BleenThePanda
Storm's Landing Wanderer
Chapter 1
The change came sudden, and sweet. My mind darkened, the scars that were all to familiar to me widened, and grew into long cuts crossing my face in a parallel fashion. My nails grew, my teeth widened, and the change was complete. This form of my darker self only came when I called it, or when my mind was out of control. Today however, my mind was settled, and I had not called the beast. Of course, I was in control, yet of this transformation I was not. I sat there on my bed, looking puzzled. My nails were the same length. They were as white as ever. I touched the scars, they were the same long and thick they always were. Why was I changing without my command?
"Maybe because your going through a stage. Like puberty for your, uh, other half" said jade, her voice crackling through the phone. The only person who knew about the beast who didn't either freak out or try and employ me, she was the go-to-girlfriend to help deal with my problems. Not that I had any other girlfriends. Moving on.
"But I've always been in complete control. Does that mean I'll go all crazy and become some sort of were-person thing?" I said, staring at my long nails in content.
"Do I look like an expert on you?"
"Well, no. But.."
She cut me off " then I have NO idea."
"Your cute when your mad." I smiled to myself, my current predicament gone to me.
" I'm late for work, see you after it?"
"I've got stuff to do, I'll try and catch you after all this." She said In a rushed tone.
"Ugh fine. See you later." I said, hanging up the phone.
As I said, I've only met one person who knows about my other and hasn't freaked completely out, or tried to employ me. I remember when I was a kid and the family visited the mall to hand In a recently found item of some sort, the memory was faded slightly, but what followed was still clear in my brain. Men came in, four by my count, started talking to mum. Touching her and pushing her. It angered me, made me turn. I growled at the men, and they laughed at me. I growled louder, and still they laughed. My mum was screaming at me to stop, to not take action. I ignored her, anger clouding my judgement. I pounced at the men, tearing the first ones jugular from his throat, landing on the second and tore his chest like wrapping paper. I spun round and took the thirds legs out from him, literally. He fell screaming and bleeding. The last one was running. He was out on the street and running from me. As The beast I was one of many talents, and I appeared in front of the man. He screamed and fell over, crawling backwards. I planted my foot in his chest, and pushed. I pushed until his ribs broke, then kept pushing until his chest caved in and my foot went into his body in a spray of blood and bone. Back when I was only six, the beast drained me of my strength. I collapsed in the pool of blood, and woke up in the police station. Before I knew it, I had the president talking to me, explaining that we could use someone like you, your special and offering me a lot of money to come to war and fight. I accepted, and I was driven to a military camp.
Now, driving to the camp, I felt a certain part of me shake with excitement, just like I was as a little boy. My job now consisted of training cadets, waiting around the camp and yelling at people until or if I was called. General Hocksten, a nice man full of character, called me over in a rushed tone.
"You need to see this." He said, all comedy gone from his face.
"What's the matter?"
"Just look"
He pulled the screen we were facing in some more, typing things on the keyboard until a video of a military base I've visited a few times appeared a few times.
"What's Greyson base doing on this?"
"Keep watching" he said.
The footage was slow, but anticipation edged at my mind. What was important enough to pull me out of training? The men and women on the screen suddenly tensed, pulling their guns out and aiming them off screen. One of them was yelling at whatever was in the firing squad. Then they fired, and died. A dark figure had ran at them and reduced them to bloody shreds. Then the camera went black.
"You see?"
"It can't be. The things like me."
"And it's killing soldiers," He said angrily, "And your going to kill it."
*
The drive home was daunting. Another like me? What would Jade say? Would she advise me to leave it? Or maybe she would be angry? These questions lingered at my mind for an age. I finally set down Jades street, my uneasiness never leaving me. I needed advice, and she was the only one who I trusted to help. Jades car was parked just outside of her house, a little thing that served its function well. I got out, aware of the bedroom lights on. I smiled and opened the door with the key under the pot. I walked towards the bedroom and flung it open, a huge smile on my face. The smile dropped when I saw Jade naked, another man on top of her.
"Jade! What the Hell?!" I screamed.
"Oh god. Honey, I'm so sorry." She said, wincing as the bastard got out of her.
"Who the Hell is this? Who the Hell are you!" I said to the bastard as he quickly put on his clothes.
"Look man I'm so sorry. Your girlfriend, she's hot and I-" he didn't finish. He stared, open mouth as I started to change.
"Run. Run if you want to live." I said, very slow and calmly.
"Look I don't want any trouble."
"Michael! Don't!" Jade screamed.
"Too late. Michaels gone now." The beast said.
"What? Yo- he's not in control? Cooper, run!" She gasped.
"In a way. I'm his negative thoughts. He wants this, just can't bring himself to do it." The beast smiled, and strut over to Cooper, placing his fingers on his chest.
"But I can."
It suddenly pushed, both it's hands digging into him, pushing towards his sides. The screaming finally stopped when the man was ripped in half, and thrown out the window. The beast turned to jade, bloody and gory, it smiled and advanced towards her.
"You should always be faithful, because otherwise bad things happen." It said.
*
I woke in a sea of blood. My hands, my body and my mind were covered in the stuff. I had the king of bad headaches. I frowned. I don't remember turning today. I got up and saw where I was, Jades house. Why the hell had I turned in here? I turned to the bed, and stumbled only to be caught by the wall behind me. I saw her face. Parts of her face. Her body was a bloody mess, her limbs scattered around her. I went limb, sliding down the wall. I would never do this. This wasn't me
Isn't it? Isn't it Michael?
I shook my head. What was that? Who was that?
You don't remember? Let's be honest, you should remember murdering your girlfriend, shouldn't you?
But, that's impossible. I've always been in control.
Times have changed Michael. Times have changed.
I heard sirens in the distance. Looked out the window to see army soldiers at the doorstep, police swat teams and tanks parked outside.
You've really done it now, haven't you?
"SHUT UP!" I screamed, clutching my head.
Your going to need me to help you get out of here, you realise that, don't you?
"No I don't. They will understand."
Will they? With another one like you loose? Your a dead man if you don't let me out and You know it.
"I-fine. Don't make me wake up in blood and gore this time. And NEVER come back again." I said with a defeated voice. Then I let go.
This change was unlike the others I've experienced. It was painful, and heart wrenching to realise I was, In fact, losing control of my own body. Then it took over.
"Good boy." It said.
It ran and jumped out the already broken window, straight onto the tank. It punched through the thick plates and pulled the soldier out, by the neck. It then grabbed his legs, and pulled until the soldiers body was in two. It threw one piece at a swat van, sending it flying. It went to the swat that were firing at it. The bullets doing little to hurt, it ran at them, tearing them to bloody shreds. The armour they wore did little to protect them. They died like all the rest. The soldiers were next, there shots hurt more. So the beast sat there, letting the bullets stumble it. It was experimenting. After his body was littered with bullets, it healed itself. The bullets popped out of it in an almost comical fashion. It smiled at the soldiers. Then killed them.
Let me have control. I said to the beast.
"Never. This is my body now." It said, walking away from the chaos "where is the 'other' one like me?" I'm in the mood for a challenge." As It talked, I saw from its eyes a soldier crawling away. He got up and stumbled, trying desperately to walk.
"What do we have here? A someone trying to escape?" It teased "tsk tsk tsk, silly man." It said as it places both hands on his head, and pulled until the mans head came off.
"Huh. I'm proud of myself. That was 150 people, and a tank. In roughly 2 minutes." The beast smiled. Through its eyes I saw a young woman standing in the middle of the road, a rifle in her hands. If my face was my own, I would have frowned. Where did she come from?
"Oh little girl, how foolish of you. Run along now." The beast said, cocky as ever.
"Die Drasiel." The girl said. At that word, at Drasiel the beast frose. It's face a mix of anger and confusion.
"How do you know. HOW DO YOU KNOW?!" It yelled, running towards the girl.
*
*
Chapter 2
I watched the worms in the jar. In their jar. Emerging from the surface of the dirt and wriggling themselves into the darkness once again, as if on a never ending loop. They fascinated me. They had virtually no worries. All they did was swim in the dark earth, never seeming to eat, but everything has to survive on something, right? I got up from the little desk that held all my oddities. Various jars of dirt, containing things from ants to spiders. Leaves and stones of all varieties. I loved nature, especially the strange and interesting.
"Lilly! What the hell are you doing up there? Get down here and help with dinner or so help me god!" A deep and rusty voice, filled with anger, slurred and yelled, came from the kitchen downstairs. Daddy was home.
As I walked out of my room I peered at my reflection in the mirror leaning against the wall. What stared back was a pale face, light blue eyes shone in between straw-like golden hair. The person in the mirror had Eyelashes that looked far too long for their eyes and light freckles that spread from their nose through to their cheeks, disappearing as if they weren't there at all. I sighed. Surely I looked better than that. Surely that face peering back at me with a puzzled look wasn't my face?
"Lilly! Are you deaf? Get down here now!" I hurried out of my bedroom, hoping to come back to it unscathed, no matter how unlikely that was.
"What took you so long? I'm starving! I swear if you do that again you'll get the beating of a lifetime girl." The man siting at the table was tall, with muscles bulging through the shirt he wore. Ebony black hair hung at shoulder length from his head. He had a long face, with an even longer nose. Even whilst siting he looked threatening.
"I'm sorry. I was looking at my jars." I said with a soft voice, trying to sound innocent.
"Bah! Those jars are useless. Filled with the crap you found in the garden. Especially spiders." He shuddered." Disgusting things they are. I want all the jars gone by tomorrow night. Otherwise I'll get ride of them my self. Are you listening Lilly?"
At 'Lilly' I looked up from my shoes. He only calls me that when he's angry with me. It's usually "bitch."
"It's these jars, isn't it? There going tonight! Your already pissing me off and I haven't been home for ten minutes!"
"No!" I yelled. As soon as I said it i clapped my hand over my mouth. That was one of the biggest mistakes I could have made. Tears started to stream from my eyes.
"Excuse me? Did you just yell at me?" He got out of his seat, sending it sliding back into the table.
"How dare you!"
He raised his fist, clenching it so hard his knuckles turned white. I didn't see it come down, or it hit my jaw. Pain flashed through my skull, and came out as a scream. I crawled backwards desperately trying to get away from the man who couldn't possibly be my father. Not this devil who's hand was raised in anger.
"Please dad! Don't!"
"You deserve everything you get!"
~
"So he hit you?" Adam looked puzzled and worried, a change from his usual perfect teeth smile and over-all happy look. His black forehead was wrinkled, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Oh, no. I have this huge bruise on my head because I think its attractive. Yes the prick hit me." I said sarcastically.
"Wow. You sure I can't help?"
"Unless you can beat a grown man to death with your bare hands then no, you can't help."
"Maybe not bare handed... Could miss help?"
Miss Orion sat at the front of the class. Her big ears searching for any conversation unrelated to the topic. Oily black hair ran down her head finishing at chest height, which was flat and weedy. Pimples and big, brown freckles covered her face, hiding under her horned glasses.
"Doubt it. The cow hates me."
"Well, you did throw a water bomb at her."
"She walked under it! It wasn't my fault!"
"Sure!"
He was hansome In a weird, friend sort of way. His hair was golden, flicked up at his forehead. His slim frame made him quick, as was his mind. Freckles dotted his checks.
"Your staring at me." He said with his head tilted.
"Oh. Sorry."
"God your weird." He said with a white toothed smile.
A table away, a group of boys looked down at their phones, laughing and swearing as they showed each other presumably vile things.
"God there pigs."
"Who, jack and his crew? Nah there alright."
"There mean and vile. How can you think someone who enjoys being an absolute dick be 'alright?"
"There not mean! Hell I'm friends with them.."
"Yeah but I don't trust your judgement."
The "Crew" walked over to our table. A smug look on the leader, jacks face.
"Adam! You coming to the party tonight? or you going to pussy out again?"
"Yeah, I'm coming. Can Lilly come as well?" Adam said,
"What, the weird chick?" Jack said with a smug look, apparently proud of the insult he made.
"I'm right here, prick."I said, annoyed at his stupidity
"Did I say you could talk? Go get the shit beaten out of you again."
"Dude, calm down," Said Adam, "were all friends here."
"Huh like hell we are!" I said in frustration. I didn't want any connection to that lumbering oaf.
"She'll be there." Adam replied with a serious look.
"Whatever." Jack spat.
The 'gang' walked off laughing and pushing each other.
"I want to hurt him. With something hard. And heavy. How can you call yourself friends with that dick head?" I exclaimed to Adam, disgust in my voice.
"He isn't that bad when you get to know him. Your going to this party by the way. Socialise for a bit. It'll do you good."
"You know that goes against all that I believe in."
"And I care?"
"Ugh fine! I'll go."
Sneaking past dad seemed easy in my head. Get dressed whilst Waiting till he passes out drunk and just walk out. Apparently it was a 'drink up and yell at the tv' type day. Great. I snuck out of my room, my footsteps as silent as I could make them. He was passed out on the couch, a bottle in one hand, and a burger in the other. Typical. The volume was blaring on the tv. Little people in little shirts ran around on the field, kicking a ball to each other. A chuckle escaped my mouth. Did I just make a joke to myself? No, focus Lilly. He grunted, snorted and went silent as a mouse. I got out of there whilst I could.
London was cold, dark and bitter. The walk into town was long. Ridiculously long. Cars drove past me, taunting me with their lazy mode of transport. Was this stupid party even worth it? Didn't seem like it, from my point of view. I walked. I kept walking. I walked until the buildings of Deavil city rose around me. They towered and shone with artificial light in the dark. The party was across the street, through an alleyway. It was cold. The wind whipped and stung at the bare skin on my arms. I pressed them close to my chest. The alleyway scared me. Buildings towered either side of me, blocking almost all light. The only source of comfort was the white street light hanging from a wire, connecting the two buildings together. A dark figure leaned against the wall, a white cigarette hanging out of their mouth, their face hidden by the baseball cap's shadow they wore. They had their hand in their breast pocket. 'It' scared me. The gender less, possibly mugger or even murderer standing blocking my path with their very presence. They stood up, pulling their hand out of their pocket. A shining silver pistol in their hand.
"Whatever you av' got in yeh pockets, empty em'." He said, pointing the gun at my head.
My breath stopped. My heart rang in my ears. I was paralysed. Fear gripped at me, I was unable to move, unable to attend to the demands the man made.
"I 'ain't playing bitch!" He said, pushing the gun to my forehead
"P- please" I whimpered. Terrified.
"Yer going te' empty yeh pockets before I kill ya." He said, the gruff voice scaring me.
He grabbed me by my shirt, wrenching me into him, the gun never leaving my head.
"C'me ere," He whispered, "yer a pretty one, ain't ye." He exclaimed, feeling my breasts.
"Stop! Please!" I screamed.
"Shut it bitch!" He spat back.
I could see the party lights from the alley. I had to try. I slapped and punched him as hard as I could, just enough to wrench myself free. I ran as fast as I could, the alleyway exit only meters away. A loud bang. Then complete darkness. I wasn't scared anymore, wasn't paralysed by the terror. A new emotion overcame me. Curiosity. Were was I? Did I die? Was I murdered by the hidden rapist gunman?
"Lilly..." A dark voice, like a rusted piece of metal, speaking almost as if inside my head.
The voice would have scared me, if I could think. If I could move.
"...You have been summoned, child. Summoned by death. Summoned by me."
Who are you is what I would have said, what I tried to say.
"Do not fear, child. I am the one the humans worships. The one your kind blindly follows. I am god. I am satan. These figures the majority of you follow, do not exist. My true name, only known to few, is Magister vitae." The words echoed inside my head. The sheer power that name held. I could feel it, it made my bones shake. My vision half blurred. I shook my head to clear the feeling of dizzy ness.
"I simply ask a favour of you. I cannot attend to deaths every task by myself, that is why I have many servants. I ask that you become one. Become the ultimate servant of the magister. " The thing in the shadows seemed to smile. The darkness twisting unusually. "I take it as a yes then? Be warned. If you fail me, your very existence on this world will end."
Light flushed the dark space, seeping light into my eyes. A few meters away a dark dress floated. It was mostly back, with red and white tints crossing the breasted and chest area. It was beautiful yet threatening all at once.
"Take it, Lilly. Take the dress of the Grimm reaper. Become my assassin. Become the Assassin of The Lord." The voice almost projected enthusiasm, making me, driving me to wear the beautiful dress.
I walked towards it. The voice encouraging me to wear it. I came to the dress. Even though it was only a few feet from were I stood, I had beads of sweat dripping from my forehead. I touched the dress, surprised to find it was made of some kind of material that almost seemed to move. I looked down at myself. At my plain clothes.
"Take it Lilly!" The voice screamed.
My vision was enveloped with cloth, driving me back. It disappeared, the white room returning to my sight.
"You look like an angel of death. Well done."
I looked down at myself. The dress, in its red and black beauty, was comfortably worn.
Footsteps. I could hear footsteps behind me. I was paralysed, fear dripping with every thump.
"Turn child. Turn and face your master." The voice said, still echoing throughout the room.
I turned to meet a hazy ebony black figure. Like television static, he shimmered.
"You would never kill, would you? Not in your current state. Your current mindset."
The figure reached out, grabbing me by the forehead. There fingers burned, made me scream.
"Your mind will be no more. Your very soul will belong to me."
I woke on the floor of the white room, a strange feeling set into my mind. I no longer cared about the party. I No longer cared about Adam, or his great smile, adoring qualities. I no longer cared about my dad, abusive and cruel. I smiled. I was changed. Before I never wanted to hurt anyone. I was placid. I was tame. And now, now I was free.
"I have one more thing for you, child. A hunter needs a weapon. Needs weapons. Take these as a gift." The voice said, the black static thing gone from my vision.
I turned around, sensing something behind me. The weapons were floating. Two red and black daggers, and what looked like a hunting rifle. Yet were there would normally be wood, there was black with veins of red pulsing through it. I smiled, and touched the rifle. It disappeared, slung around my back. The dagger was In a hilt sewn onto the belt holding the dress.
"You've been given the tools, the knowledge. Your mission, your quest in the world. You must eradicate the ancient evil corrupting the world... You see, your special, Lilly. I have chosen you to be my true champion. A king, once named Drasiel, used a ritual to summon forgotten entities. They corrupted the world, started wars and caused many deaths. They appear human, and can posses others. But one thing negates there humanity. It may be small, it may be large, but always have a distinguishing devilish feature. They are rightly named Drasiels. Go forth, and hunt these beasts." It said.
The black figure appeared again, and splayed its hands towards me. For an unknown reason I was compelled to look down, and I saw a black hole, and like quicksand, I was being dragged in. I wasn't scared, I was exited. I had a purpose, I had a meaning. And I had my first target.
*
Michael Greysen was possessed by one of the drasiel, a thing that he bonded with at birth. He was employed by the military, belong able to control his demonic side for the time being. He was a force to be reckoned with, judging from the various deaths he had caused. They where always a mash of brutality and finess, the kills being swift and clean, yet always involved blood and gore. I walked the road towards his house, hoping to catch him on his less dangerous side. The door was open, and the car that the police reports she stole and read about were gone. He was out, and he left in a hurry. She smirked. She thought of his girlfriend, and decided to try out some of the new things she learnt. She arched her back, and flipped into the ground, a black portal opening for her. Instantly she was in the street of the house, yet there were dead people ahead. Tanks and police cars, swat vans and various body parts littered the street. The demon stood in the mist of it all, smirking and talking to itself. It turned towards her and smiled.
"Oh little girl, how foolish of you. Run along now." The deamon said, cocky as ever.
"Die Drasiel." I said. At Drasiel the beast frose. It's face a mix of anger and confusion.
"How do you know. HOW DO YOU KNOW?!" It yelled, running towards me.
I grinned and pulled the knife out of my belt and pounced on the beast, underestimating it. It had immense strength and it picked me up by my hair and threw me, attempting for me to rag doll into the side of the tank. Mid-air I smiled, and opened up a portal on the tank, passing through it harmlessly. I appeared behind it, slashing at its back and neck. It screamed and kicked backwards, catching me full in the chest.
"You. Your a hunter," it grinned, seeming to revel in the fact, "I've killed many a hunter. But not for a few hundred years."
It strode towards me, taking its time. It's smile never leaving or waning. I splayed my hands towards it, focused on my new-found power, and pushed. Blue flame erupted from my hands, covering the demon. It screamed and ran, ran until one of its arms fell off, a burnt husk in the middle of the road. It ran across the street into a neighbouring house, smashing through the wall and continued running. It left a massive hole wherever it went, and I used it to my advantage. Taking the rifle, i shot through the holes in the house, hit the thing in the skull, and sent it tumbling. I dropped a portal just in front of me, and appeared in front of the corpse. It was black and burned, the only thing with any colour was its eyes. A bright white, wide open.
"Bahahaha! You really thought that would be enough!? Foolish girl." An unseen voice echoed. No, not unseen. There was a bright white mist above the body, almost touching the ceiling. It had the top half of a human, yet the face was extremely out of portion. The body was skeletal thin, and at the waist it drooped off in a torn cloth like manner. It had long arms, with clawed hands.
"Die hunter!" It screamed, rushing towards my face. My first thought was that it was trying to claw at me. But it went to my mouth, digging its long clawed hands inside, pushing its arms in after it. I gagged, and tried to get a grasp of the thing, failing. I could feel it tearing my insides, ripping my throat to pieces. Then it pushed harder, pushed to the point that it reached my organs. Then it kept going until it was completely inside of me. Then all pain seemed to cease. The thing was healing me.
"You see, Lilly. Where one and the same. I was born from the dark one. You where born by his hand. Moulded by it. We and not too different," A voice inside my head echoed, "the dark one birthed me through portals and runes, yet I'm here. He realised he could not get the army that we promised, so he fled. He took one of our seven and fled. He now resides in our world of white. A hazy black figure in our perfect world of white. He is a pollution, a manipulator and a king of pawns and peasants. Lilly without you even realising it, you have been made a puppet for his use. You come out here, you collect his rubbish and dispose of it. Is that the kind of thing you want? To be played like a toy until you become a boredom and then thrown to the dogs? No, of course you don't."
I stopped struggling. He was right, but he was a demon. But if what he says bore no lie then..
"Yes, Lilly. The 'Magister' or whatever he goes by now days, is Drasiel himself."
Total word count : 4,987
The change came sudden, and sweet. My mind darkened, the scars that were all to familiar to me widened, and grew into long cuts crossing my face in a parallel fashion. My nails grew, my teeth widened, and the change was complete. This form of my darker self only came when I called it, or when my mind was out of control. Today however, my mind was settled, and I had not called the beast. Of course, I was in control, yet of this transformation I was not. I sat there on my bed, looking puzzled. My nails were the same length. They were as white as ever. I touched the scars, they were the same long and thick they always were. Why was I changing without my command?
"Maybe because your going through a stage. Like puberty for your, uh, other half" said jade, her voice crackling through the phone. The only person who knew about the beast who didn't either freak out or try and employ me, she was the go-to-girlfriend to help deal with my problems. Not that I had any other girlfriends. Moving on.
"But I've always been in complete control. Does that mean I'll go all crazy and become some sort of were-person thing?" I said, staring at my long nails in content.
"Do I look like an expert on you?"
"Well, no. But.."
She cut me off " then I have NO idea."
"Your cute when your mad." I smiled to myself, my current predicament gone to me.
" I'm late for work, see you after it?"
"I've got stuff to do, I'll try and catch you after all this." She said In a rushed tone.
"Ugh fine. See you later." I said, hanging up the phone.
As I said, I've only met one person who knows about my other and hasn't freaked completely out, or tried to employ me. I remember when I was a kid and the family visited the mall to hand In a recently found item of some sort, the memory was faded slightly, but what followed was still clear in my brain. Men came in, four by my count, started talking to mum. Touching her and pushing her. It angered me, made me turn. I growled at the men, and they laughed at me. I growled louder, and still they laughed. My mum was screaming at me to stop, to not take action. I ignored her, anger clouding my judgement. I pounced at the men, tearing the first ones jugular from his throat, landing on the second and tore his chest like wrapping paper. I spun round and took the thirds legs out from him, literally. He fell screaming and bleeding. The last one was running. He was out on the street and running from me. As The beast I was one of many talents, and I appeared in front of the man. He screamed and fell over, crawling backwards. I planted my foot in his chest, and pushed. I pushed until his ribs broke, then kept pushing until his chest caved in and my foot went into his body in a spray of blood and bone. Back when I was only six, the beast drained me of my strength. I collapsed in the pool of blood, and woke up in the police station. Before I knew it, I had the president talking to me, explaining that we could use someone like you, your special and offering me a lot of money to come to war and fight. I accepted, and I was driven to a military camp.
Now, driving to the camp, I felt a certain part of me shake with excitement, just like I was as a little boy. My job now consisted of training cadets, waiting around the camp and yelling at people until or if I was called. General Hocksten, a nice man full of character, called me over in a rushed tone.
"You need to see this." He said, all comedy gone from his face.
"What's the matter?"
"Just look"
He pulled the screen we were facing in some more, typing things on the keyboard until a video of a military base I've visited a few times appeared a few times.
"What's Greyson base doing on this?"
"Keep watching" he said.
The footage was slow, but anticipation edged at my mind. What was important enough to pull me out of training? The men and women on the screen suddenly tensed, pulling their guns out and aiming them off screen. One of them was yelling at whatever was in the firing squad. Then they fired, and died. A dark figure had ran at them and reduced them to bloody shreds. Then the camera went black.
"You see?"
"It can't be. The things like me."
"And it's killing soldiers," He said angrily, "And your going to kill it."
*
The drive home was daunting. Another like me? What would Jade say? Would she advise me to leave it? Or maybe she would be angry? These questions lingered at my mind for an age. I finally set down Jades street, my uneasiness never leaving me. I needed advice, and she was the only one who I trusted to help. Jades car was parked just outside of her house, a little thing that served its function well. I got out, aware of the bedroom lights on. I smiled and opened the door with the key under the pot. I walked towards the bedroom and flung it open, a huge smile on my face. The smile dropped when I saw Jade naked, another man on top of her.
"Jade! What the Hell?!" I screamed.
"Oh god. Honey, I'm so sorry." She said, wincing as the bastard got out of her.
"Who the Hell is this? Who the Hell are you!" I said to the bastard as he quickly put on his clothes.
"Look man I'm so sorry. Your girlfriend, she's hot and I-" he didn't finish. He stared, open mouth as I started to change.
"Run. Run if you want to live." I said, very slow and calmly.
"Look I don't want any trouble."
"Michael! Don't!" Jade screamed.
"Too late. Michaels gone now." The beast said.
"What? Yo- he's not in control? Cooper, run!" She gasped.
"In a way. I'm his negative thoughts. He wants this, just can't bring himself to do it." The beast smiled, and strut over to Cooper, placing his fingers on his chest.
"But I can."
It suddenly pushed, both it's hands digging into him, pushing towards his sides. The screaming finally stopped when the man was ripped in half, and thrown out the window. The beast turned to jade, bloody and gory, it smiled and advanced towards her.
"You should always be faithful, because otherwise bad things happen." It said.
*
I woke in a sea of blood. My hands, my body and my mind were covered in the stuff. I had the king of bad headaches. I frowned. I don't remember turning today. I got up and saw where I was, Jades house. Why the hell had I turned in here? I turned to the bed, and stumbled only to be caught by the wall behind me. I saw her face. Parts of her face. Her body was a bloody mess, her limbs scattered around her. I went limb, sliding down the wall. I would never do this. This wasn't me
Isn't it? Isn't it Michael?
I shook my head. What was that? Who was that?
You don't remember? Let's be honest, you should remember murdering your girlfriend, shouldn't you?
But, that's impossible. I've always been in control.
Times have changed Michael. Times have changed.
I heard sirens in the distance. Looked out the window to see army soldiers at the doorstep, police swat teams and tanks parked outside.
You've really done it now, haven't you?
"SHUT UP!" I screamed, clutching my head.
Your going to need me to help you get out of here, you realise that, don't you?
"No I don't. They will understand."
Will they? With another one like you loose? Your a dead man if you don't let me out and You know it.
"I-fine. Don't make me wake up in blood and gore this time. And NEVER come back again." I said with a defeated voice. Then I let go.
This change was unlike the others I've experienced. It was painful, and heart wrenching to realise I was, In fact, losing control of my own body. Then it took over.
"Good boy." It said.
It ran and jumped out the already broken window, straight onto the tank. It punched through the thick plates and pulled the soldier out, by the neck. It then grabbed his legs, and pulled until the soldiers body was in two. It threw one piece at a swat van, sending it flying. It went to the swat that were firing at it. The bullets doing little to hurt, it ran at them, tearing them to bloody shreds. The armour they wore did little to protect them. They died like all the rest. The soldiers were next, there shots hurt more. So the beast sat there, letting the bullets stumble it. It was experimenting. After his body was littered with bullets, it healed itself. The bullets popped out of it in an almost comical fashion. It smiled at the soldiers. Then killed them.
Let me have control. I said to the beast.
"Never. This is my body now." It said, walking away from the chaos "where is the 'other' one like me?" I'm in the mood for a challenge." As It talked, I saw from its eyes a soldier crawling away. He got up and stumbled, trying desperately to walk.
"What do we have here? A someone trying to escape?" It teased "tsk tsk tsk, silly man." It said as it places both hands on his head, and pulled until the mans head came off.
"Huh. I'm proud of myself. That was 150 people, and a tank. In roughly 2 minutes." The beast smiled. Through its eyes I saw a young woman standing in the middle of the road, a rifle in her hands. If my face was my own, I would have frowned. Where did she come from?
"Oh little girl, how foolish of you. Run along now." The beast said, cocky as ever.
"Die Drasiel." The girl said. At that word, at Drasiel the beast frose. It's face a mix of anger and confusion.
"How do you know. HOW DO YOU KNOW?!" It yelled, running towards the girl.
*
*
Chapter 2
I watched the worms in the jar. In their jar. Emerging from the surface of the dirt and wriggling themselves into the darkness once again, as if on a never ending loop. They fascinated me. They had virtually no worries. All they did was swim in the dark earth, never seeming to eat, but everything has to survive on something, right? I got up from the little desk that held all my oddities. Various jars of dirt, containing things from ants to spiders. Leaves and stones of all varieties. I loved nature, especially the strange and interesting.
"Lilly! What the hell are you doing up there? Get down here and help with dinner or so help me god!" A deep and rusty voice, filled with anger, slurred and yelled, came from the kitchen downstairs. Daddy was home.
As I walked out of my room I peered at my reflection in the mirror leaning against the wall. What stared back was a pale face, light blue eyes shone in between straw-like golden hair. The person in the mirror had Eyelashes that looked far too long for their eyes and light freckles that spread from their nose through to their cheeks, disappearing as if they weren't there at all. I sighed. Surely I looked better than that. Surely that face peering back at me with a puzzled look wasn't my face?
"Lilly! Are you deaf? Get down here now!" I hurried out of my bedroom, hoping to come back to it unscathed, no matter how unlikely that was.
"What took you so long? I'm starving! I swear if you do that again you'll get the beating of a lifetime girl." The man siting at the table was tall, with muscles bulging through the shirt he wore. Ebony black hair hung at shoulder length from his head. He had a long face, with an even longer nose. Even whilst siting he looked threatening.
"I'm sorry. I was looking at my jars." I said with a soft voice, trying to sound innocent.
"Bah! Those jars are useless. Filled with the crap you found in the garden. Especially spiders." He shuddered." Disgusting things they are. I want all the jars gone by tomorrow night. Otherwise I'll get ride of them my self. Are you listening Lilly?"
At 'Lilly' I looked up from my shoes. He only calls me that when he's angry with me. It's usually "bitch."
"It's these jars, isn't it? There going tonight! Your already pissing me off and I haven't been home for ten minutes!"
"No!" I yelled. As soon as I said it i clapped my hand over my mouth. That was one of the biggest mistakes I could have made. Tears started to stream from my eyes.
"Excuse me? Did you just yell at me?" He got out of his seat, sending it sliding back into the table.
"How dare you!"
He raised his fist, clenching it so hard his knuckles turned white. I didn't see it come down, or it hit my jaw. Pain flashed through my skull, and came out as a scream. I crawled backwards desperately trying to get away from the man who couldn't possibly be my father. Not this devil who's hand was raised in anger.
"Please dad! Don't!"
"You deserve everything you get!"
~
"So he hit you?" Adam looked puzzled and worried, a change from his usual perfect teeth smile and over-all happy look. His black forehead was wrinkled, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Oh, no. I have this huge bruise on my head because I think its attractive. Yes the prick hit me." I said sarcastically.
"Wow. You sure I can't help?"
"Unless you can beat a grown man to death with your bare hands then no, you can't help."
"Maybe not bare handed... Could miss help?"
Miss Orion sat at the front of the class. Her big ears searching for any conversation unrelated to the topic. Oily black hair ran down her head finishing at chest height, which was flat and weedy. Pimples and big, brown freckles covered her face, hiding under her horned glasses.
"Doubt it. The cow hates me."
"Well, you did throw a water bomb at her."
"She walked under it! It wasn't my fault!"
"Sure!"
He was hansome In a weird, friend sort of way. His hair was golden, flicked up at his forehead. His slim frame made him quick, as was his mind. Freckles dotted his checks.
"Your staring at me." He said with his head tilted.
"Oh. Sorry."
"God your weird." He said with a white toothed smile.
A table away, a group of boys looked down at their phones, laughing and swearing as they showed each other presumably vile things.
"God there pigs."
"Who, jack and his crew? Nah there alright."
"There mean and vile. How can you think someone who enjoys being an absolute dick be 'alright?"
"There not mean! Hell I'm friends with them.."
"Yeah but I don't trust your judgement."
The "Crew" walked over to our table. A smug look on the leader, jacks face.
"Adam! You coming to the party tonight? or you going to pussy out again?"
"Yeah, I'm coming. Can Lilly come as well?" Adam said,
"What, the weird chick?" Jack said with a smug look, apparently proud of the insult he made.
"I'm right here, prick."I said, annoyed at his stupidity
"Did I say you could talk? Go get the shit beaten out of you again."
"Dude, calm down," Said Adam, "were all friends here."
"Huh like hell we are!" I said in frustration. I didn't want any connection to that lumbering oaf.
"She'll be there." Adam replied with a serious look.
"Whatever." Jack spat.
The 'gang' walked off laughing and pushing each other.
"I want to hurt him. With something hard. And heavy. How can you call yourself friends with that dick head?" I exclaimed to Adam, disgust in my voice.
"He isn't that bad when you get to know him. Your going to this party by the way. Socialise for a bit. It'll do you good."
"You know that goes against all that I believe in."
"And I care?"
"Ugh fine! I'll go."
Sneaking past dad seemed easy in my head. Get dressed whilst Waiting till he passes out drunk and just walk out. Apparently it was a 'drink up and yell at the tv' type day. Great. I snuck out of my room, my footsteps as silent as I could make them. He was passed out on the couch, a bottle in one hand, and a burger in the other. Typical. The volume was blaring on the tv. Little people in little shirts ran around on the field, kicking a ball to each other. A chuckle escaped my mouth. Did I just make a joke to myself? No, focus Lilly. He grunted, snorted and went silent as a mouse. I got out of there whilst I could.
London was cold, dark and bitter. The walk into town was long. Ridiculously long. Cars drove past me, taunting me with their lazy mode of transport. Was this stupid party even worth it? Didn't seem like it, from my point of view. I walked. I kept walking. I walked until the buildings of Deavil city rose around me. They towered and shone with artificial light in the dark. The party was across the street, through an alleyway. It was cold. The wind whipped and stung at the bare skin on my arms. I pressed them close to my chest. The alleyway scared me. Buildings towered either side of me, blocking almost all light. The only source of comfort was the white street light hanging from a wire, connecting the two buildings together. A dark figure leaned against the wall, a white cigarette hanging out of their mouth, their face hidden by the baseball cap's shadow they wore. They had their hand in their breast pocket. 'It' scared me. The gender less, possibly mugger or even murderer standing blocking my path with their very presence. They stood up, pulling their hand out of their pocket. A shining silver pistol in their hand.
"Whatever you av' got in yeh pockets, empty em'." He said, pointing the gun at my head.
My breath stopped. My heart rang in my ears. I was paralysed. Fear gripped at me, I was unable to move, unable to attend to the demands the man made.
"I 'ain't playing bitch!" He said, pushing the gun to my forehead
"P- please" I whimpered. Terrified.
"Yer going te' empty yeh pockets before I kill ya." He said, the gruff voice scaring me.
He grabbed me by my shirt, wrenching me into him, the gun never leaving my head.
"C'me ere," He whispered, "yer a pretty one, ain't ye." He exclaimed, feeling my breasts.
"Stop! Please!" I screamed.
"Shut it bitch!" He spat back.
I could see the party lights from the alley. I had to try. I slapped and punched him as hard as I could, just enough to wrench myself free. I ran as fast as I could, the alleyway exit only meters away. A loud bang. Then complete darkness. I wasn't scared anymore, wasn't paralysed by the terror. A new emotion overcame me. Curiosity. Were was I? Did I die? Was I murdered by the hidden rapist gunman?
"Lilly..." A dark voice, like a rusted piece of metal, speaking almost as if inside my head.
The voice would have scared me, if I could think. If I could move.
"...You have been summoned, child. Summoned by death. Summoned by me."
Who are you is what I would have said, what I tried to say.
"Do not fear, child. I am the one the humans worships. The one your kind blindly follows. I am god. I am satan. These figures the majority of you follow, do not exist. My true name, only known to few, is Magister vitae." The words echoed inside my head. The sheer power that name held. I could feel it, it made my bones shake. My vision half blurred. I shook my head to clear the feeling of dizzy ness.
"I simply ask a favour of you. I cannot attend to deaths every task by myself, that is why I have many servants. I ask that you become one. Become the ultimate servant of the magister. " The thing in the shadows seemed to smile. The darkness twisting unusually. "I take it as a yes then? Be warned. If you fail me, your very existence on this world will end."
Light flushed the dark space, seeping light into my eyes. A few meters away a dark dress floated. It was mostly back, with red and white tints crossing the breasted and chest area. It was beautiful yet threatening all at once.
"Take it, Lilly. Take the dress of the Grimm reaper. Become my assassin. Become the Assassin of The Lord." The voice almost projected enthusiasm, making me, driving me to wear the beautiful dress.
I walked towards it. The voice encouraging me to wear it. I came to the dress. Even though it was only a few feet from were I stood, I had beads of sweat dripping from my forehead. I touched the dress, surprised to find it was made of some kind of material that almost seemed to move. I looked down at myself. At my plain clothes.
"Take it Lilly!" The voice screamed.
My vision was enveloped with cloth, driving me back. It disappeared, the white room returning to my sight.
"You look like an angel of death. Well done."
I looked down at myself. The dress, in its red and black beauty, was comfortably worn.
Footsteps. I could hear footsteps behind me. I was paralysed, fear dripping with every thump.
"Turn child. Turn and face your master." The voice said, still echoing throughout the room.
I turned to meet a hazy ebony black figure. Like television static, he shimmered.
"You would never kill, would you? Not in your current state. Your current mindset."
The figure reached out, grabbing me by the forehead. There fingers burned, made me scream.
"Your mind will be no more. Your very soul will belong to me."
I woke on the floor of the white room, a strange feeling set into my mind. I no longer cared about the party. I No longer cared about Adam, or his great smile, adoring qualities. I no longer cared about my dad, abusive and cruel. I smiled. I was changed. Before I never wanted to hurt anyone. I was placid. I was tame. And now, now I was free.
"I have one more thing for you, child. A hunter needs a weapon. Needs weapons. Take these as a gift." The voice said, the black static thing gone from my vision.
I turned around, sensing something behind me. The weapons were floating. Two red and black daggers, and what looked like a hunting rifle. Yet were there would normally be wood, there was black with veins of red pulsing through it. I smiled, and touched the rifle. It disappeared, slung around my back. The dagger was In a hilt sewn onto the belt holding the dress.
"You've been given the tools, the knowledge. Your mission, your quest in the world. You must eradicate the ancient evil corrupting the world... You see, your special, Lilly. I have chosen you to be my true champion. A king, once named Drasiel, used a ritual to summon forgotten entities. They corrupted the world, started wars and caused many deaths. They appear human, and can posses others. But one thing negates there humanity. It may be small, it may be large, but always have a distinguishing devilish feature. They are rightly named Drasiels. Go forth, and hunt these beasts." It said.
The black figure appeared again, and splayed its hands towards me. For an unknown reason I was compelled to look down, and I saw a black hole, and like quicksand, I was being dragged in. I wasn't scared, I was exited. I had a purpose, I had a meaning. And I had my first target.
*
Michael Greysen was possessed by one of the drasiel, a thing that he bonded with at birth. He was employed by the military, belong able to control his demonic side for the time being. He was a force to be reckoned with, judging from the various deaths he had caused. They where always a mash of brutality and finess, the kills being swift and clean, yet always involved blood and gore. I walked the road towards his house, hoping to catch him on his less dangerous side. The door was open, and the car that the police reports she stole and read about were gone. He was out, and he left in a hurry. She smirked. She thought of his girlfriend, and decided to try out some of the new things she learnt. She arched her back, and flipped into the ground, a black portal opening for her. Instantly she was in the street of the house, yet there were dead people ahead. Tanks and police cars, swat vans and various body parts littered the street. The demon stood in the mist of it all, smirking and talking to itself. It turned towards her and smiled.
"Oh little girl, how foolish of you. Run along now." The deamon said, cocky as ever.
"Die Drasiel." I said. At Drasiel the beast frose. It's face a mix of anger and confusion.
"How do you know. HOW DO YOU KNOW?!" It yelled, running towards me.
I grinned and pulled the knife out of my belt and pounced on the beast, underestimating it. It had immense strength and it picked me up by my hair and threw me, attempting for me to rag doll into the side of the tank. Mid-air I smiled, and opened up a portal on the tank, passing through it harmlessly. I appeared behind it, slashing at its back and neck. It screamed and kicked backwards, catching me full in the chest.
"You. Your a hunter," it grinned, seeming to revel in the fact, "I've killed many a hunter. But not for a few hundred years."
It strode towards me, taking its time. It's smile never leaving or waning. I splayed my hands towards it, focused on my new-found power, and pushed. Blue flame erupted from my hands, covering the demon. It screamed and ran, ran until one of its arms fell off, a burnt husk in the middle of the road. It ran across the street into a neighbouring house, smashing through the wall and continued running. It left a massive hole wherever it went, and I used it to my advantage. Taking the rifle, i shot through the holes in the house, hit the thing in the skull, and sent it tumbling. I dropped a portal just in front of me, and appeared in front of the corpse. It was black and burned, the only thing with any colour was its eyes. A bright white, wide open.
"Bahahaha! You really thought that would be enough!? Foolish girl." An unseen voice echoed. No, not unseen. There was a bright white mist above the body, almost touching the ceiling. It had the top half of a human, yet the face was extremely out of portion. The body was skeletal thin, and at the waist it drooped off in a torn cloth like manner. It had long arms, with clawed hands.
"Die hunter!" It screamed, rushing towards my face. My first thought was that it was trying to claw at me. But it went to my mouth, digging its long clawed hands inside, pushing its arms in after it. I gagged, and tried to get a grasp of the thing, failing. I could feel it tearing my insides, ripping my throat to pieces. Then it pushed harder, pushed to the point that it reached my organs. Then it kept going until it was completely inside of me. Then all pain seemed to cease. The thing was healing me.
"You see, Lilly. Where one and the same. I was born from the dark one. You where born by his hand. Moulded by it. We and not too different," A voice inside my head echoed, "the dark one birthed me through portals and runes, yet I'm here. He realised he could not get the army that we promised, so he fled. He took one of our seven and fled. He now resides in our world of white. A hazy black figure in our perfect world of white. He is a pollution, a manipulator and a king of pawns and peasants. Lilly without you even realising it, you have been made a puppet for his use. You come out here, you collect his rubbish and dispose of it. Is that the kind of thing you want? To be played like a toy until you become a boredom and then thrown to the dogs? No, of course you don't."
I stopped struggling. He was right, but he was a demon. But if what he says bore no lie then..
"Yes, Lilly. The 'Magister' or whatever he goes by now days, is Drasiel himself."
Total word count : 4,987