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Next Dawn Comics Present
www.soljo.org/ndc/
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A Soljo Publishing Production
www.soljo.org
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CRUSADE
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SEASON ONE
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PART THREE: Son-rise.
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"I need you so much. I can't do this without you. I can't do anything without
you."
Steve and The Ghost are sat on a beach in the bright sunshine. The Ghost is
looking out at the waves as they crash ashore.
"Never leave me."
"Only if you never leave me."
Steve and The Ghost embrace as the sun starts to meet the sea.
"Steve wake up. Steve."
Steve opens his eyes. Sabre is stood next to him as he lies on a couch.
Steve looks groggy. He tries to get up but can't. Steve's doctor walks in.
"My saviour," says Steve.
"What happened to you?" asks Saviour.
Steve goes to speak but he passes out.
The sun has set and the beach is now lit by moonlight. Steve and The Ghost
are curled up together on a blanket. The Ghost sleeps while Steve strokes
her hair.
In a white room Saviour stands over a stricken Steve, who lies on a table.
Saviour removes Steve's shirt, revealing the wounds created by Milton's
weaponry.
"This isn't good," Saviour mutters.
He places his hands on the wounds and a bright light escapes from under
his hands as they begin to heal.
The door opens and Saviour emerges. Sabre is waiting in a chair, his eyes
out of the window.
"He's ok," says Saviour.
"Can I go in?"
"Go on in, I'll be there in a minute".
Saviour goes in to the bathroom. He walks straight to the sink and throws
water on his face. He looks in the mirror and he can see that over his
shoulder is the Demon Desirei, dressed in long flowing black trench coat.
Before Saviour can speak Desirei already has.
"To answer your question I got in here because I can. Mere walls do not a
barrier make. However, I didn't come here to talk about me."
Saviour has turned round and faces the Desirei.
"What do you know of me?"
"More than you do. I know how you have the touch. I know why. I know
that there is more power in your hands than you could ever desire."
Steve is lying on the table as Sabre enters the room. He sits up and
nods to Sabre. Sits on the side of the table. They sit in silence for
a moment.
"There's something on you're mind. I know you want to tell me. But I'd
rather it came from your mouth than your brain."
Sabre gets up.
"When you were in my head. What, what did you see."
"I saw your memories. I didn't read them, it was just a jumble of images.
But, the crash. It's the crash you want to talk about."
"Do you remember treating someone after a fight in a car park," asks
Desirei.
Saviour looks blank.
"Perhaps I should show you."
Saviour and the Desirei are crouching behind a car. A scuffle can be
heard. The Desirei points in the direction of the noise and Saviour
looks on. The Desirei does not look.
In the middle of the car park there are three trench coated figures
fighting.
"Isn't that..."
"Yes that is me," replies Desirei.
"Who are the other two?"
Saviour looks at them one at a time.
"They are my colleagues. That is Samual. And he is Silas Murphy. Your
patient."
The Desirei pushes Samual to the ground. Samual springs to his feet and
charges Desirei, spearing him to the ground. Silas grabs Samual and pulls
him off. As Silas is holding Samual back Desirei roundhouse kicks Samual
in the head. Silas pushes Desirei away and helps Samual up. Samual punches
Silas on the chin knocking him to the ground.
"If you are or were colleagues, why are you fighting?" asks Saviour.
"That would be an ecumenical matter"
A car screeches round the corner, knocking down Samual and Desirei. The
car stops and the concerned driver opens the door. Samual stands up and
pulls a gun from under his coat. The car door shuts and the car wheel spins
away. Samual holsters his weapon, but Silas sweeps his legs from under him.
"There's more then one car crash. When I was a child we were all in the
car. Mum, Dad, me. Dad was driving down the motorway and he lost control.
We smashed in to the barrier and slid across the opposite side of the
motorway. A car hit the front of ours, killing my parents. I was found sat
in the back, in my baby chair with just this cut."
Sabre raises his hairline showing Steve a scar.
"Of course, I don't know exactly how it happened, but that's what the
police report said. For years I couldn't understand why something like
that would happen. Then I found wrestling. My Dad loved wrestling, especial
the hardcore matches. I decided to do it for him."
Samual and Desirei are trading punches in the middle of the car park.
Desirei knocks Samual on to the bonnet of a car. Samual rolls off the
bonnet, then wrenches it off of the front of the car and hits Desirei
over the head with it, leaving an imprint in the metal. Silas kicks
Samual to the ground, making him drop the bonnet. Silas picks up Samual.
"Stop this now," barks Silas.
"No."
Samual breaks free from Silas' grip and swings Silas head first through
a car window. Desirei punches Samual and again they trade punches. Samual
catches Desirei on the nose, splattering blood across his face and knocking
him to the floor. As Samual closes in on Desirei, Desirei unsheathes a sword
from under his trench coat. Samual doesn't take a backward step. Desirei
swings and Samual dodges. Silas is back to his feet. He sees the sword. He
tries to get between them.
"Stop."
Desirei has another swing at Samual. Silas has got between them and the
swing of the sword slices through Silas' stomach. He hits the floor. Desirei
drops the sword.
"You killed him," says Saviour.
"Yes," concedes Desirei.
"The second car crash. I was driving. The second time. My wife and my boy
were with me, going to one of my early wrestling events. A lorry jack-knifed
hitting us."
Sabre stops tears fill his eyes. Steve puts his arm round him but Sabre
brushes it away.
"I thought wrestling gave my life meaning, but I was wrong. Lisa and Phil
gave me meaning. Once they went... I was lost. Now I have something else.
Another chance, and I'm going to take it."
Sabre extends his hand and Steve shakes it.
Silas' stares skywards as he lays on his back. Blood seeps out from under
his trench coat. Desirei and Samual have gone.
"What now?" asks Saviour.
"Now it's your turn," says Desirei.
A lift stops and the door opens. Saviour runs out of the lift to where
Silas lays. He kneels next to Silas.
"Hold still," whispers Saviour.
"It's too late for me," says Silas.
Saviour opens the trench coat, revealing the wound and a river of blood.
"Oh God"
"No, just Silas."
Saviour opens his bag and scrabbles for medical equipment.
"I told you it's too late. But I have a legacy to leave."
Silas grasps Saviours arm and energy flows from Silas into Saviour. They are
linked together for a few seconds and then Silas cannot grip any more.
The Desirei and Saviour are back in the bathroom.
"Silas gave you his skill, his power. That's why you can heal people. That's
why you can do things that you haven't yet imagined," explains Desirei.
"So I'm a... what am I?"
"You are human. You still bleed, you still breathe. But you are special. So
are the other two. You should join them."
Saviour runs the tap and splashes water on his face.
"What about..." begins Saviour.
He turns to speak to Desirei, but he is gone.
Saviour leaves the bathroom and enters the waiting room, where Steve and Sabre
are sitting. Steve springs to his feet.
"Thank you," says Steve.
Like a series of camera snapshots the story Desirei told Savior flashes through
Steve's mind. He smiles and offers Saviour his hand.
"Welcome on board my friend," says Steve.
Saviour smiles and grasps Steve's hand.
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Crusade.
Written By ChickenSoup.
Characters By ChickenSoup & PaRiS.
Cover Art By PaRiS.
New Dawn Comics (www.soljo.org/ndc/) part of Soljo Publishing (www.soljo.org).
All Storylines, Contents & Characters Copyright Next Dawn Comics & Soljo
Publishing 2004.
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EOF
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