Dead Time Series

by Jason Wilcox

  Steven smiled. “Domblin shouldn’t be trusted, just as I shouldn’t be in this body,” Steven said losing his smile. “I’m an archangel, an angelic warrior, named Azgiel. I have been keeping a close eye on Domblin for some time. He played this awful trick on me, putting me into this body, which takes away most of my powers. He weakened me so I wouldn’t be as much of a threat.”

  “So you and Domblin aren’t with each other?” Caden asked trying to piece all information together.

  “No,” Azgiel responded coldly. “If he had the chance, he would kill me.”

  “Then why should I trust you?” Caden narrowed his eyes, analyzing Azgiel more.

  “Think about it, Caden,” Azgiel said. He signaled for Kaz to move closer. “Domblin put me in this body to trap me.” Caden wrinkled his brow. “I was informed that he took off and only reappeared after your wife was killed, and then put on a performance for you, acting like he was fighting the same man that he serves. A man named Triaad. Do you know who else serves the man on the dragon?” Azgiel asked. Caden shook his head. “The dark souls. Think about it. Who sent the dark souls after you? Sure, he gave a great impression that he saved you a few times, but where was he the rest of the time? It was Kaz who had to keep saving you. That blue line he put around your cabin was to attract the dark souls, but now that you have your sword back, you can help us kill the dark souls, Triaad and Domblin.”

  “They’re getting closer,” Kaz snorted in his low voice. “We need to move.”

  “Kaz is with you?” Caden asked with surprise.

  “Yes,” Kaz grunted.

  “Wait, so you’re saying-”

  “We’ll talk as we walk,” Azgiel said. Kaz allowed them to reach the edge of the woods before he followed behind, keeping a little distance between them.

  “So you’re saying that Domblin has been ordering the attacks on me, and the times that he protected me were just an act?”

  “Yes. He was completely behind the attacks on you. And those phony fights he had with the dark souls were laughable at best. You’ll see what we do to the wretched things if any of them catch up to us, and believe me, they won’t be walking away alive like they did after encountering Domblin.”

  “He seemed so sincere, like he actually cared about me and my loss of Bridget.”

  “Not only was he not sincere,” Azgiel began, “he was responsible for your wife’s death. He orchestrated that.”

  Bridget. Caden couldn’t shake the vision of her beautiful face. I’ll never see her again. I should’ve killed him while I had the chance. “How do you know all of this? Were you there, and if you were, why didn’t you stop it?”

  “No, I wasn’t there,” Azgiel said, sounding remorseful. “I wish I had been. We are sworn to serve and protect you. I would’ve put a stop to the whole thing. Kaz still feels horrible because he lost you in the building you were in, or he would’ve protected both of you.”

  Caden clenched his fists. “How did you find out?”

  “The same way Kaz knows the dark souls are getting closer. There are elements around us in this forest that communicate, if you’re willing to listen. I can find out information about the last couple of days events in this spot just by the elements talking to me. They’re telling me right now that we have very little time before the dark souls reach us.”

  Kaz now had drawn his sword and closed the gap between them. “How do we fight them? I have no gun, and I can’t draw the sword.” Caden’s voice cracked “Or can we outrun them?” All of this was too much to handle. His stomach tightened and he felt sick.

  “No, we can’t outrun them, but that rocky area up ahead will be a perfect spot to try and hold out,” Azgiel said. He picked a leaf off a bush and held it up. “You see this leaf?” The leaf moved back and forth as if a wind was blowing it around. The green seemed to bleed out of the leaf, turning into what looked like translucent glass. After the green left, the leaf began to expand like a balloon. “Here you go,” Azgiel said holding it out. Caden took it in his hand, bewildered about what it was and how Azgiel did it. The glassy substance was still ribbed like a leaf.

  “So you know magic?” Caden asked.

  “Not magic as in creating something out of nothing,” Azgiel explained as they walked around a couple of large boulders. “As you know, everything is made of atoms, and if you have enough knowledge and power, you can command atoms to alter their state and create whatever you need or want.”

  “You’re saying that you can alter the molecular makeup of objects,” Caden asked as they came to a stop behind three large boulders.

  “I’m saying that with enough power and knowledge, the molecules around you will do what you ask. You were King over this entire planet at one time. If you can unlock your mind, you’ll be able to tap into tremendous amounts of power and knowledge, enough to draw that sword and get us out of this situation.”

  “How do I do that?” Caden asked, not fully believing it was real.

  “Drop that little glass ball,” Azgiel said while taking a step back. Kaz caught up with them and stood close by as well.

  Caden looked at the ball, still holding it by the stem, amazed that the spherical object had once been a leaf. Slowly he released it, allowing it to drop to the ground. Small electric bolts came up from the ground, grabbing at the glassy bulb. Once it touched the ground, an unseen force surged through Caden making him feel lightheaded. The color around him changed and grew blurry. He blinked a couple of times. After his eyes cleared, he could see the green tinted dome that had appeared. The small glass leaf bulb had grown large enough to surround them.

  “What is this?” He touched the wall of the dome. The surface felt like the inside of a wet seashell.

  “It will keep us safe for the time being.”

  “How’d you make it?”

  “You did this, not me,” Azgiel said. Caden didn’t believe him; there was no way he did it. Obviously, Azgiel had done something to make it happen. “It’s the same way you’re going to pull that sword and get us out of this mess.”

  A scream rang out, muffled by the dome. Caden looked past the rocks into the trees. The forest grew dark, and the same dark soul that Caden had seen before appeared in front of a close-by tree.

  “Tagen,” Kaz growled. Caden looked at the dark soul closely. Now he knew his enemy’s name.

  Tagen leaned up against the tree, and it let out a groan that shook the ground. Pine needles slowly fell around him. He smiled showing his black, oily teeth.

  “Draw the sword, Caden,” Azgiel said. Kaz tightened his grip on his heavy sword getting ready for the fight. Another scream came from behind. Caden turned just in time to see a very skinny dark soul slam into the wall of the dome and bounce off. Azgiel grabbed Caden’s shoulder to get his attention. “Draw the sword.”

  Caden reached for the sword, but was still unable to take hold. What was it Azgiel had told him he needed to do? Focus. He waved his hand back and forth trying to draw the sword, but it was as if the hilt was an illusion.

  “I can’t grab it,” Caden snapped.

  Both Azgiel and Kaz were focused on Tagen and the now hundreds of dark souls who circled the dome. Another dark soul charged the dome and slammed against it with its head. Tagen screamed as he crawled up to the dome. He gripped an edge of a small boulder that stood between them. Black roots spread out on the surface of the boulder, pushing off chunks of moss and pine needles. Smoke rose as black roots climbed the wall of the dome. A loud pop startled Caden as a crack split the side of their shelter.

  “I know you can do it,” Azgiel said keeping an eye on the developing crack. “Believe in yourself and draw the sword.”

  One of the black roots began working its way through the crack, making its way inside the dome toward the ground. Caden wiped his clammy hand on his pants. Then he held the sword in front of him and tried to clear his mind. His heart raced and sweat beaded his forehead. Something familiar ran through his fingers. He had felt it before when the fire h
ad somehow responded to him when the plane crashed, and when he had picked up Domblin’s staff. The handle of the sword turned darker, less translucent. When his hand was about an inch away from the sword, something changed. The fire had responded to him in an almost a playful manner, like Mags desiring attention. Domblin’s staff had almost seemed to want his attention, wanting help. But the sword gave Caden the feeling of a sadistic-minded criminal waiting for its commands to destroy. Pure evil.

  Hesitating to take the finely carved black handle, the sword seemed to call to Caden, creating a feeling of dirtiness and filth like he had just done something wrong. He quickly pulled his hand away, which was more difficult than he realized it was going to be. The sword had a pull on him, as if it were controlling his muscles to do its will.

  A green light caught Caden’s attention, and he looked over at Kaz who held his sword up. The lettering on the sword was engulfed in green flames. Kaz pointed the blade down and slammed it into the black roots. The roots lit up in green flames, burning them back to Tagen. Pulling his sword out of the ground, Kaz let out a deep growl.

  Tagen let out another scream, and another dark soul ran at the dome heading for the cracks. The creature hit with such a force that it knocked a basketball-sized chunk of the wall loose. The piece of dome fell to the ground and dissipated. Screaming, the dark soul quickly ran for the hole, throwing his arm through. His body contorted and slipped into the small opening. Kaz swung his sword, slicing the dark soul’s arm and head off. The shadowy flesh of the dark soul dripped off like oily tar leaving behind thin, black rubbery bones. More dark souls began charging the dome.

  Azgiel turned to Caden. “Draw the sword now!” His voice was harsh and demanding.

  “I can’t,” Caden screamed.

  Azgiel grabbed Caden’s shirt and pushed him backwards. “You can and you will draw that sword.” Azgiel started to look different. A shadow came over his face and his eyes turned pitch black. “What kind of pathetic weakling have you become? Draw the sword or you’re going to die. This is your world Mauldrin, dig within and find who you truly are. There’s power within you that can destroy all the dark souls around us. You just have to remember and tap into it. It’s time for you to take your realm once again. Now draw the sword!”

  Before Caden could respond, his head hit the wall of the dome as Azgiel shoved him backwards. He put his hands up to brace himself. The sword handle went straight through the wall. The shelter rapidly melted away where the sword handle touched as if acid had been poured on it.

  “Kaz,” Azgiel yelled, “we’ve got a problem.” Azgiel swung Caden behind him. “Stay between us,” Azgiel commanded. “If you haven’t grown fearful enough to draw that sword yet, you soon will.”

  Before the dome was fully dissolved, the dark souls began to charge. Azgiel grabbed a creature, holding it by its neck. It screamed and clawed at his arm. The cuts almost instantaneously healed after the creature tore at the skin. Smoke came off Azgiel’s hand and then the dark soul burst into dust. As the dust fell to the ground, the rest of the dark souls stopped in their tracks. They examined Azgiel as if they were trying to figure out who or what he was.

  Kaz swung his sword, slicing a couple creatures in half. While he swung at one, another jumped on him, biting his head. He ripped the creature off, slammed him into one of the boulders, and drove his sword through its chest. Tagen took the chance to dive past him and grab Caden, slamming him to the ground and quickly dragging him into the crowd of dark souls.

  “Azgiel,” Caden called out as he was being dragged away. Darkness seeped through Caden much like Tagen’s dark roots had attacked the shelter. Caden found it hard to breathe.

  Azgiel pointed to the sword and yelled to Kaz. “Get the sword! If they drag it off into their cave, we’ll never get it back.” Kaz ran, slicing through a crowd of dark souls. As they continued to pile on top of him, Caden was pulled from the pile, held by his right leg. Tagen took off running, dragging Caden through the woods. Sticks and small rocks stabbed and scratched at him as he tried to free himself, but it was no use. The dark soul was too strong and moving too fast.

  Before Caden could get his bearings, they were in a dark cave that turned pitch-black as they went deeper. The hard ground became soft and gooey. They came to a quick stop and Caden was hurled across a room, his sword flew off as he smacked the ground and slid a couple of feet. He heard a strange audible gushing noise, and then nothing. Caden slowly rose to his feet, keeping his hands in front of him, cautious in case Tagen was near him, or anything else that might attack.

  Dripping came from somewhere, but with zero visibility he was unable to see. The air was stale and hard to breathe. A scream in the distance broke the eerie silence—not a scream from a dark soul, but a scream from another human being. Caden moved in one direction, feeling disoriented and having no clue where he was going. He quickly found a wall, which was covered in the same soft slimy texture as the floor. The substance seemed to move, and Caden felt like it was trying to soak into his skin. He pulled away, then put his foot along the corner and began to walk using the wall as his guide. After finding the fourth corner and no door, Caden concluded he was in some type of small holding cell or prison, and the sludge noise earlier had been Tagen closing the door.

  Heading back toward the middle of the room, Caden felt a dip in the floor with his foot. He reached down and felt a two-inch deep hole in the slime. At the bottom of the hole along the edge of the gunk, there was something metallic and oval, but it was stuck. He played with it for a minute, feeling it, trying to guess what it might be. After a minute of touching and pulling at it, Caden realized it was the opening to the sword’s sheath. The handle of the sword was causing the blackness to dissolve around it, like it had with the dome wall. If he could draw the sword, he might be able to escape, so Caden frantically grabbed where the handle would be, scratching at the rock floor.

  With no luck grabbing the handle, Caden felt hopeless. His fingers ached from constant scratching at the rock surface. Rage, pain, sorrow, anger, and confusion all flowed through him from everything he had gone through, and he yelled at the top of his lungs.

  There was no hope. He gave up and pushed himself against a wall. A feeling of nausea from the slimy substance drained any resolve he had remaining and left him feeling emotionally dead.

  CHAPTER 29

  The large, luxurious bed creaked as Tagen got up. He slipped over to the window and opened it, letting in the sea breeze. The sun streaked through the gloomy clouds. It was the first time Tagen had seen the sun since he arrived at Triaad’s almost a month ago. Waves slammed against the cliff walls hundreds of feet below. Ornate furniture was placed along the walls, and the whole room made Tagen feel out of place.

  A young woman entered the room with two large guards. She held a tray of black mushy food and set it down on the hand-carved dresser.

  “Thank you,” Tagen said trying to help the human feel more comfortable in the hope that his kindness would get back to Triaad. She looked at him briefly with cold, empty eyes and left the room. The breakfast was made of something that Triaad must’ve discovered as food for dark souls. Tagen let out a sigh. He had grown tired of sitting in the room. There was no news of the outside world, and he had no idea if he was going to be punished or honored. The days came and went with the same servant girl coming and going, never saying a word.

  The treatment surprised Tagen. It was nicer than how he had lived when he served directly under Triaad. Since then, Triaad had become unpredictable, ruthless and evil in his actions. Tagen could’ve been thrown into a dark-matter chamber just like the one he lived in back with Snyp, but instead, they placed him in a nice room that brought back feelings of being human. Worry plagued him that it was a trick, that the luxury was just a manipulation.

  Picking up the plate of food, Tagen shoved the strange biscuits into his mouth. Outside, seagulls flew overhead, squawking. He threw a piece of the food out the window and the birds dove to get it.
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  Tagen ate the last bite of breakfast. He wasn’t used to being fed so well. Dark souls rarely needed to eat, so he was appreciative of all the food. It helped him feel strong and young again.

  The door opened behind him and a younger looking man with pristine silver armor entered. “Triaad will see you now.” The man’s voice was deeper than Tagen expected. “If you will please accompany me.”

  “Did you give Triaad my message of why I’m here?” Tagen asked.

  “Yes, yes,” the servant sounded almost annoyed. “We told him the day you arrived.”

  “And he took this long-”

  “No more questions, please.” The man motioned for Tagen to follow. “This way.”

  In the hallway, six guards stood along the wall, decked out in strange dark armor that Tagen had never seen before. One of them held chains. Tagen backed up slowly, preparing for a fight.

  “The chains aren’t for you, so calm down,” the servant said. “They’re for Domblin in the next room.”

  “Domblin’s still alive?” Tagen asked. Triaad had captured him almost a month ago, and he couldn’t understand why they kept him alive. “I don’t have to see him, do I?” The last time he had seen Domblin was when Mauldrin held his dead wife. After Domblin had put Mauldrin to sleep, Tagen attacked Domblin and left a mark on his arm from ripping his claws down it. Domblin chuckled fearlessly when Tagen attacked him, swearing that if they ever met again, he would kill him. After the threat, Domblin knocked Tagen on his haunches and paralyzed him, leaving him stuck in a cell of time for hours, a scary place to be paralyzed.

  “You’ll get over it,” one of the larger guards growled. As they headed down the hallway, Tagen quickly changed to shadow form so Domblin, unless he was really searching, would have a hard time knowing he was there.