The Seraphs

John Seraph
Johnathan Seraph - chiefly referred to as John by friends/members of the Azarr Congregation and Seraph by others - is a high-ranking (tier 1 Guardian) member of 'The Overwatch' (more widely known by the unofficial/slang name of 'The Hand'); an honour-based law enforcement group controlled by, and loyal to, a large religious governmental sect known as the Azarr Congregation. A troubled and brutal life leaves him "broken" and devoid of feeling. Haunted by unanswered questions from his past, he is actively ever-searching for the answers in any place and situation he can, which usually leads him into trouble. Unusual for a tier 1 guardian, John insists on working on field missions outside the great Azarr temple (on the streets, in the slums, in hostile territory) with the lower level members of 'the Hand'. He is often forcibly accompanied by lower tier guardians and tasked with training them in the fundamentals of law enforcement, combat, worship, relic recovery and scripture; although he famously detests this and prefers to work alone.

When John was younger he lived in the countryside on the outskirts of the city: Eradimus Prime on Preater Five (the most recent of the Preater to fall) with his father; Balthazar Seraph. One night when he was seven he felt the earth quake violently, heard the sound of thunder and from his window witnessed a large ball of light and fire fall from the sky and strike Mount Orion - the largest mountain of Preater Five; quite frozen and inhospitable; and situated about 100 miles outside of the city - followed soon-after by several smaller flaming fragments that were not carried as far and instead rained down on Eradimus Prime; followed by a second delayed sonic boom, shattering all the glass and windows of the house and that of all the buildings in the city. His father, Balthazar, was awakened by the noise and he also witnessed the ball of light and fire. Already swiftly dressed in his 'Overwatch' uniform he was stood outside when the blast from the sonic boom knocked him off his feet. Next the power went out, first in the centre of the city and spreading outwards to every building on the Preater, then for a time there was eerie silence, followed by the terrible sound of some 515,300 people in panic; all screaming in fear.

The sky was still dark and overcast, the ball of light leaving a large gaping hole in the clouds above the city - an unstable swirling vortex of thunder and lighting and darkness. Suddenly the clouds were illuminated; at first a bloody crimson, then a fantastic fiery orange, then the sky became pure white and illuminated everything for a short time as though night had become day. People from Eradimus Prime could at first be seen flocking towards the outskirts by foot and vehicle - with many running through the fields, forests and over the hills towards John and Balthazar - however they, and everything else, was quickly engulfed in a flash of blinding white light that remained bright even when John and Balthazar closed and shielded their eyes. As suddenly as the light had appeared it was gone and the world fell into darkness once again, after some recovery time the Seraphs were able to see once more and as their eyes adjusted to the darkness they could see Eradimus Prime - now visibly damaged and ablaze - and the people running from it. Balthazar tried to stop them as they ran past the house and ask them what was happening, and what is to be done, but most ran past screaming or in a daze, and those that did talk were completely incoherent, babbling about the day of judgement being upon them or pleading to the creators to forgive their misdeeds and to save them.

Despite his concerns for his own safety, Balthazar knew he had to carry out his sworn duty as chief guardian, but could not simply leave young John behind, but nor did he want to potentially bring him into the very midst of the danger. After much deliberation he decided to go forth, once more into the fray, lest he not go and risk the Azzar council chiefs falling to harm or himself and his family being arrested or executed for cowardice, abandonment or failure. Luckily his transport remained operational despite the apparent significant (but largely superficial) damage it appeared to have sustained. He told John to get his things, hastily helped him pack the essentials and then departed for the heart of Eradimus Prime; uncertain of what horrors they may witness/encounter therein.

The closer to - and deeper into - the city the Seraphs traveled, the louder and more accentuated/hyper-real/surreal things seemed to become; it was both intoxicating and inescapable. All around was the sights, smells and sounds of the apocalypse - a city in chaos: the warm flickering illuminating glow and roaring sound of fires; the smell and numerous visibly thick pillars and drifting clouds of smoke; the usually white and pristine city streets and buildings covered in a thick layer of debris and ash as it fell from above like snow; the chilling ghostly sound of evacuation sirens echoing between the structures from somewhere in the city centre, foreboding the possibility of worse to come; the constant sight and sound of people running about, crowding, clambering, fighting, screaming, begging and dying, all calling out at once in desperation, fear, anger or pain. Balthazar and John had reached the mid way point to reaching the city centre when Balthazar had to make an emergency stop as his path was suddenly blocked when a large severely damaged media/news building split and collapsed right in his path having a similar sort of chain reaction effect on some the other buildings nearby and making a large ripple of dust/ash be uplifted and thrown radially outwards towards the Seraphs. Being conscious of John - and whilst unable to see - Balthazar picked up John and ran with him (shielding his eyes from the blinding fire and dust maelstrom) as the other buildings collapsed around him; he knew he hadn't the time or sight to foresee and outmaneuver the fall of the structures so abandoned his vehicle and ran - as the dust cleared it was apparent that his vehicle had been crushed by them, and he'd be on foot from here on out (unless - in an unlikely event - he could find another functional transport).

Balthazar traveled for over two hours through decimated streets and large loud crowds of running people heading in the opposite direction before the Eradimus Prime temple of the Azarr was finally in sight, he got many looks and comments of disbelief and anger as he waded through them holding his child to his bosom, unswayed, determined and unmoving/steady like a single heavy rock against the current of a great river. The temple could be seen less than a mile away between the buildings - still shimmering, grand/regal and strangely untouched; rather serene amongst/despite all the surrounding turmoil. Morning had dawned and the illumination provided by this and the nearby destruction/fires and haze of rising heat made it stand out a deep hellish crimson and gold against the blood-red early morning sky and made it appear to almost eerily/phantasmatically dance like a flame amidst the chaos. Suddenly Balthazar and John were confronted by a menacing group of hostile armed men (carrying improvised clubs made from tree branches, metal debris, broken bottles, vehicle parts and steel batons) whom seemed to be very loudly proclaiming that the apocalyptic events were brought onto them by the "Evil Azzar" and "Those that serve them", and that they should be killed on sight. Although they initially seemed to ignore most of the crowds that passed them, on closer look they were mostly split up and physically/violently searching (and even robbing) people and looking for a chance to "Get a little payback" on "the Hand". They shouted that "The Azarr had fled and run like cowards!" and loudly, sarcastically - and with great amusement - asked "My fellow Domians, why and to where do you run? Huh? Where is your faith now? Where are your Guardians now? Ha ha!". Come to think of it, Balthazar had not seen any other 'Azzar Congregation' member or Guardian except those he had passed on the outskirts of the city heading the evacuation efforts or evacuating Eridimus Prime themselves.

Balthazar tried his best - for the sake of his son - to avoid confrontation and pass by unnoticed by the thugs by blending in with the crowds, however one one of them called out in Balthazar's direction for someone to 'Halt, Remain where you are!", he kept walking and saw another thug roughly pull someone out of the crowd and call out the question "This one?" Balthazar kept walking thinking he went by unnoticed, not daring to turn around to look, but suddenly he was pulled roughly by the arm, struck in the face and heard his captor shout excitedly "Got one boss!" It appears that despite how dirty/ash covered his clothing/apparel was by now, they had still spotted the iconic Guardian uniform and crimson cape/robe combination that Balthazar wore; and had pointed him out. "Oh look, a little Azarr Guardian too!" the thug called out as he grabbed at John and as his comrades approached smiling and laughing menacingly. "Leave him be!" Balthazar shouted thrusting out and breaking the thugs grip on John. He pulled back his hood and - nearly dropping John - put him down behind him and stood in front of him defensively with his standard-issue golden 'Guardian Fides Staff ' fully assembled/extended and at the ready. The group then - by silent order (nodding of the head) from the ringleader - started to spread out and circle the Seraphs; Balthazar kept John close behind him. The thug ringleader or "boss" of the group looked like a skinny but sinister/dangerous punk of some intelligence wearing similar apparel to the rest (Shaved heads, leather trousers and no-sleeve vests) but typically with more hair (a Mohawk), tech upgrades, metal jewelry, piercings, tattoos and spikes than the others. He approached with a sharp piece of glass he had picked up out of the nearby rubble and - whilst toying with it - spoke saying "Well, well, a Guardian! Tell me, why are you here Guardian? Evacuation is that way, why aren't you fleeing with your Masters and your precious Azarr Congregation, huh? Are you abandoning them like you did us? Tut, tut. Suddenly he nodded again, and three thugs quickly fought and restrained Balthazar and one held John captive. "Let us go now!" struggled Balthazar, but the thug boss ignored this and then addressed John, turning Johns face with his hand he said, "Why are you so far from home little bird? Didn't your father tell you? There be monsters here".

"Leave him alone! Its me you want!" shouted Balthazar, struggling even more furiously now before being struck in the stomach. To this the thug leader turned and walked to Balthazar and said "Oh my, did I strike a nerve? Tell you what, I'm feeling generous, I shall release him if you tell me where your fellow cowardly Azarr bretherin are hiding", "Have you tried the temple? Balthazar laughed, for this mockery of their capabilities he was struck "Now come on, be cooperative; you know the temple is well guarded, I just want a few more street Guardians all to myself and I'll let the boy live, deal? said the rinngleader."Go to hell!" spat Balthazar, as he - with his full force - lunged forward and headbutted the man in the face, apparently breaking his nose. The ringleader was suddenly fuming with rage, he told his thugs "Hold hims steady!" and one of the thugs restraining Balthazar said "We aint getting anything from this one boss" The boss stormed furiously back and forth for a moment like a rabid caged animal, kicking and smashing objects in the debris and clearly trying to decide or commit to what he is going to do next. Balthazar glanced at John and back at the boss, watching him pace. "Change of plans, I'm going to kill you in front of your son and raise him as our own!" the boss said angrily to Balthazar as he approached and lunged with the knife. Balthazar at this moment - with lightening-fast reflexes - made his move, he headbutted the thugs behind him restraining his hands, jumped up and leaned back enough on them to kick out and disarm the ringleader; the piece of glass went down one cheek of the man and over the right eye, likely unintentionally blinding him. As he screamed and the thugs were in shock, Balthazar, threw the man restraining his hands over his shoulder and shook-off and kicked the other. Under his cape - as part of his disguise - he had hidden his standard-issue extendable Guardian Fidas staff, which he quickly had by that point equipped and had ready to use. He immediately struck the thug restraining John and freed him, standing in front of John ready to protect. With now all the thugs stunned or recovering and before him (in a semi-circular formation) he told John to "Run! Run to the temple John; its safe there!" John refused a few times, but Balthazar was adamant that he'd be okay and would follow as soon as he could. Suddenly there came a quick flash of light followed by a quick flash of darkness and the ground begun to tremble with rocks and other debris shaking and then jumping along the ground. "Go John now!" shouted Balthazar as once more the fire started raining down through the clouds onto the city with a thunderous roar and mighty explosions.