by Ridley, Dale
His face suddenly went pale as he started to choke violently. Sam’s attention was drawn to the far corner of the room where a silhouette of a person was standing. It was impossible to see the person’s features through a veil of darkness that made his face blur when one tried to look at it. But the one thing that was clear was the glowing green eyes. As pissed off as she was, Sam found herself in awe at what she was seeing.
She had gained valuable experience in killing the werewolf half of Pallida Mors, but even those horrors had not prepared her to take in the dark and powerful presence in front of her. Was this the vampire half of Pallida Mors? she asked herself. The choking sounds stopped as the man withdrew his hand from his weapon and he sunk to the floor with fear in his eyes before placing his forehead to the ground in submission. The woman who had been thrown from Sam went pale in the face as she watched from her spot on the floor. She did not dare rise, she scrambled to copy the man’s submission.
“Forgive us omnipotent,” stated the man. His voice vibrating off the floor. “We obeyed your orders. We are yours to command.”
“No. Cornelius is your commander. I will rule by our true master’s side. But I would like to know exactly what you were doing?” The voice held an underline threat of violence.
The silence that followed was almost painful.
“Those were not my orders. I told you to capture the woman and let the Pallida Mors kill the rest. Is this how the fame Avalanche team passes time? With amatory interrogations?” The snicker was one of contempt.
Sam thought for a second that there was something familiar about the sound tugging at her as she listened. But what was it? She would had known if she had been in the presence of such evil before. Its very presence tried to swallow the light coming from the bulb in the room.
“The next time I give you a task and you defile my property, I will bleed the blood from your bodies slowly from your pores as you hang upside down by your ankles.”
Property? Sam asked herself. What the hell was going on here?
“We apologize to you.”
“I am the master’s omnipotent. Everything I claim as my own is for the dark lord. To defile what is mines is to defile theirs. Now, I am bored by this talk. Leave us now.”
Avalanche 1 and 2 hurried to their feet to scurry from the room. Sam suddenly felt terrified at being left alone with the demon. No other word could describe it. And the word property still rung in her ears.
“Don’t be afraid, my dear Samantha, I will not hurt you. Well, at least not unjustly anyway. I am here to offer you a proposal. Join us and live in luxury and power forever.”
Sam felt laughter seize her and she gave in. “You got to be kidding me. First, you ambush me and kill all my men. Hang me naked from wooden beams while some freak has her way with me, and you have the nerve to ask me to join you? I am disappointed. I thought the shadows of Anais had real style when they recruited people’s souls.”
The green eyes studied her for a moment before the chains around her wrist and ankles shattered like brittle glass. Sam fell to the floor on her knees. Her arms felt like they had almost been pulled from their sockets from holding her weight for hours.
“You are right; I apologize for the aboriginal way you have been treated so far. Those responsible will be punished.”
The demon sat down in the shadows behind him, like a chair, and calmly watched her. Sam did not want to move as she was aware of her nakedness, more than ever now. The evil thing in front of her must’ve read her thoughts.
“There is no need to feel ashamed. I do not have sexual feeling or thoughts when I look at you. I see you as my daughter, not some common Quean.”
Sam’s anger burned red hot at the words. “A daughter?” she asked, looking up at the green eyes. “It was some evil twisted thing like you that killed the only man I considered my father. And it is my vow that those like you will answer for his death. So, stop with the ‘daughter’ B.S. If I get the chance, I will cut your throat. That is, if you truly have one. That is the answer to your ridiculous proposal.”
“Do not think too hastily daughter, chances to sit as a true daughter of fire will be rare and a very honorable place in the upcoming world. You could rule when the father of darkness is reborn and tightens his hold on this physical plane. There will be a thousand years of chaos and fire.”
“I just told you to quit the ‘daughter’ thing, didn’t I? You can keep your daughter of fire crap to yourself as well, the world will never get to see those thousand years you speak of because your master will not be reborn. We will see to it.”
“There’s no way you can stop it. It’s foretold for centuries. Do you not feel the darkness spreading over the world? The signs of the coming of Armageddon are plain for all to see. How long can your sect hope to stand in the way of what is prophesied? A few days, a month, a year? You can’t hope to keep him at bay forever. Each time, he is closer to attaining his gateway back into this world. What I offer you is life, instead of death. Power instead of being powerless and at the mercy of dark creatures like myself. Come rule at my side.”
“Well, you shadow dwellers really know how to lay it on thick, don’t you? You seem to be leaving out the part of me giving up my soul. And for one the chosen of our bloodline, it’s a fate that will be worse than death at the end.”
“It will only take some getting use to, but I believe you can survive it as I did.”
“Wait…are you saying that you were once of the bloodline?”
The black veil that blurred his face vanished as the creature revealed himself. Sam’s gasp of shock was audible as she drew back in total confusion. She couldn’t believe what her eyes were telling her. Half of the shadow dweller’s face was purely skeletal on the right side. The other half had the face of Andrew.
Her dead uncle.
“No! You lie shadow dweller! My uncle died fighting evil like you. How dare you use an illusion to trick me?”
“This is no illusion or trick, Sam,” the creature said softly. “It is I, changed, but for the better. This is what happens when you mix our blood with the shadows.” He held up a skeleton hand and flexed it. “I went over to the winning side, Sam. A side that will win, despite all of the Vae Victis efforts since we were formed and given that doomed mission. It can’t be avoided Sam. Eventually, Vae Victis will fall and the lord of darkness will destroy all who oppose him.”
She thought about everything that had happened and the pieces started to fall into place.
“It was you that betrayed our people to Anais! Too many have died because of your twisted idea!”
“Of course. I gave Anais the locations of the Eclipse, along with their security and defense procedures. It was how I would show my loyalty to the shadows.”
Sam found herself scrambling to her feet, as hatred for the man who sat in front of her was like a fever in her mind. The slap to his half human face sounded like a shot in the room and she didn’t know that she had raced across the room. She was so angry; she couldn’t think straight. Her uncle, the man she loved as a father, was a traitor to the sect.
Worse, he was responsible for the deaths of people that became friends and trusted him with their lives. He was more than a turncoat; he was an abomination. More for what he had done, not what he had become. Her hand reached back again to slap his face again. The red imprint of her last slap glowed like a neon beacon and it landed with another satisfying sound. Time skipped a beat as she stared into her uncle’s now demon colored eyes.
The next moment she found his skeleton hand gripping her throat, the jointed fingers squeezing the wind from her body with numbing speed as each cell and nerve was on fire with a freezing coldness.
“I allowed you this show of anger once, my daughter, but do not let your emotions deceive you. I can kill you with just a twitch of my finger. I am Andrew and I am not. You will respect the omnipotent, you are in the presence of death.”
Sam felt her life being sucked through that skeleton hand
and she beat at it trying to break the grip it had on her. She knew that the very touch of him was killing her. Sucking her life force dry. Her uncle released her so suddenly that she felt back massaging her throat. She could feel where those evil tainted fingers touch her.
“Why?” she whispered hoarsely, pushing the words pass her aching throat.
“Why have you let the shadows seduce you with lies?”
“Everything is half-truths, once you unravel the true meaning of them Samantha. Here’s a quote I’m quite fond of, ‘an apology for the devil-it must be remembered that we have heard only one side of the case. God has written all the books’ and that is a truth in itself. How do you know that the shadows whisper lies? Only what you were told. I dedicated my whole life to guard against the apocalypse. I served faithfully and what did I receive in return? I was passed over for a boy of a possession leader that didn’t even know what the Pallida Mors were. I deserve it, it was mines by right!” he shouted, closing his skeleton hand savagely. The wooden table that was broken by the woman minutes ago, crumbled to dust before her eyes.
“I gave my life to those fools and my reward was to teach and wipe the ass of a pup that shouldn’t even be allowed out in the field. But, it’s my fault really, maybe I should’ve let his poor excuse for a father live. But he witnessed my meeting with Anais.”
Her eyes opened in surprise. “You murdered Nathan’s father? You were his friend! God knew you for what you were, that’s why you wasn’t allowed to lead us. You’re a disgrace to our family’s name! I wish you would’ve died that night. It would’ve been better than seeing and knowing the monster you are!”
“There is no need to call me names, Sam, it won’t make the truth any easier. Are you upset that I killed Nathan’s father?” His laughter was an ugly grating sound.
“The man had a choice, just like I did. Anais was charitable to offer him true life. He chose to keep his vows and he died for them.” He shrugged indifferently.
“I had other plans. I have seen the future of darkness, power, and glory. And I want my rightful place in it. If I couldn’t find it with Vae Victis, then I will in the shadows of Anais and his brother’s flames. Just think of the power and rewards that awaits us when he triumphs and rules this plane of existence. It is beautiful, Sam; I have tasted its aftermath. Join us and finally feel the exaltation of power. You could rule part of the world from the ashes as Anais and the dark lord prepares their assault on the heavens.”
“Let me ask you something uncle, what exactly are you?”
Her uncle’s green eyes blinked in surprise from the question. He lifted his skeleton hand and turned it over near his face while examining it.
“What am I? Good question. Not many people living actually know. You can’t find a name in the Vae Victis histories. Anais has seen fit to call me a Nightbreeder. Third, in line for power. I choose well when I made my deflection.”
“Well, I will tell you this, uncle or whatever you are, it will be my pleasure to be the first.”
“The first what, my daughter?”
“The first to cut out your black vile heart and send you down into the pits of darkness where your master will never escape.”
A smile lifted only part of his face, making it look like a Halloween mask.
“And what makes you think you’re capable to promise such a thing? I am not very easy prey, I’m harder to kill than the Pallida Mors, daughter. My power is too immense for your understanding.”
“That may be true uncle,” she spat out the last word like poison that had touch her tongue. “But I will make it my own personal vow to find a way to avenge all our brothers and sisters you help murder for your own selfishness.”
“You’re more like me than you’ll ever know.”
“I’m nothing like you. If I was, I would’ve killed myself, right after I killed you.”
“You shouldn’t make threats idly when you’re a prisoner, Samantha. I thought I taught you better than that.”
“You also taught me not to make deals with the shadows, but how’s that working for you? But you know I mean it when it passes my lips.”
“I taught you well Samantha, but remember, I didn’t teach you everything. Like the times when you just can’t win, bow down to the logic.”
“I hope that makes the blade I use on you that much sharper, Uncle.”
“Make sure that the blade isn’t double edge, it cuts both ways.”
The shadows closed in on him and he disappeared. Sam looked up as the light bulb returned to its normal state.
“Why is it that the bad guys have all the cool toys?” she asked to an empty room. She looked around and saw that the room was escape proof. “Great. Just fucking great.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Cornelius squatted down at the edge of the stairs that descended down into the darkness. He waited. At first, he sensed or saw nothing until a pair of glowing eyes emerged slowly from the usual locked door that had been left slightly ajar. Another pair followed the first, stopping tentatively to sniff the air for the drifting aroma of hot blood.
They had heard his call. Good. That meant he didn’t have to go search for them. It also meant he didn’t have to take a trip inside their empty minds. One time that he had done it, he came across gibberish he couldn’t understand. What made him afraid was he felt something in them he felt in himself, the constant hunger for blood and flesh.
He felt eating flesh was beneath him. But he had to come to understand that they were just like him in some twisted way. A slave to Anais. Would he end up a mindless decaying animal in the end?
He snorted loudly at his thoughts, bringing himself back to reality. He had found himself in dark moods, as of late. Especially, since he had found out that the dark lords had placed an omnipotent over him. He had thought he would be among the first to be crowned a prince, after all he had done. He had been wrong.
What had the omnipotent possibly given Anais or his brother to receive such an honor? Had he not searched the whole earth for the essence Anais needed to reborn the dark lord? But another was given the title of omnipotent.
For now, anyway. There were ways to bring about lethal accidents. Even for the omnipotent. He found himself soothed by the thought. It helped clear his mind somewhat. Thin wasted arms reached out for him, hunger. The creatures had climbed the stairs while he was lost in thought. While they couldn’t overpower him, (they had amazing strength) they would eat anything that did not put up a fierce enough resistance.
The skin hung off their bones like rotted cloth now, in some places you could see where the skin had given way to the white/grayness of bone beneath. They looked exactly like they were, the walking dead. They seemed incredibly stupid, except when it came to food and that’s what made them dangerous. He quickly summoned the deep dark power within himself and made a solid wall of fire in front of the mindless creatures.
Deep guttural sounds followed as the creeping hands were snatched back and they retreated back down into the darkness. Cornelius could see that their arms smoked faintly from the intense flames. A pity he couldn’t feed the current omnipotent to them. He would’ve enjoying hearing the man’s limbs being torn apart as they ate him alive.
He sighed heavily as he let the fire vanish. One could only dream. He looked over to the trembling shape beside him and shook his head sadly. He did not envy the boy’s fate. The boy, all bones really, couldn’t be no more than thirteen. He wore fades blue shorts with a white shirt that read; Warning: Addicted to Video Games. Will Work for a Power Source was printed on the front of it.
His white sneakers were scuffed up and dirty, as was his short blond hair. His eyes were wide with fear. He had seen parts of the creatures below the stairs. Cornelius knew it was the boy’s fresh blood they smelled. It was like hanging a steak in front of a starving man. Their guttural growls were making their way back up the stairs again, pulled by the thoughts of food.
They had already forgotten being burnt the last time. The rope s
ecuring the boy’s hands and feet were unnecessary really, but Cornelius didn’t want to be occupied or distracted while feeding the creatures. Deciding on mercy, at last, he reached over and took the frighten boy’s head in his hands. The snapping of bones came easily. He then carelessly tossed the body down into the advancing creatures.
They grabbed it and tore off bloody meat in huge chucks. Cornelius did not feel like witnessing them feed, so he, once again, summoned fire and pressed it down into the opening. The creatures hissed as blood dripped from their teeth before dragging what was left down into the darkness of the door. Cornelius released the fire and placed a sealing ward on the door, once he closed it, locking them in the cellar’s darkness. Harsh laughter broke out behind him, causing him to spin around as his dark power filled him completely.
“Who dares trespass on this property in the middle of the night?” he asked, seeing nothing.
He didn’t believe such a feat was even possible with his range of sight and hearing. Moments ticked by before the omnipotent stepped forward out the darkness, as if they were a blanket. It was like a camouflage to him. Nothing but the glow of his eyes were visible, even though the moon was full tonight. A night when the blood lust became uncontrollable in his werewolf brothers, the light did not touch the omnipotent.
The only way Cornelius knew it was him was the feeling of immense power radiating from him. It was not enough to be Anais’ power, but close. He bit into his lip angrily, drawing blood as he felt how much stronger the omnipotent was. He still had the dark power coiled up inside of him and for a fleeting moment, the thought of unleashing it came to mind. But to try and not kill the omnipotent would result in a painful death immediately.
He wasn’t willing to risk that. Not now. He released the power instead. There would be other times to try his hand.