing through his ears. Insect wings flapping about and circling their prey. Dan looked to and fro, up and down, and all around. He heard the sound but could not find the source. As the first sting managed to draw blood, the need to avoid another attack seemed pertinent. Perhaps there was a nest or something close by and this wasn't the best place to wait; unless he was ready to be the main course for these unseen diners. He took a couple steps away from the wall in careful observation. Still, there was no one around at all.

The buzzing tuned out as he stepped away, yet his neck felt warm. He swiped his wound and saw more brownish blood on his hand. While he rubbed the area, he felt a prick on his finger. As if something solid and sharp remained in his skin. Trying to get a sense of it, he rubbed around the area a bit more until he felt confident to give it a tug. It was large and attainable. For something this big, the insect must have been a giant of its kind! Pinching the stinger, he made a quick withdraw.

Electricity shot through his neck and a burning wave rolled up his skull. It took everything not to shout out loud. The pain was so great that he didn't even have the opportunity to observe what was in his body. He grasped his head with both hands as he dropped to the ground. Rolling in agony, the blaring pain spread down his spine. It launched into all four limbs as his toes curled and his arms locked up. Yet when the pain reached the farthest tips of his being, it came back through in a relieving rush. The poison seemed to suddenly lose its potency as most of his suffering subsided in the matter of seconds. However, an uncomfortability still lingered in his head. Not anything on par with what he just went through, but a stabbing feeling did remain.

Pressing off the ground, Daniel grimaced. He kept one hand on his head while he leaned into the wall. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and a passing magnetism ran over his skin. It was a similar feeling to before, though not nearly as painful. That's when he heard it, a familiar sound. It was a woman's giggle. A distinct voice. One he's heard before –at least he believed so. The sound brought on a sense of confusion, and Daniel couldn't help but wonder where it came from. This was an isolated area, no one could easily creep up without being noticed. He looked right: a long alley coursing beside the Bell Tower foundation. He looked left: a shorter alley that wrapped around and led to the street. The familiar voice laughed again. He looked right once more: nothing. He looked left a final time: there she was. Not so far as to be mistaken, yet far enough to leave one wondering.

In the distance, a woman by herself. She had a short blue dress and high heels. Long red hair fell to her shoulders. She was slender in shape and dressed up for a purpose. Her back was turned as she giggled again and started walking away. I know that laugh, Daniel pondered in his mind.

A distracting lure perhaps, conjured by his shadowy guilt. He felt compelled to approach her, though considered it was just some illusion. Brought about by the insect venom coursing through his body. His neck still bled, and the mild discomfort still nested in his brain. He struggled with what he should do. There was still no sign of Mobius! Not even a mild hum from an approaching vehicle. It felt nearly impossible to resist any longer.

Her voice rang out a fourth time; a concluding blow. The sound reminiscent of former days. A taunting image of some unsettled memory in Daniel's mind. Perhaps a chance to find closure for an emotional scar left unhealed. He took the first step in her direction. She was walking away from him, just about to round the corner and go out of sight. Before she did, she glanced in Daniel's direction. Though she was some two hundred feet away, with the side profile of her face and her laugh, he was convinced that he knew this woman. He maintained an internal debate and announced with an almost terrified tone, "It can't be her though. It just can't be."

​Racing in the woman's direction, Daniel neared the corner. He turned into a small alley contained within two segments of the gallery walls. No woman could be perceived, she escaped him. Instead, another sound echoed between the partitions. Faint whimpering, that of a child's voice. A young boy trying to stay quiet yet unable to mute his pain. His cries solemn and riddled with suffering. Cast from a mouth unable to speak in command. For the words were dismissed between the formulation of every syllable. No one received his pleas, as the sounds were directed to the deaf and the blind.

Taking slow purposeful steps, Dan walked deeper into the alleyway. At last he perceived the source. An expected sight: a young boy huddled in the distance. Leaning onto a protruding segment of the building, his face covered and tucked into his arms. Daniel couldn't place the feelings, but this scene felt eerily familiar. Despite the location, other factors felt nostalgic. As if he wasn't standing in the world at all. More like he was watching some video pulled from memory. In fact, it was at this exact moment that he realized he wasn't at Balboa Park anymore. The colors had changed while he was distracted by the child. The white walls turned muddy, and the sky went black. Although it hardly even mattered at this point. All he could focus on was the boy and how strangely familiar he was. Whispering out loud yet meant for no one, he said, "I used to have that jacket. I had it when I was a little kid." His footsteps slowing but nearing closer, Dan could see over the child's lapel. "I know your face." He muttered in horror.

​Suddenly from behind a protruding edge in the alley, a woman appeared. It was the same woman he saw before. Daniel whispered some more, "No, it can't be." With a worried look on his face, he collapsed down and put his hands on the dirty ground. "Not again. I can't go through this again."

​The woman seemed to be shouting, but her voice no longer made a sound. Dan could hear nothing but the boy whimpering –a slow and dull repetition replaying over and over. His tears were unending as he cowered beneath his jacket. Looking at the scene play out; Daniel was paralyzed to watch. As the muted woman continued to silently scream, not in anger, but rather fear, her motions suddenly deviated. She spun around as a man rushed into the scene and pushed her into the wall. His face was dark and hazy, constantly shifting and remaining imperceptible. There were strange marks on the man's arms and chest, like his skin had been burned in a fire. He hit the woman several times with a closed fist, and even began kicking and stomping her head when she was down. The little boy scurried closer in Dan's direction before turning around to witness the violence.

"It's too bad, she was my Little Star." The blurry man said after he stopped thrashing the woman in blue. His voice blended with dark menacing tones. He said his words while standing over her lifeless body draining across the pavement.

From all fours Daniel reached his arm out towards the child, "Come here, please. You need to be free. Let me save you. I can save you now." He babbled.

Turning to face him, the boy's watery eyes locked with his. "Please." Daniel said one more time. But in these last moments, the boy's face intensified. The mysterious attacker's hands latched onto the child's shoulders and pulled. When the boy was tugged backwards, it's like he was ripped out of time and space. The whole scene and all of its characters vanished instantaneously. "NO!" Daniel wailed at the top of his lungs.

"There you are!" Mobius said as he reached down and tugged Daniel up to his feet. "Snap out of it man!"

"What –Mobius? Is that you? What's happening, I can't see." Dan said as if waking from a terrible dream. Only to find that his sight had been taken while he slept.

"Get in the car Daniel, we have to leave. Now!"

His pupils began to constrict as the image of Mobius slowly came into focus. Daniel was gradually regaining his senses as the god aided him in walking out of the alley. When they were a few feet from the exit, the truck's engine could be heard; yet something else made a noise as well.

Mobius glanced back down the alley and that's when he saw it. The most loathsome creature. It looked like a small pale imp as it appeared from around the distant corner. Lurching forward in a contorted stance, this demon was robed in a brown tattered rag. Only small parts of its face could be seen beneath the hood –dripping and oozing with boiling blood; burning its skin from the steaming caustic fluids. Yellow piercing eyes were intently staring, and large pointed teeth could hardly contain its demented cackle. This menacing demon reached its pointed fingers out and released a terrible piercing wail. Daniel's ears stung as he covered them, yet Mobius remained unaffected by the sound. He was focused on disappearing as quickly as possible while shouting, "Come on! Hurry! RUN!"

Having enough of his cognition restored, Daniel staggered close behind and it wasn't long before he saw a large black SUV with heavily tinted windows. Without a second guess, Daniel started for the back door as Mobius ran around to the driver's side. Upon entering the vehicle, Dan witnessed Potestas and Aerial in very thick robes. They were anxiously waiting.

Potestas reached over to pull Daniel's door shut. "Get it moving!" The mighty god demanded when Mobius finally sat into the driver's seat.

The vehicle sped away, but Aerial could not contain her frustration. She looked at Dan in the backseat and shouted, "She said do not stray from the path! You would be easily lost. Ignore the woman is what Aerial told you!"

"I know, I know okay! I thought you meant figuratively, not literally! What the fuck was that?" Daniel boisterously wailed as Mobius weaved the vehicle in and out of busy traffic –sounding the horn periodically.

Her voice suddenly cut short, as if she didn't expect the question. Rolling her eyes in shame, the goddess sharply stated while dimming her tone. Her response recollected ancient days. This was a rare moment when she did not immediately refer to herself in the third person. "A mistake that I made long ago. Before Aerial came to this world. That woman, and others like her, were faithful to me. Long since fallen from grace and horribly twisted by the burning sands. She is a harbinger of the past. Freed from hell by Mythiiandros to search for the exiles. They blame me for their corruption and have offered their gifts in exchange for vindication."

"Whoa!" Mobius shrieked as he nearly missed another car while cutting through an intersection. "Can you two shut up please! I need to concentrate!"

"Take the next left! Zealots are before us." Aerial unexpectedly exclaimed as she pointed forward. Even though no police cars could be seen, Mobius was not in disbelief of her assertion. Knowing that her vision extended far beyond observable sight.

Doing as instructed, Mobius turned the corner. Yet it wasn't long before police cars were seen approaching. "Umm Aerial, there are still Zealots in front of us!"

"I didn't see them." The goddess said with frustration. "Okay take a right, get on the highway, we will lose them. The birds haven't gathered beneath those clouds."

Taking a sharp right and nearly swiping a passing semi, Mobius had successfully boarded the highway. "Birds beneath the clouds? I don't care about any damn birds!"

With his foot buried to the floor, the exiles made a swift getaway. Heaven's army had not gathered sufficiently to cover all avenues. Though the forces were numerous, they simply couldn't be everywhere; especially when being pitted against a clairvoyant. Without Mythiiandros having adequate preparation, it wasn't difficult for the exiles to evade his sentinels. Though some suspicion remained. It seemed their escape was almost too easy.

They took as many back roads as they could. And before long they were well on their way. Before dusk, they had made it out of the city and were gliding the open roads. Very few cars were to be seen, making the chances of avoiding detection more in their favor. Immediate danger had seemingly passed. Daniel couldn't help himself, he had to ask. "Mobius, I've learned much about the gods, but not so much about you. What was your role in Heaven? If I may be so bold to ask?"

"Well I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." He waited a few moments to gauge Daniel's response, and then laughed it off. "Nah I'm just kidding. I am the Guardian of Change. I made sure mankind never stagnated. I helped keep them on the path to growth and prosperity."

Daniel nodded before producing a slight smirk, "Well that would explain your whole speech about 'change' before. Makes sense now." He felt a little embarrassed for being at such a loss of words, but Mobius brushed it off with a chuckle.

In about three days' time they had arrived at their remote destination. Approaching evening, the sun neared its descent to the horizon. A tall stone fence was built alongside the gravel road, and they drove next to it for several minutes. Arriving at last before a large metal and wooden arch, the vehicle slowly pulled in. Finding a space to park, Daniel and Mobius stepped out. They looked upon a large complex with numerous buildings, ponds, and gardens. The farthest edge stretched back into the distance, and from the hilltop, this place was a sight to behold. "Come on, we have to hurry." The shifting deity demanded.