I remember the day I met her. A raven haired vixen with sparkles in her hair at my best friend’s birthday party. With hazel eyes she caught me staring from across the room, and shot me the slightest grin. I glanced around to see if I could find Jason, I needed her name. Badly. Jason had been my best friend since middle school and was my eternal wingman, since this was his party I figured he’d have to know who she was. “Heh, man I wish I could help you, but I have no idea who she is or why she’s here.” Jason proved useless. It seemed it would be up to me to get to know her.

        Walking up to her, I really wanted to say something intelligent to break the ice. This is what came out. “Your hair reminds me of the night sky, dark and sparkly...” She turned and looked at me for a moment before breaking out into laughter. “Wow, you managed to actually finish that line. Impressive.” I could feel my cheeks flush as embarrassment set in. “Well, I figured what would possibly impress a girl as gorgeous as you? I figured if I got a laugh, I might get a second chance?” I always was quick on my feet. She glanced to her friend who shrugged and smiled. “Alright, you’ve got a second chance... but I don’t give a third one.” I grinned, “I know. I only need two.”

        Fast forward five years of glorious dates, many trips, lots of love and finally “I do.” The raven haired girl had a name and was now family. “I love you Damien, with all my heart.” She stared longingly into my eyes. “Alison, I’m glad we’re heading to New York for our honeymoon. Although somewhere romantic like Rome or Paris wasn’t out of the question you know...” She turned to me, eyes glowing with happiness. “It also didn’t matter where we ended up, but New York is nice on a budget.”

        The flight felt like it took forever, but Alison slept like an angel. I never could sleep in the air, even the slightest jerk would jar me immediately wide awake. “You will now see the seatbelt light has been turned on, we are descending into New York, please return to your seats.” The pilot seemed stressed in his tone, but I suppose that’s the life of landing a hollow aluminum tube safely. As we descended into the cloud cover it seemed dark as night. I should have seen it coming then, but I remember thinking it must be a storm. I considered everything except what was happening on the ground below.

        As the plane maneuvered through the clouds, the pilot came over the intercom again. He sounded even more concerned and stressed than the time before. “Ground control is not responding, so we have circled but last we heard we were cleared for landing. We’re going to take her in nice and slow, but please just in case everyone keep your seatbelts on and sit back and relax.” Hmm, very strange message, not comforting in the slightest. As we broke the cloud cover we realized a storm had been brewing, but not of the kind we were expecting.

        Let me put it to you this way, peering past the most beautiful woman and gazing upon the ruins of New York I would never have believed what I was seeing was real. It stole my breath, my heart began pounding its way out of my chest. What had happened since we left Los Angeles? This great city was in shambles, buildings razed to the ground and flames seemed to roam the streets. The pilot must have panicked because the intercom came on once again, but mid sentence. “...the hell, there’s fire on the runway! That looks like a huge crack in the ground over there!” I clutched the armrest so tight my knuckles went white. I noticed Alison was stirring. “What... what’s going on?” I didn’t know what to say, or do. All I did know was I loved her, and there was nothing I could do hundreds of feet above the ground. Suddenly there were screams and an explosion as one of the wings lost an engine. I still have no idea what happened to it. All I know after that is everything happened in quarter seconds.

        Memories from the explosion are brief and varied. I remember seeing Alison clutching my arm, but not feeling her touch. The ground outside of her window. Flames and smoke were billowing into the plane, and the pilot screamed over the intercom to assume the crash position. Suddenly I was watching as my part of the plane was ripped from Alison’s, she was on the very edge and suddenly so was I as the plane tore in two. My next memory is being awoken by a soldier, with smoke everywhere, he was saying something but all I could hear was a ringing. He helped me from my seat and I saw him shooting at some half goat, half man thing. It disappeared in a puff of black smoke and suddenly I blacked out.

        “Sir, are you alright?” I turn and look the recruit in the face. “Yes.” I turn to face the wasteland before me. “Just reminiscing.” Fast forward over a year later. New York is a cesspool of demons and despair. The United Nations intervenes and won’t let the United States or anyone else for that matter try to retake New York. Barricaded in like animals, we’re left to die like many of the people who populated this city. Luckily for us, the last remaining chapter of the ancient order of the knights templar have been stationed here throughout history. Monitoring the stock market, society and the media, they have withstood the test of time. However, Hell itself seemed to be sent upon them, and it spared no demon. If it wasn’t for them taking us all in, there would be no civilian survivors.

        “Well Sir, should we head back to base?” The recruit seemed eager for the safety of those concrete walls. Sadly, it seemed more likely to be a tomb if the demons managed to get in. “I suppose we should.” As we marched through ruins and remains, I began to feel uneasy and I could feel the recruit starting to get nervous. Something was definitely amiss, yet I hadn’t heard anything or detected any movement. “Sir, should...” I cut him off with a wave of my hand. Just as I could feel the cold handle of my pistol, some rubble shifted to our right. The recruit was a quick shot, ignoring anything we had taught him about being a scout. My hand drew the gun muzzle to the ground and my pistol was at the ready. “What are you doing? Trying to draw every demon down upon us?” It was far too late.

        We saw huge bat-like demons screeching towards our location as undead began creeping from the alleys. We were only a few miles from the bunker gates, but was the way clear? I had no idea but I wasn’t planning on becoming some demon’s trophy. I grabbed the recruit by the shoulder and began running, “Come on, we’ve got to make it to the bunker!” The recruit has already wet himself, first day outside the gates and this was his experience? Yeah, can’t say I blame him, but I also can’t say that I’ll be bringing him back out until he repeats all of his training. We turn toward one alley but the way is blocked by some kind of tortured giant, so we veer out of his reach and continue along the main path. It seems like undead and demons alike are storming upon us as if we would be the deciding factor in this war. Had I really become that important in the past year? We turn another corner and there is only one thing blocking the way, a werewolf, yes the kind you would have seen in the movies.

        “Sir, we can’t...!” The recruit says something I don’t really care about, because I know I never leave home without silver bullets bathed in holy water. The only thing we haven’t seen evidence of is a vampire, but the day that happens I’ll be wearing a stake and eating garlic like apples. The wolfman charges, but I aim for the chest and then the head. Two shots, two hits. We skip over his body and break left around the next corner. I see the large black widow insignia on the building but that doesn’t stop me. We don’t have a choice at this point, all I can hope is that they don’t shoot either of us.

        The Black Widows are a gang of thugs supposedly led by a woman who has all of them on a very tight leash. No matter who is leading them though, they are deadly. The Templars and The Black Widows have fought on several different occasions. As we charge up to the gate, two more wolfmen begin charging up the rear and I can hear what sounds like an entire zombie apocalypse following me. I hear the loud speakers come on as the lights turn on us. “Drop your weapons and you’ll be spared.” I spin and shoot four bullets, four hits and then I drop the gun to the ground as both werewolves drop. With the melody of rhythmic gun fire, all I can assume is that the Black Widows granted us some mercy. Bullets blast past at an alarming rate, and the suddenly all is quiet seconds later. All I can hear is my own heart beating, and I turn to see the kid. He took a ricochet and dropped in the chaos. I guess natural selection has its way of weeding out the weak or potentially incompetent.

        “Who are you, state your name and why you’re out there!” The loud speaker sounded as angry as the person yelling into it. “My name is...” I look to the kid. He doesn’t need his name anymore, and they sure as Hell don’t need mine. “My name is Alexander, and I’m lost. Where is the nearest shelter?” The loud speaker chimes back in, but not welcoming in the slightest. “Turn around and go away, you will find no shelter here.” I sigh heavily, relieved they don’t want to question me. They just wasted a few hundred rounds for a couple of randoms. They must be getting soft. “Thank you.” I turn and pick up Alex’s body, his mother wouldn’t want me to leave him here although it would probably be safer for me.

        The way back was actually much safer, the sound of those turrets must have scared off the enemy. Good to know they can still feel fear and hope for their own survival. Means we’ve both still got something in common. As I approach the gates I feel the overwhelming sense of regret. I don’t want to train anymore. I like to be able to depend on those with me and frankly, I feel too old for this bullshit. The gates open and three men with a stretcher rush out, only to realize they can’t help him. We place Alex on the stretcher and they take him away. The Grandmaster is already at the gate and watched them carry the young man off. I kneel and before I begin to apologize, he puts his hand on my head. “I know young knight, I know. Do you wish for me to tell his mother or will you?” I swallow, but it feels like swallowing a cue ball. “I’ll do it, have solitary ready for me for when I finish.” He nods, the look on his face disapproving. “As you wish.”

        When you tell someone in here their son died, it’s never a shock. You manage to cope with it, and death is a near certainty for anyone wishing to become a scout, knight, assassin or anything in the field. However, I promised her he’d be safe. Just for today, nothing could go wrong. As if I could make that kind of promise a reality. Karma definitely has a way of sorting us out. After the words leave my mouth, I stand there as she lunges at me, swinging wildly. Her fists clang off pieces of my armor and even when she strikes me in the face I feel nothing. I’ve already let her down, disappointed her, and for me there is no greater dishonor.

        Alex’s mother finally collapses from exhaustion and frustration and then her family takes her inside. I then make my way to solitary confinement. For every soldier who has ever died in my care, I grant them a full day of praying and remembering. I analyze the situation, taking note if it could have been prevented and what signals I should have noticed. It’s made me wiser, and also given me more respect with the soldiers who survive. I fast for these days as well, as a punishment on myself. It will be a long twenty four hours, but the guards always greet me kindly when I come out. They know to lock it and keep it locked no matter what, for how ever long The Grandmaster tells them to. And it has been hard, one day is long, but the time I lost four of our best seemed like an eternity.

        Fast forward twenty four hours and I hear the click of the door locks. The light always stings at first, but it reminds me I’m still alive. After my eyes finish stinging and begin to focus, I see him. The Grandmaster greets me with a solemn look. “What is it?” I can’t help but feel like something worse has happened. “It seems the demons are beginning to see a pattern in our system.” “What system is that?” The Grandmaster shakes his head. “The demons seem to realize when one of the knights under your care die, you drop off the grid for a bit. They struck our scouts hard today. They’ve come to fear you and you need to stop the days of solitude.” I can feel the anger welling up. “I don’t do it for me, I do it out of respect of those who have served with me. Perhaps it was just coincidence?” He sighed heavily as a stretcher passed with one of the scouts bodies on it. “I believed that it was coincidence the last two times. I ignored my better intuition when you said to prepare the chamber. But now, we are getting struck hard! We lost three scouts today! The demons won’t risk you being out there! Not with a fully trained squad!” His tone was stern, yet his voice trembled. I simply wouldn’t have it. “They fear me? I’ll give them more of a reason to fear me.”

        I had garnered a reputation among the knights for being fearless, I hadn’t realized it had stretched to the demons now. I returned to my room, dropped my scout armor, discarded all my light weaponry and turned to my siege equipment. They think they know fear. They think they know fearless. Grabbing the hilt of my sword reminds me of the blood lust I found myself under when I lost four knights. I remember chasing demons down as they tried to escape and hacking away until they stopped moving. I remember lunging into a crowd of zombies. I remember my vision going hazy and blacking out. “So it’s true, you’re going out there?” Her voice raises the hair on the back of my neck. “Yes Charlotte, I’m apparently the reason we lost three people yesterday. So I’m heading back to repay the favour.” Charlotte was one of the head knights of the Templars, she had been instrumental in my training and we had been on again, off again. She looked concerned, but not so much for my safety. “I worry about you Damien, last time the rage almost consumed you. What will happen this time? What if the demons are just pushing you?” Hmm, a valid question. “Then I’ll push back.”

        Standing at the bunker gates, I find The Grandmaster and Charlotte waiting for me. I don’t give them a second glance and put my helmet on. I hear the targeting system come online and suddenly I have visuals. Charlotte is looking at The Grandmaster when I pass and I can hear him mutter something to her. She storms back into the bunker and I watch as the gates close. I turn and start down the road. I have no idea where to but there’s been some hot spots recently. The first is the ruins of Times Square and it seems as good a place as any to start.

        The march there is rather quiet, not so much as a peep or even a rat to shake my sword at. Arriving at the ruins however I will liken to gladiators entering the Colosseum. I could feel the eyes all over me, but could see nothing. Scanners picking up no heat sources, something is feeling not right, could I have fallen for a trap? Suddenly a huge flash of light and a puff of smoke later, an angel stands before me. “Damien, you would throw your life away in a fit of rage? For what, vengeance?” I stand straight and remove my helmet. “You know me, yet I don’t know you. Who appears before me to condemn my actions?” The angel shakes it’s head. I can’t tell if it’s a man or woman, just so damn androgynous. “You will not know my name this day Damien, however if it weren’t for us the demons here would have had their way with you.” I wish I still had my helmet on so I could confirm that but I’ll have to believe it for now. “Well, why have you come? To save me from myself? Or to condemn my actions and execute me here?” The angel smiles, yet it actually chills me to the bone. “To warn you, demons march on the Templars as we speak, and you’ll need the help of the Black Widows to repel the hoard.”

        Black Widows? Why would I need their help? Not only why, but how could I get their help? They hate Templars more than the demons. The angel’s final words before leaving me was to meet an old acquaintance to plead my case. Maybe one of the Knights in past years defected to the Black Widows? I suppose only time would tell. The city was eerily quiet, and for the first time in quite a while I began to feel uneasy. The demons were becoming more and more organized, smarter if you would, like someone was actually leading them. Before they seemed savage, ruthless and hungry for battle. Now these brutes were becoming organized, planning and sensing trends. I definitely don’t like the thought of that. A Black Widow spray painted over an old billboard points me in the direction I need to go, and means I’m closer than I expected. The gates would only be another block or two.

        My approach of the gates feels still too fresh, almost as if it were merely an hour ago. The bloodstain still looks fresh from where poor Alex had fell just under two days ago. The loud speaker crackles as the voice commands me to drop my weapons or they’ll open fire. I drop my sword and toss my rifle aside. “I need to speak with your leader. This is of the utmost importance.” I can hear laughing and sarcastic remarks through the gates. “Yeah, absolutely the welcome party is on its way out.” The speaker makes a strange click and then the gates begin to churn open. Two rows of five men march out, some collect my weapons, one removes my helmet and another keeps a gun trained on my head at all times. I definitely feel very welcomed.

        “Thought you’d come and infiltrate our group huh?” I can feel blood trickling down the side of my face. “You think we’re that stupid to let a Templar just walk in here? It’s the Templar’s fault the demons are even here in the first place!” He punches me again and his hand recoils fast. Seems he found the metal plate over my temple. I feel myself grin just a little, despite the agonizing pain from that hit. “Sonuvab-” He begins to kick at me but is stopped dead. Strange, but I won’t argue it. Suddenly a hand slides down the side of my head and grabs my chin. A voice so feminine and strong yells at my torturer and he flees without a moment’s hesitation. I can feel her breath at my ear, strangely it turns me on. “To what do I owe the pleasure of a Templar guest in my house?” I feel like our reports may have been correct, although I’m hoping this woman doesn’t run this place or I am in deep shit. “I... I need your help.” The hand slides from my chin to my hair and pulls my head straight back until I’m looking up at the light on the ceiling and a knife touches my throat.

        “You need my help? The great Templars need the help of the pathetic Black Widows, let me tell you something.” My eyes can’t focus enough on her face but I know she’s beautiful. Her hair drapes down past my face as she leans in and the knife starts to dig into my neck. I knew the angel was wrong, I should have known that not even God could help us in this hell hole. Suddenly the knife drops to the ground and the woman backs away. It sounds like she’s crying. I don’t care what’s happened, this may be my only chance to plead my case. “Look, I know the Templars and Black Widows haven’t been allies, ever. I know we’ve killed many of your soldiers, but you didn’t take anyone in who you couldn’t turn into a soldier. We’re helping the others that you left behind!” My rage just blows words out like a volcano, but I can’t stop it. “You think that you will rule this city someday? You’ll never be the Queen of this dump, and the Templars won’t rule it either. But without a truce between us the demons will cut at our ranks until we both lose! At least if we-” “I know, what we need to do.” My bonds feel loosened enough that I wriggle out of them. “We need to be calm. No matter what happens.” I stand and turn to the leader of the Black Widows, my wife, Alison.

        Shock doesn’t describe what I feel. The reports on the Black Widows Leader was that she was six feet tall, and almost amazon-like in stature. Yet here stood my wife, a scar across her face and bruises all over. My mouth couldn’t form words. Nothing comes out, not a gasp just nothing. Other reports said the leader had slept with gang members and convinced them to do things for her. As one of the last women out there, sex would be more powerful than an army. Or it could get you one. I reach for her instinctively as if no time has passed, but I know it has been too long. The pistol she draws on me proves that. “No, I don’t need your comforts! Where were you when I was being raped? Where were you when the plane crashed? Better yet how has it been living in the lap of luxury while I had to screw my way to survival you bastard!” I deserve every word, and she doesn’t calm down. She points the gun from my chest to my foot and pulls the trigger. It burns like a son of a bitch and I drop in agony. For a moment I think back to the Angel. Yeah, an old acquaintance. Next time I see it, I’ll rip its wings off and beat it to death with the wet ends.

        Alison drops to her knees. I can see she wants to apologize but she’s pissed. Understandably so. I remember when I woke up at the Templar bunker. I assumed all the survivors were saved by them. It wasn’t until a few months later I found out that the Templars saved us from the demons who were busy killing the military, but by that time I had already resigned to the fact Alison had died in the crash. I had so many questions, but now wasn’t the time to ask. But I needed something nonetheless. “So... I know you’re really angry right now... but can I get this bullet hole in my foot fixed before I pass out?” I had been doing a good job of ignoring the searing agony, but it finally begins knocking on the door to my brain. Alison stares at me. The look she gives me screams unpredictable, she seems as likely to shoot me again as she is to help me. She glances down at the pool of blood on the floor and it snaps her out for a second. “Lance, get the Doctor in here now!” She stands up and leaves while the Doctor comes in and patches me up. As soon as he finishes he hurries out and the Lance character outside locks the door again. “Sorry man, Widow’s orders.”

        It’s a long lonely night in the room. Everyone back at the bunker most likely assumes the worst. That is, if there even is a bunker left. The demons are probably storming the base as I sit here, unable to help or warn them. I have failed them so many times and they have forgiven my flaws, yet I still find new and creative ways to fail them again. If I put as much effort into doing as I was told as I do failing, well I might actually succeed every once in awhile. The door groans open and Lance walks in. I rise and anticipate his next move. “Your things are down the hall in lockup, tell Havarti it’s on order from the lady.” Unexpected, but I’m feeling hopeful. “Will you guys-” Lance shrugs before I even manage the words. “It’s not my call, if it had, you’d be dead.” Well that easily dashed my hopes. I collect my things at the lockup, Havarti apparently gets his name from his giant yellow mohawk. That is about the only thing that has made sense today.

        The walk to the front gates is brutal, everyone staring and just daring me to make a move. As I stand in the courtyard before the gates, I feel her near me once more. “Alison I... I don’t know what I can say or do to make things up to you. But the demons will wipe out the Templars if you don’t help, well that is if they haven’t already.” As I turn to face her, I see not Alison, but the leader of the Black Widows. She throws a shovel at my feet. “A parting gift for the messenger of the Templars. Be sure to bury them deep, or else you’ll be fighting your own brethren before tomorrow’s dawn.” I look into her gorgeous hazel eyes one last time, waiting and hoping for a grin. It seems hell itself has driven us apart and nothing can mend what has broken.

        “You have done well Damien. You left there alive.” I turn to see the angel from earlier landing nearby. “Yes, I’ve done very well. I managed to get beaten and shot in the foot.” I glance to the shovel in my hand. “And all I got was this lousy shovel and a limp.” The angel smirks as if it knows something I don’t. “You have done well. Just have faith and all will turn out as they should.” I see it begin to approach me, as if to comfort me. I firmly grab it’s shoulder and draw the sword from my back. The angel shows fear, maybe even for the first time in its existence. “Enough jerking me around, if you know something, spill it!” My blade inches closer to its neck. “You offend me mortal. Our kind come to help you in your darkest hour and this is how you repay us?!” My grip tightens and it grimaces in pain. A faint tickle at my throat brings my attention to a rather large blade ready for negotiation. I stare into the eyes of the angel and pull my sword away. Another angel steps out from behind me and sheathes its dagger. “I’m sorry, but you can’t help us here. No one can, or at least no one will.”

        My final words to the angel repeat over and over in my head. The look on its face seemed more pained than when I was trying to kill him. I turn a corner and find a few mindless zombies sticking close together like a pack of brain dead wolves. My mind has needed something to distract it, so I charge in, sword hacking and slashing as limbs and zombie bits soar into the air. In moments I’ve slain the five zombies and stand dissatisfied at my battle. It was like cleaving through a bunch of mannequins, to the point I almost felt guilty. I shrug it off and make my way further down the street to the bunker. All is quiet, so quiet. I feel my heart jump into my throat and try to beat its way out. I missed it, I know I did. I let them down. I rush to the bunker gates and wait silently, hoping that anyone might open the gate. Nothing. I go around to the sewer entrance and pull the manhole cover off. This can’t be happening.

        I drop down, waste deep in God knows what but I barely think about what could be nuzzling my legs as I trudge through the mystery liquid. I make my way down the tunnel and turn to see if the sewer gates are still active. Lucky for me, they are. I rush to the door and activate the command screen beside it. Well great, it needs a password. I wasn’t given any... password. It strikes me almost as if it had been given to me, but subconsciously. “Solomon” I hear the lock disengage and I push the door open. Much to my surprise I am rushed by two knights who pin me to the ground with the Grandmaster standing over them. “Who are you and how have you entered through the sewers!? Answer fast or lose your head!” His rage is frightening. “Sir, it’s me, Damien.” Everyone looks at each other confused before the Grandmaster motions for the knights to remove my helm. I had forgotten about the bruises and cuts from my time with the Black Widows. “What in God’s name happened to you?!” I grin ever so slightly. “I found my wife.”

After much discussion I am welcomed back in where nothing is even slightly out of place. “Grandmaster, I was told by an angel that demons would be marching on us. But it seems no war has taken place here.” He looks at me with no belief in that story, until his eyes meet mine. “What? Who told you? You’re sure it wasn’t an illusion? Maybe something to do with the trauma to the head?” I shake my head, but it very well could have been an illusion, I hadn’t thought of that in the slightest. My body suddenly feels too heavy to carry, all the events catching up with me finally and going straight for the knees. A pair of arms grab me around the torso and heave me back to my feet. I turn and catch Charlotte checking me out. “What did I get sexier?” She glances at me with much concern before laughing. “No, but since when did you become such a smart ass?” The words never leave my mouth as I suddenly black out..

I wake up on the Doctor’s table with nothing but a towel covering my mid section. “Hmm, tell me Doc, have I been drugged?” He turns to look at me, but goes back to his work. “No, not drugged. Just exhausted. Siege armor isn’t meant to be worn for long periods of time.” He also raises a piece of metal with some tongs before continuing. “Who patched you up? I haven’t seen this kind of work since we had an organ thief infiltrate our group.” I think back to the doctor at the Black Widows. He looked kind of crazy, might have been him. “Some lunatic, but he stopped the bleeding. On a completely unrelated note, what happened to that organ thief?” The doctor shakes his head. “I caught him in here. I had someone under anesthetic so I could remove a steel rod from their shoulder, but couldn’t find my scalpel. When I came back moments later this guy was standing over the patient with his back to me and my missing scalpel in his hand. He had drawn where he needed to cut on the guy’s abdomen. I knocked him out with an old gold club I had lying around here.” He smiles and shrugs it off. “You do what you have to in times of need.”

After awhile the doctor lets me go and tells me that both Charlotte and the Grandmaster were looking for me. As I march upstairs I catch a glimpse of what I thought was a giant yellow mohawk. “Impossible.” I shake it off and make my way to the Grandmaster’s office. The guards push the doors open for me and I am greeted with a smile from Charlotte. “Come Damien, we have some wonderful news.” I start into the room and the guards close the doors. From the corner of my eye I spot her, seated behind where the door opened. “Well, Alison. Come to apologize?” She openly laughs at me. “Not on your life. But seeing as how the place was still standing I figured we might as well come check it out.” I watch as she walks smugly past me and to the Grandmaster’s side. “We got to thinking, what if we worked together? Just this once. Maybe we could push the demons back once and for all?” She looks to Charlotte who is fixated on me. “Or maybe we will just leave you here to die. Your choice.”

I can feel all three pairs of eyes on me. “I came to you already Alison, I wanted your help then. But you’ve proven far too unreliable!” The Grandmaster rushes to interject, “Please Damien, she was your wife and she is our only help for miles!” I catch Alison staring at me with a smug look on her face. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to pardon my hesitation to work with a woman who almost slit my throat and instead shot me in the foot.” Alison shrugs. “I was pissed, I needed closure. That definitely helped.” I can’t help but yell over whatever the Grandmaster was about to say. “You’re a lunatic! You’re not even close to the same woman I married!” With more strength than I will ever admit, Alison shoves her way past the Grandmaster and punches me square in the nose. I feel it shatter and blood begins gushing out uncontrollably. Charlotte is there with a handkerchief before too much blood spills everywhere.

“You son of a bitch. The things I did to stay alive, trying to find your sorry ass. All of it was a waste of my time. I can’t believe I’m here, trying to help you. I married a man, not a Templar who is some sort of glorified gladiator!” She looks at me with utter disgust. “Grandmaster, I will help you this time and only this time. But after this there will be no truce and if your people are spotted close to our camp, we will let the chain guns do the talking. Do I make myself clear?” Even the Grandmaster is stunned with nothing to say, he simply nods as she storms out. Charlotte looks at me with nothing but sympathy. “Well... she seems nice.”

I consider the events of the night and feel jumpy at the slightest noise behind me. In fact, it would easily be safer to have my back to a wall at this point. I can’t help but try and find Alison again before demons descend upon us all and the fight to live begins. As I walk the halls, I find many Black Widow gang members everywhere. It seems they’ve moved everyone over into our bunker. Then I see them, two guards standing side by side outside of a door. As I approach, I recognize one as my former jailer, Lance. “Sorry man, no can-” I wave my hand to stop him. “No worries, was just wondering if she had been given proper treatment.” As I turn to walk away the door opens a crack, and I see Alison peeking out. “You can come in, I suppose. But misbehave and I’ll shoot you in the other foot.” I laugh nervously, but she doesn’t. Yeah, she is definitely not kidding.

Upon entering the room, I cannot help but notice the overwhelming scent of vanilla. It had always been her favourite, but I figured with everything that changed, that would have gone first. “So, why did you really come down to my room Sir Knight?” She looks so smug, thinking I’ve come back for a piece of her used action. “I just wanted to make sure-” “Yeah, yeah, that everything was peachy. I heard that through these paper thin walls. But I think you’re more curious than that.” She pauses in thought for a moment, as if to actually think before speaking. It’s a new trick, I’m glad someone taught it to her. “You know, I am actually sorry I shot you.” Once again, I’m left speechless. She would never have apologized even before the plane crash, but then again, she wouldn’t have shot me either. “I know, I am sorry I didn’t find you. I honestly thought all the survivors were here.” She nods and then looks away, clearing her throat. “Not all the survivors. When we crashed, we landed on the military struggling to keep the demons from overtaking the runway. I was saved...” She looks pained in saying it, but continues anyway. “...saved by the military.” I know my face asks the question for me. “And you’re wondering how I became the leader of the only surviving gang left in New York?” She can still read me, although that was a giveaway. “It all began and ended with the military.”

Alison actually forces back tears as she whispers the story to me. “The soldiers who saved me seemed kind at first. In the beginning they were. But the military base was obviously the biggest focus for the demons as they were just finding out about the Templars, so things began changing rather quickly.” She pauses to sigh, as if she is letting a huge weight off her chest. Poor woman could use the break. “The first attack was laughed off by the Generals, who easily killed the majority of the demons without losing a single soldier. But they got smarter, a second assault began and it seemed to mimic the first one. Demon corpses were carpeting the outside of their encampment, while no one noticed the demons sneaking in from the back. They had managed to charge through one of the surrounding buildings and into the steel walls of the fort. With nowhere to go, the soldiers began dying off at an alarming rate, but eventually the demons were repelled and the building was reinforced with a steel wall.” My mind is racing as to where she took her wrong turn, but I try and be patient.

“After that battle things got brutal quickly at the fort. Men driven mad began killing their fellow soldiers. The Generals began to force themselves upon the women that were left. Suddenly, there was only a handful of women left and the Generals were trying to whore us out. We became prizes for whoever performed the best in scouting each day.” Alison’s voice quivered. “I was one of the stronger ones left. One poor girl was only fifteen Damien. Fifteen...” The tears let loose and she collapses into my chest. I don’t move a muscle, my foot tingles at the thought of another bullet hole. Alison slides my arms around her and then I feel compelled to comfort her, just like old times. Despite her emotional state, she keeps on the story. “As I became more valuable to the Generals, I got more access, more knowledge. Eventually I knew every password and piece of intel before even the Generals did. Using my body I aimed for the highest ranking officer. He treated everyone like garbage, including his peers. Once I got him alone, I managed to subdue him rather quickly and gained the respect of many of the soldiers and even some of the Generals.” She let off a tiny grin and then continued. “With a bunch of soldiers loyal to me, we began smuggling all the weapons that were left and moved them to the location where we set up the Black Widows.”

I began to come up with so many questions, I needed more information. Alison was still talking while I found myself distracted among my own thoughts. Why didn’t she just try and escape? I guess the Generals thought it best for the survivors to be locked in a steel box. Some people make no sense at all. I tune back in when she mentions being raped. “What?” Alison looks at me, as if I had slapped her in the face. “What what?” Her question is fantastic, but I don’t know how to say can you tell me about your sexual assault again without sounding strange. “You mentioned rape, who was it?” She goes silent a moment as if to judge whether or not I’ll judge her. “It was a Templar scouting party, they came and helped me out. I was out scavenging when I got cornered by some zombies. After they helped me, they took their time passing me around. It felt like hours. When the three of them left, they just left me naked on the floor of the building they did it in and ran back to the rest of their group.” Suddenly I didn’t feel so good. I had that moment of clarity where you have the most vivid flashback and connect the dots.

I was standing with two other scouts, we were all fairly new but I was the newest at the time. We heard some gunfire and radioed to the other team to see if they needed help. They reported back that they were fine, it was just some zombies. We radioed them a little while later and there was no response. We had thought it odd, but when we eventually got them on the radio they said it was probably because they were exploring the basement of the building. The full on excuse was something about a strange noise in the building and they believed there might have been an entry for the demons down there. Now I am realizing they were raping my wife. All of those Templars are still alive. All of those Templars got promotions. All those Templars have been called back to the base. I had never felt so angry, so deceived. They had seen pictures of my wife. I couldn’t let this stand. I push Alison back and look her in the eyes. Damn those beautiful hazel eyes. “I have to go Alison, but I’ll be back. Please stay in here and rest.” I make my way to the door and turn back to her. “Thank you for the update. I have missed you terribly.” I leave her and head to my room. I’m going to need my dagger tonight.

        I find myself looking through the halls for the three Templars that had raped my wife. They will pay dearly for what they had done. Suddenly the alarms begin sounding, a Knight rushes up to me with panic in his eyes. “Sir! They’ve blown a hole in the roof and the basement!” My mind reels for a moment from the thought of killing Templars to the thought of killing demons. “Right, get Charlotte and head down to the basement, I’ll grab Alison and we’ll take the roof.” The Knight looks at me as if to question and then runs off. I look at the dagger in my hand, I’ll keep it just in case I run into any of the others. I turn the corner back toward Alison’s room and she’s already in the hall with a rather large rifle and a sword on her back. Yeah, I really don’t think I’ll get used to seeing her like that.

        Together we head toward the roof and find a battle heading our way. The demons are already in the hallways before we even see the stairs to the roof and Alison springs to action first. She’s extremely accurate and calm, and makes every bullet matter. After she drops five demons she grins and looks at me. “Big bad Templar going to let the little woman carrying the big gun do all the work?” I laugh and draw my pistol and drop two demons. “Don’t make this a competition now!” I turn and drop a couple more and push over the corpses. The hall continues with less and less demons and I move into the side room they were pouring from. I take the last six shots and drop five demons, the last demon keeps charging me and my sword slides straight across its shoulders. I witness a couple demons drop straight down through the hole; One lands funny and dies while the others charge straight at me. I hack away and drop the first two, the third manages to break through and tackle me over. As I roll over with this large demon all over me, my eyes fixate on the fact there is a crate of explosives with a black widow tag on them in the rafters.

        The demon on top of me is trying to disembowel me, I’m staring at this box, and where the hell is Alison? My gaze shifts to the door and there is no backup for me. Hmm, box, Black Widow leader, son of a bitch I walked her in to exterminate her only enemies in the city. The demon attempts to bite my throat and I use my steel gauntlet to drive his fangs into his throat. In the moment of surprise I break the damn thing’s neck. After pushing the body off, I reload my gun and pick up my sword. I step out of the room and into the hall, but a thought comes to me. I turn and put a bullet in the explosives crate, blowing the roof wide open. That should startle the demons that are left there, I turn and rush down the hall and begin screaming for Alison. I look at the Templar corpses and note the lack of demons. Each Templar has a bullet in the back. Just one. She will pay for their lives.

        I get down a little way and find myself at an intersection of halls. Looking down one I see Charlotte standing with a rifle aimed into a room. As I move toward her she doesn’t move an inch. “She seemed nice. Seems she’s a flat out lying bitch who would sell her own mother to get what she wants now.” I realize she’s talking about Alison standing in the Grandmaster’s office. As I glance in, she has a gun to his head and she’s not planning on letting him live. I turn to Charlotte and wave her off. I advance into the room and close the door behind me. “So, this was your plan.” Alison grins and shrugs. “Well you know, it was fortunate that you happened to come by just after the demons made me a deal. They said they would leave me to rule New York if I just helped take the Templars down.” I felt stupid for trusting her, but I thought we still had some kind of a relationship. “What about...” She laughs at me. “You believed the rape story? I saw you from another building where I was hiding. I made that whole story up. Times have changed, it’s all about survival of the fittest and sadly you’re not very fit.” I feel the rage welling up inside of me. Alison laughs for a moment and draws a knife to the Grandmaster’s neck with her free hand. “No one will be leaving here alive tonight, no Templars at least. That includes you.” She raises her pistol and aims it at me. I hear the click and everything slows down. The bullet lunges from the gun with a mission and pierces my armor. I look down and see my blood gushing forth from the wound, and then I feel adrenaline surge through my veins faster than flicking on a switch. However, adrenaline does nothing when you black out.

When I come to the Grandmaster has a slight gash on his cheek, but is still alive. I’m sitting propped up against the wall and Charlotte is standing guard. “Ugh, what happened?” The amount of effort it took to mutter those words make me realize how close to death I truly am. “You took a bullet to the chest Damien, and then you pulled your pistol out and shot her down.” I glance over to where Alison was holding the Grandmaster only moments before. She is layed out on her back, a single bullet hole above her lifeless hazel eyes. I feel the pain all over again as I remember losing her the first time, how hard it was to let go and how long before I actually let go. The Grandmaster looks to Charlotte while patching me up. “I know it was hard to go through with this, but you did what you had to do.” A Knight walks up and reports in to Charlotte. I can barely hear what is said, but he mentions the Black Widows. “What about the... Widows...” My lungs seem to be weak, but I need to know what’s happened. The Knight looks down at me and smiles. “They’ve been captured or killed, every single one that we let in.”

I feel relief for a moment as the Knight leaves and Charlotte bends down. She looks extremely concerned which means I look as bad as I feel. “We also managed to fend off the demons, they’ll be back but I don’t think they realized we were as strong as we were still.” The Grandmaster leaves and comes back with two rather large Knights and a stretcher. “We’re moving you the medical hall. We can’t take any chances. After all we will need your help to identify the angel we caught. It’s been rather angry since we caged it and it asked for you by name.” I briefly remember the damn thing and it’s advice. “Take me to it now.”

We make our way to the jail, me being carried on a stretcher and Charlotte and the Grandmaster on either side. The angel seems rather pleased to see me in such terrible condition. “Hmm, you survived, this is most displeasing.” I get up off the stretcher, a little strength returning to my body. “I thought you were on our side? I thought you were trying to help us!” I grab its neck through the bars and bring it against the cell door. “You must understand, you were a part of a plan. This whole world, it must burn. It is time, judgement is upon you all!” The angel tries to reach through the bars but doesn’t get a chance, Charlotte puts it down immediately. “Judgement? Is this the final purge of the human race?” I turn to the Grandmaster. He looks sheepishly away. “What is going on? Why won’t you look me in the eye?” The Grandmaster sighs heavily and begins. “My boy, this world has run to almost ruin. New York was the first place over run by demons but other cities began reporting it too. We lost contact with our chapters in Florence, London and Rome a few weeks ago. The world is already burning, we are just postponing the inevitable. I never wanted to give up hope, but now even the angels speak of our doom. We are only holding back the war in the States. But eventually, they will come, and from all sides. All is lost.”

Charlotte and I put the Grandmaster in a cell and lock him up. We had no idea what else to do with him. I make my way down to the medical hall and sit on a bed. I can’t believe the world is burning and humans are fighting each other. I sit back for a moment and put my head in my hands. It’s been so terribly long since I enjoyed anything, felt happiness and joy. The Doc moves around me and motions to take a bed. As I lay back I can’t help but just wish to go back, when everything was normal, everything was perfect. I can’t help remember happier times. I can’t help but remember the happiest of times. I finally breakdown into tears. I remember the day I met her.