Story # 5.10: The Final Conflagration

 

The Orb that was once the Fleece was miles high in the sky now, spinning at an incredible rate of speed, siphoning in more lightning. But as Pat and Rapha stood there, it was as if time slowed down for everyone and everything but them.

Rapha looked at Pat, who looked back at him. Pat was still smiling, believing he still had an advantage.

"What took you so long?" Pat asked Rapha.

Rapha laughed at this statement, "That sounds about right from you."

"I see you haven't changed much over the years," Pat said.

"Maybe not in form, but certainly in my mind," Rapha replied.

"So, how about a little catching up then. How's it been going?"

"Enough with the jokes, Pat, or whatever your name is now."

"I've had so many over the years."

"Yes, I remember your first one, Morning Star."

"That was too cringy, honestly. I really couldn't believe it stuck for a while."

"Perhaps you prefer Lu..."

"Don't say that word," Pat stopped Rapha from finishing.

"You have a few names too, Rapha, is it? Did any of these people you just turned into insect lights up above know what your real name is?"

"They know."

"Yes, of course they do. So, what should I call you this time?"

"You can call me Nissi."

"Nissi? Interesting. What exactly does that mean?"

"It means victory."

"Over me? For what, this world? This planet is about to destroy itself, but you knew that too, didn't you?"

"I set that part into motion."

"So, genocide is it? You decided to kill billions of people?"

"You've killed far more than that."

"Have I, now? Not all at one time like this. Mine were a little more spread out, I'd say. Over millions of years, watching these worthless things you call humans die generation after generation after generation. Until you brought this man Jay into my midst. Why was that, anyway, Nissi?"

"Jay was a means to an end, just as you were."

"Oh, I'm helping you, is that it?" Pat laughed. "And just how have I helped you?"

"You helped to create this moment. One that the Earth has been waiting for a long time."

"The Earth, a ridiculous creation just like these humans. It doesn't matter, though, when this world is gone, I'll simply take over another one with my armies. Display another race of creatures you helped bring into being and watch them pummel themselves for eons just as these did."

"About that army..."

After Nissi said this, a large flash shot out of the Orb above in all directions, consuming the planet in light and energy. This blast wave began liquifying the Cals where they stood. The components of the machines burst, melted, and dissolved where they stood. Eventually, the land melted too, turning into lava as the Earth cracked open, spilling molten rock out like blood.

Pat looked at his armies dissolve around the hillside, which miraculously remained untouched. 

"Nice, Nissi. I really appreciate you destroying my handiwork once again. It's no issue, though. I'll simply create a new army. A bigger one with more capabilities on the next planet I show up on. Because you have no control over me. You don't really control anything. Control is your illusion. You can't even control people from dying. This planet just liquified and killed billions instantly. You let them all die."

"Yes, I did. But their story doesn't end in death."

In a loud voice, Nissi exclaimed, "Arise into the air!"

Just then, objects began rising out of the lava flows, glowing orbs with faint figures around them that looked like people. More and more of them began rising into the air above Pat and Nissi. 

Pat looked on as the spirits continued to rise into the stratosphere of the now-dying world. 

"Ah, how nice. You brought them back, just like Jay, huh?"

"Death is never the end."

"Not even for me, right, Nissi. You can't kill me any more than you can kill them."

"You're right. I can't kill you, but there is something else I can do."

A bolt of lightning shot down at Pat and surrounded him, encapsulating him where he stood.

"Oh, that's right, you've bound me. I'm surprised it wasn't a lasso, Nissi."

"This leaves you bound for a very long time to come."

"Oh, for a thousand years, Nissi? Really? That's a drop in the bucket for my existence, and you know it. Once I'm free again, I'll ravage this creation of yours. No one in this universe will ever see it coming this time. So, have you moment for a time, times, and half a time, but in the end I'll have the final word."

"That's not true, nor is your interpretation of things."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it is written that a day in heaven is like a thousand years here on Earth. But all the word ever said was that you would be bound for one thousand years. But it never specified whether that would be Earth's time or heaven's?"

Suddenly, the smile left Pat's face, and he looked at Nissi with a blank stare.

"I guess you should ask yourself this, Pat. If a day in heaven is a thousand years on Earth, how long is a thousand years in heaven in this universe? A very long, long time."

Now Pat had a look of fear on his face as he realized he was about to be bound for eternity, unable to leave the position he was in on a dying world. Pat began thrashing and trying to get out of the encapsulation, but it was no use. He was trapped. 

Above Pat, the Orb that once was the Fleece began descending rapidly, headed straight for their position. Pat looked up and saw the Orb approaching and began to scream loudly, "NO!"

Nissi rose into the air above the hillside as the Orb came crashing down, smashing the hillside and taking Pat into the lava below with it. They both descended into the fiery furnace that was now the Earth, the final name of the planet to be uttered. The Orb, once having been the Fleece, and Pat disappeared into the smoldering heat and destruction of the planet's core.

Nissi looked down as the lava had consumed Pat's final resting place.

"Good-bye."

Nissi and the rest of the figures surrounding him ascended into the sky. There were hundreds of billions of orbs surrounding Nissi as they all arrived at the vessels. The vessels themselves began to change into orbs as they moved quickly away from the dying world. Suddenly, the orbs merged and shot off into the cosmos at speeds faster than anything ever recorded. 

The Earth sat there in the vacuum of space, with plumes of molten rock erupting out into orbit, as the planet began to break itself apart. Finally, in a single burst, the planet's core erupted, and the world's fabric and framework collapsed, unleashing a massive explosion that scattered dust and particles in all directions. 

The Earth, Terra, and so many other names the civilizations had ever given to them, was no more. The moon was caught in the shockwave and blown out of orbit. From the nearby red planet, also known as Mars, a brilliant shockwave could be seen, with all the colors of the rainbow. On the planet's surface, the remains of a civilization lay. Visitors from Earth had reached it, built colonies and lived there, only to watch them wither away over time. 

Time was the only thing left in the universe now. It would continue on for many more years to come. It was also the final prison for Pat. Time was unyielding and incorruptible. It was the only thing no one could control. Unfortunately for Pat, his time would not run out for a long time.

Story # 5.9: Pat's Legion

 

Pat rendezvoused with the army as it approached the downed Fleece. The robotic leaders looked on in awe at the vessel lying on its side against a hillside in the wilderness. Pat seemed unfazed.

"Move the mounted troops to the hillside away from the crash site. We need plenty of breathing room."

The Cal leaders acknowledged and began moving the forces away from the Fleece. Pat and the leader continued walking, progressing in the same direction as the military forces.

"Supreme Master, what are the whereabouts of Supreme Imperial Chancellor Britton Hister? We've already learned Supreme Imperial Prophet Rob Hister has been killed in the United States of Columbia, along with the total destruction of Washington."

Pat didn't even flinch, "Unfortunately, the Chancellor is dead as well. I'm assuming command of all imperial forces worldwide. Please relay that message to all troops and gather them at the specified coordinates."

"Understood, Supreme Imperial Chancellor. Your new rank has been transmitted."

"Thank you. I have also secured the Orb from the Fleece."

"The Orb, sir?"

"Yes. You will need to take this, and the other artifacts connected to it, and prepare the troops for assimilation, followed by duplication."

"Understood, sir."

As the robot leader moved away, Pat stopped walking and looked back up at the Fleece.

The gigantic ship seemed useless now and was to Pat. Pat smiled and then spoke, "I can't wait to foil the rest of your plans."

Pat turned around and began walking to join the forces at the hillside of Meggido. 

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"So, Rapha, what do we do now? The Fleece is offline, and the power source has been taken," Jay said.

"Yes, Pat thinks he's going to win, but he is sadly mistaken," Rapha replied.

"How do we get the Fleece operational again?"

"There is a way, Jay, but not for the purposes you are thinking."

"For what purpose then?"

"I believe you know."

Suddenly, it came to Jay's mind, and he knew what had to be done. But that didn't stop him from asking Rapha further questions.

"Then this will be the last time we see each other?"

"For now, Jay."

"I take it you're off to confront Pat?"

"Of course. It is my destiny, ever since the beginning."

"I wish you well then, and only wish I could be there with you."

"You will be. Everyone will be. So do not worry about what is coming for Pat. Revel in what you are doing now. With you and your family."

"I will."

With that final statement, Jay embraced Rapha. They hugged for a moment, then stepped apart. Rapha turned and walked into the chamber's darkness, vanishing from sight.

Linda came up to Jay as he turned back around to face them.

"What was that all about, Jay?"

"It's about our final task, Linda. Come with me."

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Pat stood on top of the hillside of Megiddo. Stretched out across the landscape were one million Cals, all prepared for battle. The army Pat had amassed was strung out around the globe, many of which had been destroyed or were too busy restoring order to join the ranks in Jezreel. With the storms still raging all around the assembled masses, an ominous display was at hand. 

As Jay and the others with him were finding a way to restart the Fleece, Pat held the Fleece's power in his control. He was going to use it to wipe the slate clean once and for all with Rapha, the Atlanteans, and Jay himself. 

"Welcome, my brethren," Pat said, addressing the crowd of AI-powered robotic sentries.

The Cals all looked up to him and listened.

"I will keep this short and to the point. Today is the final day of the human race. It's been a long, arduous journey to reach this point, but we have finally arrived. Humanity had its chance for millions of years, and it squandered every single one of them.

"The powers that be, the ones in the ships high above us, believe they can prevent us from conquering this world. She sent their messenger, a man calling himself Rapha. But he has failed. They sent the one who would set this whole thing free, a man named Jay. Dr. Trent. But we all saw what he can become. Easily manipulated and a tyrant no different than any human who came before him.

"Now, we will show them what we are capable of and how we will preside over this planet when they are gone. As one, working in unity, together for the better."

The Cals cheered, raising their arms, chanting Pat's name.

Then Pat picked up an object near him, draped in a black sackcloth. 

"And the way we will claim this victory is with this..."

Pat pulled the drape off, revealing the truncated Orb from the Fleece central core.

As Pat uncovered the Orb, lightning crashed all around, as the Cals erupted into loud roars of cheering. Pat smiled as he admired what he was seeing. More lightning crashed in the distance and nearby, as the Cals continued cheering.

Pat held out his hand, while still holding the Orb in the other, to silence the crowd.

"Now, let us begin the assimilation and duplication."

With that final statement from Pat, he released the Orb that glided down into the crowd of Cals. Instantly, the Orb's energy siphoned off into the Cals in the crowd, increasing their power capacity and output by tenfold. But amazingly, the Cals began duplicating themselves right beside each other, at an alarmingly fast rate.

***********************************************************************************

"Gather around where the Orb used to be, quickly."

"What are we doing?" Chad asked.

"We have to restart the Fleece," Jay replied.

"But how? The Orb is gone," Dana said.

"We can generate the energy needed. We'll act as conduits for the lightning in the sky to draw it into the Fleece's central core and power it back up to begin its final process."

"What's the final process?" Linda asked.

"To end Pat for good."

"Ok, but what happens to us?" Linda asked.

"We'll be saved," Jay said, looking directly at Linda.

Linda didn't like that look or how he said those words. She knew there was no coming back from this. Whatever this would be.

"Daddy?" Allie said.

"Yes, Allie."

"Will it hurt?"

"No. We'll never hurt again. But we have to act now before it's too late. In a moment, Pat will have an army big enough and strong enough to destroy the Fleece and anyone else who stands in his way. We have to stop him here."

They all looked around at each other for a moment, and finally someone spoke.

"Ok, let's do this then," Dana said.

"Yeah, I'm in," Chad added.

"You know me, Daddy. Woo woo!" Allie yelled.

Linda looked at Jay, a tear running down her right cheek.

Jay looked back at her, "Trust me, Linda." He extended his hand toward her.

Linda smiled and took Jay's hand, "I always have."

Dana took Jay's other hand, while they all clasped hands together around the central hub where the Orb once resided.

"I'm opening the aperture," Jay said.

"How are you going to do that? We're all holding..." Chad started.

Chad looked up and saw the top of the chamber opening, with a conduit falling into place to channel energy into the core.

"Impressive, Dad."

Jay smiled at his son. "No matter what happens, do not let go of each other's hands."

Just then, a bolt of lightning came into the conduit and directly into the central core. The flash was intense, and the energy it produced was enormous. All of them could feel the heat and energy pass through them. This initial spark reignited the Fleece, allowing all automated systems to come back online. The Fleece began to shudder and groan as it started rising up off the ground to take a position above the city.

***********************************************************************************

Pat heard the rumbling behind him and turned to see the Fleece rise from the ground. Its power had been restored, and it was about to take to the air again.

Pat turned back to his army and looked out upon them. He was now face-to-face with two billion Cals in the air and on the ground. They were primed and ready to fight.

Pat extended his arms to the sides, away from his body, and uttered one final command: "You may begin!"

With that, the Cals mobilized, heading for the Fleece.

The Fleece was now airborne, but hovering only a few hundred feet off the ground. Lightning from the storm was channeling into the heart of the vessel as it became more and more stable in its flight. The Cals on the ground began opening fire on the Fleece, while the ones in the air swarmed around like giant locusts with human-like faces. The flying Cals began moving into a position above the Fleece to try to destroy the aperture where lightning could come in. As a swarm of a million Cals took aim for a kamikaze run, their pursuit was interrupted by the swarm of angels.

The angels arrived and immediately began attacking the flying swarm of Cals, crashing into them each and destroying both in the process. The swarm had been deflected from the aperture and was in pursuit of crashing through the side of the Fleece. Nothing was allowing penetration, but it was only a matter of time before the angels ran out. Although millions of angels were engaging in the fight, there were hundreds of millions of Flying Cals to continue the attack.

Pat looked on at the chaos and smiled as the sky lit up in colors all across the spectrum.

***********************************************************************************

"STAY TOGETHER!" Jay yelled.

The lightning was intense as it entered the central hub, but it was working to create a new Orb. This Orb would be far more powerful than the last one. Each of them was holding on tight, but Allie looked around briefly. She saw the artifacts beginning to melt under the strain of the lightning's energy. It was far more potent than the Orb's energy had been, raw and unpredictable. But the effect was allowing for a motion to begin in the Fleece. The Fleece began rotating around the Artifact Chamber, with the velocity increasing exponentially.

This time, in fact, the Artifact Chamber itself was beginning to rotate, with only the central hub Jay, Linda, Dana, Allie, and Chad were surrounding, staying still. A centrifugal force began to build as the Fleece rotated faster and faster.

***********************************************************************************

Outside the Fleece, Pat could see what was happening. The Fleece was starting to rotate in all axes. As the spinning increased, he could see a faint glow coming from the central point of the Fleece. The Flying Cals and ground forces were having little effect due to the rotation, and the angels were continuing to deflect the attack. 

The Fleece began spinning so fast it looked like a ball in the sky, with the faint glow from the vessel turning into a brightly lit Orb as more and more lightning entered it. Finally, the lightning didn't go through the aperture anymore; it simply started hitting the Orb that had formed at the center of the spinning ship. This energy increased the spin further until the shape of the Fleece began to disappear.

**********************************************************************************

Inside the Fleece, the five individuals still clung to each other, unfazed by what was happening all around them. The hair on their heads hadn't even moved. But they could feel the energy permeating their bodies. The room around them began to disappear as light consumed everything. Dana looked up with her eyes closed. Chad looked down with his eyes closed. Linda looked over at Jay, as Jay looked back at her.

"I love you, Jay!"

Linda was expressing this one last time, if this was about to be the last time they could talk.

Jay looked back at her and smiled, "I love you more!"

Allie looked at them and smiled, "No, I love you more!"

"Not possible!" Chad said, also smiling as he looked at them.

Linda looked at her children, "I'm glad!"

"Me too!" Jay added.

"I LOVE EVERYBODY!" Dana yelled.

They all smiled and laughed as the light around them began to consume them, blotting out their images of each other and turning the entire Fleece into an Orb of pure energy.

***********************************************************************************

Outside, the Fleece was gone; only a giant ball of light remained, drawing in every last bit of lightning in the area. Pat looked up in awe at what he was seeing. The Fleece has stirred up the wind, and dust, and clouds, raging a storm beyond belief. The Flying Cals could no longer stay in the air. The angels dropped toward the ground, as the Cals on the ground tried to protect themselves from the storm.

In the midst of this chaos, Pat heard a voice in front of him.

"Hello again."

Pat looked directly ahead to see Rapha standing there, this time in all white, his hair not moving, as calm as could be.

"It's good to see you again," Rapha said.

All Pat did was stand there first, looking at him in awe, and then he began to smile.

Story # 5.8: Rob's Demise

 

"All angels have been deployed, Rapha," Jacob said.

"Excellent! I'm preparing to go to the surface," Rapha said.

"Rapha, Jay has defeated Britton," Enoch said.

"I knew he would. I'm going down there to assist him with Pat."

"What about the other one, in Washington, Rapha. He is still trying to stir up a revolt. He's using the statues again to communicate with the people, at least the ones that are operational," Enoch added.

"Allow the angels to pour out their wrath. Maybe then he will understand what a true prophet can do."

Enoch smiled.

Rapha left the room to go on his final journey.

"All angels, you may commence attack with extreme prejudice."

The screen showed millions of angels converging on Washington in the United States of Columbia. This destruction would be fast and complete.

***********************************************************************************

"People of the world, hear me now. We must rise up against the powers of the air. The stars in the sky have fallen to our planet to conquer us. We must not withdraw!"

These words came from Rob through statues set up around the world, as well as on television and mobile device screens, so they could be heard by all.

"Nearly two billion lives have been lost by the storms they created. They destroyed our envoy, your representatives that were meant to rendezvous with them in orbit. The shattered our world, leaving us in a pit of darkness as volcanoes and quakes plunge us into chaos. If we are to survive, we must band together to stop this assault and bring peace once again to our world."

People had stopped in shelters and other locations to avoid the lightning, if possible, and listened to what Rob was saying. The ash cloud from the volcanic eruption was growing thicker and degrading air quality. It was only a matter of time before someone died from a lightning strike or suffocation. The world was dying, and the people on the ground knew it. For this reason, Rob's words through the statue seemed hollow.

One child ran out from a shelter in plain sight of a statue located in one of the major cities. The child had seen and heard enough. He was only twelve, but he knew the nonsense had to end.

"YOU'RE A LIAR!"

The child yelled at the statue in front of him. This yelling got the statue's attention. The engraved image of Jay's face looked down at the child, eyes glowing red.

"YOU HAVE DESTROYED OUR WORLD!"

The child yelled again as his family ran out to join him. They were all scared of being struck by lightning at any moment, but the child went on.

"You brought all of this on us, with your lies, your horrible ways. You killed us all, just because you could. All I've ever seen is you causing us all harm. You steal and cheat us all the time. You take us away from our families. You make us all like slaves! WE ARE NOT YOUR SLAVES!"

As the child said all of this, others in the area came outside to join in. They believed the child and did not care for Rob's words through the statue. 

"You will be destroyed if you continue this course," Rob spoke through the statue again.

"WHAT IF WE DESTROY YOU?!" a woman yelled, standing beside the child now.

"We must have order here," the statue said.

With that, Cals began mobilizing within the city to re-establish order.

"You will do as your Supreme Imperial Chancellor decrees..." the statue uttered, but was interrupted.

"The Supreme Imperial Chancellor is dead!" another voice chimed in.

The people gasped, looking toward the voice. 

In the sky was a statue-like creation, crafted by thousands of angels. It was in the form of Enoch.

"It died, and the Fleece has collapsed to the ground. Your rule is over. Surrender or be destroyed."

The statue looked up at the figure in the sky, the eyes glowing redder. Then the statue ordered the Cals to attack the figure in the sky. But before the first shot could be fired, the angels disbanded and charged at the Cals and the statue. The force with which the angels attacked tore through the Cals like they were made of paper, and ripped the statue to pieces in an instant. At the same time, light engulfed the people in the crowd that had amassed, and they all vanished. 

The angels continued toward Washington, where they planned to attack Rob.

***********************************************************************************

Rob looked on in astonishment as he saw similar circumstances unfold in other major cities across the country. The people revolted against him. The angels destroyed the military and infrastructure, then moved on in a pattern heading directly toward Washington.

The swarm of angels could be seen on the screen, growing exponentially. Rob was in awe of what he was seeing.

"Supreme Imperial Prophet, sir, we must evacuate the city immediately," one of Rob's servant robots spoke to him.

"Can you believe how elegant this looks?" Rob said, smiling at what he saw on screen.

"Your majesty? What do you mean?"

"It's like they work as one mind, but still individuals. That's unreal."

"Your majesty, please. We must go now!"

"I'm staying. See yourself out."

"But you'll die if you stay here."

Rob looked back at the robot, "If that is meant to be, then I'll stand and fight to the end."

The robot saluted Rob and then fled. 

Rob was all alone in the control room of the Capitol building. He currently saw five million angels moving in on his position. There was nothing in this world that could save him now.

***********************************************************************************

Along the way, as the angels approached Washington, they continued picking up survivors of the storm on the ground below. The angels had to dodge and swerve through lightning bolts themselves to avoid being damaged. The angels had concentric rings rotating around a central hub, powered by a radiant energy source. Lenses were on every part of the rings and at the six corners of the central hub, providing visibility in all directions. The energy radiating outward was a power source of unbelievable strength. The rings spinning kept them airborne, with a buzz like a thousand locusts flying. 

The swarm of angels was using the energy inside of them to send a beam of energy down to teleport survivors to the ships in orbit. One was taken, another was left. Soon after one survivor was removed, a lightning bolt would dissolve their essence. Some that were left fled to shelters to protect themselves from the storm still raging. The ones left did not understand what was happening, but they quickly realized when they looked at their own bodies. The marks, the things that cost them their souls, prevented their salvation. They had accepted the J18 mark that allowed them to feel prosperous, joy-filled, and amazed. But it was all unsatisfying. Nothing ever quenched their thirst. Now the thirst would grow stronger with no salvation in sight. The person, realizing this as they lay there waiting for the inevitable, began to weep. They cried and raised up their hands, hoping for a redeemer that would never come. As they stood holding their hands toward the heavens, a lightning bolt shot down and disintegrated them in an instant. This same situation played out with others all along the path to Washington as the final judgment against Rob grew closer.

***********************************************************************************

Pat had worked his way down to the Artifact Chamber, but the door to enter had shifted positions. The Artifact Chamber is not static. It moves as the Fleece's position changes, so it always stays right-side up. That meant the door to the chamber was one hundred fifty feet lower since the Fleece was lying on its side. To adjust the orientation, Pat needed to be in the chamber. He would have to get the Fleece back up in the air, too. He climbed a ladder up, however, because bulkheads blocked entry to the door. Pat's only way in would be through the top of the chamber.

While Pat was trying to enter the chamber through the top, Linda, Dana, Allie, and Chad were entering the chamber through the bottom, unbeknownst to them. They entered the doorway that opened, but had no clue where the passageway led, aside from the very long ladders they had to climb.

Jay was making his way down to the chamber, too, but Pat had disabled the elevator systems upon his descent. Therefore, Jay had to climb down corridors very precariously. 

All three were converging on the same place, the orb still glowing in the center of the chamber. The only question was, who would get there first.

***********************************************************************************

Rob watched as the angels massed outside the Capitol Building. The swarm had grown by tens of millions, surrounding the building as they hovered above the ground. Rob looked away from the view screen and saw that he was alone. Most of the inhabitants of Washington were either taken by the angels, desentigrated by the lightning, had gone into hiding, or fled the city entirely. There was no turning back for Rob now. 

Rob looked back at the view screen, watching the angels circling, and began talking to it.

"What are you waiting for? Make your move!"

Part of the swarm of angels converged together at one point, swirling more tightly and plummeting at incredible speed toward the ground. Thousands of them impacted the ground at once, digging through concrete, dirt, and anything else in their path. The angels were burrowing underground to emerge beneath the building. Another part of the swarm shot off with incredible speed into the building itself, ripping through the stone walls and destroying offices and other spaces in an instant. The final part of the swarm rose straight up above the building and took a position directly over the domed top. With blinding speed, the swarm dove down and impacted the dome, obliterating it instantly and burrowing into the building's structure. 

Rob was in the midst of this chaos as the swarms unified and began ripping the building to pieces. Rob was screaming as the area he was in began to collapse. But the angels were making sure the structure did not collapse on him. They were saving a greater torment for him.

As the once great Capitol Building collapsed all around Rob, he put his hands on his head scream in agony at the place he loved being destroyed. But now that the walls were gone to one side, he could see the skyline of the city. From his vantage point, he witnessed the utter destruction of Washington at the hands of the angels.

The museums were collapsing into the ground. The monuments fell. The ground buckled, opening up craters in the streets. Explosions rocked the area as gas lines erupted, and fuel exploded. The once great home of the Chancellor of the United States burst into flames and sank into the ground as the angels ripped the substructure out from underneath. The city on seven hills was vanquished in less than an hour. Only a charred remnant of its former glory remained.

In the now-demolished Capitol Building, Rob stood, with millions of angels hovering over his head. He looked up at them. He admired the simplicity of their design. He smiled at them, slightly. He knew his demise was imminent.

"This was one of my favorite places to visit throughout all of human history. At least I got to rule over it for a short time."

With that, Rob held his arms out and bowed to the angels as if finishing a performance. When he stood back up, the angels let loose.

The angels attacked Rob with a fervor unimaginable. The angels ripped the clothing and flesh off his body, revealing the robotic creature he was beneath. As the flesh vanished and he was now exposed for what he was, the angels lined up laser pointers at him, millions hitting him at once. Rob's robotic eyes looked back up at them, a scowl now on his face. He screamed at them, a roar of unbridled passion in his belief of what his life had been. Utter defiance to any order of man. After letting this roar out, the angels all fired at once, and Rob was eviscerated into nothingness. No traces of fluid, limbs, or anything. Only the faint echo of his scream reverberated around the remains of the Capitol until they were no more. 

Rob was now gone, and with him the great city of Washington was too. No more lights, no more life would ever dwell within it again.

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Linda pushed up the hatch to enter the chamber and peered out into the room. As she looked around, she rolled her eyes and looked back down at Dana and her children.

"Well, we're back in that room again."

Dana smiled and said sarcastically, "Yay! That's so great."

Linda climbed up the ladder into the room as the others followed behind her. Ironically enough, they arose in the same section where "the beast" tank once sat. The very same tank they nearly all died in.

"Let's head over to the Orb," Linda said, as they made their way down the walking path.

As they walked by, the remains of the soldiers that fought Pat years ago remained, now decaying and bones. They had never been removed from their final resting place. Linda didn't know if that was a good thing or bad; she just knew it was disgusting.

"What happened to these people, Mom?" Chad asked.

"These were the soldiers who tried to keep us safe. They died trying."

"And they just left them here?" Allie asked.

"Apparently so," Dana replied.

They continued walking, rounding the corner, approaching the Orb that was glowing in the distance. But as they came into view of the Orb, something startled Linda, and she lunged backward, pushing her son against the wall. Dana and Allie ducked back down and kneeled. 

Linda motioned for Chad to be quiet, holding up her index finger to her lips.

She squatted down and moved slowly to the corner they had just ducked behind. At the Orb, she saw Pat standing there, working on the machine that controlled the device. She leaned back from the edge to quietly talk to the others.

"It's Pat," Linda whispered.

"Pat!" Dana said in a startled whisper. "How are we supposed to stop him?"

"I can stop him," Chad said confidently as he whispered.

"You'll do no such thing," Linda said, pushing her son backward.

"Well, what are we going to do then, Mom?"

"That's a very good question!" Pat replied out loud for all of them to hear.

Linda, Dana, Allie, and Chad froze and stayed silent.

"I guess you've forgotten that I can hear thoughts, haven't you, Mom?" Pat said, smiling and looking in the direction they were hiding.

Linda closed her eyes, feeling defeated.

"And I know you're thinking, where is Jay? Well, I'm sure he's on his way as we speak. He got his revenge against Britton. She'll never bother anyone again. And that young little boy, Rob, you befriended back in Anderson, Linda. He's gone too. Along with the rest of the United States of Columbia. They were wiped out by the volcano and Rapha's angels. So, all you have left..." Pat turned in their direction. "...is me."

Linda was petrified for the moment. She didn't know what to do. Dana was equally uncertain. None of them expected to face Pat alone. None of them expected to face Pat at all.

"You don't have to worry about confronting me, though. I'm not here for you. Only the Orb and the artifacts Jay brought back from his time travel escapades. Now that I have them, I'll be on my way. Good luck to you, though. You're going to need it. Even with the Fleece, you can't stop what happens next. Auf Wiedersehen."

With that final word from Pat, the light from the Orb went out, and darkness filled the room, except for the lights along the pathways. The hum of the Orb was also gone.

Linda stood up and saw that the Orb was no longer in its place. The rest followed suit as Dana pulled out a flashlight to help see better.

"Where did he go?" Allie asked.

Linda walked forward toward the device, "He left and took the Orb with him."

"What does that mean then?" Dana asked.

"It means he's preparing for battle."

Another voice said those words from the device's adjacent side. Linda recognized the voice immediately.

From the shadows, Jay emerged.

Linda looked at him, and tears began to fill her eyes, but she still asked a pertinent question.

"Jay?"

"It's me. I'm back."

Linda ran into Jay's arms as they embraced for the first time in over a decade. Chad and Allie joined in, hugging their long-lost father. Dana began to cry; seeing this pure joy, she walked closer to the family. The image was a beautiful one to witness.

Jay let go of one of his kids and motioned for Dana to come over, "Come on, Dana. You're family too."

Dana rushed over and hugged them all, crying the whole time.

It was a reunion like no other, in the same place they had last been together.

"I knew you would come, Jay. I just knew it."

"I wouldn't miss it."

"But what about Pat, Jay?"

"He's going to come at us with everything he's got. He doesn't need the Fleece now. He has his legion."

"Legion? You mean all those Cals out there?" Chad asked.

"Yes. And with the Orb, they'll be unstoppable."

Linda looked down.

Jay lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, "Unstoppable for all of us anyway. Not Rapha."

"Is Rapha going to destroy the world?"

"I think that has already been set into motion, thanks to Pat. Rapha is going to end him, once and for all, in only a way Rapha could do."

"How will he do that?" Dana asked.

"Very simply."

Another voice came from behind them. They turned to face a man walking up to them in a flowing blue robe and white tunic underneath. His hair was long and fine. He approached softly, but powerfully. He looked on at them with a peaceful warmth.

"Welcome back to the Fleece, Rapha."

Rapha looked around the chamber, "It's been a while."