Universal Warrior: Before Red Morning Read online

and said, “…except you.”

  Grace smiled and nodded. “Yes, Jayden…except me. I think everyone should know what happened before…so that history can never be repeated.”

  Bethany touched Jayden’s shoulder and looked at him sternly, shaking her head. Not now. We’ll get answers later.

  Bethany looked at Grace and asked, “What is it you need to tell us?”

  “After what happened, Zeus and Odin allowed the survivors to take refuge in their new homes. I’d been an ostler in my youth. I thought the Pegasus would feel more at home at Mount Olympus. So there I went, and there I stayed for seven centuries.”

  She waved a hand dismissively and continued: “Then, out of nowhere, Zeus storms up to me and says that every single one of the Pegasus need to be euthanized. Of course, I ask why, and he merely asks me to ‘trust him’.”

  “Why did he want them put down?” Jayden asked cautiously.

  “Well, back then, I didn’t understand. I appealed to him, of course; they were living, breathing creatures who’d wronged no one. Surely there had to be some alternative. Sadly, Zeus is as stubborn as his father ever was, though he does loathe confessing it openly.”

  “But you obviously didn’t kill the Pegasus’s.” Bethany said.

  “Of course not!” Grace exclaimed. “I told Zeus what he wanted to hear, and then I gathered them up and fled into Heaven. I’ve hid here and watched over the Pegasus, happily sequestered until Jayden happened upon me one morning.”

  She grew sad, folding her hands. “I fear now that Zeus may have been correct.”

  The Pegasus whinnied in protest, startling everyone. Jayce had been too close and fell back against the wall, tripping over one of the feeding buckets as he was sent head over heels. “Why?!” Bethany exclaimed.

  “Bethany,” Jayden began, as the truth dawned on him, “You only got your wings a little while ago, so you don’t know, but there were hundreds of these things once. If she’s down to the last five that’re in here, someone must’ve wanted them for something. Maybe it would’ve been better to euthanize all of them then.”

  Bethany quickly shook her head. “No, no, Jayden. We could’ve hid them or something but she didn’t need to kill them.”

  Grace chuckled and said, “You two are passionate. It’s inspiring.”

  She looked at Bethany and said, “In this case, though, I have to agree with your brother. Euthanization may have been the better option.”

  Bethany shook her head and then angrily stood up, storming away. “I don’t believe that. It’s not their fault they were born.”

  Grace turned back to Jayden as Bethany stood beside Jayce and began speaking gently to the animal, who allowed her to pet it. As she did, she gave Grace a dirty look.

  “These creatures were not bred to be adored; they were bred to be killers.”

  Jayden frowned. “What?”

  “Their master…had a wild notion about the way things should be. He bred a legion of Pegasus in the hopes that the animals would be enough to bring…its target down.”

  “What target?” Jayce asked in a cracked voice.

  Grace said nothing, lowering her eyes.

  “Amen.” Jayden acknowledged darkly.

  Bethany frowned, looking at Grace and Jayden from across the room. “That’s impossible. Amen can’t be killed.”

  Grace looked at Bethany and said, “I told you, child; the Great Chronicles are vastly incomplete.”

  She turned back to Jayden and said; “Someone found out what the Pegasus were truly bred for, and they’ve been annihilating them ever since. I promised to return the few of them to Mount Olympus, where they can live out their days in peace. This is what I need you for.”

  Thunder and lightning boomed outside with enough force to rip the sky asunder. Masked by the storm, someone knocked three times at the door, barely audible.

  Jayden picked up on the presence first; familiar, malicious, and utterly impossible. When Bethany opened her mouth, Jayden immediately motioned for her silence.

  As heavy rain pelted the metallic roof overhead, the three knocks returned, this time with more force. “Come on out, Jayden. Let’s do this the right way, okay?”

  Both Jayden and Bethany went white and the girl scurried back over to the bed. Grace, apprehensive and curious, looked at her door. “Jayden, you swore you’d tell no one of this place.” She sounded hurt.

  “I swear to you, Grace, I didn’t.” Jayden looked at the door. “He must’ve followed us.”

  “How is he even here?!” Bethany exclaimed in an angry whisper. “He was supposed to be exiled! He was exiled!”

  “Well, he obviously found a way back…” Jayden sighed, hoping to never see the boy again. He pointed at Bethany. “Start getting everything ready so we can take off. Grace, how far is it from here to Mount Olympus?”

  “Not far, less than fifty miles.”

  “That’ll be harder if we’re being pursued…” Jayden considered. He looked at his brothers, who stood ready. “Darryl, Jayce; when we hit the sky, you stay in front. No matter what happens, you get Grace and the Pegasus to Mount Olympus. No matter what happens, don’t stop for anything. The only thing that matters is getting Grace and the Pegasus to Mount Olympus.”

  Jayce nodded. “Got it.”

  “Be careful.” Darryl added. “You remember what that fool is like.”

  Jayden rolled his eyes. “Yeah. I wish I didn’t.”

  There were four hard bashes against the door, which was in danger under the barrage. “Jayden! Don’t you make me kick this door in! You know I’ll do it! Just give me the damn horses! They’re all I want! You, your family, the old hag…you all can go!”

  Grace scowled. “Old hag…”

  Jayden was already moving towards the door. “Don’t let him get to you, Grace. If you’re all packed up, mount your favorite and be ready to go. I want to see what we’re up against.”

  In his heart, he already knew. He’d faced it a few times before. None of the encounters had ever gone his way.

  Jayden opened the door, and his heart fell into his stomach. He was staring up into the pale face of an old enemy; his eyes were still black with murderous intent. His hair was darker and longer than Jayden remembered, but there was still the same menacing nonchalance, same cold smirk as he met Jayden’s gaze as if to say yes, here I am, right in front of you.

  He leaned on the door jamb, head braced on his forearm. As always, he looked as though he had better things to do.

  Jayden quickly stepped outside and closed the door behind him, noticing that his old adversary wasn't alone. The other three who'd run with him were also present.

  “You know, for a second…” His voice still had that oddly smooth, yet distinctly predatory growl to it, “…I really thought you were gonna make me come get you, Jayden.”

  Jayden quickly stepped outside and shut the door behind him. He forced a smile and said; “No, Ethan…no one’s gonna make you do anything.”

  Jayden recognized the three Angels with him--

  Zachary; short, chubby, bald. Though he’d lost weight since they’d last seen one another.

  Adam; tall, skinny, and black-eyed. The black eyes were new. He’d always been the voice of reason in their little cadre.

  Timothy; had Darryl’s build but easily bullied. If he’d had any sense, he would’ve turned Ethan in himself. Instead, he’d been exiled along with them.

  The rain was coming down with such force that Jayden was already soaked, his clothes clinging to his body. Ethan, Timothy, Zachary, and Adam were strangely dry, as though the rain was avoiding them.

  In the final moments of his appraisal, Jayden noticed that all of their forearms were unusually distended.

  Ethan studied Jayden without blinking and then smiled. “Always such a good little boy. You could’ve saved yourself so much grief if you’d only gone through with--”

  Jayden had seen all he needed too. He turned and bolted back into the house, slamming the door
on the four ex-Angels.

  “It’s him.” Jayden announced breathlessly as he strode into the room. He was looking right at Bethany. “It’s Ethan. And the others.”

  Bethany took a moment and then nodded, suppressing the memory of their last encounter. “How did he get back?” Darryl asked.

  “It doesn’t matter. They’re here now.” Jayden replied quickly. He was relieved to see Grace already on her feet, dressed for the long flight through the rain. “Are you ready?”

  She nodded. “If you are.”

  Jayden could feel Ethan and the others outside. Their shock had passed and they were growing angry. Jayden expected to see a foot through the door any second.

  “Tell me you have another way out.” Jayden said hopefully.

  Grace looked at Jayden as though he should know better and then looked at a brick that stuck out from the wall, left of the bed. “Please, child. Do you think I could fit them in through the front door?” She pushed in the brick, and hidden hydraulics chugged to life. The overhead roof split in two at its center, retracting behind the walls. The room was now open to the starless, stormy night. The Pegasus whinnied, bucking as they were bombarded by heavy rainfall.

  As a single bolt of blue lightning illuminated the sky, Jayden smirked. Amen and Zeus are with us.

  “I’m staying with you.” Bethany announced, having appeared at his side.

  Jayden was already shaking his head, not wanting to expose Bethany to the monsters who’d nearly taken something irreplaceable from her. Her eyes were firm. “Don’t try to talk me out of it. I owe them, and you can’t take the four of them on your own. So