The Adventures of Emily Tual: Revelations Book Three
Chapter 34

Across the country, the dark storm clouds grew larger and darker. Unusual lightning streaked across the clouds and struck the ground at different points. Lightning bolts that hit the rods on top of tall buildings, sent cities and even towns into complete blackouts. Fires appeared where lightning struck in the forest and plains alike. The waves of the oceans grew large, causing evacuations along the coastlines all along the eastern and western coasts alike. Towns and cities were flooded, causing evacuations to happen as well. Tornadoes touched down across the country, sending people fleeing to storm shelters. Highways were filled with jammed vehicles. People had abandoned their vehicles and were fleeing to the closest storm shelter that they could reach.

Anthony and Agent Beckett took Audrey to an abandoned temple underground out in the forest. There was no building near it. There were a few Black Hands by the entrance. Anthony looked at the Black Hands standing guard. “Stand guard.” He ordered the Black Hands. “I don’t want anyone interrupting the ritual.” He looked at Agent Beckett. “Bring the girl.”

Audrey looked at Anthony. “I thought you didn’t want the Darkness to rise up.” She told him. That’s what it had sounded like the last time he had spoken to her. What ritual did Anthony want to complete?

Anthony looked at Audrey. “I don’t want the Darkness to rise up.” He told her. “The ritual I’m planning to complete is one where I finally get everything I need to rule this world.” He would get Aunica right after he sacrificed Audrey to get his power. “Now take this girl to get ready for the ritual.” He ordered Agent Beckett.

Caterina and her Black Hand forces were marching along the road. Caterina had a feeling that she knew where Anthony had taken Audrey and she was determined to stop Anthony before he could sacrifice her for his ritual. Josiah had told her that Anthony had no intention to bring back the Darkness so she had to make sure that she got Audrey away from him.

Gabriel suddenly appeared in front of them. He had a very serious look on his face. He was wearing red robes himself. His robes looked like the Dark Guard but a lot older and more worn out. He was glaring at Caterina. “I can’t let you kill Audrey.” He told Caterina. “Killing her won’t bring the Darkness back. She isn’t the Chosen One.” He had to stop Caterina before anyone tried sacrificing Audrey. He knew that if the ritual failed, there would be thousands, if not millions, of deaths across the world from all of the negative energy released from the failed ritual.

Caterina crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you really think that you can stop me from killing Anthony before sacrificing Audrey to bring back the Darkness?” She asked Gabriel. No one would stop her. She would finally do what no one, including her own mother, could do and sacrifice the Chosen One to bring back the Darkness. She looked at her Dark Guard. “You will come with me and deal with Anthony. The rest of you will come with me to deal with Anthony.” Gabriel was powerful but the Dark Guard could easily overcome him and be with her by the time she had to face Anthony.

Gabriel sighed. “Do you think that it will be that easy?” He asked Caterina. “Anthony might have one Witness but I’m the second Witness in this fight.” He hadn’t planned on carrying out another Tribulation but he saw that he had no choice now. He had to do this for Audrey’s sake. He raised his hand and a staff appeared in his hand. “And now I carry out the Fifth Tribulation.” He began swinging his staff in the air, making energy waves come out of it.

Caterina took a step back. “What are you doing?” She demanded. She didn’t like what Gabriel was doing with his staff. She looked over her shoulders. To her shock, her Black Hands were backing away. Even the Dark Guard were backing away. She had thought that no one could scare the Dark Guard. They were supposed to be the most dangerous and lethal amongst the Black Hands.

Gabriel didn’t answer. He just kept waving his stick over his head, sending out energy waves. “With my power and as the second Witness, I shall defeat you all.” He told Caterina. His energy waves hit the Black Hands and Caterina. Caterina screamed in pain as she felt the light waves come over her. Her Black Hands were thrown back. They got back up and took off running. Even the Dark Guard took off running. None of them wanted to face Gabriel.

Caterina got back up. “You won’t be able to defeat me old man.” She told Gabriel. She refused to lose. She took a step towards Gabriel. “You’ll die Witness!” She was thrown back against a tree by more energy waves. She screamed in pain again. She looked down at herself. She could see herself being torn apart by the energy waves. She was vanishing into nothing.

Gabriel didn’t stop waving his staff until Caterina was gone completely. He sighed and made his staff vanished. “I’m sorry Caterina.” He told her. “But I had no choice.” He turned around. It was time to face Anthony and save Audrey.

In the abandoned temple, Agent Beckett and another Black Hand chained Audrey to the ground. A few female Black Hands had put Audrey into a silver gown. They had wanted Audrey to look her best before she was sacrificed. They knew that Anthony had no intention to bring back the Darkness and that the ritual was to give Anthony more power. They were willing to risk betraying the Darkness if it meant serving Anthony when he ruled the world.

Audrey struggled against her chains. “You can’t do this to me!” She shouted angrily. She looked at Anthony. The Black Hand was wearing black robes over his suit. He wore black gloves and had a black dagger in his hand. Was there something about Black Hands loving their daggers or something? It seemed like everyone in the Black Hand had daggers. “Release me!” Audrey shouted. She had to defeat Caterina still before completing the sixth Tribulation before defeating Anthony. She still didn’t know what her sixth Tribulation was.

Anthony laughed. “Do you really think that I’ll do that after everything that has happened?” He asked. His Black Hands all laughed as they watched. “By doing this, your power will be mine and I’ll defeat the Darkness and rule this world.” Anthony continued. He brought down the dagger towards Audrey’s heart. To his shock and everyone’s shock, it shattered as it touched Audrey, shattering the chains as well.

Audrey raised her hand and sent Anthony flying back. She got up and looked down at herself. How did she do that? Was facing Anthony her fifth Tribulation instead of facing Caterina? She saw the Black Hands there raising their guns towards her. “No! Don’t shoot her!” Anthony shouted as he got back up. “I have to sacrifice her on the altar if I’m to have her powers!” It all came down to him sacrificing Audrey. She was the Chosen One after all.

Audrey’s eyes began to glow and she made a silver staff appear in her hands. “I will defeat you Anthony!” She shouted. She flew towards Anthony and slashed at him with her staff, sending Anthony flying again into a wall. Audrey heard the Black Hands fire their guns. She spun around and slashed at them all, sending their bullets flying back. The Black Hands quickly got out of the way as their bullets hit the wall.

Audrey turned back to Anthony. “You tried to sacrifice me for your own selfish needs.” She told him as Anthony slowly got back up. “That’s the worst mistake you could make.” With that, Audrey made her staff vanish. She raised her hands and they glowed. “This is your end.” She told Anthony.

Anthony looked up at Audrey. “I refuse to die by your hand Chosen One.” He told her. “It’s my fate to defeat you and the Darkness!” He couldn’t lose this fight.

Audrey grabbed Anthony by the wrist and her eyes glowed brighter. She focused her energy on defeating Anthony. The man who took her adopted parents away from her and had ruined Emily’s life as well by painting her to be the Chosen One for others to chase. She refused to let Anthony ruin anyone else’s lives. Her hands glowed brighter and brighter.

Anthony gritted his teeth. He couldn’t lose now. That was when he felt something odd overcome him. He looked down at himself. His eyes widened. He was aging rapidly. All of his years were catching up with him. Wrinkles appeared on his hands. He felt his hair graying before falling out. He looked at Audrey. “You can’t defeat me!” He shouted. He was shocked at how old he sounded. He began to cough. “I can’t lose here now!”

Audrey watched Anthony aging so fast. She just had to keep taking his immortality away until he was dead. She heard a Black Hand fire their gun at her. She cried out as she felt the bullet pierce her back. She kept aging Anthony though. She couldn’t give up. As long as Anthony was immortal, no matter how old he was, he was still very dangerous. There was also the chance that he could reverse the aging spell and become his preferred age again.

There was another gun that was fired and Audrey felt another bullet pierce her. This time the bullet went into her left leg, crippling her. Audrey fell onto her good knee but didn’t stop the spell. She had to defeat Anthony. He was close to dying. He was so old now. Anthony growled before he turned to dust.

Audrey fell to her side as another bullet pierced her right shoulder. She didn’t have much left in her. The spell and her wounds had weakened her greatly. She passed out.