The Rebellion: Ch. 2

Chapter 2: Terra
The hover bikes flew across the earth like soaring eagles, their white and gold flags flapping in the wind like the wings of a dragon. My eyes were focused forward, my battle gear tight on my body. I was dressed in my usual attire: a black vest, with black boots, pants, and gloves. My hair was spiked out and my prized weapon, Olympic Bane, was strapped across my back. My hands were tightly gripped over the hadle bars of the hover craft as my batallion and I raced off towards Terra.

My co-general, Cole Ignis, hovered next to me. An eye patch was slung over his right eye, and a flurry of swords and guns were strapped over his various limbs. His brown hair rippled in the wind as his single black eye stared forward. Cole had informed me that the Rebellion had recieved a distress call from the human colony of Terra, which was being attacked by vicious Hell Hounds. As the supreme general of the resistance, it was my job to lead my cohorts on a rescue mission.

Lance Graves sat in the vehicle next to me, zooming along at a speedy pace. His slick, brown hair flew wagged behind him like a tail, the dozen or so snow white scars on his beefy arms shimmering in the sun. Katalina, his trusty Stygian iron broadswoard, hung at his side, dangling high above the ground as we sailed. Lance had quickly become my right-hand man, and I knew that I would soon come to rely on him more and more.

"General Whitewood! Permission to speak!" Lance called over the howl of the wind.

"Permission granted!" I shouted. "Permanently!" I added the last part, which threw him off guard. He looked at me curiously, smiling at the newly instilled trust I had placed in him.

"We have two more miles until we come upon Terra!" he said, looking at the glowing blue, holographic image that shimmered infront of him.

I nodded in understanding, my breathing become quick as my heart beat faster. Today would be my first day to in the field, my first day since my battle against the Olympians and the Burning of Diabla. I would have to prove my worth in order to assure this people that I was a trustworthy leader. As the tall, brown grass of the wheat fields rippled beneath us, we soared over a large hill and watched as Terra came into sight.

The small, brick houses of the colony were in flames, black smoke rising into the blue, afternoon sky. My eyes darted from building to building as I watched men, women, and children run from their lives.

"Troops! Halt" I said, raising my fist into the air and ordering my batallion to stop. As the roar of our hover crafts' motors died out, I slid off my bike and branded my weapon. Lance and Ignis were suddenly upon me, each one on either side of me.

"This looks dangerous," Lance said, his lip trembling. I could see his hands shaking out of the corner of my eyes, and I place my large, callused hand on his back.

"Do not be afraid, Graves," I smiled softly. "The gods feed off of fear. It's what got the world into this state in the first place."

I looked to my right and to my left. I had three resistance troops on each side, all of them donned in shimmering, white armor. Sleek, long blades were held tight in their grips as I we stared out towards Terra.

"Tonight," I said towards Lance,"you become a man."

And with that, we charged.

~

I slid down the rocky hill side, my feet barreling towards the burning town. Blood curdling screams and ear shattering roars lit the night as I soared through the town. I willed the black, whispy essence known as Titan Mist to swirl around my feet, the mystical smoke adding a special kind of endurance to them to make me run faster.

"General Ignis! Lance!" I shouted above the roar of the fire. "Take the east end of the town! I want all the citizens out of here before I start razing this place for Hell Hounds." I turned to my troops. "You! Take the west end! Search for any signs of demonic life! I want as little collateral damage as possible!"

They all nodded, launching off into their respective directions. Olympic Bane felt light and familiar in my hand as I raced through the streets of the colony. My eyes darted back and forth, their dagger like precision searching through the shattered windows of the Terran houses. There was still no sign of hell hounds as far as I could see, but I wasn't going to second guess myself or these people.

As I ran down the ember littered, cobblestone street, there was a loud rumbling from behind me. A house exploded in a column of white flame, my feet flying out from underneath me. The force of the impact knocked me onto my back as rubble and debris began to rain down from the sky.

"What in the name of-?" My words were silenced as the three teenagers emerged from the house. My eyes widened as I stared at them, my lips sealed shut.

They were each at least six feet tall, their black hair shimmering in the setting sunlight. They were drapped in night black robes, sizzling holes scattered throughout their cloaks from the falling ember. The first two teens were twin males, each with slick, beady eyes that glowed a sizzling, fire orange. Their white hair flowd in the wind, flickering as if it was actually fire atop their heads. The twin on the right was distinguished by the obvious, blistering red scar that ran across his nose.

Between them was a slinder, curvy young girl. Her hands were ablaze with white fire, her eyes glowing the same firey color. Her hair, however, was slick, ginger red, curled into waves that fell down to her shoulderblades. Her face was flawless and beautiful, yet she had a swirling aura of evil that surrounded her.

As I layed their on the ground, covered in debris, the trio began to talk in thick British accents.

"Father will be proud of us, will he not?" the twin with the scar said, his voice remeniscent of a wild buck slamming its antlers into a wall.

"He shall," the girl said, licking her lips slowly and softly. Her voice was like flowing water, trickling and soft. "He shall reward us greatly. The Sacking of Terra was as simple as taking candy from a baby..."

"Do you think he will put us in charge of his army, Janissa?" The second twin asked, his voice similar to that of a flickering flame.

The girl, Janissa, shook her head. "I doubt it. Father is too proud of himself to release his army into the hands of his children, Barbas."

Barbas, the second twin, groaned. "But he promised-."

"You speak as if he has never broken a promise," the scarred twin chuckeled.

"And you speak as if you know him, Madrak," the other male scowled.

They glared each other, sharpenend teeth bared, hands flickering with white flame. Suddenly their faces were covered by their sister's hands. "Silence brothers. I believe we have a silent eavesdropper."

I felt my heart skip a beat as all their heads turned towards me. Madrak, the scarred one, glared at me. "Is...that him?"

"Is that the Man Made of Mist?" Barbas chuckled, his hands swirling with what now looked like white smoke.

"I believe it is," Janissa smiled, her perfect lips drawn back into a seductive smirk. "I believe General Whitewood now lays before the children of Hades."

I stood quickly, regaining my balance on the cobblestone street. I had faced a demigod before, but never three at a time. I drew Olympic Bane and held it before me, Titan Mist swirling around my fingers. "Stay back," I said firmly, my hands calm and stiff around my blade.

They stared at me for a few seconds, their eyes ablaze...and then they began to laugh.

"He really thinks he is powerful?!" Barbas chuckeled, his eerie voice lighting up the night.

"He does not know what powers we have at our command," Madrak grinned, licking his razor sharp canines.

"Shall we show him, brothers?" Janissa smirked, biting her lip in exasperation.

They took one step, and raised their hands. Three jets of marble white smoke soard towards me, slithering up and down like venomous snakes. I willed the Titan Mist to encase me in a full body suit of smoky armor, the only opening being the slits before my eyes. I held Olympic Bane at engarde, ready to face the oncoming threat...

The smoke shattered my armor, sending me flying down the street. I barrel rolled at least a full yard, rubble and sharpnel tearing my skin and clothes open. I skidded to a halt at the end of the avenue, my hands clenched tight around my sword. My eyes were bloodshot and red, blood trickling down my forehead.

How? How had they penetrated the Titan Mist? I'd belived it to be impossible...but obviously not. The black smoke tattoo on my left shoulder was blistering hot, and I realized that it had shrunk in size. Was that an after effect of the Titan Mist being damaged?

I looked forward as the three children of Hades walked towards me. Their hands were covered in the devilish, white smoke.

"Surprised?" Janissa giggled, her eyes alight with fury and anger. "Did you really think that your precious Titan Mist was invincible? Nothing is invicible, Whitewood...not even the gods."

I snarled at her, my weapon drawn in anger. "Who are you?!"

"We are the harbingers of hell," she hissed as she flicked her wrist forward. The white mist sailed towards me, and before I could cover myself in Titan Mist, the jet of white smoke tore through my shoulder.

I roared in agony, blood spurting from the wound like a scarlet fountain of pain.

"Do you like our Olympian Mist?" Madrak chuckled lowly. "It was designed by our father. It comes directly from the blood of Kronos himself...quite unique, if you ask me."

I gripped my shoulder tight, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. It was a failed attempt, however, as the velvet colored blood poured over my fingers like waterfalls.

"We would kill you," Janissa smiled, bending down next to me. "But it would be a waist...and it would anger our father. For now, we shall leave you with a parting gift."

Janissa's shimmering red lips parted, and words began to pour out. "Ssik fo eht Nomed..." Her lips began to glow a poisonous green, and suddenly they were upon mine. Her moist lips kissed me softly with enough force to shatter my leg. I could feel a strange sensation stabbing in my heart, as if I was being killed from her kiss.

"W-what did you do?!" I shouted, as she stood, her hips swaying as she walked away slowly.

"I gave you the Kiss of the Demon," she smiled, blowing me a kiss softly. "I have poisoned you. In 10 days, you will die...that is if you haven't been killed by then. Oh, and if you tell any of your friends about your little...curse here, you will drop dead instantly."

My eyes were wide, my hands gripping at the sudden sharp pain in my chest.

"Ta-ta, now!" she said, winking towards me. Janissa snapped her finely sharpened nails, and in a flash of white smoke they three children of Hades were gone.

Next Chapter: Chapter 3: A Plan