The brisk morning air felt bitter and cold with a gentle but chilling wind blowing lightly. Adrian's cobalt blue sport utility vehicle sat parked in the lot next to the apartment building Victoria resided in. The two had already packed up everything, taking a moment to double-check over everything they had. The back of the truck was loaded up with suitcases, a battery-powered lantern, a long bag carrying Adrian's lever-action rifle, and backpacks loaded with food and drinks. Victoria had her laptop and storybook in the backseat.

"I believe that is everything. Wait! Phone chargers! Did we remember to pack those?" Adrian panicked.

"They're both in the door pockets you idiot." Victoria muttered shaking her head.

"Oh. Right. Soooo...I think we're good then yeah?"

"Pretty much. About a little over nine hour drive according to the GPS. Good thing your dad gave it to you. Means we don't have to use our phones."

"Fuck yeah. Let's grab some coffee and hit the road!"

Once inside the truck, Adrian headed onto the road to begin the long journey to rural Maine. They decided to hit the nearest coffee shop before the trip would truly begin past the city limits. While Victoria went to go get the drinks, Adrian reached back with his long arm to grab the book she was bringing. Curious, he flipped to where the lavish purple bookmark rested. 'A Pact with the Divine One.' He read through a bit of the story, feeling quite uncomfortable upon reaching the paragraph describing their experience inside the cave. He noticed Victoria returning and closed the book to toss it back where it was. She got in, the two tapped their cups together, took a sip, and took off down the road. Now the road trip had truly begun.

  "Take care of things for me while I head out, alright dear? I'll be back later I promise." Natalia crooned to the rather attractive younger woman with medium-length autumn hair in a red dress suit, patiently standing next to her desk inside the oval office. "This group is quite anal about meeting with me and it is urgent in my duties that I go see them."

"Of course ma'am. To think that these individuals seek an audience with you and got approval from you is quite astonishing." The woman stated with bright eyes.

"Well, in their request from the man who personally visited me, it seemed very important to them. Also they may have...donated a generous lump sum of funds towards the spending budget. But let's keep that between us okay Madison?"

Madison Weathers currently serves as the Vice President to Natalia. She was a close friend and fellow political advocate who used her connections with the many wealthy and powerful individuals that knew her father, Adam Weathers, to support her during the election. Adam is the CEO of the nation's largest tech giant, Millennium. Without Madison's assistance, even Natalia's blooming charisma and sharp tongue may not have won her the position. Natalia left the office to head for the presidential limousine parked near the foot of the steps leading to the front doors of the White House. During the drive, she browsed her phone to gather information on current news headlines.

'Polar bears on brink of extinction. With 90% of the population gone, animal care experts rush to protect the remaining bears in hopes of helping them to start reproducing faster amidst a rapidly-changing global climate.'

'SUICIDE RATES AT ALL-TIME HIGH EVERYWHERE. IS THE STATE OF THE WORLD TO BLAME? WHAT IS REALLY KILLING PEOPLE?'

'Several poorer third-world countries continue to rot away from lack of governments and populations to care for them. Towns and cities abandoned, nature consuming structures once populated with people, animals roaming the empty streets. Is it too late to save these once thriving nations? Economic downfalls and changing environments have forced many to abandon the places they once called home...'

'New scientific studies suggest that curing all forms of cancer could come soon. "With most forms of cancer now able to be eradicated, the slow but fatal disease hopefully will come to an end within the next four to five years." Says Dr. Akira Kurosawa from the University of Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan.'

"For every one single positive headline...there are at least eight that bring feelings of sorrow and shame..." Natalia muttered to herself. She shook her head, feeling her heart sink. While several new stories did not pertain to her situation, she felt it was important to keep up-to-date with the world as a leader even if it applied to matters outside her control. Even with the knowledge inside her mind regarding the fall, she had to keep an optimistic mind for her people and those around her.

The limousine eventually stopped at a luxurious house in a wealthy neighborhood in the city of Alexandria. Natalia stepped out and approached the house, passing by the open gate sealing the property off from the rest of the homes in the area. She grabbed the satin nickel door knocker and rapped on the door five times in a specific order. The door opened up. She was greeted by an older, handsome gentleman with green eyes. He had slicked-back white hair with a few strands hanging over his left eye, a stylish mustache, black-rimmed glasses and a chiseled jawline. He wore a black suit decorated with gold patterns on the sleeves and pants and wore a chain necklace bearing an unknown symbol with a red gem in the center. His eyes studied Natalia's figure then her face, a smirk forming on his face.

"If it isn't the stunning madame president herself. Please, come in." The man spoke in a smooth, hushed tone.

Natalia stepped into the house. The man closed the door and motioned to follow him. She had chills running down her spine upon entering the parlor where a group of nine other individuals sat on couches and chairs facing a lit fireplace. Each of them wore black robes but had their hoods down. Five men, three women. The man himself made it ten altogether. Natalia had many questions.

"So just who are you? And who are all of these people? Just what is going on anyway and why did you want me to meet with you stranger?" She spoke bluntly.

"Relax, please madame. Apologies for not properly introducing myself and having to have made a messenger cordially invite you here on my behalf. The name is Vincent Oxford. You may be familiar with the family name." The man spoke shrewdly.

"Oxford. I know of that name. Prestigious family that runs the entire wine industry of America. Bought out every other manufacturer and shackled them down under your own family's business like slaves."

"You hit the nail on the head there. A little birdie happened to have told me about you."

"Who spilled what details about me?"

"A certain fellow connoisseur of wine who happens to keep the banks on a leash for their own profits. Ring a bell by chance?"

"Peter Masterson..."

"Yes that fellow! Precisely. Oh, I'm sorry. These people here donning the robes are my followers. Their names are not important though."

"I'm sorry...followers?"

"Left out a little detail did I? Apologies. We got caught up in conversation. You heard me correctly. I am the sole leader of The Covenant of Asthatathu. We welcome you into our home our most esteemed guest."

Vincent bowed before Natalia. The others all stood up and proceeded to bow with him. She was perplexed at this point. Many thoughts were running rampant through her head. She had to process all of this for a brief moment.

"Covenant of what now? Okay let me just...sit down and you can start explaining things to me sir Oxford." She sighed.

"Certainly."

Vincent led Natalia to his chair and let her take his seat. The heat of the flames kept the backside of the chair nice and warm. He decided to just stand in front of her. She felt the gazes of the followers all set on her. Grabbing the glass of wine that was perched on the small table next to the chair, he took a sip then cleared his throat. Natalia noticed a large painting on the opposite side of the parlor, looming over everyone. It depicted a strange, alien-like creature with wings, many eyes and dozens of tentacles protruding below the eyes. The oddity was both fascinating and horrifying to her.

"Madame Emerson we are no ordinary group. Do not think we are of the same vein as those many lunatics out in the world preaching their false beliefs. The Covenant is secret from the outside world. Same as the cabal you had the pleasure of meeting. Oh? I noticed your eyes darting beyond mine to the beautiful work of art back there. That is our sacred deity you see. The one called 'Cthylla' according to the texts. Let me ask you a question...are you truly the Harbinger?" Vincent's eyes were like needles piercing into her own.

"The...Harbinger?" Natalia gasped. The pieces were starting to connect.

"Mister Masterson told me of the words you had spoken during your visit. The fall...you've seen it. You know of it. You brought a message from the Outer Gods did you not?"

"That means...you know of what I heard?"

"Yes. This year, the world will end. Masterson seemed like one who had come to accept this fate. Truly a bleak message that humanity would be unable to come to terms with. Please, could you do us all a grand favor and tell us the entire message you received from the beyond? The followers would be absolutely delighted to hear it. If you do, I will tell you anything you wish to know and will do my best to answer any questions you may have."

Behind Vincent, the followers all nodded their heads in agreement. Natalia had to take a deep breath. She was already involved with this group now, and wanted to see what she could get out of them in terms of information. So she nodded and decided to speak. Everyone held their breath in anticipation. Vincent pulled out a recorder and flipped it on. He wanted to record every word she was about to speak.

  The radio in the truck had been blaring extreme metal for the past hour as a distraction from the excess driving Victoria and Adrian would be enduring for the next eight hours. Traffic on a Monday was packed but they managed to get out of the city in good time. Victoria kicked her feet up onto the dashboard. Adrian rolled his eyes.

"Please get your boots off of my dash. I just had the interior detailed last month." He asked.

"But I'm comfortable. So I don't think I will." Victoria replied smugly.

"Ugh. You can be such a pain sometimes."

As they were driving Adrian peered down at the gas gauge. It read on the lower side. He shook his head, letting out an audible sigh. Victoria glanced over at him with an eyebrow raised.

"I have to stop and get gas. Looks like there's a station in a few miles comin' up. You should pull out one of those nutrition bars for me from the backpack once we stop. Forgot to grab one before we left the coffee place." Adrian groaned.

"Sure thing. I need one too honestly."

Adrian pulled the truck into the bustling gas station. Victoria grabbed the backpack to pull out two nutrition bars while Adrian filled the truck up. On the pump a large screen was displaying ads on rotation. Adrian almost wanted to break it but held back. He had the excerpt he read from the book stuck on his mind now. It reminded him of the many films he's seen involving paranormal activity and strange voices entering the main character's minds for plot reasons. At the same time he was excited to be involved in a real mystery. Once he was done he got back into the truck. Victoria handed him the nutrition bar.

"Thanks. Alright, off we go now." He said.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

He munched on the bar as he spun the tires, taking off down the road passing the speed limit to save on time. Victoria nodded her head along with the melody of the song playing through the speakers. The two of them had a shared interest in the same kind of music despite Victoria having a more diverse taste in multiple genres. They both loved metal and electronic music, but Victoria also enjoyed classical, hip hop and jazz. She's tried many times to help Adrian branch out but the furthest she's gotten was with a sub genre of hip hop that fused rap with emo. With a multitude of CD's and libraries in their phones full of music they had plenty to listen to during the road trip.

  Natalia was pulled away by Vincent into the kitchen where he was preparing meals for the followers. He pressed his hands on her shoulders and took a deep breath.

"We were absolutely floored by your words madam. Something from the beyond really did speak with you! And it trusted you to carry this knowledge with you I am flabbergasted by this revelation! Truly fascinating!" Vincent exclaimed. "Your pupils...they shimmer with the color of crimson. Very abnormal..."

Natalia shoved him off of her, brushing her coat lightly.

"I know this. They've always been this way. Research states that it is caused by albinism. However I do not have such a disorder...or maybe I do? The rest of me is normal though. Only my eyes are different. So, I have just lived with it." She explained while going to pour a glass of wine.

"You are truly a unique individual miss Emerson. As the president, how does it feel knowing the people you watch over...the people who look up to you...are going to die? You are still human inside so surely you must have sympathy."

"Of course I do. I'm not heartless. It's complicated if I'm going to be honest. I haven't even told my own family yet...it was already tough breaking the news to the cabal. And those are people who are used to playing God sometimes. Snap of a finger and anyone on the planet can be offed in no time."

"You know...it's quite humorous. Christians believe that Judgement Day will eventually come and they will be saved. Many religions in fact, believe in some kind of prophecy that the world will end and their lives will be spared by whichever deity or deities they put their entire faith into. This situation however is different...it's like something out of a fairy tale. One individual receives a divine message confirming doomsday and the world knows nothing of it. What will you do when the fall eventually comes? Will you share this message with the world when the date draws nearer? Or continue to keep it shelved from the public? Hmm?"

"I...haven't decided yet. Anyway enough of this chatter. It's my turn for some answers."

"Of course. I did make the promise."

"Two questions. First...where do you and your little group come into play? And second...do you think there is any possibility that the fall can be prevented?"

"We pray to our deity every day and night. With this new knowledge why, we plan to perform a ritual of course. In hopes of being spared, we will show our devotion to the divine beings and aid in the arrival of whatever brings about the end of the world. And as for your second question...no. A prophecy can either come true and we are powerless to stop it, or it is false and never comes true. The only glimmer of hope for those who know of the fall and want to avoid it is to pray and hope it never comes true. We however are going to be ready for it, just as you are. That answer your questions?"

"...yes. Thank you..."

Natalia quietly sat down at the table and drank her wine in solitude while Vincent continued his cooking, whistling a tune. She felt that she knew more about what is going on with herself and the message she received. But she didn't feel too much better then when she had first stepped through those front doors earlier.

  A large sign on the side of the road read; Welcome to Connecticut! Signaling that Victoria and Adrian had now arrived in a new state. The scenery didn't change much from the mixture of flat lands with trees and distant hills. Houses and various buildings were scattered about on both sides. The highway seemed to pass by a city with it's downtown hub seen off in the distance.

"Finally out of New York now. Still got quite a ways to go. Unfortunately." Adrian chuckled. "At least the coffee is keeping me energized. I may drive for a living but not long distances like this."

"I'm just glad you're the one behind the wheel for this and not me." Victoria added.

"Well if you ever want a change to drive the beast here, you just let me know."

"I'll pass on the SUV driving lesson thanks."

As they drove along the highway, up ahead of them multiple police lights could be seen flashing. Adrian remained cautious as they got closer to what must have been an accident. Sure enough his prediction was correct. A small car was turned over on it's roof on the side of the road and a van sat with a large dent and minor damage. Three police cars surrounded the scene of the accident. A lone man was leaning against the van with his face buried in his hands. Victoria looked shocked at the sight while Adrian wasn't phased by the sight as he had been used to seeing accidents from his job driving around the city. After they had passed by, an ambulance with it's sirens wailing sped by, approaching the scene. The two got one last glance before the sight vanished beyond the rear view mirror.

"I sure hope that wasn't a bad omen..." Adrian murmured. "...then again it's a long drive so that may not be the only accident we come across."

Victoria remained quiet and shook her head to clear her thoughts of the accident. She didn't want anything bringing her mood down. After a deep breath, she slowly turned the volume up some more. The two focused on the road going forward, soon wiping away the accident from their minds.

"So Massachusetts is next, yeah?" Victoria asked.

"Sure is. Then we will be in Maine afterwards. It's going to be some time before we hit any easily accessible towns, so if you are wanting to stop at the first one we come across just let me know. To save on time we must keep bathroom breaks to a minimum. I say that as we have finished drinking coffee." Adrian said with a sigh. Victoria snickered.

"I'm sure we'll be fine for a while. I'm still full of energy and frankly don't want to be too exhausted by the time we get to my grandparent's place. It's been so long since I last saw them. I wonder what they'll think of me now..."

"What, you mean with how you look?"

"Well...yeah. I'm not a teen anymore. I've grown up. Changed a lot. I won't be surprised if grandpa has a fucking heart attack upon first glance at me."

"Ah you're just being paranoid. They love you. Plus you're an adult now so they shouldn't be judgemental of the way you dress or how you talk. Relax babe. Like, stay positive and all that shit you know? But maybe we keep the cursing to a minimum around them."

"Yeah...I guess you're right. Thanks, Adrian. Sometimes you can be insightful and it helps ease my worries."

"Of course. Wait, sometimes? Shit if that's a compliment then I'll take it!"

Despite the lingering thoughts on seeing her grandparents after several years, Victoria wouldn't let any negativity dwell in her mind. She may be naturally pessimistic, but Adrian's optimism helped to balance out their differences in general attitude towards life. And she desperately wanted this lengthy journey to help her discover more about these mysterious past family members of hers. The two decided to remain quiet for now, turning the music up to get lost in the sounds of shredding guitars and blast beats.

  Vincent, Natalia and the followers all ate in silence at the large dining room table. The food smelled deductible and every bite tasted like a five star chef had prepared it with the utmost care. It was comparable with the food the chefs at the White House would prepare for the staff. Once their bellies were all full, the followers got up to leave.

"So, do they just wear those robes when they get here and leave or, what?" Natalia asked Vincent as he was dabbing his lips with a napkin. He snickered at her question.

"Oho! Of course not! They arrive here via limousine then don the robes here. I store them in a closet near the front doors. You underestimate our secrecy my dear Natalia." He replied snarkily. She shook her head in disbelief at her own question.

"Right, of course. So, are they leaving then? What do you even do all day?"

"They are off to socialize. They arrive every Sunday and Monday, we pray, have our service, socialize a bit outside of the religious discussions, pray again then they depart. I always cook breakfast, lunch and dinner for them as well. Each and every one of them has a good career, families, and lives outside of here but remain loyal to the end. I do cherish them dearly. I do hope you enjoyed the lunch I had made. Dinner will be later so if you are wishing to stay you are more then welcome to."

"Thanks but no thanks. I do have my own duties to attend to so I should be going here actually."

"Wait just a moment! Before you depart...may I give you a tour of the upstairs? You've only seen the downstairs here and would be rude of me not to show the rest of the place to our esteemed guest."

"Well...okay, fine."

Vincent led Natalia up the stairwell of the manor. The upstairs had more narrow hallways and rooms then the downstairs. It seemed like one too many rooms for just a single man who lived here. Downstairs had a parlor, kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, prayer room and living room. She got to see a couple guest bedrooms, a study filled with bookshelves, more bathrooms and two rooms remained. One seemed to be locked up with a complex locking mechanism.

"What is in here?" Natalia asked with an eyebrow raised.

"That is...private. While I may trust you, I cannot disclose the contents of said room. This final room on the other hand...is my own bedroom." Vincent stated as he opened the door.

The bedroom was huge compared to the guest rooms. King-sized bed, walk-in closet, large television mounted to the wall facing the bed, a bookshelf, expensive ceiling fan, several paintings and a chair that appeared to be for reading as a book laid on the small table next to it along with a lamp. Vincent stepped aside to let Natalia through.

"I decided to save the most elegant room for last. Mm, been quite some time since I last had a lady in here. 'Tis a shame it's not for the reason I'd want it to be." Vincent said with a hearty chuckle. Natalia shrugged off that last remark and glanced around.

"I will say it is quite lovely. Lots of space. Beautiful pieces of art. I'm almost jealous and I myself have a nice and neat bedroom similar to this." She replied.

"I could imagine." Vincent approached the door and closed it, locking it up. Natalia turned around upon hearing the click. She was cautious now.

"Why did you just lock that?"

"Alas I must confess...upon seeing your beauty at first glance my heart started to flare up. I wish to...seek a private audience with you. Wine is quite romantic to share with a guest, is it not? And the fact that you are the Harbinger just makes me that much more attracted to you and those exquisite...piercing red eyes of yours." Vincent crooned, stepping close to Natalia and gently stroking her chin with a single finger. She started to get chills throughout her body.

"Hold up a moment. As...rather handsome as you are for an older gentleman, I do not seek any kind of romantic fling or physical involvement with another person right now."

Vincent chuckled and shook his head. In an attempt to swoon her, he unbuttoned his suit and tossed it onto the bed. The tight, dark red and black vest he wore underneath showcased his rather toned physique more. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing the canvas of tattoos he had covering his forearms. This admittedly had Natalia shocked. He took his glasses off and ran a hand through his hair.

"I may be in my early fifties my dear...but I come from a long line of men with excellent genes. I not only take care of my health and body, but also am quite the purveyor of bedding fine women such as yourself. Not once, has one of them left this room...unsatisfied." He winked at her.

Natalia had to pause for a moment to take in what was happening. She found herself in quite the awkward situation. Now, considering how important Vincent could be with his knowledge of all things strange and cosmic, and how he could be a valuable ally to her just as Joseph Carter is, she needed to process how to take things going from here...

  Two hours into the drive and Victoria was already feeling some fatigue from being on the road. She was never one who liked long drives and always avoided them whenever possible. After her parents died, she was forced to move in with her aunt and uncle in rural New York. The few trips to Maine as a child and teenager was already enough, as was the move to her apartment once she had started college and continued to live in even after graduating. She would rather stay and die in that city then move again. Adrian was used to driving since it was his job but understood her displeasure of long drives. With the two stuck inside a vehicle for awhile, he figured now would be a good time to discuss something with her. He shyly turned the volume down and cleared his throat.

"Hey Victoria..." Adrian spoke.

"Yeah?" She replied.

"..I wanted to ask you about something related to this little quest we're going on.

"Hm? What is it?"

"So...we're going to your grandparents to stay and try to get answers about those two who wrote that story, right? What exactly do you plan to get out of them? What if this all comes to a dead end? I'm just worried this might all be for nothing, you know? I also think it's strange how you said that nobody even told you about them even though they're from way back in the eighteen-hundreds. I know all about my ancestors even, and my family is definitely not one for bringing up our past since...we had ties to the mafia and all that jazz."

"I see...I just want to see what they may know. Thankfully they're on my dad's side of the family so they may have old family record or some shit like that. The biggest concern is...if that old house my grandma mentioned is even still standing. It's all rural outside those smaller towns so hopefully the house was just left abandoned and not torn down or anything. And if someone else is possibly living there...that would complicate things further. Let's just keep our hopes up, okay? And by the way you never elaborated on those mafia ties you were going to tell me at some point but never did!"

"W-well it's just some bullshit about my great-great-grandfather getting in their good grace by doing favors for them and... getting hitched to the daughter of a mafia boss, eventually working his way into the mafia himself and even becoming a boss after getting married to that woman. Look it's spotty and I really don't feel like going any further then that!"

Victoria and Adrian started laughing together. Victoria had changed the music to a more relaxing, symphonic death metal playlist she had saved on her phone. Listening to music and continuing idle chatter would help pass the time as they still had many miles to go before they would get to their destination: Cutler, Maine.