The Wrath Walker (The Wrath Series Book 1) by Matthew Newson (fun to read .txt) 📗

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. You don’t need to say anything because your silence tells me that your friend isn’t coming because he’s scared of us and the power we possess. Men, prepare Elizabeth, the time has come for our ascension.”

Chapter Twenty-FiveBrandon Farmer

The Holy Anointed Church

ELIZABETH FOUGHT, KICKED, and screamed as Phillip’s lackies picked her up and carried her to the altar. They slammed her down as hard as they could on the stone slab in the middle of the room, and immediately all the wind and fight were instantly knocked out of her.

“Hey, that’s enough. You don’t have to handle her like that!” I yelled as they locked her arms and legs in place to keep her from trying to come off the stone slab.

“Calm down lover boy, she will be put out of her misery soon enough,” Scott said as he laughed to himself while he and the rest of the men formed a large circle around the altar with Phillip at the head.

Elizabeth moved sluggishly and released low moans of pain. Judging by how hard her head knocked against the stone, she had to have a slight concussion at the least. Time was quickly running out, and if I didn’t stop them soon, Elizabeth and the city were as good as dead.

“Your one and only over there seems thoroughly knocked out, which will make this whole process a lot easier and faster. I hate it when they cry, fight, and squirm all over the place, it makes it hard to be precise with the knife.” Phillip tied a black belt made of cloth around his robe and placed the gun he’d taken from me in it on his left hip directly adjacent to me. He then held up a long dagger from a table one of his warlocks had rolled to him.

I know I shouldn’t have been surprised by his statement after everything he had already told me, but I still found myself in disbelief at how evil he really was. “You’ve killed other people before?”

“Yes, many times in fact. You see, Brandon, in order to grow our power, sacrifices had to be made to bring things back into proper alignment in the spirit realm. For the greater good, you see.”

“Sounds like human sacrifice to Satan.”

“I’m done trying to convince you that we do not serve Satan, nor does Satan even exist as you have been taught. We serve Lucifer, and we are his enlightened ones, and you will never have that chance again to ascend to our level. It is a real shame, because you had so much potential, but that seems to be the recurring theme of your life. So much potential, but never able to live up to it. After we’re done with her, your death will correct so many wrongs that your existence has created. You should feel good about that part at least,” Phillip said with a smirk as he turned to address his elders. “Gentlemen the time has come, will you please begin to offer up high and holy prayers to Lucifer, and when we are done, this city and all of us will be changed forever more.”

At once all the men released a chant as they all began to speak in other tongues. As their eyes rolled into the back of their heads, I saw my chance to strike. As quietly and quickly as I could, I unlocked my hand cuffs, and grabbed the gun from Phillip’s belt. When he opened his eyes, he stopped speaking whatever crazy language the others were still uttering.

“What do you think you’re doing, Brandon?” Phillip asked with a sly smile.

“I’m stopping all of you and saving Elizabeth and the city,” I said as I tossed Phillip the hand cuffs. “Put those on, now!”

“I don’t think I’ll be doing that. They are not the type of jewelry that goes with my outfit. Besides, you really think you’ve stopped us?” Phillip said as his men stopped chanting and saw what was going on while Elizabeth appeared to be fully unconscious on the altar.

“Come now, Brandon, we both know you’re not going to pull that trigger.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because that would be murder, and you’re not a murderer.” Phillip mockingly put his hands up and motioned for me to shoot him.

“Maybe I’m willing to do what is necessary to save those I love.”

“Then by all means, do it. Pull the trigger. Please, I want you to.” Phillip motioned for his men to stay back. “We are on a schedule here, so if you will hurry up and pull that trigger, we can all get back to what we were doing.”

“You really are the worst person I have ever met,” I said as I squeezed the trigger. It felt like slow motion as the hammer of the revolver moved to strike the primer of the bullet in the cylinder, but then the gun just clicked. I squeezed the trigger five more times, but the gun didn’t fire, not even once.

“I have to say I’m a little surprised. I didn’t think you had it in you, but that gun won’t work without these.” Phillip pulled out a handful of bullets from his robe pocket. “I removed them when we were walking down here when you were scanning the room to see if you could find a way out for the two of you. You’re not as discrete as you believe yourself to be.”

“I don’t get it, why did you put the gun there like that? Why go through all of that?”

“I really just wanted to see what you would do, and to make sure that you were not the one that should be on the slab over there. Someone who is after true justice wouldn’t gun down a person, no matter how guilty they were. They would let the courts do what they were designed to do, but I will have to kill you now