Eternal Darkness Revelations

By J. F.Johns

The world is divided between humans and cyborgs.
Scarlet Lock is neither.
She is a soldier created to kill on command, and must now find a way to defeat the Activation before it’s too late. The war against the New Government is finally here and Scarlet must protect those she loves. Especially now that Lucian White is plotting something.Eric Thorn will stop at nothing to find the traitor that betrayed them while Andrew Silverstone must face the demons that haunt his nightmares.
New alliances will be made.
And secrets revealed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. F.Johns
• Release date: Mar 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9788409073641

J. F.Johns

J.F.Johns is 25 years old and was born and raised in Spain. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at ARU in Cambridge, UK.She's an animal lover, and spends her free time playing with her adopted dog, drinking too much coffee and posting book photos on her Instagram.She believes in the art of dramatic sighing and eye rolling. She works as a ninja, but has been told several times that she's not very good at her job.Eternal Darkness is her debut novel, and is the first book in the Eternal Darkness Trilogy.

Book preview

ETERNAL

DARKNESS

REVELATIONS

J.F.Johns

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Copyright © J.F.Johns 2018

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or stored in an information retrieval system (other than for purposes of review) without permission in writing from the author.

To all those that have monsters made of ash and feathers.

Also by J.F.Johns:

Eternal Darkness

Eternal Darkness Oblivion

Eternal Darkness Revelations

Cyborg Tales

After Darkness

After Darkness II

‘Being human is difficult.

Becoming human is a life-long process.

To be truly human is a gift.’

Abraham Heschel

TIMELINE

2025- Experiments start.

2030- New Era; the cyborgs are introduced to society.

2040- X-Prototype experiments start.

2045- Government scandal creates riots and protests on the streets. The X-Prototypes escape the facility where they’re being held.

2050- The New Government officially takes control.

2062-Present.

THE CAPITALS

Capital One

The epicentre of the capitals. It is where the New Government resides and most of the wealthiest humans. It is known for its outstanding futuristic designs, modern transportation and tight security.

Capital Two

This capital is located next to Capital One. It is the territory that produces everything for the capitals except food. Its sky is red from chemical pollution and the land is dry. It is where the Institute was located. The majority of the buildings are factories, but there are a few towns where workers reside close to the mines or factories.

Capital Three

Known as the agricultural capital. The centre of this capital is mainly composed of forests where the production of wood is high. On the outskirts, the land is used for agricultural purposes, and most of the food for the capitals is produced here. The land is green and fertile.

Capital Four

This capital is known for its commerce and temples. Nothing can be produced from the land as it has been over developed. The environment is densely populated and there is a lack of open spaces. It is the second richest capital after Capital One. It is famous for its silks, perfumes and the production of weaponry.

Capital Five

Also known as The Flatlands because of its terrain. It is one of the largest capitals, and one of the least populated. Many fields and pastures can be found in this territory, and it is mainly used for farming. It is the main manufacturer of meat and milk.

Capital Six

This capital is famous for its mountain ranges and the few towns that exist are built around them. Some of the smaller hamlets almost seem to be suspended from natural ledges in the sides of the mountains. The inhabitants are strong and tough. This is the poorest capital of the seven. The mines at the base of the mountains are famous for their gems and beautiful stones. Unfortunately, the New Government has power over these mines, and the profits are invested into Capital One.

Capital Seven

The jungle in this capital is used for the training of Watchers and is also where the Slaughterers used to have their headquarters. It has extreme and harsh weather conditions. There are only a few small towns by the edge of the capital at the very border of No Mans Land, territory that no longer belongs to any capital.

THE FALLEN

Lisa Vanderbell

Madeleine Smith

Rory Patterson

Matilda Addington

Aleena Fisher

George Fulton

Perisia Farley

Patrick Hales

Alyssa Oaks

Cassie Silverstone

PROLOGUE

‘Scarlet.’

Scarlet watched the bird that lay on the floor. It twitched uncontrollably. The room was pitch black, but the bird was illuminated from above and below, an eerie light enveloping its body. As she moved forward, a line of lights appeared in front of her, providing a guide in the semi-darkness. She approached the bird and froze as she noticed that with every step, the animal grew in size until finally she realised it was a crow.

In the shadows of the room, a mirror emerged with a girl trapped within it. Scarlet reached out to touch its surface but froze at the sight of the girl inside.

It was herself.

Another Scarlet.

The replica shook her head and pointed at something behind Scarlet. Slowly, the real Scarlet turned around and noticed that the bird was transforming into something else.

Advancing towards it, she realised that the crow was growing, its feathers falling from its body as its bones began to expand.

The crow was now a girl, a girl with blond hair and blue eyes. Scarlet frowned. She knew this girl from somewhere but couldn’t remember.

The crow-girl began to crawl towards Scarlet, and her hand reached out and gripped Scarlet’s ankle, causing her to fall backwards. The crow-girl laughed an hysterical cackle that made the hairs on Scarlet’s arms rise.

Suddenly, the dimness surrounding them vanished and Scarlet winced at the sudden bright light that enveloped everything, even reaching into the shadows. Her chest rose and fell as she glanced around at the room she was trapped in.

It was small, with white walls, white floors and cramped with clinical machines. Tubes, needles, gloves… Scarlet felt a sudden recognition rush through her, and she tried to remember the memory of such a place and set it free from its cage, but the more she reached for it, the more it became blocked. She knew the room, but couldn’t quite recall where it was or why she had been there.

The crow-girl made a sound as if she were choking, and Scarlet’s attention drifted away from the metallic tables and operating equipment and focused once again on the girl in front of her.

And then she remembered.

It was Petra.

X-Prototype Six.

‘What is this?’ Scarlet whispered.

Petra’s soft pink lips curled and she let go of Scarlet’s ankle.

‘You’re doomed,’ Petra replied seconds before her eyes widened and her mouth opened in agony. She began to convulse and Scarlet reached out, unsure of what to do, and watched horrified at Petra slowly transform back into a crow.

The lights above them fell into the shadows and the ground beneath them vanished. Scarlet dropped, her arms outstretched, searching for something to hold on to. She screamed, her eyes wide in fear, their attention focused on the crow that flew above her.

Scarlet gasped and opened her eyes.

Where was she?

It took her a few minutes to remember as the panic settled in her stomach slowly dissipated. She was in a dark truck, packed with cyborgs that had survived the ambush on the Institute just hours ago.

Hands were gripping her arms, and she cried out, slapping and kicking them away.

‘Shh, it’s okay, Beauty,’ a voice said.

The hands loosened their grip on her, and Scarlet’s eyes met a pair of fiery ones, and her heartbeat calmed at the sight of Eric Thorn.

She focused on his face. His blonde hair was ruffled with pieces of ash hidden between some of the strands. His long, sharp nose, cheeks and forehead were covered in dirt and soot because of the terrible fire that had taken place at the Institute.

‘It’s not a dream,’ she whispered. ‘It’s a memory.’

She wasn’t sure how she knew, but it was true. It wasn’t a dream, it was some kind of memory fighting to set itself free. She didn’t truly understand it, but knew that it was somehow important.

Her hands reached out and gripped Eric’s shirt, suddenly frightened that if she let go, she might return to the memory. Her mind slowly calmed, but suddenly a new sense of panic took over.

Everyone was dead.

Eric must’ve noticed her body stiffen because his grip on her tightened. ‘Beauty, look at me.’

She did, and focused her full attention on him, trying to clear her thoughts and make the pain go away. But she couldn’t. There was too much anger stored inside her chest, screaming and yelling to be set free. She shut her eyes, trying to keep it inside.

Everything had happened so fast… The Institute had been ambushed, almost every cyborg inside had been murdered. And Cassie Silverstone, Andrew’s sister, had been killed by the Supreme Leader of the Slaughterers.

Oh God, Cassie.

Scarlet opened her eyes, not wanting to think about it anymore and glanced around. They were in a windowless truck, one that was usually used to transport food to the Institute. There were at least fifteen of them cramped inside the back. They had thrown everything out, hauled as many people they could inside and had driven off. In total, six trucks and four cars had driven out of the Institute.

Scarlet pictured the starless night sky of Capital Two, the run-down factories and dirt roads. She didn’t dare look at the others sitting in the truck beside her, because if she did, the pain on their faces would make the monster inside of her come alive.

Scarlet didn’t need a window to see where they were headed.

She already knew.

Capital One.

The Revolutionaries’ Headquarters.

CHAPTER ONE

Six Months Later

Sam Harris watched the girl that stood in the middle of the training room, surrounded by cyborgs. She held no weapons or shields. She wore only a loose black T-shirt and sport trousers. Her blonde hair was wild, as if it hadn’t been brushed, and her natural blue eyes were bright under the light of the room.

Scarlet Lock assessed the cyborgs that circled her. One of them lunged, and she ducked out of the way, twisted around and grabbed the cyborg’s arm, pulling him around and shoving him against another.

Sam noticed someone sit on the bench next to him and turned in time to see Eric Thorn stretch his legs out and light a cigarette.

‘You shouldn’t smoke in here,’ Sam said.

‘She’s getting better,’ Eric replied, ignoring Sam’s comment.

The room was enormous with a wide array of sport equipment, a few benches along the sides for those who wanted to sit and watch, tables with weapons to use for practice combat and blue padded floors.

Scarlet ducked in time to miss a deathly blow from one of the cyborgs that was holding an axe. She slammed her shoulder into the man’s stomach and sent him flying.

‘I don’t trust Lucian,’ Eric whispered. ‘He’s using us.’

‘Of course he is,’ Sam said. ‘But we need his help. We don’t have the numbers anymore.’

Six months ago, Sam and some of the cyborgs of the Institute had travelled across the capitals to help Andrew Silverstone get his sister back from the Slaughterers. The Supreme Leader, a man named Jason, had kept Cassie Silverstone prisoner. But upon arrival, they had discovered that it had been a lie. Cassie had been murdered, and Jason had lured Eric there to make sure he wasn’t killed during an attack on the Institute.

Someone had betrayed them, giving away all the information about the Institute to the Slaughterers; guard positions, time schedules, amount of cyborgs within the building, cameras… Because of it, the Slaughterers had been able to enter the premises and bomb the Institute, killing almost everyone inside.

The few survivors had travelled to Capital One to join the Revolutionaries. Lucian White had welcomed them with open arms, providing food and shelter for everyone.

Scarlet leapt into the air, landing on one of the cyborgs. Sam could tell she was going soft on them, trying not to hurt them too much. She stood and rolled her shoulders, giving the cyborg time to get back up. Her blue eyes met Sam’s for the briefest of seconds and he felt something cold slide down his back.

The scared and confused Scarlet he had once known was gone forever. Now she spent almost every second training. She hardly spoke to anyone unless she had to. But Sam had noticed the sadness hidden in those eyes. He had noticed the way her lip would sometimes tremble as if she was about to cry but kept herself from doing so, and the way her shoulders would sometimes shake almost like she couldn’t handle the weight of the world on them anymore.

‘We need to do something or I’m going to go mad,’ Eric said, interrupting Sam’s thoughts. ‘We’ve been trapped in here for six months. I need some action.’

‘We had to stay here for our own safety. The Slaughterers attacked the Institute and we lost most of our people. We need time to recover from such a blow.’

‘Well, it’s been six months now…’ Eric pulled at the collar of his black T-shirt uncomfortably. It was odd seeing Eric dressed in anything but a suit. Unfortunately, Lucian didn’t have a stock of nice suits at Eric’s disposal, so he had had to make do with the secondhand clothes Lucian had provided them.

‘It’s high time we started to get this party on the road,’ Eric said.

‘What did you have in mind?’

‘We need to find the traitors that sold the information to the Slaughterers.’

‘It won’t be easy tracking them down.’

Eric shrugged. ‘We can’t stay hidden away forever. I’ll kill someone if we do.’

Scarlet’s arms locked around one of the cyborg’s neck, and she twisted her body, making the cyborg fall, hard. She stepped backwards and then glanced over at Sam and Eric, her eyes narrowed.

‘She’s changed,’ Sam said.

Scarlet looked away, her attention once again on the cyborgs surrounding her. Sam rubbed the back of his neck and turned towards Eric who stood to leave.

‘We’ve all changed,’ Eric said.

…

Andrew Silverstone heard the knock at the door and walked towards it down the lemon coloured hall in his house in Mercy Cross. His eyes drifted from the handle to the peephole, something in his mind screaming at him not to open it.

Another knock, louder this time.

Andrew leaned back. Another knock, harsher, and then another and another. The door rattled from the punches it was now receiving.

Andrew’s hand shook, but he took no notice of the fear gripping him and his fingers slowly curled around the handle and twisted.

No one stood on the other side, and Andrew took a single step outside, looking for the person that had been knocking so frantically. His heart beat so fast against his chest that he was sure it would explode into a thousand pieces.

The street was calm and empty, the front gardens still and peaceful. Everything was in its place, except for a strange mist making its way down the road. The mist crawled over the grass of the gardens, making scattered toys and gnomes disappear from sight.

It continued down its path, getting closer and closer to Andrew’s front garden. Before it could reach him, he jumped back and slammed the door shut. Breathing hard, he leaned his back against it, and waited. He had expected something to happen once the mist reached his door, but nothing did.

Slowly, he turned and reopened it.

No mist.

Shaking his head, Andrew chuckled at his own paranoia and shut the door again. He faced the corridor and was about to rush upstairs when something stopped him. His breath caught, and he stood, frozen, staring down at the floor.

Blood.

There was a trail of blood on the carpet leading into the kitchen. He followed it, his right hand leaning on the wall for support.

A girl stood in the middle of the kitchen, her back towards him. She didn’t need to turn around for Andrew to know. He would recognise her anywhere.

He rushed to his sister’s side and wrapped his arms around her. Cassie Silverstone turned around within his grasp, her eyes watery. ‘Drew, you’re here.’

‘Of course I am.’ He cupped her face and kissed her forehead and nose. ‘You’re alive, Cass. You’re here, safe.’

Cassie began to cry, quick sobs that made Andrew want to cry too. It had all been a nightmare. Cassie was safe and sound in their home in Mercy Cross.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked, scanning her body to make sure she had no wounds or injuries. His attention landed on the pool of blood beneath her feet and he leaned away to get a better look. His arms went stiff at the sight of the wound in Cassie’s stomach. Her entire light blue blouse was soaked and he had no idea how she was still standing from the amount of blood she had lost.

‘Cassie,’ he breathed.

‘They killed me, Drew,’ she said, her hands touching the wound. ‘You didn’t save me.’

Andrew’s mouth opened to reply and to plead for forgiveness, but his throat was dry and no sound came. For a split second, his eyes landed on the tablecloth on their kitchen’s table. He had no idea why it had caught his attention, but he could’ve sworn it didn’t have printed dogs on it. Andrew frowned.

Cassie stepped back, turning Andrew’s attention away from the table. Her eyes suddenly rolled back and she fell. Andrew reached out to catch her, but his hands were suddenly met with thin air.

Cassie was gone.

‘Andrew!’ a voice cried.

Andrew opened his eyes and bolted upright, searching in the dark for the source of the voice. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and as he slowly began to realise where he was, his beating heart relaxed.

He was in his room in the Revolutionaries’ Headquarters in Capital One, an abandoned hotel Lucian had taken over years ago. He wasn’t in Mercy Cross with his sister. Because his sister was dead.

Andrew ruffled his dark brown hair and turned the lamp on beside his bed. His room was a nice standard hotel room; a double-bed, a desk and chair to one side beneath the window that had been closed up so no one could see in, a wardrobe and a bathroom.

‘Scarlet,’ he said, turning his attention to the girl on his bed. She spent every single night with him and still he couldn’t get used to it, still he awoke frightened and screaming, not recognising her touch in the dark of his room.

She reached out to touch him, but then seemed to think better of it and stayed where she was, her forehead furrowed with worry.‘You were having a nightmare. Again.’

‘I’m okay.’

‘You were shaking and sweating.’ She pointed at the sheets and at his bare chest which was completely soaked. ‘We need to do something about this, Andrew. It’s getting worse.’

‘It’s not.’ Andrew climbed out of bed, marched into the bathroom and grabbed a towel to dry the sweat off. ‘I’m perfectly fine.’

Scarlet kept quiet, and when he walked back into the room, he saw what he witnessed each day on her face; worry, frustration and anger. He sat on the edge of the bed, and she followed, stretching her legs out. ‘Let me help you. You can’t keep this up, it’s been months. You have nightmares every single night.’

‘I can handle it.’

Scarlet sighed and stood. ‘I gave you time to fix it, but you haven’t. I’ll ask Sam or Eric to help, surely they can find a solution.’

‘Not Eric.’

‘Okay, not Eric. But someone.’

Andrew didn’t want to see the disappointment and worry on her face, so he turned away from her. He felt her move, and then her delicate hand was on him, squeezing ever so gently his shoulder.

‘Let me help you.’ Her voice broke and Andrew felt his world shatter. He wanted to be strong, he wanted to fight. But each time he thought of his sister, a wave of sickness took over and he was incapable of doing anything at all.

‘What can I do to fix this?’

‘You already do enough.’

Scarlet sighed. ‘Lying on your bed while you sleep isn’t actually doing anything.’

‘It is.’

Andrew had kept the nightmares a secret at first, but she had heard him screaming while he slept, and she had come rushing in, scared that something had happened to him. He had begged her to stay with him and she had.

Every single night.

‘Why do you do this to yourself?’ Scarlet asked.

Andrew’s chest tightened and he shut his eyes. Tears welled up behind his eyelids and before he could stop them, they rolled down his cheeks. Scarlet’s hand found his, and squeezed. ‘Why, Andrew?’

The tears continued to fall as Andrew said, ‘Because I get to see her, Scarlet. In my nightmares, I get to see Cassie.’

CHAPTER TWO

Scarlet made her way back to her own room. Andrew had decided to go to the training room and do some exercise to clear his mind.

The hotel was silent on this floor as most cyborgs had gone to sleep, but Scarlet could hear life through the doors she passed along the way. Snores, laughter, whispers… One door was open, and Scarlet spotted a tough looking cyborg sitting on a chair watching the news on a small TV.

Most cyborgs kept away from her and the other X-Prototypes. She preferred it that way. She wasn’t there to make friends, and most importantly, she didn’t want to let people into her life only to lose them afterwards.

Opening her bedroom with the key card Lucian White had provided her with, she stepped in and shut the door. For a few seconds, she leaned her head against it, and counted to five.

Lucian White had welcomed everyone in, and his people had helped the injured, had given everyone rooms, clothes and food. Lucian had talked to Sam for hours about their alliances the night they arrived, and by the next day, the two groups had joined together. But even after six months it was still clear where loyalties lay.

After Lisa Vanderbell- leader at the Institute- had died, Sam had become the new leader. Everyone followed him and no one mixed with Lucian’s people too much. A few fights had occurred between Lucien and Sam’s men. It was pretty obvious that not everyone in Lucian’s group was as welcoming or thought they should be there. And it was specially hard for Sam’s people because nearly everyone that had worked for Lisa had been against Lucian’s ways of dealing with the government.

Scarlet moved away from the door and dropped onto her bed.

The Revolutionaries’ Headquarters was located in a neighbourhood that had been mostly abandoned. The hotel was fifteen floors tall, it looked run down from the outside but was a small paradise inside. They had training rooms, a cafeteria and plenty of bedrooms for everyone.

Scarlet lifted her hand up, her eyes focusing on her fingers. Blue flames appeared on the skin, dancing and moving with the movements of her hand. Stretching her arm out, the flames expanded, covering the entire length of her arm, and Scarlet smiled at the sheer power of it.

A knock on the door made her sit up, the flames vanishing from her skin.

‘The door’s unlocked,’ she said.

Eric appeared, leaning against the doorframe, one hand in his pocket and the other scratching his earlobe. His blonde hair was messy, and his beautiful fiery eyes were so intense it made her body tremble. It was still odd seeing him in normal casual clothes instead of a suit, but somehow, he managed to wear them as if they had been styled especially for him.

‘Jeez, Beauty,’ Eric said, switching the light on. ‘Apart from being a clone, you want to be a vampire now, too? Don’t you think that’s being a little overdramatic?’

Scarlet grabbed one of the pillows from the bed and threw it at his head, which he dodged perfectly.

Scarlet had told Sam and Eric the truth about being a clone and her flames. She hadn’t dared to tell anyone else because they still didn’t know who the traitor was, but she trusted Sam and Eric with her life and they deserved to know.

She had been scared to death to tell them because she had no idea how they would react. Sam was sweet and caring, and she knew that no matter what, he would never judge her. He had hugged her, kissed her cheeks and had told her that everything would be okay.

Eric hadn’t said anything, he had waited for Sam to leave and then he had sat down on one of the chairs in the conference room they had used to talk privately.

‘You look worried,’ he had said.

‘I’m scared of what you’ll say.’

‘About what?’

‘About me being a clone that can burst into flames.’

Eric shrugged. ‘You’re a clone. I’m a cyborg. There’s nothing to say.’

‘But, Eric-’

He stood, circled the table and crouched in front of where she had been sitting. ‘I’ve told you before, Beauty. Don’t hide from me.’

‘But-’

‘None of it matters. What we are, what we are not. It’s you and me. Always.’

Scarlet smiled at the memory, but was suddenly distracted by Eric’s body dropping onto the bed beside her. He lay on his back, his hands cushioning his head.

‘I’ve been talking to Sam,’ he said.

‘You’ve been plotting you mean.’

‘We’ve decided it’s time. We’re going out to hunt the traitors. I’ll be gone for a little while. We have a slight idea of who did it, so it’s just a matter of tracking them down.’

‘I want to come too.’

Eric shook his head. ‘Tristan would beat the crap out of me if you missed out on your ‘super power freak training sessions’ because of me.’

‘Did you just admit that someone can actually defeat the great Eric Thorn?’

‘He’s an X-Prototype, doesn’t count. If not, I’d totally beat his ass.’

‘Sure.’ Scarlet laughed.

She observed his chest rise and fall rhythmically like waves ebbing and flowing to the shore for what felt like a lifetime. Their silence stretched out, and even though it should’ve become awkward because of the many issues they had, it wasn’t. It never would be.

‘It doesn’t have to be you,’ Scarlet said. ‘You don’t have to be the one to search for the traitor.’

‘It does.’

‘Eric…’

He looked away and Scarlet felt his pain as if it were her own.

‘It’s my fault they’re dead,’ he said. ‘Jason created the Slaughterers because of me, because of our past, and he attacked the Institute on purpose. If it weren’t for me…’

She reached out and grabbed his hand, stroking it, not daring to speak. She had already tried to convince him, to make him understand that it wasn’t his fault and that he couldn’t blame himself for what had happened. But it was of no use. He wouldn’t listen.

‘Does it bother you?’ she asked.

‘How sexy I am? Sometimes. But one really does grow used to it.’

Scarlet didn’t laugh, her face remained tense, creases of worry making their way through the cracks.

‘Andrew. Does he bother you?’ Scarlet paused, hesitating over the next words. ‘Does it bother you that I stay with him every night?’

‘We’ve already talked about this.’

‘And you never truly answer the question.’

Those beautiful sweet eyes hardened suddenly, his jaw tightened and his body tensed.

‘It did bother me.’ His voice was a soft caress against her skin. ‘But I came to terms with it. I understand that he needs you, and in a way, you need him.’

‘Eric…’

‘Beauty. I need you to understand something.’ His fiery eyes landed on her. ‘I would do anything for you. If this is something you need to do, then do it. I will never hold you back.’

‘But it’s not fair on you.’

A sad smile appeared on his face. ‘Life isn’t fair. I guess that’s the true beauty of it, right?’

‘How could that make it beautiful?’

Eric shrugged and then said, ‘It’s because we grow stronger from the unfairness that makes us weak, Beauty. And broken people are the most beautiful of them all.’ He smiled at her then and Scarlet felt her entire world break down at the sight of such sadness.

‘I wish we could go back to Mercy Cross,’ she whispered.

‘Maybe one day we can.’

Scarlet smiled at the thought. Maybe one day they could, and they could live the rest of their lives there as they healed and forgot about it all. But then again, Mercy Cross would just be a sad reminder of the friends they had lost.

Madeleine’s face appeared in Scarlet’s mind; her dark skin and brown curly locks that bounced above her shoulders as she tilted her head back and laughed. Those silver eyes narrowed and her lips pouted at something someone had said. Rory Patterson was there too, her skinny, tall figure bending down to pick up little Matilda.

The image of them was suddenly replaced by their bodies, their eyes empty. Scarlet choked down a cry and curled up against Eric’s chest. His arms slid around her, and she gripped his T-shirt.

She would