by Hunter Blain
Evenly matched with the demon, the warlock braced a leg in front, inhaled sharply, and focused on the image that had been forever chiseled into his memory.
A tiny hand still remained within the handcuffs with pale, tattered flesh hanging loose. Below, Benji’s body lay unmoving, only his oversized coat flaps curling and uncurling in the wind to tease an impossible hope that the boy might still be alive. Tears were frozen in the corner of one eye, the other being hidden by the snow he rested in…
No. Not rested. Benji was dead, and that fucking wolf had taken his life.
The warlock roared at the demon as the purple-and-green lightning grew in both thickness and number of tendrils wrapping around the furious monster, piercing deep into defiant muscles. The warlock’s wrath was not to be denied, not even by Lucifer himself.
There was a bellow of rage and indignation as the hellfire eased, revealing the fiercest demon lord to ever walk the Earth since the time of the Great Fall.
“Kneel before me, Asmodeus, for I am your master now,” Silver commanded with complete authority.
As lightning danced over his form, Asmodeus showed his acquiescence and did as commanded by kneeling for Grand Master Silver. As he did, the portal to Hell closed, leaving Silver alone with his obedient subject. The Grand Master Warlock dropped his hands, breaking off the attack, and looked upon his loyal minion appraisingly.
Two sets of horns extended from a skeletal visage. The first set jutted directly from the sides of the skull in thick swoops that arched downward slightly before drastically changing course and shooting straight up. They were as wide as the demon himself. The second set sprouted from atop the skull and curved upward immediately, almost like those of a bull.
The skull was humanoid, save for a protruding set of jaws that contained fangs instead of flat teeth. His skin drifted like a mist, somewhere between corporeal and incorporeal, like the orange glow of embers as seething heat pulsated and crawled through charcoal.
“What is your bidding, my master?” Asmodeus rumbled with a voice made of brimstone.
Grand Master Silver smiled as he announced the sole purpose of the demon lord. “Bring me the head and soul of the werewolf who murdered my son. Bring me Jonathan Depweg.” He then broke the salt circle with his boot and sealed the unbreakable command.
“It shall be done,” Asmodeus rumbled while bowing slightly. The demon began shifting into incorporeal mist with glowing red eyes, before growing in size now that he had been freed from his cylindrical cage. The hulking mass walked to—and through—the wall that lead outside, disappearing into the infinite expanse of night.
“I will personally kill the vampire for you, my lord, Lucifer; right after I watch the life fade from the werewolf’s eyes as I eat his fucking soul,” the warlock promised to the room with a hiss.
Grand Master Silver then began a throaty chuckle as he approached a tall enchanted safe which unlocked at his command. It swung open to reveal several shelves housing rare and powerful artifacts plucked from various key points in time.
Inside, affixed to the top of an obsidian staff that was said to have been crafted by Lord Lucifer himself, was the Spear of Destiny—the weapon that had pierced Jesus of Nazareth’s side, and which was still coated with his dried, powerful blood. The once holy relic had been transferred from hand to hand over the years, until arriving in Silver’s possession. The unsavory character he had procured it from in the back alleys of Jerusalem so long ago hadn’t demanded anything in return. The warlock hadn’t known why, until now. His master’s influence was without limit.
The supreme leader of the warlocks lifted the weapon to inspect it, feeling the raw power course through his body. Grand Master Silver had the distinct honor of wielding the staff in times that required its dangerous, unholy power. The obsidian weapon acted as a focusing agent for the warlock’s immense power, bestowed upon him by the Lord of Hell himself. With it, Silver was confident he would be able to level entire vast cities in an instant. Never before had he used the enchanted staff and spear together, but now it was time. Seeing the Spear of Destiny—which had tempted the man countless times with its promise of unfathomable power—fastened to the tip of the staff gave the Grand Master a sense of wonder and awe. It was no longer in the realm of impossibility that entire countries could fall before his will.
Silver wanted to question why such a weapon would be needed against a simple vampire, but decided that he had waited long enough to test its true potential in battle.
The intruding thought of the werewolf—which had plagued the man for a century—made his knuckles grow into snow-peaked mountains as he fiercely gripped the staff that could level entire countries.
The werewolf would die. And when the vampire caused the gates of Hell to spill open, Silver would spend eternity making Jonathan Depweg suffer, just as his lord and master had promised.
Tight hands relaxed around the black staff as the throaty chuckle returned with renewed vigor, growing into a maniacal laughter that only a century of agonizing waiting could bring.
Spittle flew from his cackling mouth as lightning cracked the sky outside when the Grand Master Warlock let go the control he had over his vast power for a moment. Clouds roiled, sheets of rain fell, and electricity that was not quite the right color illuminated the darkness in a mixture of purple and green.
A domino toppled, and the end began.
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE
If you enjoyed this Urban Fantasy eulogy for Sir John Cook1, would you consider leaving an honest review? Every genuine review means the world to me, and helps new readers find my books.
It only takes five minutes, and it can be as short as you like.
Review PRETERNATURAL CHRONICLES BOXSET 0-3
Thank you in advance for giving John unlife after death. The series dedicated to my bromego will be 13 full novels with a handful of novellas and short stories for good measure. So until next time, John On!
1 John is not actually knighted
Dedications
Firstly, I’d have to dedicate this entire series to my unalive bromego who promised if he ever died, that he would haunt me by humming the theme to Mario Brothers for the rest of my life.
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Here’s to you, John Cook. I made you a promise, and Lilith damn it, I kept it.
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Second, to my beautiful wife, Amanda, who I’m glad has terrible vision. If not for those eyes of yours, you might have realized you are waaaaay too hot for me!
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Then again, as the old saying goes: ‘If you make them laugh, their eyes will be closed and unable to see how much better they could do.’
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Thirdly, to Valenta, Depweg, and Nathanial for wanting to be in the series and have the chance to still be a part of our dear friend’s legacy. As of this dedication writing, I am on book 6 and have included so many more of our friends in the series at their request. I would say it makes it easier to give depth to characters; but the truth is I had to tone most of you bastards WAY down. If I wrote you exactly like we all are in real life, no one would believe the story! I’m looking at you Valenta and Depweg, you crazy fools.
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And finally, I am dedicating this book and series to anyone who has lost someone who was a substantial part of them. You are not alone. Rise up and live for them.
ABOUT HUNTER BLAIN
Hunter Blain is an author and entrepreneur who has spent his entire adult life—before writing—in the retail industry. At the age of 24, Hunter became the youngest Regional Sales Director at GNC before joining one of the largest supplement companies in the world. He is swole, ladies and gentlemen. So. Swole. After a few years, he had accumulated enough knowledge, beard len
gth, and confidence to open his own brick and mortar store, Empire Nutrition. As of 2020, Hunter is in the midst of franchising the business to budding entrepreneurs.
One day, a teenage Hunter went to visit his mother at work (because he’s a good son), and met a goddess in the flesh who went by the name Amanda. She was one of his mom’s coworkers, and Hunter’s own age. She also happened to be the most beautiful woman Hunter had ever seen. On an unrelated note, Hunter decided to visit his mom at work a whole lot more after encountering Amanda, and somehow convinced her to marry him after spending nearly a decade together. “Finally!” their family members screamed in exhausted relief at the wedding.
As of this writing, they live with their two adorable puppies, Bella and Shimmy. To shamelessly maximize fan adoration and awww factor, Hunter’s pit bull terrier, Shimmy, was one day away from being euthanized when Hunter swooped in to rescue her at the very last minute! He reminds Shimmy of this fact almost daily, demanding that she realize how lucky she is and to “get a job!” Shimmy is currently unemployed.
In 2018, Hunter began writing I’M GLAD YOU’RE DEAD, which is an Urban Fantasy eulogy for his childhood best friend, John Cook, who was taken from this world in a horrific car accident. Writing the novel was both cathartic and the fulfillment of a promise that Hunter had once made to John before his sudden passing. The PRETERNATURAL CHRONICLES is a way for John to live forever in the minds of countless readers across the world.
In June of 2020, Hunter signed on with Argento Publishing—run by the urban fantasy world’s greatest supervillain, Shayne Silvers—and the rest, as they say, is history.
Or…the future.
Get Down with Hunter Online. T-shirts, signed books, new release updates, and Hunter’s blog awaits at:
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www.HunterBlain.com
[email protected]
BOOKS BY HUNTER BLAIN
PRETERNATURAL CHRONICLES
DELIVERANCE (Prequel novella #0)
I’M GLAD YOU’RE DEAD
DAWN AND QUARTERED
SHADOW OF A DOUBT
MOONLIGHT EQUILIBRIUM (Book 3.5)
MOUTH OF MADNESS
WHAT THE HELL
HOLY SHEOLY
THOSE WONDERFUL TOYS
Audiobooks by Audible Hall of Fame narrator, Luke Daniels:
Listen to free samples HERE.
DELIVERANCE
I’M GLAD YOU’RE DEAD
DAWN AND QUARTERED
SHADOW OF A DOUBT
MOUTH OF MADNESS
WHAT THE HELL
HOLY SHEOLY
THOSE WONDERFUL TOYS