Her eyes shot at him like two bullets piercing his skull. “You know how hard it is right now to get people to see us differently than the other vampires? I don’t belong in the vorpal world or the human world because I’m only part of a hybrid,” Abigail said to him, rubbing her earlobe.“He’s been here plenty of times and isn’t going to hurt you. He’s just part of a band in the undercity and was asking Cameron if he could play at the shop sometime. I know you didn’t try to be a jerk about it, but the way you acted said it all.” Abigail shoved her book into his chest pushing him back against the shelf. It wasn’t every day you got to feel like dirt beneath someone's boot, but it was a repetitive occurrence in his life. Saying what was wrong, doing what was worse, some say dumb, others oblivious, he felt a little bit of both.
The book hit him like a ton of bricks. He turned it around and saw a face form with fangs and eyes that sank into the bottom of the deepest ocean, wailing, and crying as red blood fell from the leather-bound cover, soaking his hand and leaving him fumbling to put it away on the bookshelf. “What the fuck?Gross Abigail, you didn’t have to give me a bound face,” he said to her wiping some of the blood on his pants. “I know how it is to feel like you don’t belong. My mother was Hispanic and my father was white. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for me either. People always tried to put me in a box.” He didn’t like the labels that he had growing up, it always confused him. He wanted to always honor both parts of him but at the time when he was going to school the only box he could check was other. It crashed down on him hard during his early years. The school was already awkward enough with the confusion of how to get someone to like you, how to keep friends, and what you wanted to be. One thing that happened that always stuck with him was when he was in a cafeteria and he overheard one of the kids calling him a name. Calling him a wetback, he knew what it meant, he had family members that told him but to hear it stunned him for a few moments. Thinking of his father showing him his fist and explaining to him, not to fight, but desperately he wanted to. The next best thing was him tossing his red drink all over the kids' white shirt. Was it petty? sure Wat it immature? Yep, but did it make him feel better? You’re god damn right.
“It’s different, it’s more complicated. Just forget about it, you deserved it anyway for being a jerk. Next time just go up to him and say hello, maybe you can learn you two have something in common instead of starring awkwardly,” She walked up to Nick and poked him in the chest. “You know how it is to be an outcast. You remember how people treated you, lets not do the same to the Eternals they are not all the same, okay?”
“Fine, fine I yield. I’ll try to be better. Just don’t give me another book like this, you know how freaky they are? I just came to talk to Cameron, but he seems busy right now, has everything been good for ya’ll?” Nick said putting his hands into his coat pockets. He looked around and saw the different weapons hanging on the walls. The old man was a bit of a collector, habit from his past life, whips, short swords, cestus’s, tome’s, and others that were the new norm topside. Stuff that you would see from Castlevania, or a Dracula film.
“We’ve just been getting ready for the holiday surge, you know how people are with last-minute gifts. They did say it might snow, so we want to make sure we get the orders out as fast as we can just in case we have a horrible winter like we did last year. God that sucked. I remember having to house some of the gargoyles to keep them warm. You ever tried sleeping in a room where wings are slapping you in the face? I didn’t get any sleep, it was very uncomfortable. Other than that he has just been teaching me how to fight,” she replied placing both hands up into fist shadow boxing in front of him. “I’m still new to it, but Cameron says I have good form and reflexes. He even made some jokes about the aerions and how they can’t fight toe-to-toe because God didn’t want their skin to touch anything that wasn’t pure. That’s kind of silly right?”
He lifted his hands to practice some of her boxing moves. She was so focused and led in with quick and forceful hits. Her enthusiasm and smile said everything. Never had he seen such joy on her face, not since they first met. “Not bad at all, you seem to be getting the hang of it. I guess Cameron wants you to hold your own just in case, smart man. Just imagine how awesome of a fighter you would be if you used the vorpal side of you.”
Abigail swung her fist toward him harder, and faster. “If only. Cameron doesn’t even want me to use my abilities. But you know how he is when it comes to me. Always trying to protect me, keeping inside a small bubble. Sometimes it’s like having a second shadow when it comes to him, and I know he means well but it just sucks that I can’t do everything I want. But I don’t want to keep living the same boring life, I want to know how far I can push myself. I want to know what I can do with my abilities. He says that I’m special but I don’t get it, he doesn’t even tell me why. All he does is warn me about topside and people seeing hybrids like me as some sort of disease that needs to be destroyed,” she said to him lowering both her fist. “It’s just so unfair.” He knew how it felt to have to hide, to go along with the norm at the time, but all it did was bring on the feeling of resentment, bitterness.
“He does it because he cares,” Nick said to her.
“Maybe he can care a little less when it comes to my life and what I can do with it.”
“He’s just looking out for you that’s all.”
“But he just keeps me here in the shop all the time and even when I do go out to the library or a comic store, he calls every ten minutes to check up on me. I just get tired of it. I know how to be safe at night, I have people that I can walk with, who would make sure that I was okay. He just doesn’t want people to know a half-breed works at the shop.”
“I’ve been there, when I was younger my dad would always get on to me about being out so late. All I wanted to do was hang out with my friends. It’s different when you’re a parent, wanting to protect your kid from what could harm them, just be a little easy on the old man okay?” He knew deeply how it felt to not be heard. Growing up in a large city, moving from town-to-town, and readjusting your mindset was hard. A new place that you are not used to, same mail people, different receivers.
“Well, at least they left you with memories. My parents just slept with each other and left me in the undercity whore house,” She said looking outside of the window next to them.
A large hand rested on Nick's shoulder, pushing him down and grabbing onto his coat firmly. “So what brings you here young man? You usually only come when you need to refill your magic,” The male voice bellowed.
“Oh god, don’t creep up on me like that man. Can you at least make a sound before you come up to someone? You’re quiet as a cat man,” Nick said turning around quickly swiping the hand away from him. “One of these days you’re gonna give me a heart attack Cameron.”He tilted his head starring at a man wearing black sunglasses and an apron with pink and yellow flowers around it. His skin was light brown, like looking at a stone wall clashing with the sun, with a hard look that swept you in and thrust you to the floor, but outside was nothing more but a mask. Cameron was a man who loved deeply, who was passionate, and a gentle giant, who could fight like the god of thunder, or so the old man says.
Cameron rubbed Nick's head, messing up his hair. Something he always did every chance he got, just to annoy him. “Oh well, I guess you better go get changed into fresher clothes the ones you are wearing look a bit brown. I think I can smell gazel barks shit on you. You know how those living trees can be. Also, shouldn’t you be home right now? You know how Janet gets when you are out late at night snooping around,” Cameron said to him, taking a spatula from the pocket of his apron and slapping it on his chest. “Don’t worry your secret is safe with me, my king.” The old man's smile dug deep into the core of his body, he knew he was kind of fucked.He knew that the old man was going to tell Tia about him being out and about, she was a bit overprotected.
Cameron was just some guy who ran a shop in a city that didn�
�t sleep. The shop was a haven for humans and eternals alike. There was a societal problem that people liked to ignore both topside and the below. Cameron did his best and would take in kids off the streets or adults needing a warm meal. He would help those in need, whether it was business or just someone to listen to their problems. The old man was like a father to those that didn’t have one. Sometimes you find your family, they aren’t always given.
“I’ll talk to her later, right now I need to talk to you. I need your help on something,” He said to Cameron looking at the vorpal sitting at the bar reading a book. The dead face of the aerion burned into his mind, just the lifeless look that no one was home. Their arms darkened with pale, cold to the touch. He rubbed his hand on his head, he could feel the oils come off from his hair, he wanted to solve the death of the aerion but was afraid of where it would take him.
“Please tell me you are not trying one of those get-rich-quick schemes again. I keep telling you all they want is your money and information,” Cameron said to him cracking his knuckles.
“No, it’s not that, god no. Look I found this magic powder that came off an aerion that was murdered topside,” He said to Cameron holding the small vial in his palm moving it slowly from side to side.
“Wait a minute, an aerion was murdered topside?” Cameron said to him as one eyebrow started to raise. He folded his arms over his massive chest. “There shouldn’t be any beings from the land of the light on the mortal plane.”
“Why does it matter that someone got murdered topside?” Abigail said grabbing the vial that was in his hand and examining it. “This doesn’t look that special. Just looks like regular powder to me.”
Cameron grabbed the vial from Abigail and bumped into the vorpal that was sitting at the bar. He went behind the counter and poured a small bit of it on his continent-sized palm. “We have rules that we all must follow, set by The Spirit King.No aerion should interact with humans, god believes it would taint them. Poor thing, dying here means that there is no way for them to be reborn in the land of the light. They will be stuck in limbo, for eternity,” Cameron said to himself pushing Nick to the side and rushing towards the back room slamming the door shut behind him.“Abigail could you get our vorpal friend here a nice blood bar and send him on his way. Nick put the close sign on the door and make sure the doors are locked, and shut the blinds while you’re at it. Come to me when you are done, we have to talk.” The old man yelled orders and sounded like he was in a hurry. The magic wasn’t something to push aside or take lightly, hell you could but it would be your ass. Magic no matter what it is can be lethal just depends on the person, or weapon.
“What’s going on? what did you see in that vial?” He said locking the door, waving goodbye to the vorpal who transformed into a bat and flew away.
Cameron swung the door open and walked out of the back room. He took off his sunglasses exposing his white pupils. His head was sweating as if he was running a marathon. “This is no ordinary magic. This came from Lucidians realm.No being from the land of the light should have this kind of magic on them, it’s dangerous and can cause more harm than good,” Cameron said shaking his head and entering into the brightly lit backroom.
3
He entered the room and was greeted by armor sets that lined the walls, and weapons from hammers to axes that were scattered on the floor. Cameron grabbed a book from one of the shelves that required him the use both of his hands to wield it. “I haven’t opened this thing in what feels like forever,” He said blowing the dust off of it uncovering a hammer with a ring around it representing The Dawn of The Light.
“What is that book?” Abigail said leaning against the desk in the middle of the room pointing at Cameron. “I have never seen this book in the shop before. Why put it away?” She massaged a finger on the table trying to draw the symbol on the book.
“It’s one of the few relics from my past. I used it to record creatures that we encountered in our battles. It came in handy when looking for weaknesses, strengths, and the background of the creatures. I didn’t want it to be part of my life anymore. I didn’t like doing things that way, keeping track, but God commanded it, to know our enemy,” He said standing at the desk. He looked at the armor sets that filled the room and sighed. “We needed to understand our enemies…and allies. It’s not something I’m proud of, but god demanded it, they wanted full control. We thought we were above everything.”
Nick didn’t know a lot about the land of the light besides the stories he heard when growing up and how it was the place you wanted to be if you were a good human. He did know about politics, he saw his leaders and how they dealt with matters that had to do with protecting their people. He knew that one doesn’t get elected because they do good in the world, they do by following what their followers wanted.“You think this book can tell us more about this magical powder or the aerion since you would have recorded it?” He said grabbing the book from Cameron and flipping through the pages looking for anything that looked like the aerion that was murdered.
“Not Exactly. We haven’t run into Lucidians realm, God forbids it. You could look at their wings, their patterns, and assume where they came from, but you never know. You can’t just look at them and think they are just an aerion, they could be something else entirely. You see what your eyes want you to see, but you don’t see what it truly is,” Cameron said grabbing the book from him and slamming it on the desk. “Aerions have not fully ascended to be angels. Angels do not look like the people of this world. Their glare is much bigger, their faces covered up with rings circulating where their head would be. Their body is so thin holding the sins of others as their gaze is all watching and all-knowing. Trust me, to see them up close, it’s something you won’t forget in your lifetime. I fear them and you should too, they are not these beautiful beings that you look at and want them near you at all times.No they are beings who seek justice no matter what. When it suits them. Just the look and stare from them sends shivers down my spine. I always wondered how they became like that, what made them judge absolutely without remorse, and why they saw humans like they were nothing but ants unworthy of their time. One day I will find the answers, and I hope I do. It’s best to stay away from angels, you better hope you never encounter one,” Cameron said flipping through the pages of the book.
Nick noticed Cameron's hands shake. A man his age shouldn’t let things rise himself, but the old man’s heart cared more than many mortals. He knew how hurt he still was, he saw his arms tense up. Sweat rolled down his face and onto his arm like a droplet crashing onto the cold hard cement.“I know this isn’t my place to ask, but what happened? Why did you leave the land of the light?” he said going to one of the swords that laid on the floor and placing it back on the weapon rack that was at the edge of Cameron’s bed.
“There was a lot of suffering going on in the world. To see families being destroyed, people hurting in more ways than one, and I couldn’t do anything about it. The orders that I had to follow, I just got tired of it, I got tired of god making me and others in my unit do their biding even when we disagreed with them,” Cameron said looking inside the book shaking his leg up and down. Prying at the old man's past was like trying to suck out water from an empty bottle, you could try sure, but it won’t do you any good until you fill it up. The way Cameron filled up was just time, patience.
“But didn’t you think it was worth it? I mean you got to lived where many humans spend their whole lives trying to get to. A land where you can rest and live in peace with those that you lost. People every single day do what they think God asks of them, what religion tells them to, just to be in the presence of God,” Abigail said placing her arms around Cameron and kissing him on the cheek. Only belief to know where you ended up. The book of old talked of humans passing onto heaven, it didn’t have an answer for hybrids or even the eternals in the undercity, maybe it needed another edit?
“People think that they want to get in the land of the light Abby, but it’s not a
ll sunshine and rainbows. There’s always a constant battle between angels and demons. All because a parent and offspring couldn’t get along. They can’t even talk to each other and work it out, they just want to fight. I would rather be here on earth where I can at least make a difference in someone's life instead of just spinning my wheels,” Cameron said patting her hand and smiling.
He doesn’t know the real world, people are horrible. They like to murder, rape, and fuck each other overall because of their bullshit beliefs. They like to start wars, and they love to repeat history. Nick thought. He starred into the ceiling, he could smell hot coffee brewing in the other room, the drip of the water splashing on the grounds, the aroma made him think of his father, how he would get up early and watch old war documentaries. He didn’t understand war, he just saw how people killed each other, how blood was spilled for religion or ego. The older one gets, the darker the world becomes, almost hopeless. At times he laid in bed starring at the ceiling and ask himself, why even bother?
“I need to know son, and be honest with me, how did this aerion die?” Cameron said massaging his chin.
What better way to prove something, even the unknown but by showing proof in photo form. Officer Bran probably would not like it, but he needed his help and Nick needed the help of those he trusted the most.“Here are some photos that I took earlier at the crime scene. I and officer Bran didn’t find anything. I didn’t notice any wounds on their body, not even bruises,” he said to Cameron. He took his phone out of his coat pocket and laid it in front of him.
Cameron looked through the photos of the aerion and let out a sigh. “She was killed by a Will Wisp,” he said to Nick giving him back the phone and then slamming his fist on the desk.
The God Breaker's Ruin Page 2