Chapter 2
Ifeel an overwhelming warmth that envelopes my entire being as my consciousness returns. I try to open my eyes when a thundering, powerful voice speaks, but find that I can’t due to a blinding light.
“My child, you have done exceptionally well on Earth. To be granted salvation you shall serve as an elite member of my army. But first, you must be tested.”
Confused, I feel a searing pain that I can only describe as my soul being branded. As it subsides, an uncontrollable rage and hunger sets in.
“I have bestowed upon you a powerful gift which you will use to vanquish your enemies. It will either grant you immense power, or completely consume your soul and destroy you.”
The light fades as everything goes black again.
Feeling a slight breeze against my face and the soothing warmth of the sun, I open my eyes. Struggling to see anything with my blurry sight, I can feel two distinct presences near me.
One is benevolent, soothing, and calm. The other is sinister, full of malice and hate.
Staggering to my feet—now that I can finally see—the reality of where I am starts to sink in. I’m bewildered by the sight of a vast valley that seems endless between mountain ranges.
The valley floor is the remnant of a battleground littered with countless deformed skeletons, mutilated corpses, and scorched earth.
Panic starts to set in.
Trying to keep my composure and gather my bearings, I keep glancing around.
Strange structures off in the distance start to come into focus.
Looking in the direction I felt the benevolent energy, I spot an immense golden gate with two towering marble pillars at the base of a mountain that fades into the clouds.
I glance into the distance toward the dark energy I felt, then slowly turn around to the second mountain range.
I’m horrified by the sight of hundreds of human skeletons that form a gateway at the base of the jagged and menacing obsidian mountain range.
At the center of the gate is that which can only be described as a black vortex made of fire, sorrow, madness, and death.
Just then a high pitched screech comes from within the vortex and something resembling a comet comes shooting out, covered in fire. It stops in the air and bursts open.
As the flames dissipate, a large, blackish-red, deformed man with giant bat wings appears flying in front of me.
Before I have time to do anything, it notices me and lets out a bloodcurdling screech, as it plummets directly at me. I don’t even have a chance to blink. It smashes into me like a freight train, throwing me across the desolate wasteland.
I come to a stop as I slam into a pile of bones and corpses, sending decaying flesh and bone flying through the air.
I scramble to my feet as it charges me once more. The black and red beast pins me to the ground, slashing at me with razor sharp claws and biting at me with its needle-like teeth. Instinctually, I put my arms up to defend myself and feel its fangs dig deep into my arm.
It stares at me with eyes so black they almost seem to consume my soul as it continues gnawing on my arm.
Taking my free hand, I punch it as hard as I can in the head. Connecting with such force, its fangs are ripped from my arm and it goes sailing across the field. Looking at my torn up bloody limb, the wounds start to close on their own.
The rage that I felt earlier becomes uncontrollable as it fills me to the point that I can’t contain it. I get extremely hot and it feels like my whole body is being ripped apart. My bones start breaking and shifting as the rage and insatiable hunger builds to the point I lose myself in it.
I yell out from the pain, but what escapes my lips sounds more like a howl.
My vision narrows and a voice is screaming in my head, “Kill it, destroy it, we need to devour it.” Uncontrollably, my body lunges at the creature and I notice that I’m not running upright anymore, I’m on all fours.
In the blink of an eye I’m face to face with the beast, my hand slashes at its stomach, ripping it wide open.
The creature lets out a painful screech as its intestines spill onto the ground.
I pause, taking in that I now have long razor-sharp claws and my arm is covered in jet black fur.
The beast staggers back as I involuntarily slash again, this time tearing through the majority of the muscle on its thigh and splintering the bone.
It falls to the ground and attempts to crawl away, before I can comprehend what is going on, I leap into the air, stomping my foot on its chest. While it’s pinned and swiping at me wildly I catch one of its arms and in a quick pull I tear its arm clean off and throw it into the distant wasteland.
Standing over it, still confused by what’s happening, “Let’s finish this,” the voice says as I crouch down and my head thrusts down as my jaws bite onto the creature’s throat.
I can taste the iron and sulfur as my mouth fills with its blood.
The taste from the blood slightly satiates my hunger and I clamp down harder, sinking my fangs deeper into its flesh.
With my maw still on its neck I jump to the side and re-pin it to the ground by slamming my right hand on its chest, digging my claws into its torso, feeling its ribs crack and shattering in my grip.
The claws of my left hand dig into its skull, cracking it as I squeeze with all my strength before ripping its throat out with my jaws, almost decapitating it.
As it’s laying there twitching, dying, a voice behind me shouts. “Bravo, bravo, not bad, not bad at all. A little excessive, but entertaining.”
Without thought I lunge in its direction. There is a deafening crack like thunder as I’m caught by the throat and slammed to the ground by a huge towering man, clad in gold and silver armor with what looks like feathered wings, standing above me with his sword drawn and pressed against my throat.
“URIEL, STOP!” a feminine voice shouts.
Looking in the direction of her voice, I notice a stunningly beautiful woman with long flowing hair like fire and deep emerald eyes that pierce through my rage. She begins walking toward us and my anger and hunger subsides.
As it does he slowly removes the blade from my neck and steps back. Suddenly my vision returns and I’m back in control of my body.
Staggering to my feet, I look up at the woman walking toward me. She is also wearing armor but hers is different. She doesn’t seem to have boots and her hands are exposed, unlike the man standing next to me. Attempting to walk to her, I collapse. Before I hit the ground though she catches me.
“Easy, easy, the first time is always the hardest on your body. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. My name is Frida and this is Uriel,” she says.
“We have to go before any more demon soldiers show up,” Uriel shouts, with a sense of urgency. Looking up, I see the enormous golden gates slowly begin to open. We start walking toward them when I’m lifted off my feet by Frida and she gives me a devilish grin.
“You had your fun, now take a break. I’ve got you.” We take off toward the gate with Uriel leading the way. No sooner do we pass through does it slam shut.
Before us is another vortex, but this one is different. It looks like an almost clear, viscous liquid that shimmers in the light with a rainbow of color.
Completely confused by what’s happening, Frida walks us toward the material that creates almost an archway. Just as we step into it, I black out.