 
Apollyon's Saint The Collection: Books One through Ten

By Zachary Koukol

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2015 by Zachary Koukol All rights reserve
This book contains the first ten books in the Apollyon's Saint series. Its has, The Beginning, The Unraveling, Cain's Rage, Heaven's Abomination's, Nine Kingdoms, The Rebellion, Morrighan's Curse, Land of Literature, Suicidal Writers Society, and the Decendents of Salem.
**Chapter One**

The stars gave Gabriel no relief as he gazed at them through tear filled eyes. No miraculous sign that would prevent him from using the shotgun at his side. Looking on he felt only emptiness and how miniscule his life really was. Even his dead wife, the meaning behind this pathetic last stand seemed meaningless. Part of him hoped that she would come to him and take his hand. Pulling him from the hillside and the coward he had become. The other part of him enjoyed the misery. Her death only means he escaped the life of white fences and fake smiles.

Through tears and agony, a menacing smile cracked across his face. He began laughing at the fact that he was so screwed up in the head. The love of his life was gone and he enjoyed the pain it brought. The smile retracted from his face. He had no suicide notes, no last words or footprints left for the world that he never wanted to be a part of. Thoughts of how it would be after he pulled the trigger crept into his mind.

Thoughts of his so called friends on his social media, most of which he did not know. He thought of how they would write paragraphs about how sad they were and how much he meant to them. Maybe they would start a fan club for him using his suicide as a crusade to prevent others from doing so. Just what he always wanted to be a unwilling suicide advocate after committing suicide. A reason for people to act sad and use his death for their own bullshit agenda.

Thinking of years down the road when his legacy was just another unknown name on a stone. When enough time had passed that he was no longer a thought on the minds of the living. It was right where he wanted to be. He spent his whole life making his footprints smaller than his foot. So that he could live unnoticed, and now die the same way.

"What if there is a heaven and hell?" He asked himself.

Will god condemn me for ending what is already dead. Or would he do exactly what I never wanted and add my name to the book of life. Giving me a eternity in heaven where any eternity would be hell. Gabriel hoped all those overbearing atheists in his life were right. To him nonexistence was heaven, void of emotions and trials he faced in life.

His thoughts turned his sadness into nothing more than headache and confusion. Leaning to his side he grabbed the shotgun by the barrel. It was cold steel like his rapidly pounding heart, vibrating into the pain in his head. With the barrel pointing at his head he fumbled the shotgun around searching for the right positioning. Even if the blow was not fatal, he was upside down and all the blood had already rushed to his head.

He struggled to place the end of the barrel of the side by side shotgun into his mouth. His mouth stretched at an awkward angle around the gun. After laying there for a moment, it did not feel right leaving the world sucking on a barrel. removing it from his mouth he placed it under his chin. Removing the barrel left a taste of black powder in his mouth. Moving his hands from the barrel to the trigger he started to tremble. A fear that had not overcame him since he was a child.

The first time he attempted suicide he was only a boy of 6 years old. This was not something entirely new to him and most likely stemmed from a genetically unstable mind in search of any reason for self-destruction. Suicide was like a instinctual art form to Gabriel. One he had perfected over the years but like the dead poets society, it was all for nothing since he was alive.

Gabriel's first attempt was cut short due to inexperience. He tried to tie an amateur noose out of some rainbow shoelace from his older sisters roller skates. He then moved enough clothes to the side of his sisters closet rod to tie up his makeshift rainbow contraption of death. Then he used a yellow plastic Lego container as the stool he would kick out, leading to rainbow strangulation. Such a dark moment it was, the 6 year old figure of Gabriel waiting to meet his demise in a closet.

With the noose around his neck, the same fear coming over him now came over him then. Not of death, but of stepping into the unknown. Then his reasons for suicide were the same as now, simply to not exist. But what if doing so was just the next step in existence. So he made the step and the container fell from under him and he plummeted.

He felt the snap as the noose tightened around his neck cutting the flow of air into his lungs. Not knowing the struggle he might face. He could have hung there for hours slowly strangulating. Kicking his feet made him swing back and fourth. The motion made the clothes hanger break away from the wall. He smashed into the Lego container and shoes not far below. Clothes came down and crashed all around him. He laid there under his sisters clothes soaking in the fact that he was stuck in this world to lead a truly pathetic existence.

Only a few minutes had passed as Gabriel laid there with the gun to his chin. He did not have to look for any convincing for pulling the trigger. Breathing in the cool July air Gabriel only wanted to feel the moment. The last moment he hoped to spend, trembling under those magnificent stars. The same stars that others had no choice but to die under. They would give anything for just another breathe.

It did not matter to him though, he was ready to feel death. Hoping that once the bird shot passed into his head he would have a few moments to taste it. To smell the burning powder on his flesh. To hear the ringing of his ears as the shot echoed in and out of eternity. Methodically his shaking stopped as his finger felt the pressure of the trigger. Squeezing it with all he had as his heart jumped into his throat.

Eyes closed so hard that his face grimaced. An empty clicking sound vibrated Gabriel's disappointment through the gun. He only had one loaded shell in the barrel. Never thinking he would have need for more than one shell. Rolling to his side he removed the gun from his chin and swung his legs around so he could sit upright and determine the delay in his demise.

Cracking the barrel open he examined the gun and his one shell. Nothing was out of the ordinary and he snapped the gun closed. Boiling blood from rage flowed through him as he aimed at the night sky and once again squeezed down on the trigger. BOOOM followed by the loud ringing of Gabriel's ears and the smell of powder burning into the night sky.

Like everything in life he had failed again. The box of shells were miles away at home strategically placed on top of his dresser. Getting up off the ground he began the walk of shame back to his truck. He was not sure how to get back to the truck since it was not a part of his game plan. For a moment he stayed in one place looking around into the darkness. He thought about waiting for the morning light to guide him. As usual he needed no saving grace and simply walked into the night.

The urge to drive to his local drinking hole was stronger than his will to survive in the woods. It was even greater than his will to die at the moment since he knew even that was out of the realms of possibilitys. As he was walking he felt like that same coward in his sisters closet. If only I knew then what I knows now, he though. I would have used my mothers closet. If it could hold hundreds of her clothes, it could hold a lost 6 year old's soul. Sparing him a lifetime of suicidal humiliation.

As he walked he felt the presence of something just on the edge of darkness. Hoping it was some wild beast ready to finish what he could not. In that moment the thought hit him as if he had just made a major break through. If he could not take his own life then he would simply seek death. Heck even so called sane people do this on a daily basis. On their vacations when they get out to get that picture right next to the rhino. Or drive really fast when they are late to work not realizing that around the next bend is their permanent retirement plan.

The world does this without even realizing it's suicide each time they tempt their fate. So why couldn't he do it while being completely aware that the end goal is death. How can any of us make it to whatever form of heaven we believe in when almost everything we do is simply suicide by ignorance. Stumbling through the darkness a false feeling of self worth came over him. He often felt as though he had the world figured out. It was the last thing giving him any meaning.

The reality of things is he was a lunatic, emotional, redneck lost in the woods seeking his truck. But he was not far off from the social norm of the mountain town of Axal where he grew up. Like the people from Axal, he thought of himself as an intellectual. Unlike them he lacked any ego moving him up or down the social ladder depending on the way you look at it.

Moonlight was shining off the dented metal of his old beat up truck off in the distance. Next to it was a cheap foreign car that some kid with a low self-esteem added a spoiler and some Wal-Mart rims to boost his confidence. It must have been working since it was the local hangout where kids would take their dates to tryout for the next cast of teen mom.

Gabriel must have looked like their worst nightmare coming out from the darkness. He had on an old baseball cap with sweat and dirt stains around the sides of it. A thick beard that displayed his lack of caring in the grooming department. A black hoodie with nothing on it, which Gabriel thought showed the world that he was not another name brand consumer. Combined with a shotgun at his hip, he was about to save the world of another fatherless child.

The menacing smile was back across his face, instead of going towards his truck he was heading right for speed racer. Inside the car in the back seat was just as he expected. A preppy kid wearing a stripped polo shirt. The same type of kid that would call Gabriel names in school and use him as a stepping stone for their lack of confidence. Underneath slick was the typical fake blond who had too much cellulite on her hips. Though her social status made her an attractive target for kids with spoilers.

Apparently slick was not as slick as Gabriel thought since their clothes were still on. Gabriel was standing right over the hood of the car and placed his hand on it. The hood was cold and it was apparent that they had been there awhile and still had not made it past second base. They were oblivious to the fact that a man with a shotgun was tonight's peeping tom.

"ANNA IS THAT YOU IN THERE!" Gabriel yelled, raising the gun at the two. Slick jolted his attention to Gabriel and realized there was an armed psycho outside of the car. The fake blond did as all fake blonds would do and started to scream. lowering the gun from the two, Gabriel busted up laughing. The horror on their faces was almost enough to make up for the nights misfortune. The girls scream stopped as the two sat up in the back seat. They were still unsure if it was a sick practical joke or their last night on earth.

"Had I been this girls father you would have spent your last night on earth being a pussy and only making out with her" Gabriel said in a stern voice and paused for a moment.

"If it is going to be your last night then take a tip from someone who has had many of them and at the very least get laid kid!" Gabriel said not waiting for a response. He turned from the two petrified lovers and got in his truck. He laid the shotgun down at his side and after a few failed attempts the truck roared to life.

The dirt road leading back to Axal was glowing like the yellow brick road to another forgotten night of whiskey. The town was mostly empty, the streets of downtown still looked similar to the way they did 100 years ago. He passed the local bar for the younger crowd, or the ones that was his age anyways. He turned down a ally way and picked one of many empty parking spots at the bar he frequented called Marlov's.

Once inside it was dark and dirty with mostly broke old alcoholics who reminisced on a time when they had self-worth. They all had a story that was begging to be told to anyone dumb enough to sit with them. Gabriel did not even know most of their names but he could write a book about each one of their life stories. Gabriel always looked for one of the many places of solitude inside the bar. Many nights he spent blowing his wife's life insurance on whiskey and cheap stories that changed depending on the current mood or conversation.

Ashley was the normal bartender, her father was the owner. She never got the memo that if you want to lead any meaningful life then you have to leave that little shit hole when you've become of legal age. She was in her mid thirty's, petite, black hair, and large overbearing breasts. She was married once but after the typical Axal girls past of molestation from the many local pedophiles there was no hopes of it working.

Once divorced she was damaged goods looking to get back at all men. Each time she spread her legs it was like she gained another trophy in the halls of pedophiles, drunks, and even a few married men. Most men were eager to join the exclusive club of local high quality members of society but not Gabriel. He knew her game since he had many nights to study it.

Gabriel was fond of watching the interaction of the local bar flies. He studied each small intricate body language as if peering into their skeletons in the closet would make his go away. Nothing was to out of the ordinary in Marlov's, that mixed with seclusion made it the perfect drunken people watching post for Gabriel.

Gabriel sat down at a empty section of the bar. Ashley was already directing her attention at him. She poured some jack into a shot glass. She must have though that her attention to detail would earn her points with Gabriel and one more passenger for the town whore. Once Gabriel was seated Ashley brought the glass over to him and placed it in front of him. He dreaded interacting with her, since it was so repetitive. She leaned over the bar bearing the cleavage in her large breasts and batting her eyes.

"I was hoping you would come tonight, where have you been!" Ashley said in a muffled voice. Gabriel acted oblivious to the overbearing signals she was giving.

"I have been working late lately and have had little spare time" Gabriel said. In fact Gabriel was still unemployed and living off life insurance but telling half truths was something conditioned into him as a child and something he had perfected.

"Well its good to see you here tonight, lately its been the same old creeps trying to pull one liners to get me to go home with them" Ashley said in a more depressed tone. Gabriel fought back a smile knowing it was just a damsel in distress ploy. The fact was she had most likely went home with everyone there except Gabriel.

"Well Ashley, a women with such class as yourself should not be offended. They just see the wife material in your eyes!" Gabriel said, unsuccessfully abstaining from sarcasm. Ashley started laughing as she turned away

"By the way I get off at three!" Ashley cheerfully said. It was like a invitation for free hepatitis brownies that was easy to resist for a man without a sweet tooth. Gabriel picked up his glass and chugged his small sanctuary and slid it to the edge of the bar. There was no burning sensation or spasm of the gag reflux. To him it was water to the dessert of his soul.

He looked around the room for a target to watch so he was not stuck with just his thoughts. Tonight there was a younger girl at the bar with a older man who was once Gabriel's math teacher, Mr. Sparow. She looked like the virgin Mary on a street corner in the Bronx. She was facing the bar but Mr. Sparow was turned to her and eager to make his way into her personal space. She was not interested, but in a place like Marlov's it didn't matter. Everyone was a few drinks away from waking up tied and naked in the local whack jobs basement.

As the night progressed Gabriel continued to drink and people watch as the younger girl started to open up. She might have been oblivious to what the night was about to bring but Mr. Sparow was a seasoned veteran in the world of creeps. A few hours passed and Mr. Sparow had gained way with her. At first it was safe to say he had no chance and now his hand was making his way up her leg and into her dress.

Mr. Sparow kept the drinks coming until the moment had come when she could hardly keep her head upright. No one in the bar cared about what would become of her. Neither did Gabriel but why pass up on a opportunity to kick the teeth in of your old math teacher. It was possible the girl he was about to rape was a student of his in the sixth grade and now of legal age to get drunk enough to have sex with. It was just one sick example of how the town of Axal operated.

Gabriel paid for his drinks and did his best to ignore more pathetic attempts from Ashley. Gabriel went out to his truck and sat and waited in the alleyway for his chance to be a hero. Really it was just a opportunity for more chaos in his deranged life. Anyone at Marlov's is no saint, you become guilty by association. The minutes passed as Gabriel searched for ghosts in the dark to fuel his already drunken rage.

He thought back to when he was in school, even then Mr. Sparow was a creep. How he would lean over the girls desk and get right in their personal space. During tests when everyone's heads were down his eyes would begin to wonder around the room and then fixate on one position. Gabriel could only imagine what happened after class if a girl had to stay late.

Almost two hours had passed and they had not left the bar even though it was about to close. Gabriel searched for a excuse to leave. Maybe the girl was already one of his victims. Or maybe Mr Sparow was the victim. Maybe the innocent girl had her own closet of skeletons. For all he knew she could be the predator and was about to give the final blow to that sick fuck. Then the town would make a statue of him and the local paper would tell of how he was such a great man and dedicated to the education of children. It was just in the nature of Axal to cover the disgusting truth.

Gabriel was tired of waiting and at this point it would no longer be a ass kicking but a homicide. He walked back into the bar and scanned the room for the two. There was now only Ashley at the bar who lit up with a smile as she looked at Gabriel. She must have thought it was her lucky night and the drunken widow had come back for her. Gabriel quickly ducked into the bathroom to avoid any further aggravation.

Once inside one of the stalls riddled with notes about his valentine waiting behind the bar, he thought of escape plans. Men wrote tips about how to get Ashley into bed with them like it was some difficult riddle or conquest. Then through the silence and sanctuary of the urine stained bathroom the voice he was dreading to hear again tonight broke the silence.

"Gabriel I am locking up for the night but if you want we could have a few drinks....On the house?"

"No I think I am done for the night, I am just going to head home." Gabriel said with a sigh. He knew he would not get off that easy. The bar was now empty and the only shield he had was the stall door that he began reading as though it would give him a way out.

"I really need someone to talk to tonight would you please have a drink with me? Ashley said spewing adulterous webs.

"Did you see that girl leave with Mr. Sparow tonight?" Gabriel said.

"Yeah they left about a hour ago.....So how about that drink?" Ashley said. It was as though she held some important information for ransom. Gabriel thought about it and cursed himself for breaking one if his rules of survival. Never stay at Marlov's after two a.m. or the eater of men would have you in her grasp.

He reluctantly left the stall knowing that he was heading into the mouth of the beast. She was waiting on one of the stools like a lion in heat ready to pounce on any poor soul in her web. Her white blouse was spewing out more cleavage than before. She had on a long skirt and heels, trying to look old fashion to fool the unsuspecting man. Her legs were crossed and her lead foot pointed right for Gabriel's crotch as he walked to the bar.

She took a few moments to prepare her sexual noose while he was in the bathroom trying to escape. Red lipstick on so thick that she had to have used a putty knife to apply it. As he got closer the smell of over perfumed whore stung his nostrils. The perfume had to have been a old line of perfume, "Slut" by Chanel. She reminded him of a cat he had as a kid. When it was in heat it would rub up against your leg and purr to the point that you felt violated.

She had a glass of red whine in her hand and a fake smile to appear elegant. A full bottle of jack set in front of a empty stool with a glass. Not a shot glass but one you would drink a beer from. Her intent was crystal clear, but Gabriel had to act oblivious to it. Why did the gun not go off he cursed in his head as he sat down beside her.

"So the young girl in the bar tonight, who was she?" he said.

"Why are you so interested in some random boring girl at the bar tonight?" Gabriel paused searching for that con-artist that protected his real intent. That familiar friend of lie's and delusion.

"I was very attracted to her innocence's in a place like this" Gabriel said. Ashley smiled and leaned into him pushing the overbearing cleavage into his gaze.

"Innocence is only complication, none of us are truly innocent just victims." Gabriel knew she was right but kept a blank expression on his face.

"Do you know if she was from around here?"

"Yes she was from here in Axal, only eighteen too but I am not about to turn away a paying customer on such a slow night." Ashley said. With hands trembling, Gabriel tried to hide his rage as he poured some jack into his glass and took a swig. After all how could he be upset when its like having something stolen in a house of thieves.

"So did she leave with that creep of a teacher?" Gabriel said. Ashley's smile was now real and brimming from eye to eye.

"Yeah he kept the drinks flowing, and one thing any good math teacher knows is they add up!" Ashley paused to see if Gabriel would laugh at her joke, but he did not approve.

"Once she was incapable of refusing his advances he did what any gentleman would do and walked her out the back door of the bar." She said laughing.

"I am sure if you catch up with them she might stay conscious for long enough to give you a turn at her innocence!"

Gabriel knew her fate as well as Ashley but he imagined the young flower had thorns and was stabbing Mr. Sparow in the chest with a blunt knife. Ashley put her hand on Gabriel's thigh and he tried to act surprised rather than annoyed.

"So not to change the subject but how long has it been since your wife has passed, a few years now isn't it?" Ashley said with a smile. The act was up and Gabriel could no longer bottle his anger as he pushed her hand away.

"I am not here to talk about my wife!" Gabriel said in a angry tone. Ashley giggled as she leaned back on her stool and tilted her head at the ceiling.

"How long has it been since you've had a women in your bed? You know, I normally like it rough but if you are looking for innocence's I can try that too." Ashley said with a grin. If she could not get him between her legs she would at least toy with his emotions. Gabriel was falling right into it and knew it was happening ever since he left the stall.

He figured at least he got the information he was looking for. Now one more free drink and he could rudely excuse himself from the ravishing of lost souls. He poured the jack into the cup for the last time this evening. Ashley kicked off her heel and began rubbing her foot up his leg. The issue of the last shot was now a pressing matter as her foot climbed higher up his leg. She pulled open her blouse as he urgently chugged the whiskey.

He placed the glass on the table, realizing this "free" shot might have cost him his last hope of sanity. His eyes turned to her partially exposed chest and he could not resist looking. Her breasts were perfectly proportioned, almost surgically. He looked at her gaze now trying to seem innocent after such a whorish display. He leaned into her just enough to keep separation and whispered in her ear.

"Have a good night, Ashley." He tipped his hat to her as he turned away and walked out. Most men would not be able to resist, but Gabriel has only been with his wife. He was not about to throw away the last thing he held sacred in his life for the towns trash. Maybe there was something that separated him from the rest of Marlov's, some twisted morals.

On his drive home he saw one of the local police parked in a empty lot. It was a old overweight man passed out while on duty. Gabriel just laughed as he thought, if only he knew a drunk, psycho with a shotgun at his side was driving by right now. Truth was he did know, he knew there was an extreme problem with meth, missing persons, sexual predators, and all sorts of nasty things happening while he peacefully slumbered.

The old cop also knew that the politics of his job prevented him from actually making a meaningful difference in the population of swine. Gabriel figured he would be doing the same thing in his shoes, it would either be that or get discharged for beating the shit out of a mathematical sexual predator of his youth.

That was a cop that most people assumed didn't care. But Gabriel figured he was most likely riddled with scar tissue from the ulcers because of the stress he endured over the years. The man cared so much that it lead to him doing what any sane person would do. Coming to the understanding that you cannot control the madness our world holds. Even resistance is futile to your own selfish needs of preservation. So that cop was actually a napping genius disguised as a foolish authority. Gabriel had an answer for everything even if it made no sense to anyone else.

The lights of the horrors of Axal disappeared in his mirrors. As the truck drove through the darkness he had a new purpose in life, seek death. An easy task for most of mankind but a difficult challenge for Gabriel. He turned from the blacktop of the highway on a road leading to his house through dense pine tree's.

The house was an old colonial style home with a wrap around porch. It was in very rough shape and hard to believe anyone lived there. He bought it after the death of his wife so he would not have to return to their apartment in town. The thought of walking in and seeing it the way it was left, horrified him. The newly finished baby's room or his wife's clothes made him wince in pain.

He pulled up in front of the door and shut his truck off. He left the lights on and gazed at the beauty of his home that most people would only see in their worst nightmares. He scanned the old dirty windows like he expected someone to be there waiting for him. Picturing something out of a horror movie he hoped some deranged lunatic back from the dead was inside.

Maybe the spawns of hell would erupt from inside the creepy old house and he would be the start of a zombie apocalypse. Sighing he knew he would not be that lucky tonight. He shut off the lights on his truck and headed inside. Once through the door the wooden floor creaked under his feet. The walls were lined with old cloth wallpaper partially torn. No pictures or furnishing lined the rooms.

To anyone else this was a abandoned haunted house but to Gabriel it was home. He didn't bother to flip on the lights, most of which had burnt out bulbs. He made his way up the worn out wooden steps.

"HONEY IM HOME!" He shouted follow by drunken laughter. Once upstairs he went into all four of the upstairs bedrooms. Each one completely empty except the smell of ancient dust and chloroform. The smell used to bother him but now it was one of those luxuries of living the high life. The last room he stepped into was completely black. Bath towels covered the windows and Gabriel stretched his feet out into the darkness searching for the mattress on the floor. He collapsed on it and the old springs struggled to handle his weight. Laying in bed he looked at the moonlit hallway hoping at the very least that his exhausted mind would trick him into seeing an apparition. Of course he had no such luck as sleep struggled to drag him away.

The morning sun shined through the towels on the window giving the room a red glow as though the rays passed through stained glass. Sunlight was a curse to any social recluse and Gabriel hated it. He rolled out of bed and put on his sunglasses before leaving his stuffy crypt. Making his way to the lower floor which consisted of a empty dining room, living room, kitchen, and the bathroom. Any room that Gabriel often frequented had piles of trash and dirty dishes.

Cleaning was not a trait of the depressed, suicidal outcast, or maybe just something he inherited from a mutt of a gene pool. His diet consisted mostly of whiskey, milk and cereal. Sitting down on his old dingy couch he ate his wheat grain cereal. He might have a limited diet but why not shoot for one of the food groups on the pyramid.

He had but one luxury of a modern society, a TV that he found outside of a dumpster. It was not plugged in since he had no cable out in the woods. He could get a dish but he choose to deprive himself of any pleasures or entertainment. To him he was a messiah for living outside of what society wanted him to do. It was definitely a glorious revelation, him eating cereal staring at a blank TV on the floor. Ghosts where all that kept him company and even those were only of his mind. The reality was he was even a poor bachelor for the likes of Ashley the village whore. But he set no expectations for himself so none of it mattered.

Outside storm clouds rolled in, sparking the genius thoughts of his adventure to death. He knew of a mountain that was near by. Once when he was a kid he was caught in a storm up there and it was as if the wrath of the gods all converged to destroy the mountain. What else did he have to do besides have a camp out on that magnetic mountain top. Not like he could return to Marlov's and people watch after Ashley's display of destructive affection.

He knew all the horrors about her, but there was something that made him drawn to her. Maybe it was the simple fact that he was a male species who naturally should be drawn to any willing female. Or the fact that she would be the key to breaking one of his twisted morals in this natural world. She was the one thing that still made him come up to the same level playing field as the human race. No matter what it was, the affection of whores was something that all men must face and in this department he was no different.

Going back to Marlov's and selling his soul out was the easy route and the one most people in his state of being would take. But he despised the thought of rejoining the race of the living. Interaction with anyone was a dreadful thought and he was beyond the selfish agenda of helping hands. That fateful night of free drinks and bare breasts at Marlov's would be the last time he frequented there.

Gabriel had not been camping since he was a kid and he lacked any kind of camping equipment. He was not sure how one should prepare for the type of camping trip he was going on. A metal rod to hold at the top of the mountain would suffice but still a little too dramatic so Gabriel headed to the towns grocery store to get a few basic items. In the daylight the people of Axal could not hide their depression. They wore it on their faces like a badge of honor. Good deeds go unnoticed in Axal which is why Gabriel no longer did the simple things such as opening a door to the store for a stranger. No one in the town cared and if you showed any weakness the town vultures would be sure to devour you just for entertainment.

Once inside the store he saw the same familiar unfriendly faces. No one spoke unless they were forced to do so. Friendly gestures only pained the people of Axal into finding a spot in their soul not frozen enough to return the gesture. No one made eye contact and everyone's personal bubble was the size of a VW bus. The people of Axal were oddly comforting to Gabriel. He could walk amongst them and feel like he did not even exist.

Gabriel grabbed some generic granola bars, some toiletry, and a few lighters. Backwoods survival had little meaning to him but why turn from a excuse to burn something. Gabriel got in line for the cashier and the line moved methodically. Like prisoners lined up heading to their cells. As if one person spoke or stepped out of line they would socially out cast them from Axal.

The cashier had a look of dismay on her face. You could tell she hated her job and all the shitty people she had to deal with day in and day out. She seemed so young to be stuck in the Axal web of dismay. Gabriel hoped she was a few paychecks from telling the old store manager to get fucked and ditch town. But with that look on her face her story could be nothing but one of the locals. Gabriel placed his items on the conveyer of her annoyance. She said nothing, Beep, Beep, Beep, like the moments of her life ticking away.

"That will be eighteen seventy five" the cashier said as though the sound of her own voice was about to send her to the brink. Gabriel swiped his card and told her thanks and walked out of the store. It amazed him that anyone could lead such a life. Even his attempts at suicide and journey for death brought more adventure and joy than that poor girls ruins of a life in Axal. The only cure for the towns depression was to gather everyone up for a poisoned kool-aid festival. At least then it might look appealing to a tourist.

Gabriel could see Shrul peak coming into view as he drove down the highway. The mountain was once crowded with miners and shafts during the gold rush. The top of it was a bald peak, with a old sheriffs station at the peak of the mountain. It was once used to watch for forest fires in the area but now it was just a small abandoned concrete hut.

The rain had died down to a light drizzle and Gabriel was not sure if the road up to the top would be to muddy to make it. He turned off the highway and headed up the jeep trail leading to the top. There was enough exposed rock on the trail for the old truck to keep traction. Along the trail were old abandoned mine shafts. Some of them were caved in and were just piles of old timbers and rock.

The truck radio was playing the weather warnings over and over again. The night would bring heavy thunderstorms and large amounts of rain. Most campers would be disappointed with such weather but to Gabriel it would all be for nothing without this storm. He might be stuck on top of Shrul peak for a few nights since there was water already running down parts of the jeep trail. Flash floods off the peak could create rivers on the trail that lasted for a few hours and could easily take a old pickup and throw it from the mountain.

Ahead on the trail Gabriel could see the end of the tree line. The road turned to a rock trail that was difficult to navigate. The old truck was almost too wide for the trail as Gabriel dug the driver side into the mountain as close as possible and the passenger side hung off the trail a few inches. One miscalculation of the wet rocks would send him and the truck into the abyss.

It was safe to say he was going to fast for the conditions since the trail was barely large enough for a jeep let alone a truck. Just before the steep grade to the peak was a flat open area where he parked the truck. He looked up at the old sheriffs station at the top. Dark low clouds were covering and uncovering it. Gabriel took a deep breath and inhaled the electricity in the air.

The rocks on the top of the mountain contained mostly metal and different minerals. The few tree's on the flat spot where Gabriel parked had been struck and mangled by lightning. The whole peak was a natural electrocution chamber ready to light up anything that dared venture on it in a storm.

Gabriel smiled as the wind howled around him. He grabbed his bag and patted the side of the truck as if to say fair well old friend. The trail to the top was steep and rocky. The sides of the trail had small deposits of crystal and old burnt timbers. The ruins left behind by the miners. There was also an old ground wire that lead to the sheriffs station on top. At one point it was grounded to prevent certain death to those poor souls who once had to occupy it in a storm.

Once to the top Gabriel headed into the station to store his supplies. It was not much bigger than a storage shed and was made of concrete. Black marks lined the old shack from all the times it had been hit with lightning. There was no longer doors or windows on it as the wind howled inside. Gabriel set his stuff down among the debris on the floor.

Graffiti that was too mature for a fourth grader lined the interior walls. The normal penises, Nazi signs, and unoriginal sayings. The floor had mostly broken glass and pieces of wood from the remains of the fire watch. Around the station was about a 10 square yard flat area and beyond that was death for an inexperienced climber.

There was no rain yet as Gabriel looked out at the valley below. It was a magnificent site even to the suicidal. Walls of clouds were on the ridges miles away. It would not be long and Gabriel would get the light show of his lifetime. The peak felt almost like hollow sacred ground. Men once toiled and gave their lives in the shafts below him all at the chance for that American dream. Some were still buried in the shafts that collapsed and sealed the fate of the unfortunate. If there ever was a supernatural place that peak was it. Energy busted from the rocks below and all forms of life stayed clear.

But not Gabriel, he was waiting in anticipation and was anxious as he fidgeted with a lighter. The cold wind would instantly blow out the flame as if to say "you will find no comfort here!" All the wood debris inside the the station would not be enough to start a meaningful fire. Let alone one large enough to provoke a god into mercy killing him.

The rumbling began and Gabriel could feel it in his chest. Like a hundred thousand Calvary were charging their way up the mountain. The ridges in the distance flashed and banged. It was enough to intimidate the strongest of men. The little earth around him grew darker and darker. There was no turning back now, no chance of retreat as Gabriel nervously read one of the sayings on the wall.

It was almost satanic as though a cult frequented the station. It read "The coming of sin is near." with a strange satanic symbol under it. Gabriel just thought, well at least the retards didn't carve it in some 100 year old tree. The saying brought no comfort or enlightenment for the moment he was in.

The literature and art work that he would die with on his mind was very disappointing to say the least. As if driving down the road listening to some horrible pop song on the radio station and driving off a cliff with that being the last thing stuck in your mind. Gabriel laughed, if I get struck now the last image will be a penis and a demonic saying.

He continued to read the walls looking for one good piece of work. It was as difficult as finding a meth free virgin in Axal. "BAWOOOM" the ground around Gabriel was shaking as if a mortar just smashed into it. His ears were still ringing when the next massive flash of light hit the mountain. "CRACKKK" it was enough to bring Gabriel to the ground.

The wind and rain howled inside the opening in the station. Nothing prepared Gabriel for this as his heart felt like it was about to burst to the vibrations around him. He thought that this must have been what those poor soldiers in the Battle of Bulge felt like as the sky crashed down on them.

The flashing light through the doorway and window temporally blinded Gabriel. The crashing sound of electricity and rocks were deafening. It horrifically filled Gabriel with joy to be a part of such a violent display of beautiful nature. Any moment could instantly be his last.

"IS THIS ALL YOU HAVE!" Gabriel shouted in a unsure voice. Gabriel stood up and looked out the doorway to the station. He could vaguely see the valley below him now and just watched in silence. The day had retreated behind the ridges and dark clouds. Gabriel gazed on as the storm clouds vanished into black sky's.

After standing in the door for almost a hour Gabriel turn to retreat to the concrete shelter. Just as he turned he felt electricity viciously rip through him. He was out and for a moment and the chaos stopped. Then he regained consciousness to a pain unlike any he had felt. He was laying on his back now as the rain and wind drenched his face. The pain was a burning and tingling sensation throughout his whole body.

His brain told his limbs to move but there was no response. His mind had lost control of his body. Nature had finally evolved him into an intelligent design. He felt as though he was in one of those dreams where you have no control of your body and you go into a panic state just before waking up. But there was no waking up for him, just the pains of the life he wanted so desperately to escape.

The storm was letting up around him as though it just gave him a taste of it's power. The pain started to leave him with only a numb sensation as he began twitching the muscles in his arms and legs. His throat was hoarse and dry, but he could only turn his head and look at the water just inches from him. Though in his head he went there to be struck by lightning and handed death. But there was a part of him that knew that the odds were so slim that he was not prepared for it to actually happen.

It was possible that he only felt the shock from the exposed metal re-bar on the floor. He closed his eye's and wished he could go back to that moment when everything around him stopped. The pain exhausted his last strengths and he passed out.
**Chapter Two**

Gabriel's eye's opened to those familiar stars in the sky. They were as unfriendly as the townsfolk in Axal. He regained movement in his body during his slumber but his whole body ached. His throat was so dry that even small breathes burned. He was soaked in water and the night had turned calm and cool. Everything seemed perfect besides the pain and cold trembling of his body.

The peak was cold enough to give any exposed man hypothermia on a July night. Unfortunately for Gabriel he was also electrically fried and soaked. Death was becoming a pressing factor but more excruciating than he had thought. Sitting up he grabbed his water with trembling hands. The cool liquid first burned his throat and then soothed it.

Getting to his feet was a difficult task but he was too exposed at this point. He had to get back to his truck or his death would be too unbearable. His instincts to live were far greater then the will to die. His first steps were like learning to walk again and they were very painful.

He did not want to look at his flesh but he was sure it was burnt and now freezing. Each step felt like he was going to rip apart all over the mountain. As he slowly stepped down the peak he looked ahead for his truck. It was light enough to see the area where he had parked but the truck was not within his line of sight.

Making his way down he was feet away from being on the flat area where he parked but his faithful truck was not there. How could it be he thought, no one would come up in that storm or in the dark to steal his shitty old truck. Most people would not even consider it worth putting gas in the tank. The keys were left in it but the odds of someone taking it up here were as slim as being struck by lightning.

He scanned all around but it was gone, his last hope of escaping the death he was searching for. He sat down on a broken timber. In his painful haste off the peak he forgot his water and food. All he had was the lighter in his pocket that he had been playing with. He knew it was there because he could feel the sore from where it burnt into his leg.

Pulling the lighter from his pocket it was clear that the wood was all drenched in the rain. He grimaced as he tried to flick the lighter but no flame came from it. The plastic had melted around the metal and the fluid leaked out. The wind was still blowing heavy and he would not last much longer without some form of solid shelter.

On his way up not far from his location was a partially caved in mineshaft. He figured he would make his way there and if he found a better shelter on the way he would stop. The moon lit the jeep trail ahead of him. It was like everything around him wanted him to go towards that mineshaft. Even the wind blew at his back as he walked the trail.

The entrance to the shaft was a shorter distance away then Gabriel remembered on his way up. Everything seemed so out of place, like he walked into a backwards dimension of the world. It was also less caved in and the opening much larger. Even the air around the entrance was warmer than the rest of the mountain.

Walking in the shaft things went completely dark. He turned to look back at the way out but there was nothing. Everything around him was dark, like endless space. Feeling the wall, he walked back the direction he came. The only problem was he only made it a few steps in and now he should be outside again but was in fact going deeper into the mountain.

It was now apparent that he was lost and the way was hidden from him. Just like most of his life, everything seemed to be covered up with a lie. He finally gave up on walking or seeking any way out. He fell to the jagged rock floor and went into the fetal position.

Cold was no longer a issue though he wished it was. Death by hypothermia would be better than dehydration in a black abyss. No one was coming to save him, not even his ignorance would let him escape the grasps of death. The air in the shaft was similar to his house. But instead of the smell of ancient dust it was more of ancient dead, and he would be joining the club. If only some horror would come from the darkness and shred him to pieces. Anything would be better than dwindling away in the dark. Now he just had to wait until his body had enough and gave out on his sick mind.

Hours passed, possibly a day, as seconds of agony lasted an eternity. Gabriel normally over thought every situation but now he dreaded the sound of his thoughts. Thinking was just a survival tool anyways and he was beyond the point of thought. It did not even matter if he closed or opened his eyes, it was all the same. Though sleep would make his passing easier. Thirst was becoming an issue again as his throat burned and his lungs choked on dust.

More empty time went by and he had delusions of death off and on. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath like it was the last. Then the annoyance of another breath came. Soon he would no longer have to fake it and it would all be over for him. No flashbacks of life, or thoughts of his wife. His imagination could not even muster up the movie ending of the dead loved one waiting there with you.

With eyes plastered shut light hit the screen of his eyelids. Was it finally over, it couldn't be though because he had no strength to pull open his eyes. But then loud and humble laughter was echoing through the shaft. It frightened him, so he knew he was not yet dead.

Finally prying his eyes open he saw the light shining from a hole in the rock that looked miles away. With his last strengths he rolled his body over to see where the beam of light landed. The light crashed onto an old wooden door with cast iron hinges. It looked like it belonged in a medieval castle and not in this endless mineshaft.

He stared at the door completely dumbfounded. Was he dead, alive, delusional, what the fuck was going on? lacking the strength to get to his feet, he crawled pulling his body to the door. It was only a few feet away from him but it took him a long time to get to the door.

His hand rubbed the wood on the door. The grain in it was a sight to be seen. Metal straps ran through it and carved in the metal were skulls. It was no factory made door, it was the door made for a king. Gabriel was faced with the choice of seeing what was beyond it. He almost did not feel worthy to see what was on the other side. Maybe he was better off just dying there and being the floor mat of what laid beyond. The door alone felt more valuable than anything he had touched.

With one finger he pushed and the door opened as though someone was waiting to pull it from the other side. What he saw next was truly out of this world. There was a small room with a hand laid rock fireplace. It was blazing bright and the flames danced around the iron grate inside. A rug made from a lions hide was on the ground in front of it with two lion heads attached to it. This was no normal lion but a massive and amazing creature. Their mouths were open exposing the fangs of soul eaters. Looking into their eyes it was as if they would pounce from the floor.

An oak table and two chairs made from another era were placed just to the side of the fireplace. Beyond that was a person with their back turned, wearing a red and black cape. He quickly turned around, the man was not from this time period. He was young but his dark eyes showed a prehistoric age. He was of average build with short dark hair and a dark perfectly groomed beard that framed his cunning lips. A velvet tunic of perfect quality covered his chest.

"Hello and welcome, I was waiting for you!" The man said in a cunning voice with a humble smile.

"Please come take a seat with me.... I have waited a long time to be in your council" The man said. Even the way he spoke was not from modern times. Of course Gabriel could barley crawl to the table, but the man stood and waited in front of his chair. Gabriel was too proud even in his deathly state to ask for help and it was clear the man would not press the issue. Gabriel placed his hand on the oak chair that was more like a throne. He struggled to pull himself up and into the chair but it did not budge in his struggle.

The chair was magnificent but did not look comfortable. Though it embraced his sore and broken body like welcoming arms. On the table in front of him was a massive golden grail ornate with red, blue, and green jewels. The flames glistened on the sides of the grail. Gabriel's eye's could not help but fixate on it. Just a glimpse of it was worth many deaths and its story was one that begged to be told.

The man smiled and sat down in his chair with elegance and grace no longer seen. For a moment he just looked on at Gabriel and smiled. The man placed his elbows on the table and he clasped his hands in a pyramid figure. Gold bulky rings shined to the flames but even they bowed before the grail. Gabriel looked at the man and felt as though he was looking at a salesman of souls. It was all beyond belief and magical.

"So, Gabriel you are a man seeking death?" The man said. Gabriel coughed and cleared his throat as he struggled to relay the words his mind was saying.

"Mmmo mo most, people start with a name, sir." Gabriel painstakingly said.

"Its apparent that time is pressing, the life is fading from you Gabriel. Normally I would introduce myself but the time for small talk has passed and I need no introduction." The man said with a crooked smile.

"Now, Gabriel you have a choice to make and at the moment we lack the time for me to explain. But I have a proposition for you" The man said in a stern voice. The man paused for a moment and looked into Gabriel's eyes to see if he was interested in any proposition at this point. Gabriel saw the mans hands were still making an inquisitive pyramid as though he was strategically planning a battle that he was not about to lose.

"So, on to my proposal. I can give you everything you desire with a simple drink." The man dramatically stopped.

"Or...You can die here at my table. But you must know after that death you will be added to the book of life. You will go to the heaven that would only be your hell. It would be bliss and happiness for all eternity, not even fake but willingly forced." Gabriel was slumped over looking around the room closing in around him. In his state it was hard to think about the proposal or how this strange man knew such information.

"The time is now, you choose. Drink from the grail on the table or die and go to heaven." The man said with a urgency in his voice.

Gabriel's family was mostly atheist and he never had much exposure to religion. Except from the kids in school telling him he would go to hell because he was unwillingly born in a family that was not religious. Even what he did know was limited and heaven was such a vague term for such a important phase in the life cycle. He knew he was about to die, and like always if there was a chance to live he would take it though it was against everything he believed in. The man got up from his chair pushing the cup closer to Gabriel.

"Drink and this dilemma will all be over." The man said in a pressing way. Gabriel hated not having control of his fate and what use to be unknown was now the vaguely known unknown. This is what most people must feel when they die, except now he was taking a strangers word for where he would go after he died.

Now the strange man looked like he was growing angry, as if he was going to dump the cup down Gabriel's throat and breathe life back into him. The choice was clear, he had no choice. So he grabbed the skinny portion of the grail and guided it to his lips. It glowed brighter the closer it came to his mouth.

Inside the grail was a thick almost black liquid. As he tilted it to drain the contents in his mouth he could see the dark red halo it left as it slanted to the side of the cup. The liquid hit his tongue and it was repulsive yet refreshing. The more he chugged the better he felt but now there was whispering and cries coming from the grail.

The more he drank the louder the cries got but he could not stop. It was like an addiction he had, and it had not been fulfilled in too long. As if morphine or a heavy painkiller was flowing through his veins. It was almost gone and he felt more alive than ever before. He tilted his head back as the last drop rolled down the grail. As it entered his mouth the glow of the grail faded. The once magnificent grail now looked like a cheap dollar store cup from china. Gabriel placed it back down on the table. His once burned flesh was now more vibrant like it was a few days before his electrocution. The thirst and hunger was gone with the pain. The man sat back down in his chair with more of an arrogant slouch and less grace than before.

"So who are you and what the fuck just happened?" Gabriel said.

"Yes, now that we have nothing but time allow me to....introduce myself." The man said in a violent tone.

"I came from roaming the earth and going back and forth on it. I was there at Sodom and Gomorrah, I witnessed the destruction of many great kings and queens of my legion. Khan, Caesar, Alexander, Elizabeth, Charlemagne, Washington, and Hitler to name just a few." The man paused for a moment. Gabriel was speechless, he knew who he was without the man even having to say it. The thought horrified Gabriel but he was now in the web of the greatest trickster of all time.

"I bare witness to man kinds greatest feats. The massacre of the Mongolian tribes folk. I basked in the rumbling of their horseman's hoofs as their madness trampled through innocent women and children. The glorious legion of the golden eagle as it spilled blood all throughout Europe. The great but small British isle, how such a small space could be such a death machine of plague starvation and war. From the sea to shinning sea of your homeland. Oh your forefathers spilled the blood of the native tribes and smashed their newborn baby's into the soil. Right over to the ashes of flesh from the death camps of the Nazi's and so.....so many places that I even cannot keep track of!" The man said with a carefree smile. Gabriel was bewildered with the information.

"So...uh, what do I call you because if I have to say all that to get your attention then I might need to write it down.." Gabriel said with a scared smile across his face.

"Hahaha........ha, you can call me Apollyon. Now I am sure you have many questions for me, but they all will be answered in due time and it's best that I show you." Apollyon got up from his chair as though he had urgent business to attend and Gabriel's pathetic problems and questions meant nothing.

"Now I must beg my leave, you had a choice and you choose your desires. For that I am very grateful, all you have to do is call my name and I will be there." Apollyon said as he walked past Gabriel and out the door.

Gabriel's mind was racing, was he stood up by the devil? He felt as though he had just poured his heart and soul out to a women that simply walked away. Now he wished it had been Dracula in the room. At least Dracula would mentor the soul he took. He looked around seeing if it was really empty and just him. The fire was burning out, the beast of kings fur now looked tattered and torn. Nothing in the room seemed appealing anymore.

As he got up from his chair he took one last look at the room. Again he had to go through the door but this time what waited was the same thing he hoped to leave behind. Now Gabriel had to force the door open as the now bent hinges squeaked. He walked through and could see the daylight from the mine entrance shining in. He walked out of the mine and looked back to see nothing but a black hole.

Was his truck still gone, he thought. Did this really happen or was it just a dream. He walked back up the jeep trail and to no surprise his truck was waiting right where he left it. He fired the truck up and headed down the trail. Now it seemed wider and much smoother than before. There was no risk of his truck sliding off unless he had a suicidal laps in judgment and turned the wheel as hard as he could. Though that would not be out of the realms of normality for Gabriel.

Once back on the highway Gabriel headed for home. Everything seemed normal, nothing stood out. He had no special powers, or anything that he was aware of. He was completely clueless, should he chain himself up on a full moon. Drink only blood, stay away from kryptonite, would setting foot in a church turn him to ash?

What was he now, was he still that same delusional social recluse he was before he drank whatever that shit was? His mind kept searching for answers. Was he now a member of Satan's legion, did it include a golf membership or what the fuck..

Just then a station wagon came into view. There was a old man and woman who looked to be on their Sunday drive except for some reason they had red shit all over them. They jolted past him without even looking at Gabriel, as if nothing strange was happening. What was that on them he thought? Great my super power is seeing blood on people.

Then another vehicle came by, this time some college kids with blood on them. Every car he passed had the same thing, blood. It was almost horrific, some had more blood on them, others less. He looked into his review mirror to see if maybe he had blood on himself, but there was none.

The road to his house came as a relief, Apollyon's gift of seeing blood on people was disgusting. He parked in his usual spot and went inside. The old house and the smell of chloroform never felt so great to be a part of again. He looked at the mess all around him and started cleaning up the dirty dishes and trash. It was something he had not done since he bought the place and now he had some sick reason to live. If only to figure out the tricks of the trickster.

How did Gabriel stand any chance against him. Should he run to the church, read the bible, pray, what was it and would it even help. As he cleaned he struggled for answers. There really was no way around it he needed answers and there was only one way to get them.

He finished cleaning the old house and put the trash in his truck. It was now evening and he had not ate or drank anything since Apollyon's screaming grail juice, or at least that's what Gabriel now called it. He sat on his couch and stared at the blank TV screen.

"Fuck it!" He said as he got out of his chair and headed out to the now night sky.

"APOLLYON!" He shouted off his porch. Followed by the silence of the night. He sat down on the steps and waited. The time went by and he thought, so much for calling me and I will be there. It was as if he sent a text to a girl who showed that she liked him and she didn't respond back.

It was getting late and it was becoming apparent that his super powers were not that of an insomniac. He was getting tired and Apollyon was not going to show. Gabriel went back inside the house, up to his room and collapsed in exhaustion.

Awaking in the night due to many incoherent dreams, now Gabriel laid in bed looking into the haunting black space. Outside he could hear rustling in the woods, at first he just assumed it was one of the many creatures of the night. Then he realized maybe it was thee creature of the night and looked out his window.

At first he scanned the area around his house, then his eyes caught a chilling figure and he jolted and looked away. Was it really what he thought it was, he looked back again. At the edge of the woods was a young woman. She was youthful and on a normal occasion she would be easy on the eyes. But standing at the edge of his woods with a blank expression on her face in the middle of the night was horrific.

She had no blood on her, and did not appear as a apparition. He studied her as he contemplated his next move. She was skinny with long brown hair tied back in a blue bow. She had on a pastel polka dot dress, one you would see at church on Easter Sunday. She looked up at him and slightly tilted her head and appeared harmless.

Tucking his head back behind the towels covering the window Gabriel laid back down. Part of him was afraid of this innocent figure at the edge of the woods. The smell of chloroform was sickening in the air. He thought, what do I have to loose. Not like things could possibly get much worse.

Getting out of bed he grabbed a few shotgun shells off his dresser from the box that was still there. With haste he ran down the old steps and grabbed a flashlight from the kitchen. Just before bursting open the door he clicked the light on then went out on his porch. The woman seemed farther in the distance now.

"Hello, you there!" Gabriel shouted. There was no response from the woman and he could no longer read her facial expressions. The night was cool with a light fog that started just inside the thick forest. Gabriel opened the door of his truck and grabbed that untrustworthy shotgun and cracked it open.

The empty shell was still inside. Pulling it out he threw it on the ground and loaded the shotgun with armed rounds. Clicking it shut he headed to the woman with less hesitation than he did before having the gun. The closer he got to her he could once again see her beauty. He was just within reach of her when she turned and started walking away into the dense woods.

"Hey wait where are you going.." Gabriel said. For a moment there was no response.

"Come with me." The woman said. Reluctantly Gabriel followed her through the woods. They were walking on a old overgrown path that Gabriel never noticed before. He knew the place was old and he never had the need to venture into the woods that came with the home.

Gabriel looked at the woman not far ahead of him who was disappearing in and out of tree's. The dress was perfectly fit on her body displaying her elegant curves from behind. He was drawn to her as any man would be to a young woman.

"Whats your name, and could you slow down?" Gabriel said as he struggled to keep up.

"We're almost there, just come!" They came to an opening in the trees. Gabriel could see there was once a house there. Parts of the crumbling foundation glowed in the night. The woman stopped and bent down opening what appeared to be a cellar or basement door just at the edge of the foundation.

Dirt and debris rolled off of it. The door laid down in the overgrowth and the girl headed in. Gabriel was just catching up and it took him a few moments to reach the cellar. Shining the light down inside he saw the woman. Light green eyes, and plump lips matching the pastel in her dress.

The same smell of chloroform hit Gabriel like a wave. He waited just outside looking in at the woman. There was cobwebs and dust floating around the light shining in on her. She gazed at Gabriel and smiled as her hands reached up to the straps of the dress at her shoulders.

With one motion she pulled them to the sides and it fell down at her feet. The light from Gabriel willingly wondered down to her now naked body. Revealing her small but perky breasts. She had a small not groomed bush that is rarely seen in women these days.

The whole situation was confusing, Gabriel's mind raced. Part of him wanted no part of this twisted midnight hidden cellar romance. The stronger half of his judgment pulled him down into the cellar to be with this figure of beauty. He felt so wrong for watching this young woman. Though it would be a crime against humanity to close the cellar door and walk away.

The steps cracked as he stumbled down. He almost fell down like a clumsy kid drunk on lust. keeping on his feet he took the last step down to the woman. As he placed the shotgun on the ground no questions were needed at this point. Her name, what was happening, where they were, none of it.

After setting down the gun he clinched down on the flashlight and prepared to go in for a kiss. Before his confidence allowed him to kiss her she turned her back to him. Her body curved and swayed in his light. When he was following her through the woods watching the curves in the dress part of his brain had already imagined this moment.

On the floor at her feet was a old torn mattress covered in dirt. Most women would not set foot on such a horrid looking thing. But not this beauty of the night, none of what was in the cellar phased her like it would most women. She laid down on her back on the mattress and spread her legs before him.

His conscience on one side made him feel like uncle creepy. The other side was already pulling at his shirt. Shining his light on her to be sure this was really happening. She looked at him and smiled, as if it say it is. Before Gabriel could processes it she flashed before his eyes. One moment he saw her, then an absolutely horrific seen.

The once body of perfection was now stabbed and mangled before him. Her eyes open, cold and dead. Blood on her face and gruesome gashes throughout her flesh. His heart jolted and he almost fell to the floor. Not in lust but horror and disgust. Turning away he ran up the steps, leaving the gun behind in the cellar.

Gasping for air he ran down the path back to his house. Once he wished it was haunted and now he wished it wasn't even there. The house came into view, its image was now tainted. Looking away he focused on his truck. Jumping in it he cranked it over and kicked it in reverse before he even turned on the lights.

Squealing his tires onto the highway the image of the mangled girl was still in his head. What a monstrosity, sadness swept over him as he drove to Axal. One car passed and he was relieved to not see its inhabitants. Sadness turned to anger and confusion. What happened to that woman he wondered. Why did she lead him on to such a sickening scene. Was his new found powers letting him see the naked dead. Were they trying to get into his pants or nightmares?

Lights of Axal were welcoming to him like never before. Only Axal could save him now, and Apollyon was a distant memory. The streets and town were desolate as always this time of the night. Gabriel headed to the towns church to seek meaning in what was happening to him.

The church was an old once rebuilt version of itself. The first church there burned down just a few short years after it was built. The only remains was the original bell that stood in the tower. Kids would tell scarey story's about the burning of the church but even the old men of Morlov's did not exist when it burnt and no one knew the real story behind it.

As a kid he remembered driving past it on his way to school. He always looked up at the old black bell at the top. He never set foot inside the church though. The parking lot was empty and Gabriel went to a spot in the back. Turning off the truck, he collapsed into it's bench seat and struggled with the woman's image until he fell asleep.
**Chapter Three**

The old church bell rang signaling the days service. Gabriel looked up at the ceiling of his truck with groggy eyes. It took some convincing for him to sit up and see the days horrors. The once empty parking lot was now full of vehicles. Looking on Gabriel once again saw the blood on the people of Axal.

Dressed in their church clothes covered in blood. Even the youngest of the children had small amounts of blood on them. But nothing seemed out of the ordinary. To them it was just another beautiful church morning. Gabriel was frightened, how could he join such people.

The last of them made their way into the church, Gabriel could see rays of heat transmitting for the entrance. He watched as the priest came to the door. There was more blood on him than anyone there. His hands dripping, his clerical robes drenched in blood.

The priests eyes locked with Gabriel's. The gaze was smug and unwelcoming. The priest grabbed the double doors and quickly shut them. Sealing the heat rays inside. It was clear he would find no sanctuary there and even if he did it looked more like a slaughter house than a place of god.

Gabriel's truck roared to life and he left the parking lot. Everyone he saw had some degree of blood on them. At a stop light he saw kids playing in a yard. They were jumping in and out of a blood filled kiddie pool. He looked back at the light and a man he knew from school was waiting to go. There seemed to be no blood until he raised his hand to wave hello to Gabriel and his hands were covered.

Green light, Gabriel stepped on the gas and headed through the downtown. One of the local married women was walking. Normally she was very attractive but as Gabriel glanced at her cleavage there was blood running down between her breasts and into the dress. On her neck was a strange dragon symbol that he had never seen before. It was not a tattoo but more of a branding.

He drove around the town looking for one person that did not have blood. The meter on his gas gauge burned down quickly and it was clear no one was free of blood. At the gas station he got out and swiped his card and started to fill his tank. There was a high school kid in a jeep wrangler.

"Hey buddy, hows it goin today?" The kid said in his best Axal redneck voice.

"Hi" Gabriel said as he tried not to dwell on the blood.

This kid was clearly not yet affected by the typical rudeness of the town. It was a strange surprise and one Gabriel was not use to. Almost as if the kid was moments away from snapping and strangulating Gabriel. Hospitality could only be a sign of insanity in Axal.

The sight of blood was becoming more annoying than horrifying to Gabriel. Once again the old house in the woods seemed like a more friendly place than Axal. It never took long for the town to remind him that he was not welcome. Gabriel wanted to go back to that cellar to see if anything remained of his pornographic and horrific tale from the night.

Parking in his normal spot, the house seemed harmless in the light of day. Going inside he went into the living room and to his surprise the endless smell of chloroform was gone. Food or water did not appeal to him but he forced himself to make a bowl of grain cereal. Sitting down on the couch he brought the spoon to his lips. Crunching the cereal around in his mouth for a second made him feel sick.

Curdled chunks of grain came spitting out of his mouth and back into the bowl. Running to the toilet he dumped the bowl and flushed it. Could he no longer eat, or drink and if so what did it all mean? Old vampire movies ran through his head where human food would make them sick. Was he a bloody, pornographic, ghost seeing blood sucker?

After thinking about it for awhile he knew he had to go back to the cellar. He grabbed the flashlight which was now his only form of defense against whatever it was down there. Making his way along the path, he thought of the murder mysteries his mom would watch. The dumb women who always headed off to the old creepy building.

They would pretend as though they did not know that the old factory would be the last place the entered. But the whole time you knew they were as good as dead and dumb for continuing on and not getting the hell out of the area.

Now Gabriel was the dumb murdered person in the movie that his mother would yell out loud how dumb they were. "DON'T GO IN THERE!" She would shout at the TV as though they were listening. He tried to hold back a laugh as everything seemed so played out. He just needed a fog machine off in the tree's.

In the light of the day the forest was peaceful. It did not seem as though there was hidden danger ahead. The open meadow where the house once stood had butterfly's and birds flying around. It looked like a good place to have a picnic rather than the grounds of a murder mystery. But in his mind he could hear his mom yelling at the TV.

Walking around the old foundation there were no signs of the home anymore. Not even the lumber, just a old foundation. Maybe the old wood in his home now was once used here and for some strange reason they moved it. Maybe the the previous owners were horrifically aroused nightly by the young woman and had no choice but to move it.

None of it really made any sense. But the cellar was still there calling out to him. But the sun and gorgeous meadow was hard to leave. Looking at the door he was again scared. Thinking of the woman gored down there. He grabbed the door and slung it open with a bang.

He stood back and did not look in. As if something might jump out from the dark hole at any moment. Walking back around the foundation he ignored the open cellar once more. As though he was letting whatever demons to air out. On one section of the foundation there was the name Ratcliff carved in. It must have been whoever built the house.

With a gulp of the saliva in his mouth he headed back to the cellar. Standing a few feet in front of the opening he shined his light inside. This time if there were gored remains he could easily turn and flee for his life. Maybe let out a scream to add to the theatrics.

The old mattress was still there, and the smell of chloroform. He slowly inched closer waiting for the punch line movie moment. His shotgun was right where he left it just before he prepared to crush his morals and have sex with the dead woman.

He shined the light around inspecting everything inside. It still seemed creepy but there was no monster inside. Stepping down he retrieved his shotgun. Once inside he no longer wanted to look around and inspect anything. He just wanted his gun and to seal that place up for good.

Just as he started up the steps he saw a old particle of clothing. Dirt covered the stained and torn cloth. He tugged as he pulled it from the floor. The dust from it filled the cellar making the light trick his mind into seeing shadowy figures. He took the clothing and hurried out. Quickly he shut the cellar door and walked a few feet away.

In his hand was an old dress, the same one the woman was wearing last night. It looked old and torn now, like who ever the woman was that wore it had it ripped off.

"Quite gorgeous, wasn't she?" A creepy yet familiar voice broke the sound of birds singing, startling Gabriel. The mentor who did not return his calls had came back for him. Swinging the gun around Gabriel turned to him. Apollyon was standing in his kings attire and his hands in the air as to surrender.

"DONT SHOOT, hahaha" Apollyon said as he laughed.

"What's going on, what's happening to me?" Gabriel demanded.

"As I said it will all reveal itself in time, something you have lots of." Apollyon said still chuckling at the confused horror on Gabriel's face.

"I on the other hand am always short on time, so much to see and do its blissfully tiresome."

"So you are just going to vanish on me again leaving me to stumble around with ghosts and people covered in blood?" Gabriel said as Apollyon's laughter continued, it was all like a joke to him.

"Follow me, I will show you something" Apollyon said as he walked into the woods. Gabriel had no choice but be in his company.

"What am I now, Apollyon?" Gabriel said with a beggars tone of voice.

"You are the savior of swine, the light for roaches, the host of the plague" Apollyon said laughing harder.

"You are, you?"

"I know I am me, but why can't I eat, why the blood, or the ghost?"

"WHY?!..... It is all I have got since the dawn of your kind. WHY, because you are what you are and now you are mine. There really is nothing more I can say but follow me and you might see....WHY!" Apollyon said in a angry and annoyed toned. It was clear that he had a short fuse and little patients.

They followed a trail leading up a cliff. Gabriel had many questions but it was clear he would not receive any answer of use. He could only follow the angle of lunatics on their path to answers, or destruction. No small talk, nothing, what could he really say that Apollyon had not heard.

An Iron fence and gate to a small graveyard was coming in view at the top of the cliff. The trail was not very steep but the view from the cliff was amazing. The spiked iron fence was overgrown and the gate looked like it had not been opened in centuries.

Apollyon flipped open a gargoyle style gate henge and pulled it open. There were eight small grave stones and in the middle of them one large one. Apollyon stood at the large one.

"Daniel Ratcliff, what a specimen of divine grace he was!" Apollyon said looking at Daniel's gravestone.

"He was one of the first men to start his home in this area. I remember him well, his lunatic rage was something I see lots of. But each time I witness it it's like the first, and I NEVER forget." Apollyon said as he placed his hand on the stone.

Gabriel looked around at the stones, the others were all names of women but none with the last name Ratcliff. Their time periods of life and death were spanned out but one thing they all had in common was dying young. Gabriel looked back at Daniel's gravestone to see the date. He was born in 1898 and died in 1973.

"Only the greats can live such a long life" Apollyon said smiling.

"So who are the woman buried around him?" Gabriel asked.

"Well one of them you almost enjoyed the pleasures of last night." Apollyon said with a smirk.

"So how did she die?"

"Stab wounds, she bled to death as Daniel ravished her. He was almost surgical with a knife and some chloroform. A doctor of mans secret desires, an artist of sin" Apollyon said as he continued to rub the cold stone.

"They were still alive just as he spread my seed of life, but minutes or sometimes hours later they would bleed their last drop of blood prematurely ceasing any hope of one of my children being born." Apollyon said as he removed his hand from the stone and paused for a moment.

"It was his only real mistake, the children of mine he could have had would have been a sight to see." Apollyon said.

"So how did he obtain so many young woman?" Gabriel asked with disgust on his face and in his stomach.

"He would travel a lot searching for a young orphan woman of the ripe age to fill his desire. The world viewed him as a hero, he was so nice to open his house in the woods to bastard woman. Giving them a chance at the life they could never have in the confines of a whore house"

"So how did he manage to get away with it, so many poor woman" Gabriel said grimacing.

"POOR WOMAN?!" Apollyon shouted and it echoed off the cliffs.

"That POOR woman you saw last night would lay in bed many nights fondling herself to the thoughts of him" Apollyon said as he looked off in the distance.

"She loved his affection for a few magical years in that home. Daniel simply mixed her desires with his and created a masterpiece if I ever saw one" Apollyon said. Gabriel felt almost sick, like any moment he could throw up on Daniel's tombstone.

"You know so little, everything you think is real is a LIE! It is my lie Gabriel and you are such a blind fool. Even when I show you, you still don't see. Daniel loved these women and was kind enough to give them a proper life and death!" Apollyon said with a stern voice.

"Okay, okay I get it but why am I seeing ghosts and blood?" Gabriel asked.

"Blind, blind, blind! You do not see blood or a ghost. What you are seeing is a tiny, tiny glimpse of what I can see. You see sins, the sins shed upon the earth!" Apollyon said as he lurked behind Gabriel.

"So then why am I seeing sin?" Gabriel asked. But no one was listening not even the corpses below his feet. He turned around and Apollyon was gone. Gabriel read the small gravestone's. Emma Blackworth, My affectionate one. Tina Hayfield, My shimmering star. Crista Myers, My daughter of sunshine.

The last traces of food in Gabriel's system shot up his throat and onto Crista's resting place. He had seen enough as he turned and left out the open gate. As he walked off he heard the gate creak shut. Gabriel dreaded walking that path and he knew he had to pass the old foundation that once held such madness.

The meadow where the house once was came into view and they were standing there waiting for him. He almost imagined such a scene before he got there but even his imagination was ill prepared.

Four women lined one side of a tall dark haired man, four women lined the other side. They all wore dresses, some from a different time period and the man was in a black suit and bow tie. They were facing Gabriel with their arms open as to embrace him with smiles.

Gabriel raised the shotgun and fired two shots in their direction as to scare them off. The woman all started to remove their dresses to intensify the disgusting game before him. Then the better half of his conscience kicked in and he ran through the woods around the meadow. He could hear their laughter fade as he headed for his house. Their laughs faded for awhile but then picked up once more as if they had caught up to him. He was just outside his house and the now clothed women lined the windows inside his home.

Was this what he would have to deal with, if so he no longer wanted any part. The women stopped laughing and started to beckon him inside. Without the disgusting details this would be a heavenly home for any man. But knowing what Daniel did broke the moral boundaries of an alcoholic from Marlov's.

"GET OUT OF MY HOME!" Gabriel demanded. The women in the windows now had a sad and horrified look on their face.

"You dont want us?" They asked in sequence.

"NO GET OUT OF HERE, GO BACK TO WHATEVER CORNER OF HELL YOU CAME FROM!" Gabriel shouted.

"If you ever want me, or us again just look in the cellar." The one woman who Gabriel seen the night before said with a smile. They turned and walked away from his window's.

"APOLLYON!"

"APOLLTON!" Gabriel shouted through the woods.

He wasn't coming and Gabriel's suicidal tendency's where back in full stride. This time he was not going to fail. No excuse, not leaving it to chance he stormed inside. The air was filled with a mix of perfumes. It was a reminder to Gabriel's senses that the girls had really been in his home. He ran up the steps, possibly the same ones worn down from their feet years ago.

He cracked open the shotgun and popped the empty shells out on his bedroom floor. With a plump plump sound he dropped in two loaded rounds from his dresser. With an angry crack he cocked the shotgun closed. Then he grabbed the box of loaded rounds, no way would he make that mistake again. He ran back down the steps and headed out the door and into his truck.

Death was an urgent matter now but he was not about to die in that house or on those grounds to have a afterlife with these dead women. Although some religions are based upon such beliefs that they would actually be rewarded with such women. Just another sickening fact of the world Gabriel was in.

The truck roared down the highway at high speeds. It was his chariot of death, his mighty steed that he would ride to the underworld. It was taking him back to Axal to an abandoned train yard he played at as a kid.

Cars raced by him with bloody occupants. Now it was just as normal to him as no blood. What did it matter to him anyways it would soon end and if not then the comfort of still trying to die showed he still cared.

The town was full of people on main street, there were road closed signs and parked cars lined the streets. There was a parade about to go through town. Gabriel was sure it would be a bloody one if he stayed around to watch. Though suicide by cop was something not far from his thoughts.

Why cause such a scene though and put lives at risk. Even if they were covered in blood they were obviously oblivious to it. Not only that but Gabriel was not for big scenes. He parked the truck since for now the path to sure death was blocked. He pushed the shotgun down under the seat and tried to blend in from inside his truck.

While resting his head on the driver side door he felt a feminine tapping on the truck door. He turned around to look and to his surprise it was the eater of men. No not Apollyon, but Ashley who now looked less threatening than usual even though she did have blood on her neck and cleavage.

"Hi Gabriel!" She shouted as though they were friends. With her was another piece of town trash, or ass depending on how you looked at it. Her name was Kaitlyen and she was very skinny. She had on short shorts that struggled to define her butt. She also wore a white wife beater that was short enough to show her tramp stamp at her waist and pierced belly button. She too had some blood on her just like every single person he saw in Axal.

They could easily be mistaken for hookers and it was good the town cop was most likely napping somewhere or he would be in trouble.

"Hi..." Gabriel said in a unenthusiastic tone. Ashley grabbed for the door and pulled it open. Kaitlyen glared in annoyance. She always acted stuck up, as if the world was lacking clones of her eloquence.

"Your coming with us!" Ashley said in a excited voice. As though the towns parade would somehow be any different than it had been over the past twenty years. Ashley reached her hand out and grabbed Gabriel's hand.

A shock hit him like the force of the lightning in that station. He was no longer in his truck but standing outside near the lot where young couples would make out among other things. It was night time and Gabriel could hear the sounds of frogs in the distance. There was a minivan parked just feet away from him.

Gabriel had no clue what was going on, but he just went with it since struggling would not work. He looked inside the van. There was a teen boy in the front passenger seat. In the back was another teen boy and a youthful version of Ashley.

She was wearing shorts and a pink top, leaning back in the seat teasing one of the boys with her legs. Even as a teen she seemed to know what she was doing. They were passing around a bottle of peppermint vodka. It had to be repulsing but teenagers will drink cough medicine if they have to. With each swig they would cough and laugh.

"Man where did you get this shit James?" The boy in the front asked.

"It was a bottle in the back of my dad's cabinet and I figured he would never notice." James said.

"It is disgusting I don't think I can handle any more of that shit!" Ashley said. Gabriel looked on and thought what the fuck is this the virgin ghost of Ashley's past. He chuckled to himself since he did not think such a thing could possibly exist. The two boy were older than Ashley, they looked liked seniors or freshman in college and she looked like an eighth grader.

"I am going to have to go home soon or my mom is going to kick my ass!" Ashley said. James grabbed the bottle from the boy in the front and put it in front of Ashley.

"Come on beautiful, have a few more drinks with us" James said in a demanding tone. Reluctantly Ashley took one last drink and barley swallowed any. Some heavy metal was playing but Gabriel could not make out the screaming of the lyrics.

"Okay guys seriously now I have to go. Can you please take me home now?" Ashley said. James face turned beat red.

"You tell us you want to hang out and drink with us and now you just want to leave?" James said in an annoyed voice.

"I am really sorry, I wish I could stay with you guys" Ashley said in her most convincing voice. It was clear she was not having fun with these guys and just wanted to get home. She handed the bottle back to James and it slipped from her hand and hit the floor of the van spilling all over the carpet.

"You stupid little fucking bitch! My dad is going to kill me!" James yelled.

"Fuck this bitch" James said to his friend. He grabbed Ashley by the hair and dragged her to the bench seat in the very back. His friend in the front seat followed suit and grabbed her legs.

"Hey you little fucks!" Gabriel pleaded as he tried to get in. Ashley was screaming and crying as they pulled at her clothes like a pack of wolves. Gabriel pounded on the windows but none of his attempts slowed them. Gabriel turned and picked up a big rock. He slammed into the window but it didn't break or even crack. He picked it up and threw it again. It wasn't going to break and he could not get in. Gabriel was enraged and pounding on the van once again. Inside Ashley was now crying and the two pricks who contributed to the monster she became as a adult took turns on her.

"You like that you cunt!" James shouted. Gabriel couldn't help her and it was because in this realm he did not even exist and if he did he was elsewhere in Axal. Gabriel walked away from the van covering his ears. Her cries were to much and tears started to run down Gabriel's face. The stress of the days sexual violence was to much for him to handle. She might have been many thing's but no girl or woman ever deserved such abuse. It wasn't long and the rape came to an end. The boys were putting on there clothes.

"You asked for this, you should not have been teasing us all night!" James said in a mellow voice as if to bring understanding to his childish mind.

"Get your clothes and get the fuck out I don't want to see your face again!" The other boy demanded as he slid open the door. Ashley half nude jumped out of the van. She walked over to a bench and sat down with tears running down her face. Gabriel walked up to her and sat down.

"It wasn't your fault Ashley, I am so sorry!" Gabriel said as he too was crying. He tried to hug her but just as he got close enough she vanished and he was now in a unknown house falling over onto a couch. There was a muscular man with a truckers tan pounding on a bedroom door.

"Ashley, open the fucking door!" The man shouted.

"Don't make me break this door down!" He said.

"I want a divorce!" Ashley's distraught voice shouted from behind the door. Gabriel did not want to see any more of any of this. He walked to the door leading out of the house and turned the knob.

It just kept spinning and spinning. CRACK! He heard the bedroom door smash open. Gabriel did not want to look.

"You want to take everything I worked for you bitch? Huh do you!" The man yelled. Gabriel could hear the mans hands as they collided with her. She was screaming and crying.

"STOP!" she pleaded. Then he could hear her gagging and choking.

Gabriel got up and ran to the room. He still had not recovered from the first attack on her. The man was strangling her on the bed. Gabriel ran up and wound up a kick aimed at the back of his head. Just as it landed he was tossed back into his truck and Ashley reach out to take his hand.

"Lets GOOO!" Ashley excitingly said to Gabriel. Gabriel pulled his hand away momentarily confused.

"Sor...Sorry Ashley I really have to go!" Gabriel said as he shut his door. Ashley had a sad expression on her face as if she actually cared about him.

Gabriel started the truck and pulled away from his parking spot. He jumped on a back street and after switching from a few streets he was on the backside of Axal and just outside of the train yard. Finally it hit him, the blood on everyone was their sin's. They all had them even if it was a consequence of the sin's done to them.

His power was not so much a power but a curse. He could see their sins and a touch of the flesh would take him on a trip through their baggage. What a shitty thing to have he thought. This world has to much sadness and sin. People try to hide it but they all have some even if it's simply genetic.

Parking his truck he grabbed the shotgun and ammo. There was no one around since it was a desolate section of town. Gabriel, gun in hand got out of the truck and didn't bother to shut the door. No last goodbye to the old truck that guided him to the gates of hell.

His pace was a fast walk of a pissed off person. He was heading for the old grain elevator that was used to load trains. It was a good four story's high. Once inside Gabriel threw his shotgun up at a stairwell just above him. The city did not tear the old building down but they cut off the lower portion of the steps to keep kids from climbing it.

Gabriel opened his box of shells and stuffed his pockets full. Some fell to the dusty floor. Once his pockets were full he tossed the box on the ground. He climbed up on one of the support beams to the structure and climbed it as though it was a slippery ladder.

He pulled himself onto a crossbeam that was just above the steps that hung a few feet away. Leaping across he clung to the steps as they struggled to support him. Grabbing the gun he returned to the same pace. Skipping every other step as he winded his way up. Birds flew out of their nests at the top and flew out into the sky.

At the end of the steps was a walkway that lead a few directions. One was to the outside balcony where he once used to get stoned with his friends. He stepped out on the balcony and there was the best view of Axal. That is if any view of Axal could be good.

Pulling himself up on the handrail he sat on the top rail with his back facing the ground below. He swung the shotgun around to his head like a professional suicide artist and set it under his chin. He squeezed the trigger and this time...BOOOOM. Gabriel's limp body plummeted to the ground below.

His body hit the ground and bounced with a bone cracking sound. Most of the bones in his body were shattered and the bird shot remove most of his jaw and pieces of hair and flesh was what remained. Could it be over, was he free from the world that had been tormenting him?

Throughout the whole thing Gabriel was completely conscious as he hoped it would be. But his body was laid to rest and he was still conscious, free from any pain. His senses were shut off and he could not smell anything or move his face. He was just laying there, a mangled piece of flesh and bone. Laying down next to him was Apollyon, clapping his hands.

"Well done, you finally manned up and bit the bullet. This really is an important step in our long relationship" Apollyon said with his typical laugh. The clapping stopped and he pressed his face right up to the remains of Gabriel's face. He was angry with a satanic look on his face. After all it was his face that the expression came from. He looked into Gabriel's eyes.

"You really thought you can escape that easily?" He paused for a moment

"You had a choice and I gave you your desires. There is no leaving or turning back now. So many souls were lost to have the chance I gave you!" Apollyon pulled his face away and stood over Gabriel with the grail in his hand.

"Remember drinking from this?" He threw the grail down on Gabriel.

"There was once a great crusade for that cup, it was all rather pointless since then even I was unaware of its resting place. I followed them and watched as they interrogated and slayed people who knew nothing of it. Sang real, some thought it to be a actual grail, some thought it was a blood line. Both turned out to be correct and in the right hands the power is even beyond your understanding Gabriel and you are the only one to drink from, and of it." Apollyon said in a cryptic tone.

He turned away from Gabriel as though he was leaving and then he stopped.

"I should just dig a deep pit and throw you in it for all eternity. My patience with you really is starting to fade. Ha, but for some reason I like your presence though it defiles, the defile I stand for." Apollyon took a few steps away and turned to Gabriel.

"You are the first...... Immortal man, I tried others before you. Even ones that stood as great leaders of my legion. Vlad, the man you call Jack the Ripper, even Hitler. All the stories of vampires, and immortality but nothing worked. That was until I added sang real to my collective works. Then it was a waiting game to find the right man. It really was wasted using it on you but I had no choice. Time was pressing.." Apollyon stopped for a moment as though he already had given too much information.

"Now I am going to show you something." Apollyon reached out and touched a shattered limb of Gabriel's. That familiar electric shock, and now he was pieced back together and sitting in his old apartment. A version of himself from another time was just about to leave for work. His wife Christy passed by and headed right for the past version of Gabriel. Christy was not yet pregnant and there was no signs of baby items around the apartment. It must have been the time period before she got pregnant. Christy gave Gabriel a kiss.

"I love you, be careful at work." Christy said.

"I love you too, see you when I get home." The past version of Gabriel said as he walked out the door. The door closed, and Gabriel's eyes welled up with tears. Christy sat down on the couch and started watching TV.

"Touching isn't it?" Apollyon sarcastically said with a smile.

"Please sit" Apollyon said. Gabriel sat down and his eyes did not leave Christy.

"She was so precious, can I touch her?" Gabriel asked.

"Touching her would only be disappointing. She is a smoke screen of the past and nothing more" Apollyon said. The old clock on the wall rapidly jumped ahead two hours and then returned to normal. NOCK NOCK NOCK, someone was at the door. Christy jumped off the couch with a smile and pounced to the door and opened it.

"ANTONIO!" She shouted.

"What the fuck is this?" Gabriel said. Apollyon just laughed and watched. Christy tugged at the mans shirt and pulled him in the house. He kicked the door closed with his foot.

"Hey sexy." Antonio said. Gabriel had seen this man in passing in the town but nothing more.

"This is not real!" Gabriel said.

Christy pulled the man into her and Gabriel's room. Their wedding pictures lined the walls. She pulled Antonio on top of her as she fell into the bed. Antonio removed his shirt. Gabriel turned to Apollyon

"This bullshit, you, the master of lies!" Gabriel shouted and swung his fist at Apollyon.

Apollyon caught Gabriel's hand in his and twisted it backwards forcing Gabriel down.

"It doesn't hurt you fuck!" Gabriel shouted at Apollyon. Apollyon's eyes burned with flames and his patented satanic look came across his face.

"Were you referring to your hand. Or to the fact that your wife was a whore and the unborn child you thought was yours WAS MINE!" Apollyon shouted back.

"LIES!" Gabriel shouted back. Apollyon pushed Gabriel face first to the floor with ease and put his lips right up to his ear.

"The first man I actually tell the truth too and you call me a LIAR! I am the master of lies, but this Gabriel is no LIE. This was your reality, you just refused to see it!" Apollyon finished talking and kept Gabriel pressed down to the floor. Now Christy and Antonio were moaning and groaning from the room. Tears once again filled Gabriel's eyes.

"Listen to them, she couldn't wait for you to walk out that door!" Apollyon said. With that same electric shock Gabriel was now flying along side Christy and his car racing along the mountain road. Gabriel knew what this was and what he was about to see.

Christy was a few months along now and that day they had been fishing at one of the nearby mountain lakes. It was a day that Gabriel could not forget no matter how hard he tried. Christy was driving and the past version of Gabriel was in and out of sleep on there way home. They both were happy, and had a very good day.

The past Gabriel's eyes were closed and he was attempting to sleep. Gabriel was unwillingly floating alongside the car. Apollyon Appeared as a shadowy figure on the road just ahead of them. Christy screamed and turned the wheel that smashed the drivers side of the car into the rock face.

Gabriel never saw the accident since it all happened so fast at the time. He only remembered waking up in the hospital. The car came to a violent halt. The driver side was crushed into the wall beyond recognition. They said Christy died instantly and they were right. There was no way she could have survived.

Gabriel looked on, the past version of him was groggily coming too. Apollyon walked around from the front of the car. He reached through the busted window and grabbed the Gabriel from the pasts head and smashed it into the dash. He then opened the door and pulled him from the car. Apollyon turned to Gabriel now and waved.

Gabriel woke up laying in the train station. The shotgun was smashed to bits at his side. His clothes were torn and bloody but he was back to his uninjured state. He was upset but what did it matter? He was trapped and now the only thing he could do is find out why.

Why him, why did Apollyon kill his wife and lead him on this crash course. Gabriel was suicidal but not a deranged killer and as far as he knew he had not indulged in any of the major sins. So what was the point in picking an otherwise normal person.

Apollyon had the answers but Gabriel did not call for him. If he had to spend the rest of eternity lost without Apollyon then it was all the better for him. Gabriel made a vow that once he had the answers he was seeking, he would spend the rest of eternity searching for a way to destroy the destroyer.
**Chapter Four**

Gabriel was still laying in the train station not wanting to get on his feet again. His life was either a lie, or the king of lie's was playing the same old hand as he had for centuries. No matter what the case was he had all of eternity to figure it out. He thought of where he would find answers but no matter what the answer was it would either be a lie, or faith in the devil.

He knew little of religion and even if he did there was no seance that would allow him to die. His parents kept Gabriel sheltered from religion even though his grandfather was once the priest at the towns church. Maybe that was where he would find his answers. The church that he was almost forbidden to set foot in.

Gabriel got back on his feet and looked down at the busted shotgun. He once found comfort in this world holding it in his arms. It could protect him from the madness or end it. But now it was as worthless broken as it was in working condition. He would not stop the forces of hell with a gun. The only weapon he had was the curse given to him and possibly enough hatred and madness to use it in his advantage.

Glancing back up at the grain elevator that he had just plummeted from, he thought about testing the jump one last time. "Fuck it" Gabriel yelled. He turned and walked back to his truck. He thought for a moment before he placed the key in the ignition. Visions of explosions, fiery infernos, the bottom of the ocean, and other planets filled his mind. All physics that restrained a mortal man were nothing to him. But he did not want power, he now wanted to destroy heaven, earth, and hell. If Gabriel could not destroy his reality, then he would find a way to destroy all reality

The truth was ever present, though immortal he was still a suicidal induced redneck who had no control of anything not even his fate. Gabriel put the key in the ignition and started the truck. It firing and clunking to life was the signaling of his next crusade, even if he had no idea what to do or where to go. He turned on the radio and sobbed as some teenage country singer summed up his entire existence in one catchy song.

As he drove through town it was apart the parade was over as kids hyped up on sugar ran the streets. One boy ran out in the street to grab a ball and stopped in his tracks when he saw Gabriel driving down the road. The boy covered in blood just gazed up at Gabriel who was trying his best to hide his pain. Gabriel stopped the truck and jumped out to grab the ball.

"Hey stupid asshole dont take my ball!" The kid shouted at Gabriel. Gabriel was just going to get it for him. "See this ball kid, let it be a lesson to you about manners" Gabriel said as he threw the ball in the cab of the truck and got back in. "Fuck you dick-weed, I'm calling the cops!" The kid shouted. Gabriel forced himself to drive off instead of giving the kid a new lesson in manners. The kid was most likely a product of a dysfunctional home no different from Gabriels. That boy was beyond help and was doomed to be a foul mouthed asshole for the rest of his life.

Sigmund Freud hit the nail on the head when saying people were stuck in one phase of life. Unfortunately most people like that boy were stuck in the two year old stage and would be short tempered dip shits sucking on a bottle their whole life. Just a bunch of uncontrolled balls of emotion scared to show affection because its what they lack most.

Still driving around Gabriel was not downtown and could see the church coming into view. Just as he was a few blocks away his chariot of doom started sputtering and shooting out clouds of black smoke. Gabriel pulled off to the side of the rode just as it died. "Just great" Gabriel thought to himself. He smashed his hand on the dash and got out. He looked around and the closest thing he could see was the church.

He started walking to the church figuring maybe someone could call for a tow truck. In the parking lot was only a couple of cars so there was no service going on at the time. The double doors leading inside of the church were cracked open. As Gabriel got about 20 yards from the door he could feel heat waves coming from inside.

The closer he got to the church the stronger the waves, until it was like he was walking behind a jet engine. The waves of heat were now bright flames and just as Gabriel turned his head from the glare the doors slammed shut. As the doors shut Gabriel fell forward a few steps since he was no longer fighting the heat waves.

He had to figure out why something was trying to keep him away. Grabbing one of the door handles he felt the familiar jolt of electricity. He stopped for a moment before opening the door "Fuck here we go again" He said as he pushed it open.

Inside there was a service going with a man in his thirty's preaching. There was one open seat in the back row so Gabriel sat down. Just as he did everyone stood and began to sing. Next to him was a boy who looked half asleep. The boy unsure of the words looked at his bible and said the words trying not to make a mistake. He struggled and grimaced as he said the wrong word or hit the wrong tone.

Gabriel intently watched the boy as the songs of god were conditioned into his brain. It was becoming clear that they were in a different time period. Possibly the 1950's or 60's but it was hard to tell. One thing stuck out to Gabriel and that was some of the people had no blood on them. Not even a drop, while others were either covered or had small amounts. For the first time Gabriel saw people free of sin and it came as a relief.

The song had ended and everyone sat back down. Scanning the room Gabriel saw Daniel Ratcliff with one of the woman he killed sitting next to him. He was much older then and had gray bloody hair. It was a sickening sight to see that demon there in a place of god with his prey. If only the women knew instead of salvation she would be locked in eternal hell with that devil. The frustrating part to Gabriel about seeing the past is there was nothing he could do but observe in horror.

The service had ended and Gabriel was unable to even hear any of what was preached. He was paying more attention to everyone else rather than the word of god. In one isle people walked to shake the hand of the priest and in the other people walked out of the church in a organized fashion to insure everyone shook the hand of the preacher.

Church was now almost empty but Daniel Ratcliff, a young man in clerical robes and two other men all of which had more blood on them than most. The preacher was looking on at them, he was clean of any sin and looked more like a prophet of god than a typical priest. The preacher resembled Gabriel and he knew who he was.

It was Gabriel's grandfather who he knew almost nothing about. "Did you enjoy today's teachings?" Gabriel's grandfather said. "It was rather...Well watered down I guess you could say. But that is not what we are here to talk about David." Daniel Ratcliff said. "Well then gentlemen what can I do for you on this divine day?" Gabriel's grandfather David asked.

"We need to talk in private, lets go down to your office." The young man in clerical robes said. "Well Edmond as you know the house of god is not private, everything we share is with our heavenly father" David said as he turned and began walking behind the alter. The other men got up and followed behind like a pack of wolves.

Gabriel followed behind them as they walked down a dark corridor to a stairway leading to the basement. "You know friends, I have felt the hand of god many times in my days and today as I walk these hollow steps into the unknown I feel his love and fear no evil" David said with a voice of certainty.

The men behind said nothing and kept an eerie silence as they followed down the stairs. Once down there was an old wooden door with a large cast iron cross. David stopped for a moment and ran his hand on the cross and bowed his head to it. There was a moment of silence and then they entered David's office.

"Please, sit down gentlemen" David said as he made sure they all had a chair and even gave up his so the last man had one. David closed the door and stood in front of them. "I now know how Jesus must have felt standing trial amongst the roman's. You must know like him I will not waiver in my faith or my message" David said.

"You know why we are here David, and you are a good man but you must step down and let me lead this town" The young man in clerical robes said. "Jesse, I showed you my love and god's message. I do hope that one day you will blossom and spread the word of god free from the power from mortal men. But today is not that day and I have so much more I can teach you, if you will just let me." David said. "The boy is ready and regardless of what your snakelike tongue tells him, he will be preaching to the congregation next week and YOU WILL RESIGN TODAY!" Daniel said.

Gabriel looked at Jesse, he seemed scared and unsure of what he wanted. "Please I beg you David just listen to Daniel and lets do this quietly. You can move and find a new congregation or take time to regain touch with our holy father" Jesse pleaded. "I wounder what Jesus would have said if they told him to move from his pastures and seed and told him to plant elsewhere right after he had just put seed to soil. Do you think he would just abandon his home and crop. If this pasture does not have crop bearing soil for gods seed than as his servant I have toiled and tilled in vain. But I have planted god's seed and I will see it grow even if only one seed succeeds." David said.

The two men who waited in silence looked over at Daniel. With a nod from him they got up from their chair and headed over to David with Daniel right behind him. Jesse dropped his head into his hands and looked at the floor. Each of the two men grabbed an arm and brought David down to the floor. David did not even struggle he just smiled at them.

"Any last words from a snakes lips?" Daniel asked as he stood above David who was held down to the floor. "May god have mercy on your souls, and may my seed grow and find the same salvation I have found" David said. Just as David finished Jesse got up and left the room. Daniel pulled a knife from his pocket and knelt down next to David.

"Know as the last drop of blood drains from your pathetic corpse that your seed won't grow in my town and when you die you will find no heaven or be granted the honor of hell!" Daniel shouted as he plunged into David with his knife. Gabriel could not believe his eyes, his grandfather looked up at him during the ravishing and smiled as blood rolled from his lips and his eyes stilled.

Daniel pulled the knife from David and wiped the blood off on David's robes. "Fool, still believing in fairy tails, heh no happy ending for you, now clean this mess up" Daniel said as he got up and walked from the room. Gabriel followed behind Daniel and they headed upstairs. Gabriel took a seat in the front row. Jesse was clinching the altar with both hands and didn't make eye contact with Daniel.

"Its done, you are our new priest so don't let me down!" Daniel said as he turned and walked out of the church. Gabriel looked down at the floor and felt shock of electricity. The white tile on the floor changed to dark red carpet. Gabriel looked back up and saw a much older Jesse in tattered robes still clinching the altar with both hands.

"There is no service today, come back tomorrow!" Jesse shouted at Gabriel. "If I am not welcome in mans house of god then where am I welcome?" Gabriel asked. "I know who you are, and I know you don't come to my church so what are you doing here?" Jesse asked. "I am in YOUR church to pray, see I think I have been reborn...Or something." Gabriel said with a smirk. "Well I am leaving for the day, the door will lock behind you and there is nothing here of value so don't bother trying to steal anything!" Jesse said as he stepped from the altar and walked to the double doors.

"Know one thing, if its knowledge of your family's history then you won't find it here, or welcoming arms. This better be the last I see of you." Jesse said as he opened both doors and headed out into the sunlight. The doors closed behind him and Gabriel was sitting in the empty church. A white ray of sunlight shined through one of the stain glass windows into the corridor that lead to the stairs.

Gabriel was learning that nothing happened by coincidence anymore so he got up and followed the light. There was now a door before the steps. Gabriel opened it up and down below was darkness. He stepped down and at first was hesitant but then he remembered his grandfathers last words on those steps. Gabriel did not feel the love of god but he didn't fear evil since it had just went home for the day.

Once downstairs there was little light shinning in the basement through covered windows. Now there was boxes and desks and other junk stored up to the ceiling with little room to walk. The door to his grandfathers office no longer had the cross on it and had some desks in front of it.

Gabriel moved the desks and touched the spot where the cross once was. He opened the door and flipped the light switch. The light struggled to flip on and made a humming nose. Then it slowly light up the room revealing cobwebs and dust. There was the old desk with boxes stacked on it. There were two chairs in front of the desk and where his grandfather was stabbed to death on the floor was the cross.

Gabriel closed the door and went over and picked up the cross. Cobwebs stuck to him and he sat down in one of the chairs sending plums of dust into the room. He stared at the cross for a moment and ran his finger tips on it. "You spend your whole life in devotion of god, and this is the legacy it leads to?" Gabriel said to the cross.

"Then Abraham said, Lord, please don't be angry with me, but let me bother you this one last time. What if you find ten there. The lord said, if I find ten there, I will not destroy it" David's voice said from beside Gabriel. Gabriel jumped from his chair dropping the cross. Next to him was David, But his skin was blue and decomposing. His robes stabbed and torn with dirt and blood on them. His eye's drooping and dead.

David raised his hand to Gabriel and one of the finger bones protruded from the pale blue skin. Gabriel jumped back and made a dash for the door. "Please wait we have little time and this is our only chance!" David pleaded. Gabriel stopped and looked back still terrified. "Lock the door and sit down" David said. Gabriel reluctantly locked the door and went back to his seat, trying not to look at David's decomposing corpse.

"Why are you so hideous looking, all the other dead people I have seen looked full of life but not you. You look like you crawled from the crypt through some swamps to terrify me!" Gabriel said still looking away. "The devil has his way's Gabriel and we have ours. Apollyon will trick you and be appealing to the eye's but some day you will see through his deception and know the road to our holy father is not the easy one, nor appealing to most" David said.

"Well all these years and you are not rusty with the scripture" Gabriel said using his jokes as his defense against the decomposing priest. "Please do not fear me, Gabriel you are of my blood and of the second generation. Through me god has blessed you but he has also given you free will. You have not tainted your soul but you must seek his forgiveness" David said.

"Why must I seek his forgiveness, I am cursed and seek only destruction" Gabriel said. "As long as their is one, just one good seed left then there is still hope for mankind. You must see beyond yourself and re plant the words and commands of god in man" David said. "I don't understand, all this talk of seeds, and crops only confuses me. What must I do to end my suffering?" Gabriel said. "HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE!" Jesse shouted as he tried to open the door. "FORGIVNESS!" David shouted as he vanished into dust. "WHO IS THAT IN THERE WITH YOU!" Jesse demanded still shaking the door.

Gabriel walked over and unlocked the door. "Calm down man I was just seeing what was down here" Gabriel said. "No someone was in here talking to you who was it!" Jesse said. "Sometimes I talk to myself, when I am frightened and the light in this room made me think I saw someone" Gabriel said. "Just....Just get out of here you are not welcome in this church ever again!" Jesse said.

Jesse looked as though he saw a ghost and was more frightened than Gabriel was when he saw his decomposed grandfather. Gabriel ran out the room and up the stairs. The two men who held down his grandfather where sitting next to the altar. "You will find nothing but trouble here, you come back again and we will show you god" One of the men said with a smile.

Gabriel turned to the men and walked over to them. Rage boiled through him and his vision blurred. Gabriel grabbed the man by his leather coat with one hand and cocked his other hand back. "DO NOT GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION GABRIEL!" Davids voice echoed through the church. "What the fuck was that!" The man shouted.

The man grabbed Gabriel's arm "Oh fuuuuck" Gabriel said as the electric shock ripped him into the past. Now he was sitting on a couch in someones living room. There was a party of what appeared to be college kids in the 1960's. The women had on Sunday dresses and the men wore plaid and pastel shirts. One of the men was a much younger version of the man Gabriel was moments away from punching in the face. The man walked behind Gabriel and started heading into the upstairs of the house.

Gabriel refused to follow him, he knew whatever he was about to see could not be anything good. Gabriel just sat in the chair looking at one of the beautiful women at the party. Then Gabriel lost all control of his body as he was ripped violently in the air and tossed from the couch into the staircase. He still refused to follow as an invisible force dragged him up the steps.

The force was uncontrollable and Gabriel would see what was about to happen whether he wanted to or not. After being dragged up the steps he was slid across the floor into a dimly lit room. Gabriel looked up to see the man standing at the end of a bed. "Hey man get off her!" The man shouted into the room. "Wait your turn I am just about done" Another mans voice said back. Gabriel watched the man in front of him walked around the bed and he heard some rustling.

"Seriously man wait your turn, you think you will ever get a chance to have sex with this rich bitch in your wildest dreams, well here's your chance so just wait!" the man said as there was silence for a moment. "Now go shut and lock that fucking door" The man said. The man Gabriel was about to punch walked over to the door and closed and locked it.

Gabriel got up to his feet and could see that the other man was the other one who held down his grandfather so Daniel could stab him. He had his pants down to his knees and under him was a beach blonde woman who appeared to be passed out. Her dress was torn revealing her bear breasts in the moonlight.

The man on top of the woman had one last power full thrust and he stopped. "There now you go ahead" The man on top of the women said. He got up from her and pulled up his pants and sat down on the bed. "Well are you going to have sex with her or not?" The man said to the other. "Ye..yes" the other one said as he climbed on top of the women.

Gabriel turned his head away as he could hear him kissing and thrusting into the unconscious woman. Then after only a few second he stopped. "Heh, he, holy fuck I think she is dead!" The man said. "No way she is just drunk and out of it, hurry up and lets get out of here!" The man sitting down said.

Gabriel turned and looked as the one man had his ear up to her bare breasts. "No, she has no heart beat and is not breathing. Here listen and she is really cold!" The man said. The other one got up from the bed and walked over to the women and felt her pulse. "Oh shit man you are right!" The man said. The other man jolted off the women and pulled up his pants.

"Oh shit I was fucking a dead woman. What are we gonna do!" He said with panic across his face. "Just calm down and wrap her up in the blankets. We will wait until the party is over and take her out into the woods" The other man said. They rolled her up in the blankets and onto the floor. "Now put her under the bed and put something up against the door, we will wait in here until everyone leaves" One of the men said. They pushed her under the bed and sat on the bed and waited. The one man was still frightened. "What if we get caught, maybe we should just tell someone we found her like this?" The frightened man said. "Just shut up and wait, no one will know or care about this bitch" The other man said.

They sat and waited in silence, Gabriel looked out the window in disgust. Most of the people at the party were heading out to their cars laughing and stumbling around. Lights blazed on and out into the room. Until there was only a few cars left outside. "Now look I will go scout it out. Then I will open my trunk. Once everything is clear we will carry her down and get her in my car, got it?" The man said.

"Fine" The other man unwillingly said. The one left the room and the man Gabriel was about to punch looked under the bed at the women one last time. He pulled the covers from her face and removed the hair from her face. He was shaking as he leaned in and gave her a kiss on her blue lips. Gabriel's disgust was enough to make him wince and look away.

After a few moments the other man came back in the room. "Okay the coast is clear, lets hurry!" He said with haste. The two men grabbed the wrapped up woman and headed out the door. Gabriel could feel the same force about to toss him out the room. This time he just followed them.

One of the woman's hands was hanging out and thumped down each step. The men were struggling to carry her and once down the stairs they fumbled with the door. At one point outside they dropped her and she came unwrapped. Gabriel had seen some disturbing things but when the woman was laying on the ground both men just stopped and looked at the women. Their faces were not that of remorse or guilt but of some satanic lust for the dead woman.

They picked her back up and shoved her into the trunk. Gabriel got in the back seat of the car, there was no way he would be tossed through the air again to follow these lunatics on their occult funeral drive for the woman. They started the car and drove into town. The house they had been at was just on the outskirts of Axal.

Once through the town they headed out on the familiar road that headed to Gabriel's house of the dead and the dark woods around it. The men just sat in silence until they pulled off the road. It was just a few miles before the turn off to Gabriels house.

"Now we will take her out in the woods and drop her off one of the cliffs" The man driving said. The other man just nodded as they got out of the car. They opened the trunk and the man driving grabbed the women by the legs as the other one got her head. Just as they closed the trunk headlights came blaring around the turn behind them and shinned on them. The car came to a screeching halt.

"OH SHIT!" The man driving said. They looked like two horrified deer in the headlights as the woman fell from the blankets and on the ground. A man appeared from behind the bright lights. "What do you boys think you are doing!" Daniel Ratcliff's dark image from behind the lights said. "whe whe well we found her like this sir!" The man Gabriel was about to punch said. "Get her back in the car and follow me you fools. We will take her to my house and sort this all out!" Daniel said. "Sir we can't go to prison, please...please don't get the police!" The man driving said.

"Do as I say and I won't get the law on you boys, now hurry up!" Daniel said. The men put the woman back in the trunk and got in the car and followed Daniel. Gabriel knew whatever was about to happen at Daniel's house was worse than the two men going to prison for the rest of their lives.

They pulled down the road and headed past Gabriel's house and into the woods where the old foundation was. They stopped at a gate and Daniel got out and unlocked it. They followed a road where the path now is to the foundation. Once down the road a short distance there was an old house with the cellar. It was smaller than Gabriel imagined and from inside one of the dark windows came a candle light.

One of the women Daniel had murdered was inside looking out with a confused look. They drove past the house and towards the graveyard and came to a halt just before it. Daniel and the men got out of their cars. "Now what are your names?" Daniel asked. "Sir my name is Tony" The man Gabriel was about to punch said. "I am Steven" The other man said. "Well Tony and Steven, you boys really messed up big time tonight. My name is Daniel, just up that path is a shovel next to my family's graveyard. You boys run up there and Grab it. I will get her out of the trunk" Daniel said.

The men walked in the moonlight up the path. Daniel waited until they were far enough out of view and popped open the trunk. He opened it and looked in at the woman wrapped in blankets. He pulled her out onto the ground and uncovered her. He smiled and place one hand on her leg and the other on her chest. Then he moved up to her neck checking for any signs of life.

Then he pulled away from the girl and gave out a eerie laugh. "Stupid, stupid boys" Daniel said as he pulled his knife from his pocket. He place it up to her neck and with one swift slash blood poured from it onto the ground. He rolled her onto her side until the blood had stopped flowing into the dirt. Then he wrapped her neck with part of the blanket with precision. Once her neck was wrapped he ran the blankets around her tightly and dragged her a few feet into the tree's.

He stopped and waited for the men to come back. "Hurry up we don't have all night!" Daniel shouted into the darkness. A few moments later Tony and Steven reemerged from the night. Steven grabbed one end of the woman while Daniel carried the other. After they had walked a short distance they stopped.

"Now dig here" Daniel said as they put the woman down and started digging. "Yes sir" Tony said as he plunged the shovel into the dirt. "So this the first time you two kill someone?" Daniel asked. "Sir I don't think we killed this girl" Tony said as he continued to dig. "Oh really? haha, so you two just fucked her and buried her in the woods. Well I am sure our mighty fine justice system will forgive such a innocent deed" Daniel said laughing.

"This ain't my first time" Steven said in a calm tone. "Oh really, well please indulge us with the story Steven" Daniel said. Steven looked up at the sky and sighed as Tony continued digging. "It was my cousin when we were younger. See I lived with my aunt and uncle and they treated my cousin Scott like he was gods gift to the world. Me on the other hand, well I was a burden to them. One day me and Steven were up by clear creek falls and he was sitting next to the edge. He didn't speak to me much and just had this presence of arrogance about him. Finally I just had enough, I ran up behind him and pushed him over those falls. Sometimes I still hear him scream as he fell down, but I don't care I still hate even his ghost" Steven said.

"Well now that's a Cain and Abel story, nothing new or unique about it. Here I was hoping you boys would be of some entertainment" Daniel said. "Yeah sir, but uh I thought Cain and Abel were brothers not cousins?" Tony said with confusion. "Haha, you shouldn't take all things literal Tony, you also should not take tonight's encounter for granted. See I think you boys found me for a reason" Daniel said.

Tony had dug about 3 feet down and looked exhausted. "That's deep enough for these old woods, put her in the hole Steven" Daniel said. Steven rolled the woman into the hole and Daniel grabbed the shovel from Tony and started covering her with dirt. "How about you boys come and work for me, you have a lot to learn about this business of murder and I am getting old and like all old men I must pass my legacy down to someone" Daniel said looking at the two men.

**Chapter Five**

That familiar shock of electricity jolted through Gabriel throwing him back into present time. He still had a hold of Tony and just as fast as he was back his disgust in the men who killed his grandfather sent enraged energy to Gabriel's arm. With all of his might he threw a heavy punch into the jaw of Tony knocking him and Tony to the ground.

Gabriel got on top of Tony and continued to throw a barrage of undirected rage filled punches. Tony turtled up on the floor trying to shake the cobwebs out. Steven came in from behind Gabriel with a knife in his hand. Gabriel could feel slight pressure as Steven thrust the knife into his back. After the third stab wound the knife stuck to Gabriel's back lodged and into his ribcage.

None of Steven's deadly attack's threatened Gabriel though blood was now running from the flesh wounds and he had a knife stuck inside him. Tony was now knocked out on the ground. Somewhere in Gabriel's uncoordinated barrage of punches one landed clean to Tony's jaw leaving him limp on the floor.

Steven struggled to remove the knife from Gabriel's back and then retreated back a few steps and let out a barrage of kicks to the flesh wounds. Gabriel turned and caught one of Steven's kicks and pulled him to the ground. The men struggled on the ground in a pool of Gabriel's blood. Steven could not get a good grip on Gabriel due to the bloody mess on the two men.

In the struggle for positioning Gabriel ended up on top of Steven and was again throwing wild punches. Gabriel's hands were bloody and one had shattered with the side of Steven's head causing the knuckle crack and pop out. Gabriel's hand was now broken, most men would have been dead at this point in fight like this. But Gabriel's curse was now a blessing as Steven tried to cower from the blows.

"Stop, stop I give we will let you go!" Steven shouted. How the tables had turned and revealed a weak and terrified murderer. Gabriel wrapped his hand around Steven's neck and started to choke him. Veins bulged from Steven's eyes as he looked up at Gabriel in terror and disbelief. How easy it was for Steven to take a life, and now when he was faced with his own demise he was more terrified than any of his victims.

"Let go Gabriel, get away from here before Apollyon comes and cages you in damnation!" David shouted from the basement. Gabriel let go of the coward and the deadly struggle stopped. Steven held his hands up in surrender. "What the fuck are you!" Steven said. "I am death and if we cross paths again you will meet your death. Leave Axal and never come back, and if you kill one more innocent person like your cousin, or a college girl I will find you and show you what terror looks like!" Gabriel shouted.

Now Tony was conscious laying on the floor looking at the two battle hardened men. Gabriel reached back and jostled the knife around until it came free. He threw the bloody knife down next to Steven. "This is the last time your blade meets any mans flesh, now get the fuck out of here!" Gabriel shouted at Steven. Steven, and Tony could not believe what they just witnessed. Gabriel stood up and both Steven and Tony scrambled to their feet. Tony was still on wobbly legs and almost fell down but kept himself up with one of the benches and then they ran out the door.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immunde spiritus, omni satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica, in nomini et virtute Domini nostri Jesu Christi, eradicare et effugare a Dei Ecclesia, ab animabus ad imaginem Dei conditis ac pretioso divini Agni sanguini redemptis!" Jesse shouted into the church at Gabriel.

The words were latin meaning: we cast you out, every unclean spirit, every satanic power, every onslaught of the infernal adversary, every legion, every diabolical group and sect, in the name and by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. We command you, begone and fly far from the Church of God, from the souls made by God in His image and redeemed by the precious blood of the divine Lamb.

The rays of heat now shot out from the corridor where Jesse was standing. Jesse repeated the saying and bright flames and rays cast into Gabriel sending him sliding down the isle. For once Gabriel could feel something and it was a heat like never before. He struggle to his feet and ran for the double doors. "Be gone from my church DEMON!" Jesse shouted as Gabriel ran out into the sunlight.

Gabriel slammed the double doors shut and on the ground before him like a welcoming mat was a large dusty old bible most likely from the basement. Gabriel reached down and grabbed it and headed for his broken down truck. Just as he was about to leave the church property the bells rang a beautiful chime. Gabriel looked back at the bell tower and in all his cryptic horror his grandfather David was standing in the tower ringing the bell.

Once back to his truck Gabriel set down his bible and reached his hand back to feel his wounds. They were now gone and even Gabriel's clothes had patched themselves leaving no trace of what happened in the church. He reached his hand up and tried to start the truck, with one quick crank his truck started like nothing had happened.

Gabriel had enough of the town of Axal for a lifetime and the horrors of what happened at his country home sounded like a vacation to a social recluse. He flipped his truck around and paid no attention to the townsfolk walking and driving around him. He was easily doing 15 to 20 miles over the speed limit just trying to escape the clutches of Axal once again.

The dirt driveway leading to his home that had seen so much pain and suffering was nothing more than a welcoming sight. Gabriel pulled into his spot and grabbed the kids ball that he took and threw it off into the woods. Then he grabbed his bible and headed up to his room. Everything in his home seemed as depressing as ever and Gabriel knew he had a grim eternity. He closed and locked his bedroom door to barricade himself from demons or holy saviors. Neither one had the answers he was still searching for.

Staring at the old bible for hours, part of him tried to convince himself to burn it while the other part knew he needed the answers it might hold. His mind raced, why did his family keep him in the dark about religion and his grandfather. Maybe his parents thought he would never need religion, heck even Gabriel never thought he would need it.

But now it was the only way to figure out what he was still doing living immortally in the world of mortals. If only he could speak to his parents, but just like all things that once had meaning in his life they too were dead. It was like his whole life everything protected him from the word of god or the ways of satin.

Why was Jesse who was farther from the word of god able to banish Gabriel from the church with a simple saying. Maybe it simply was the fact that any man could use god's words for his own agenda and power regardless if the act was in the name of Apollyon or god. Maybe they were linked in some hidden way that left the world struggling to understand their place in life and death.

Finally Gabriel reached over and grabbed the old bible. One the first page his grandfather had signed it and just below had the saying "One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. Job 1:6"

What does that mean Gabriel thought. Why are all the verses double edged and confusing and how could you possibly find literal answers in such a collage of books and verses. It would take a lifetime to understand it and even then what if it was a false understanding?

The next few days Gabriel spent in his grandfathers scripture. Gabriel never had to leave the room to eat or do the deeds of the living. The only thing that separated him from scripture was sleep and even that came in random bursts that lasted only a few hours. He read the entire bible front to back and though he had some knowledge he still lacked all the answers and was closer to where he started than where he ended.

Were the books all talking about the same god, were they written by god or man. How could he really know what would be of use and what was just words of man. The bible was so vague on everything of importance to the living in modern day society. Where was the new version of the bible he wondered.

Why was the word of god from centuries ago, a long with the savior. Did his word just stop there, and now all of mankind was forced by society to live an unfaithful life. Or did they just live by the laws of man and then beg forgiveness to god on their judgment day saying "Well the world made me live this way I had no choice!"

Should Gabriel go burn a goat and plunge into clear creek with Jesse to be baptized? It was all madness, god, satan, and mankind. To Gabriel they all were royally fucked up. Was the answer to just live this trail of faith and hope for the best. Should he beg forgiveness for the sins he unknowingly committed? Was it time to pray or give into temptation and say fuck it all.

He fell into his pillow exhausted in either useful or useless information depending on his level of faith in the man who god intrusted to write the information. Within minutes Gabriel was in a deep slumber briefly free of immortal thought.

Awaking in the night once again the figure of youthful beauty filled his vision. That familiar polka dot dress and brown hair tied stood before Gabriel's bed. "I told you to leave my home!" Gabriel barked at her. "Please Gabriel I never had the chance to introduce myself the last time we met" The woman said. "I don't want you here in my home, go away" Gabriel said. "May I sit down?" The woman asked as her eyes burned into Gabriel with lust.

"No, no you may not" Gabriel said. The woman sat down on Gabriel's bed next to him. "My name is Emma Blackworth and as you know I once lived here, well near here in the woods anyways" Emma said. "Well what is it you want Emma, I can't even help myself let alone a young woman who has been dead for years now" Gabriel said. "You know what I want, to feel love again, to be wanted. Really that is all any of us here want. I don't mean to frighten you I just want to be your friend" Emma said.

"I have to many people wanting to be my friend, all I want is to find a way out of this mess" Gabriel said "I can help you with that, I know a way we both can get what it is we want. You must know though some of the other girls here have their own agenda and may look to harm you" Emma said in a caring soft voice.

"How can anyone harm me, I have been electrocuted, on the brink of death in endless dark, shot in the head, fell to my death, and stabbed. What more could really be done to me?" Gabriel said. "Hehehe the girls here are capable of many evil things, your life here can be bliss or a endless nightmare but regardless we are always here. I just want to be loved again and I can help you, even protect you" Emma said with a laugh that was sweet to Gabriel's ears.

"What do you mean always here?" Gabriel asked "We have been here long before you Gabriel, I watched you many nights in pain and agony. So many times I wanted to just wipe away your tears and kiss away your pain. But the other girls did not want me to and told me you would be gone from us soon. They know you wanted to die, but now you can be with me...Us" Emma said.

"What of Daniel where is he?" Gabriel asked. "When he died he left us, maybe heaven or hell we don't really know but for some reason he has kept us trapped here on these grounds. At first I thought it would be a painful eternity. That is until I saw you Gabriel" Emma said.

"So why the theatrics when we first met?" Gabriel said. "Apollyon demanded me to do it, he said he would remove me from roaming this earth if I refused. I did it to stay here, with you where we belong Gabriel" Emma said. "I think your reality is just a little twisted. I am not going to be with you, these girls, or anyone else" Gabriel said.

Emma had a shocked look on her face as a tear rolled down from one of her eye's. "Why don't you want me, I have done so much to protect us and you are going to just throw it all away!" Emma said now distraught and full of tears. "You people are fucking crazy, I just want my little piece of solitude and instead I am stuck living in a house of estrogen filled dead women crying at my bedside?" Gabriel said.

The door came open and another woman with dark hair and a poodle skirt with a pink shirt came in. Her shirt was tucked into the poodle skirt so tight that her boobs looked strangulated. "Oh Emma see I told you he wouldn't love you, all that heartache for nothing!" The woman said. "I hate you Christa!" Emma shouted as she ran crying from the room.

"See what I have to deal with, that fucker leads me on, says he loves me and then what? stabs me to death so I have to deal with these dense women. Why did his taste in women have to be so frustrating!" Christa said. "So now I have to see you, why can't you go back to living invisible to me?" Gabriel said. "Well, you see we don't have a choice, it's not us deciding to appear to you. But your knowledge of the unknown revealing itself to you. I don't care either way really, but maybe we could have a little fun this way?" Christa said tilting her head to Gabriel like a bratty kid.

"Could you please just leave the room and shut the door?" Gabriel said. "Sure I can, I can have my fun without you" Christa said as she turned around and closed the doors. Gabriel sighed and laid his head back down on the bed. Now he had no choice but to deal with the women Daniel murdered. He thought about moving, but where would he go and even if he did the madness would just follow him. After all a house full of dead women had to be better than a bunch of dead men.

Gabriel fell back into his slumber but once again was awoken. This time there was a blonde in a black and white strapless dress straddling him. She had short puffy hair and a smile that lit up his room. The sun was just sending it's rays through the trees in the forest around the house. "Goooood morning!" The woman said in a high pitched perky voice. "You have to be kidding me!" Gabriel said. "Nope!... my name is Tina!" The woman said. "Okay Tina, can you get off me?" Gabriel said in an annoyed tired tone.

"Well someone is not as perky as his little friend this morning!" Tina said as she reached down and grabbed Gabriel's crotch. She put her head down by his stomach and ran her tongue up to his lips and forced a kiss. Gabriel tried to fight it but her persistence and grinding went from annoying to enticing. Gabreil pulled down her strapless dress revealing her breasts.

Right as Gabriel was reaching 2nd base just as the door burst open. It was Gabriel's long lost nemesis Apollyon. "Tina leave this room at once before I turn your death into an inferno!" Apollyon said. Tina looked horrified. She covered her breasts and ran from the bedroom. "Ha, look who shows up at the perfect time. King of lies, no it's the king of the cock block" Gabriel said laughing.

"I guess I have to do everything.... Here I thought you were a man of morals. But noooo, you who decides the fate of murderers and sleeps with the victimized dead!" Apollyon said to Gabriel.

"What are you afraid I put your name to shame?" Gabriel said. "You are such a fool, I don't know why it has to be you of all the billions of souls in this world. Now get your shit together we are going for a drive" Apollyon said as he left the room. Gabriel got up out of bed and left the room. On his stairwell was a line of eight women. On the top step was Emma still crying, then Christa looking off at the wall, then Tina pushing her hips out and smiling at Gabriel.

The other women on the steps below Gabriel did not know but it looked like a whore house line up if he ever saw one. The last two women had red hair and were glaring at Gabriel. Those must be the two who hated Gabriel as he slid past them and out the door.

In his truck was Apollyon impatiently waiting. Gabriel got in the truck and started it. "Where to miss daisy?" Gabriel asked. "Axal, beyond that just drive" Apollyon said. Then there was a silence, both wishing they did not have to speak to one another. Then finally Gabriel broke the silence with a question. "So why the women, why must I see them now and are they going to live with me?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, yes they will be living with you. Or have been and the reasoning is simple. All of this is a test, your test Gabriel" Apollyon said. "So my trail of faith, by who... You?" Gabriel said. "You all have a trail, although as you are about to see most failed before they were even born" Apollyon said. Gabriel just drove trying to understand what Apollyon's meaning was.

Once in the town they drove by the bloody people of Axal. Old, young, with all their diversity one thing bound them all, blood. "Look at them, they are now a common and Glorious site Gabriel. Bound to their sins to the fourth generation. Some have no choice but damnation, born to sin as they say. It is true they all are lost souls, my souls. They have many excuses for what they are but as the centuries passed they all lost touch with their savior and joined me" Apollyon said.

"Yes I notice that they all are of sin but where do I fit in to all of this?" Gabriel asked. "You have the most important role of all Gabriel. You are a extinct and rare breed of man, a direct descendent of Abraham himself. Your whole life has been planned, by me. Well you had free will of course but I changed the outcome of your will to insure you don't fall into my clutches on mankind" Apollyon said.

"Why not, isn't that what you want our extinction?" Gabriel said. "We will get to that but first you must know the things I showed you about your wife are real. I had to do it, what if you found out what your lovely wife was doing with another man? Or if you found out that child was not yours? I know what you would have done. I have seen it so many times, the blood rage that leads to a vicious destruction of the ones you love. Killing is the ultimate sin, it's the direct path to me and damnation. So is suicide, all of which I, the destroyer had to save you from!" Apollyon said.

"So...You killed my wife, her child, and prevented me from killing myself all to save me?" Gabriel said. "Oh there was centuries of blood shed before you were even born. Those were just the last of them. Its because I need a saint Gabriel, the last saint." Apollyon said.

"Why on earth would you need the one thing you despise?" Gabriel asked. "Without you, a saint, my legion could not grow into a force greater than god himself! You Gabriel are the last man of god, you die, or commit the ultimate sin and our world goes up like Sodom and Gomorrah and so shall my legion!" Apollyon said.

"So there is no hope for man, only hope for your legion? So why don't I just get it over with and go commit the ultimate sin?" Gabriel said. "Look at them Gabriel, they still have free will. They still can choose their path. Will you be their damnation, my saint, or their savior? As long as there is one, gods will still has hope" Apollyon said.

"But it still all comes down to me? I knew nothing of god until I read the scripture, even then I still know nothing. What about the revelations, why can't the horsemen come running from heaven and decide. Instead of me, a man who wants nothing more than non-existence?" Gabriel said.

"Do you believe everything you read like the rest of these lost souls? Did you know most of gods true word was lost in the desert or ripped from the holy pages by my disciples in clergy robes. It astonishes me that mankind can have faith based on those few writings. If I gave you chapter 4, 12, and 14 of a book, then gave you chapters 2, 8, and 10 from 4 other books that had nothing to do with the first. Then would you know the word of the original author?" Apollyon said.

"Well, no I would not. So then what is god's word?" Gabriel asked. "Hahaha when god created man in his likeness I would never think I would see the day when the last of his likeness asked me, what is his word?" Apollyon said laughing.

"So I am here for eternity just to make up for mans sin, so he can continue to do so?" Gabriel asked. "No, you are here to do either god's will or have the freedom to choose yours, or mine. Really it is no different than the choice every man makes." Apollyon said. Gabriel stop the truck next to clear creek, to absorb everything Apollyon said. Outside fishing was a man with the dragon branding that he saw on the women in downtown Axal.

"What is with that branding I have seen it before?" Gabriel said. "That is the mark of my legion, just because a man sin's does not mean he is in my legion. He might be forced to damnation by god's will but, it does not mean he joins my ranks. But those with the branding are my soldiers, demons ready for the coming battle of heaven and earth" Apollyon said.

"So what they are satanic, or occult...how do they join your legion?" Gabriel said. "They simply let my anger and hatred of man fill their hearts. You could say they are the occult, or even a religion. But once they join me they can never look back." Apollyon said.

"And If I joined your legion?" Gabriel said. "Then you would witness the destruction of earth. I know it's a lot to understand but just know this, if you live as gods servant or mine the outcome will only benefit me because even I AM in his will" Apollyon said.

"This is to much, there is a choice, but no choice, a will, but no will what the fuck am I supposed to do. You have played nothing but tricks and games with me. My knowledge of god has simply done the same so do I base this on my morals, yours, or his?" Gabriel said.

Apollyon laughed for a moment and got out of the truck. "Come with me to the water" Apollyon said. Gabriel got out and followed him down to the creek. Apollyon waded out into the creek and the water around him sizzled and boiled. Gabriel stood at the edge of the water watching as Apollyon turned to him with his arms raised to the skies. "Come to me Gabriel" Apollyon said.

Wading out to him Gabriel struggled against the current to reach Apollyon. The man who was fishing was now holding a lit candle. Apollyon grabbed Gabriel and traced the sign of the cross on his forehead. Apollyon tipped Gabriel over putting him down into the current of clear creek. "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" Apollyon said in a enchanting voice.

Gabriel was only under the water for a few moments. His eyes were closed and he saw a illuminating light. It was like nothing he had seen before. The light was not seen by his eye's but by the spirit. It surrounded him like no light he had seen before and instead of seeing the source of the light, he was the center of it.

Apollyon raised Gabriel from the creek. Gabriel opened his eyes and in the clouds and sun emerged a huge face in the sky then it moved and was nothing more than clouds. Gabriel was still standing in the water but Apollyon was gone. The man holding the candle waded out to Apollyon and placed the candle in his hand.

His eyes were pure black, with no expression on his face. Like a man possessed by a unseen dimension of insanity. The man turned and walked away from Gabriel. The candle was white as the light Gabriel had seen and was now out.
**Chapter Six**

Gabriel wadded out of clear creek once again confused and unsure of what he had to do. The events seemed so surreal though the white light and candle were strong reminders that it did take place. He had been baptized by none other than Satan himself in waters that seen bloodshed since the native Americans.

This brought whole new meaning to the saying baptized by fire. Gabriel sat on the shore and watched the white water rush around the rocks. He laid back and looked up at the clouds in the sky to the sound of rushing water. Everything was so peaceful out there on the bank of clear creek. For the first time in years Gabriel felt some peace in the madness of his life.

What should he do, he could go right now and shoot a man and watch the world he never wanted to be a part of light up in a glorious inferno. Then all of nature would be gone, and then what heaven. Or would he be damned to deal with Apollyon's confusing riddles. But then again if he simply lived whatever life he had and allowed Apollyon to build his legion, then he would still be stuck with him.

There was no alternative that appealed to Gabriel. Now he would give anything to go back a few months ago when he was a distraught, depressed, suicidal redneck who did not hold the fate of the world in his hands. For now Gabriel did not want to make any choices, just gaze at the sky. Gabriel thought that there was only one way to decide his and the worlds fate. That was over a bottle of whiskey at Marlov's. He left his creek side paradise and headed to his old drinking hole.

He walked into Marlov's and headed to an empty stool. It was about mid day and many of the old bar flies had already had a few drinks. Ashley was there like always but oddly enough she took one glance at Gabriel and ignored him for as long as she could. "What do you want to drink?" Ashley said cleaning out a shot glass.

"The strongest whiskey you have, please" Gabriel said. Ashley stared at the rack of booze and searched. She grabbed a old bottle of Irish whiskey that had sat on the shelf at the same level of fluid for years. She poured some in the shot glass and put it in front of Gabriel and turned to walk away. "How you been Ashley?" Gabriel asked. "Fine, not like you care" Ashley said still walking away.

Maybe now that he was a baptized man he no longer appealed to Ashley. But it was doubtful. The most likely reason why she was ignoring him was just another game women played. If Apollyon had been a woman he would have been a far greater trickster than he is now, that is for sure. Gabriel watched Ashley as she kept her back turned to him.

He knew she was upset from their last encounter. But really what did she expect, Gabriel to just join her for a day of parades and flashbacks of rape and abuse? There was so much he wanted to say to her but how could he. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, for all the bad things that happened to her. But it would only scare her away. Then again maybe that was what he wanted, to keep her away from him.

Something still made Gabriel drawn to her but he had to keep the walls up. If she needed him, he had to run. If she was in distress, he had to look away. He knew he might be Apollyon's saint but he was the worst thing for her. It could only lead to more unneeded pain and agony and she had seen enough of that for one lifetime.

Next to Gabriel was an old man in a ragged army jacket drinking a beer and mumbling to himself. Gabriel looked down at the piss colored drink in front of him and new it was a sign from Ashley. If she could name the drink it would be eat shit asshole. Gabriel didn't care though after days without a shot he was ready.

He put the glass to his lips and quickly slammed it down. Followed by something unusual for Gabriel. He started choking and coughing from the drink. Maybe it was just this drink he thought, but then again he was unable to eat anything so maybe the same thing applied for whiskey. The man next to him started laughing at Gabriel.

"Bit off more than you can chew there aye boy!" the man said laughing. He reached up and patted Gabriel's back and Gabriel reach out to block the mans poor attempt at the Heimlich. Gabriel caught the mans arm and just as quick was jolted into the mans past.

Gabriel was now in a rice field laying in a ditch. Next to him where 8 soldiers under heavy fire in a torrential rain storm. Gabriel knew he was now in Vietnam and maybe now all the old timers war stories would make sense. "Where the fuck are they shooting from!" one of the soldiers yelled. "Keep your head down!" another soldier yelled. Crackling and buzzing sounds were all around Gabriel.

Instead of a firefight it seemed like he pissed off some bee's in a rain storm. Bullets splatted into the mud of the bank above him. Then suddenly it was over. "Fuck you!" one of the soldiers yelled. "Stay down and shut up, we will hold here until the night" The man next to Gabriel said, who resembled the man in the bar.

"Mitch they will be back and shred us a knew one if we stay here!" Another soldier yelled. "We don't have a choice, they got us out in the open. If we fall back we will get gunned down. Lets wait for the cover of night." Mitch said. The men laid in the muddy ditch as the rain continued to barrage down on them.

Gabriel never imagined a war to look like this, they were fighting the elements and politics from a muddy ditch rather than the enemy. The men laid quite, throughout the day there were small bursts of AK47 fire then nothing again. But the rain never let up, how could men fight a war in such a downpour.

Every time the crackling of guns sounded around them one of the men would tremble. The smell of piss, shit, and death was potent. Mitch army crawled up the bank and looked out into the tree's. Gabriel just stood up since he knew he would not be seen by anyone. Gabriel could see Vietcong all around the men hiding in the tree's. They were completely surrounded, in the field were dead US soldiers who were caught in the ambush and tried to find cover.

One mans intestines were spewed out from his midsection soaking in the muddy waters. How do men survive and live after such a waist of young lives. It didn't matter how skilled of a soldier you were, if you took one wrong step or were in the right place at the wrong time, you were dead.

Mitch tried to get a look to see if the coast was clear and the forest came to life with fire. Mitch rolled back down to where he was. The men just laid there waiting for hours. No words, or plans on how to survive, just patient frustration. Gabriel could see some of the Vietcong retreated off into the forest. Most likely going back to their homes in the confines of a US military base so they could make money off the soldiers they would kill in the forest.

"Fuck this I am going to make a break for it" One of the men whispered. "Its not safe yet just wait maybe they will think we have backup on the way and retreat" Mitch said. The man did not listen he darted out of the ditch. When he reached the top of the bank he slipped in the mud then the forest once again came to life with AK47 fire but less than before.

Gabriel could see shots coming from places where he did not even see the enemy at. The mans flesh tore open as multiple bullets ripped into him. "NOO!" Mitch yelled as he got up from the ditch and went to grab the man. The rest of soldiers got up and gave covering fire. They did not know where to shoot but they laid into the forest around them with a barrage of M16 fire.

Mitch pulled the man back down into the ditch. He was choking on his blood and wheezing. "Its gonna be okay Andy we will get you out of this!" Mitch shouted. Andy took one last breath and his body went limp and he was gone from the wet misery. Another man who was providing covering fire took a bullet right to the face and was instantly killed. "Get back down!" Mitch yelled at his men.

They all rolled back down into the now bloody pond that had filled the ditch. The men were scared, they all had to accept that they were about to die there with their two comrades. "I don't want to die here!" One of the men said in panic. "If you don't want to die here then man the fuck up soldier and hold. I will get us out of this shit hole and back to the states but you have to do exactly as I say!" Mitch shouted.

Nightfall fell over the men and though Gabriel could stand he could see nothing but darkness all around them. Mitch headed back up to the place where he scouted before. He crawled out of the ditch and got a good look of what was around him. He paused for a moment then went back down to his men.

"All right it's clear" Mitch said in a voice sure of himself. How could he really know, Gabriel could not see beyond the field let alone where the enemy were during the day. But if Mitch appeared sure to his men, maybe they would follow their leader out into the night. "Now one at a time we are going to head out to the tree's. Just to the left of that point is a tree that is down. Once you get there provide covering fire for the men coming across. I will head out last, John you first." Mitch said.

The men asked no questions and one by one the men headed to the fallen tree. Mitch took one last look at his fallen men in the ditch and tried his best to suck in his emotions and head to the rest of his men. No emotion would help him or his men right now, all he could do is show courage to get them out alive.

Once Mitch was reunited with his men they went in single file with Mitch in the lead walking through the thick forest. The men moved almost silently but Gabriel stumble and struggled to keep up in the mud. The way they followed Mitch was like ancient samurai warriors using stealth and knowledge of their surroundings to sneak past their enemy.

All of the men were younger than Gabriel, he could not fathom what they had to go through. Not even his run in with the devil or trials in life compared to this. There could be no hell worse than this for a young man, not only that but we all know the outcome of the war. They gave their lives for nothing as Mitch fought just to keep his men alive.

They were not there to rid the world of communism, or defeat those who threaten America's freedom. They were there to protect the man next to them and there could be no greater bond between man. They just wanted to survive and keep their brothers in arms alive to return to a rioting nation who would outcast them.

Gabriel Could not tell where they were going, he could be back in that mineshaft in pure darkness and have just as much bearing of his surroundings. But Mitch lead the way with faith in his men, and self. He never stopped and looked around or pondered if they were lost. To him it didn't matter if they were back on base or deep in enemy territory, he had a mission. To return his men to their loved ones sleeping safely in their beds thousands of miles away.

The sun was barely coming up when they arrived to a village of small huts. Mitch held a fist up in the air motioning his men to come to a halt. It was still hard to see into the village but Mitch moved his hand in a swooping pattern signaling his men to go around. Just as he motioned the orders small arms fire erupted from the village.

The men took cover and returned a impressive display of fire. Each time one of the men had to reload he shouted reloading! The way they fired and worked together was like a well oiled death machine. It was clear though they were not of legal age to drink, they were combat hardened vets. They continued to fire at any shadow or sound that came from the village until the sun came up over the dense forest.

The smoke had cleared and the men cautiously headed into the village. Before them laid countless dead, but only one enemy wielding a Smith and Wesson Model 12 pistol most likely removed from the corpse of a chopper pilot. Before them were dead women and children and one coward who put the innocent lives of the villagers at stake so he could fire a few shots at the men.

Mitch knelt down and dropped his head into his hands. He could no longer show the strength from the night before as he broke down into tears and sobbing. "Mitch, it's okay we didn't know" one of his men said in a calm tone. A few feet from them was a child struggling to move in the dirt. One of the soldiers ran over to comfort the young boy.

He had multiple gunshots to his back and it was amazing that he was still alive. The man held the boy in his arms as tears fell from his eyes. Just two innocent boys worlds apart watching each other die in their own way. One would be free of the cruelty of this world while the other would be haunted by the images of the other for the rest of his life.

The boy died in the soldiers arms and Gabriel busted into tears. This wasn't Mitch's sin's, or any of the soldiers. But the sins of politicians back home making these young men suffer the ultimate sacrifice. Life with the haunting memories of war.

With the shock of electricity Gabriel was tossed from that village and now riding in a Huey through a valley with mountains on both sides. Mitch was sitting with 7 other soldiers all with blank expressions. Gabriel looked out from the Huey and could see 6 other Huey's spread out around them as he continued to cry from what took place in the village. "We are coming in hot!" The pilot yelled out to the soldiers as he descended into the valley.

Once the Huey touched down the men quickly and methodically jumped from the chopper into a field with high grass. Once out of the Huey it ascended back into the sky with the others. The soldiers on the ground made a dash for the tree's. There seemed to be some confusion on which end of the field they were going to but they just wanted out of the drop zone.

Once behind cover they watched as they Huey's disappeared over the ridge. The rumbling sound they made through the valley had to alert the Vietcong of there presence in the valley. The men looked more organized in the tree's, a few units lined up to head out and the other soldiers followed suit.

They looked well prepaired for whatever was waiting for them up the valley. Armed with M60 machine guns, M16's, Grenade launchers, Stevens pump action shotguns and a couple of flame throwers. They had medics, men with radios, and some men who still looked to green to have seen any combat yet.

They walked through the endless valley for miles, these were the times the war had to be frustrating Knowing hell would come, it was just a matter of time. But that day hell never opened it's gates in the forest. Nightfall came and the men dug in for the night. They set up make shift machine gun nests with M60's around the camp. A few men set up claymores around their perimeter and then returned to the camp. They designated who would be first on night watch and the rest of the men struggled to rest until they were on watch.

Gabriel walked around the camp, the men on watch looked exhausted and uneasy. While the men resting tossed and turned, few of them were sleeping. One of the men got up, he abandoned his helmet, pack and gun and headed out of the camp in a rush. Gabriel was unsure what the man was doing so he followed him into the tree's around the camp.

The man was in a rush, then it was clear to Gabriel that whatever the man last ate on base had caught up with him. But Gabriel was shocked the man abandoned his gun, and never took the time to alert the watch of what he was doing. Gabriel could see the man maybe 20 yards away facing Gabriel and doing his deed.

Then almost on que, one of the claymores in the forest 30 yards behind the man exploded. Gabriel could see a patrol of Vietcong dashing through the tree's. The soldier taking a shit hit the ground and with pants down was now laying defenseless in his own shit. The Vietcong patrol was now just feet away from him when they opened up on the camp with AK47's, RPK's, and a assortment bolt action rifles.

The machine gun nest's erupted ripping apart tree's and any Vietcong in their path. The men in camp scrambled to find cover and return fire. Gabriel and the soldier taking a shit were now right in the middle of the battle. Another claymore went off as Gabriel watched 30 or more Vietcong come charging through the forest.

Gabriel could see Mitch and another man on the radio calling in an air strike. Now the Vietcong were almost at a full Japaneses banzai charge towards the camp. They were pouring from the tree's firing and running at the camp. The soldier taking a crap was curled up in a ball as enemy men ran right past him. "Thump" Thump" Gabriel heard from the camp as grenades exploded around him.

Even Gabriel took cover next to a tree and could feel the shell shock of war. Debris and dead Vietcong were all around him. Gabriel looked down at one Vietcong soldier, just a boy maybe 14 years old. He was groaning and crawling away from the battle. He stopped and rolled over on his back just past Gabriel.

The boy was gut shot and was using his hand to keep his insides from coming out. He looked up at the night sky for a few moments and then died . Instead of playing with his friends in some village as boys do, or getting that first kiss from a girl, he would die and join the ranks as another wasted youth in Vietnam.

Gabriel watched as the last of the Vietcong laid dead or dying. The once dense forest had been shredded and bullets and craters scarred everything around him. He glanced back at the soldier who stepped out at the worst time to take a shit. He to laid dead, riddled with holes from the M60 that one of his comrades was using to defeat the charging Vietcong.

Gabriel could only ponder if the soldiers family would get the true story behind his death. Then again the truth no matter what was a wasted life. Hopefully they would tell his family only that he was a hero of war, who died protecting our freedom, and the lives of his fellow soldiers.

The barrage of gun fire came to a halt and Gabriel could hear the bloody cries of war. One of the Vietcong was missing both of his legs and screaming something in his native language into the night. Some Vietcong groaned and moaned on the forest floor, while others laid silently dead. The men at the camp all just stayed alert full of adrenaline from the firefight.

Gabriel headed back down to the camp to escape the dead and dying in the forest. Once back at camp he watched the soldiers listening to the cries of their defeated enemy. But they too had suffered some casualty at the camp as the medics steadily attempted to save the lives of their friends. All the other soldiers in camp were shaken and experiencing the most extreme high they would ever feel. The medics kept completely calm though and with steady hands tended to the injured men.

Mitch was back on the radio calling off the air strike and trying to get the wounded evacuated. But it was too late, the glorious sound of hell fire was coming through the air. Mitch was off in the distance with some of his men while Gabriel was standing amongst the medics and injured. Then a bright inferno rapidly spread right before him.

Gabriel was now standing right in the middle of the napalm strike as he watched the medics and wounded turn into charcoal flesh in an instant. The flames surrounded him and the horrific site of napalm burning young men was right before him. Gabriel could faintly hear the screams of Mitch and the rest of the men from outside the inferno.

One man on the edge of the blaze ran out into the forest on fire. After only a few yards he dropped motionless and continued to burn. The men inside the napalm strike were now nothing more than tender, their flesh melted with their gear as they laid motionless

Gabriel walked through the flames and could see the horror on the faces of the soldiers in the camp. They were filled with rage and hate that they would carry with them through their whole lives. Their friends, comrades, and brothers were being ripped from the world in the most violent and meaningless fashion known to mankind, just a casualty of war.

Gabriel made it to the edge of the blaze and just as he did he felt the shock and was now in another moment from Mitch's horrifying past. They were landing at an airport back in the states. From outside the window Gabriel could see a large crowd waiting to welcome the war hero's home. The men grabbed their packs and lined up to exit the plane. Gabriel walked right behind Mitch as he stepped on American soil for the first time in far to long.

His mission was complete, most people would say failed. Many of his men were sent home in closed caskets. But Gabriel knew that there was no man who could have done a better job with the impossible task Mitch was forced to face. No medal's or congratulations were waiting from him, just the nightmares, and the thought that some of his men were returning home as he was to start their lives once again.

Standing behind Mitch, Gabriel felt so unworthy of the life he was given. Before he grabbed Mitch's arm he was still a self-centered child who could not face adversity in life. Instead he always looked for a way to avoid his problems. But the man in front of him walked with that same sureness and courage that he did throughout the war.

Before Mitch was a bright new world and as he stepped off the plane he finally had a chance to see it. As they walked down the steps and onto the airfield many of the soldiers family ran to them and embraced them. But Mitch just smiled and walked through the crowd and into the airport.

Once inside Gabriel could see armed guards holding back a crowd of people from getting inside. Mitch went over to a pay phone and called for a cab. Once he was done he hung up the phone and walked out the doors to where the guards were keeping the world out.

"FUCK YOU BABY KILLER!" a man shouted from the crowd. Mitch now dropped his head down and tried to walk past one of the guards. "Wait, sir you might want to wait inside" One of the guards told Mitch. "I was just going to wait for my cab" Mitch told the guard.

"We will direct him around back, just wait inside please" The guard said. Mitch turned around to go back inside. One of the men in the crowd threw a bottle that flew right past his head and smashed into the door. "Take that you pig!" the man shouted. The mob now pushed forward and the guards were struggling to hold them back.

Mitch went back inside the airport. The confident stride was now gone, something Gabriel never even seen in Mitch during combat. He held his head low to the floor and took a seat on the floor in the airport. Mitch sighed and struggled to fight back his anger. He had hoped once back home the war would be over. But it was clear that he had many more battles yet to face.

Gabriel sat down next to Mitch and just as he did he was tossed back into present time and in his hand was on the arm of the old war hero. Gabriel let go of his arm "I..I'm sorry Mitch" Gabriel said as he ran for the bathroom. Once inside one of the stalls Gabriel threw up his whiskey. He was crying to the toilet and it was not because he was drunk, but because such a glorious leader of men had to live with those horrors.

Mitch should be given the highest honor's in our nation but instead people just viewed him as one of Marlov's delusional old drunks. No one in society could even handle the nightmares of war let alone seeing it in first person. Gabriel finished throwing up and wiped the tears from his face. He headed back out to the bar and sat down next to the man.

Ashley pretended she did not even notice that he was gone but Gabriel knew better. "Its been, well a very long time since someone called me Mitch, do I know you son?" Mitch asked. "Um no sir, I just heard someone call you that in passing once" Gabriel said. "Can't be, everyone in Axal knows me as Michael, Mitch was a nickname given to me back in the war" Mitch said.

"Oh well maybe I was mistaken and it was just a coincidence, I'm sorry Michael" Gabriel said trying not to seem out of the ordinary. "No, it's okay just been many years since I heard that. I actually miss the name now but tried to forget it" Mitch said. "Hey can I buy you a drink?" Gabriel asked. "I must refuse, the miss is at home and well I'm already going to be in trouble!" Mitch said as he got up from his chair.

"Well you have a good night, sir" Gabriel said fighting back tears. "And to you as well" Mitch replied as he walked off with a limp. Gabriel had met few good men amongst Axal let alone a leader of good men. Now more than ever he wished that whiskey would have stayed in him long enough to get a buzz going.

Wishing he could drowned the images in his head from Vietnam, Gabriel could only sit at the bar and stare into the souls of the drunks in Axal. The bar was filling up now with darkness falling over the little mountain town. Men tired from a hard days work looking to drink off the thoughts of their shitty boss and difficult lives.

Thinking back to what Apollyon and David said, Gabriel now realized after seeing the earths darkest moments that all mankind deserved a chance at their trial of faith. No matter how corrupt, wicked, self-centered or destructive the world was, it deserved a chance. Gabriel knew that even though he held the fate of the world in his hand, so did every person on the planet.

Would they choose to simply consume the earth's resources and reproduce more consumers like a vicious virus. Or would they end their ancestors line of sin and wickedness and find a way to save their planet. Some would simply be content with destruction and go on living life as mindless consumers. That is what Apollyon wanted for his legion, people too blind to care that just by living their normal life, they were destroying the hopes of others.

With how rapidly mankind was reproducing the population in one hundred years would be more than 3 times the close to 7 billion it is. Gabriel only had to resist from sinning and the world would most likely meet its own doom in the coming centuries. Now he sat in the bar imagining how it would be. Another ruler born only from the depths of Apollyon's hell who would send off a nuclear apocalypse.

Gabriel found it ironic that the very thing Apollyon wanted from the dawn of Adam, could be his undoing. With man gone his legion would fester in the depths of hell. No lives to torture or turn to ruin. No more beautiful chaos from men such as Daniel who Apollyon seemed so fond of. What would be left without man, just a heaven he was cast from. The hell he created that is made of sinners but deprives the man of free will to do so.

What fun is there in the expected, Apollyon expected sin from those in hell, but those on earth were free to choose besides those who suffered the sin of their forefathers. Apollyon would almost cease to exist without the man he hated since their creation. He was winning his war with god. But even if he somehow proves god wrong it would be as if a suicidal proved he could take his life.

So was Gabriel's purpose to turn from temptation so Apollyon could win, or so mankind could have a chance to change their impending doom. Gabriel knew what Apollyon wanted from him but what was it the god he did not know wanted. The only way Gabriel knew god existed was because Apollyon did. Why couldn't god just show him the way.

Everyday some man was reborn with the enlightenment of god and found new meaning in their life. Though according to Apollyon Gabriel was the last man on earth not destined for hell. So they all simply had blind faith that god was with them, while Apollyon led them to his hell. Gabriel's mind was running in circles, the same ones scholars in religion and atheism went over for centuries.

Looking around the bar Gabriel saw the destroyer Apollyon in his fine clothes made for a king of suffering. He was sitting at a table and with him was a beautiful young woman. She was meatier than most women, built in closer resemblance to a man. She had on a dark linen robe and straight red hair. In front of her on a plate was an apple with a bite mark in it.

Apollyon motioned for Gabriel to join them. Gabriel got up from his bar stool and walked over to the table. As he walked he looked around the room at the people in the bar. It was as though Apollyon and Gabriel no longer were within the realms of the living.

Apollyon got up from his chair and pulled it out for Gabriel."Sit Gabriel, I want you to meet someone" Apollyon said. Gabriel sat down in the chair and he locked eye's with the woman. Her eye's were almost enchanting and Gabriel could not look away. Gabriel was mesmerized by the woman, it was like everyone in the room just faded.

"Gabriel, I want you to meet the mother of all living. Or so many call her, she was the very first that I breathed the choice of life with free will into. Her name is Eve, the original sinner. Without her the world would know nothing of pain, suffering, or me" Apollyon said.

Gabriel could hear the words from Apollyon but he was still in the seductive grasp of the original sinner. "Hahaha, so weak your kind is to her ways Gabriel. Even you cannot break from the eye of temptation. You sit here amongst drunken demons seeking wisdom of god, so here it is. Take her hand and I will give you the wisdom man toils in church's of mine to find" Apollyon said.

Eve's hand came out across the table and without looking away from her eye's Gabriel grasped her hand. Gabriel felt the lightning through his body sending him into the time of Eve. Gabriel was sitting on a log with Apollyon in a gorgeous forest. "Few men have set foot here Gabriel, though this is just you seeing the original sin. But before you is the garden of Eden and the birth of sin" Apollyon said.

There was a tree like none on earth in front of them. The bark was more like a dark metal than wood. Engraved with fine lines winding up to the branches. Instead of the wind blowing the tree, this tree was blowing the wind and stood like a pillar of earth. The leaves had vibrate colors and none looked the same in color or form.

Apples the size of melons hung from its branches and each apple had its own shade of green and red. At the roots of the tree was a large snake that almost blended in with the tree itself. The snake coiled along the root of the tree and its prescience tainted the glorious forest around it. The snakes tongue flickered in and out like a fisherman casting out his bait. "You are about to see my first and greatest trick of all time" Apollyon said as he laid his hand on Gabriel's shoulder.

Just as Apollyon finished speaking Eve came walking through the forest. She was completely nude. Her body was nor fat or skinny, she was voluptuous and not groomed in any way. She looked more like a beast in the forest than the mother of mankind. The way she walked and looked around the forest with such wounder, like a deer or animal of prey. It was clear she was prey, the prey of the serpent waiting for her.

"Did god really say, you must not eat from any tree in the garden?" The snake said to Eve. "We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, but god did say, you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it or you will die" Eve said to the snake.

The serpent coiled its way up the tree flickering its tongue out at Eve. "You will not surely die, for god knows when you eat of it your eyes shall be opened. You will be like god knowing good and evil" The serpent said.

Eve looked up at the magnificent tree and stepped closer. The closer she got to the tree the more the snakes tongue flickered out of its mouth. "The first lust for temptation" Apollyon told Gabriel. "But why would god leave such power if he wanted man to never have it?" Gabriel asked. "He wanted to prove me wrong, that what he created in his image was good. He held more blind faith in you than you ever did in him." Apollyon said.

Eve slowly inched her hand out and touched the tree. Then she quickly retracted her hand and looked at it. She studied her hand for a moment and then grabbed hold of the tree with both hands and climbed up on to a branch. She reached out and plucked the darkest red apple on the tree. Eve placed the apple up to her nose and rubbed the apple in her hand.

Then Eve smiled and looked up at the heavens and took a bite from the apple. After tasting wisdom Eve started pulling down as many apples from the tree as she could carry. "So man's lust for power begins!" Apollyon said. Eve walked off with her arms full of apples and then Gabriel was struck with electricity and back at the bar with Apollyon.

"So did god give man free will or did you?" Gabriel asked Apollyon."Your hunger for power gave you free will. God placed the tree in the garden, and I told you it was good. But only you could eat from it, and so many have" Apollyon said. "But you showed me the tree and told me not to eat so others can. so where does that leave me?" Gabriel said.

"Ah, but your purpose here is the same as Eve's. She was the birth of sin, you are the keeper of it." Apollyon said. "But the keeper of sin can also be the keeper of hope for mankind. Just like god placed the tree in the garden and let them choose, so can I" Gabriel said but Apollyon was gone.
**Chapter Seven  
**

Gabriel was now sitting at an empty table in the bar. In the middle of the table was an apple with a bite from it. Gabriel was getting a crash course in religion, but how could he believe what was happening. After all he was only seeing Apollyon's version of the vaguely documented history of the dawn of mankind. Like all things there are two side's and so far he could only see what Apollyon was bombarding him with.

Religion once intrigued Gabriel but now it was being forced on him like a pledge in kindergarten. How could he choose an allegiance when he had no clue what that would mean. All of it felt more like a game rather than reality, but what Gabriel became was very real. He looked around the bar and could see that everyone's version of reality was becoming more distorted by the moment. Luckily for them they had a choice and each drink allowed them to escape their troubles.

If only Gabriel could indulge in their incoherent destruction. He watched as withdrawal crept in with a cold sweat. The room that once gave him freedom from his pain was now closing in on him. "How could I possibly be free of sin?" He thought as a unfamiliar tremble swept over him. Not only was he haunted by demons, ghosts, and the worlds sin, now he had sobriety to add to the chilling list.

Looking back at his past he struggled to look for times when he wronged someone or lied. To his dismay he had a rare quality not found in today's society, morals. But according to most religion's, morals alone do not make you a saint. It seemed a saint was a man who could indulge in his inner demons in dark corners. But in public show devotion to a deity and use religion as a crutch for what they could not answer.

He once watched a show about a preacher in California with his wife. The preacher preyed on the innocents of children. Celibacy turned him into a pedophile messenger of god's word. For years he went from perish to perish permanently destroying the faith, and any hope of functioning as a normal husband or wife. He placed a lifetime of pain and nightmares in the future of our world.

The children who fell prey to this curse would be saints in society if somehow they could keep from burning churches and killing this demon with a dull pickaxe. So what was the saint's in the Vatican city's response? They covered it up, even though the preacher publicly admitted his horrific problem. Today the man is preaching to a new generation and left the laws of the united states and went to Europe.

That was just one example of the corruption of our "Saint's" spreading the word of god to future generations. Gabriel could only hope that Apollyon had devised a machine in hell that might possibly be on the same level of torture as these monsters inflict on the world everyday. But what about the century's of murder, rape, torture, brainwashing, contradiction, hypocrisy, and fear that the Vatican city spread.

If god was starting the revelation's, and a war on evil and Apollyon then the starting place would not be Axal, but the holy city of god. The corruption in the hollowed grounds filled with innocent dead in Axal was simply a pimple on the ass of the Vatican city. So the likely hood of Gabriel being a saint was much higher than even he could imagine.

The dimly light bar was becoming to much for the withdrawing demon spawned saint. Though his house was occupied by beautifully insane victims of a sick man's desires. Sleep was sounding like an escape for his circling mind and his bed seemed more sacred than temples of man. Gabriel stood up from his table a slyly moved to the door.

A part of him hoped Ashley's clutches of hormonal violation would break the silence and plead for him to stay. Then he could vent lifetimes of problems on her, but he knew that was a quick route to the looney bin. Mortals were nothing more than the enemy and they would jump at the chance to crucify him. Plus Ashley really did not need any more problems.

As he stepped out into the alleyway his mind repeated "Don't speak my name" over and over. The crisp air and darkness came as a relief to his withdrawal. The air chilled the cold sweats which now covered his upper body. He nauseatingly stumbled through the night in the direction of his truck. Just as his mind stopped repeating the words a voice shattered into the nights silence.

"Gabriel!" A mans voice shouted from behind him. Gabriel turned around and at the base of a dumpster was a old man sitting down in ragged clothes. A cardboard box covered his legs and he had a hood over his head. It was society's version of a financial failure or bum. But the bible's version of a man who truly feared god and gave up all mortal gains.

"I don't have any liquor and financially I am not far from sleeping where you lay." Gabriel dismissively told the old man. Gabriel turned around and started the journey to his truck. "But what if I was a angel?" The man said. Gabriel turned around and looked at him again. "Like I said, no liquor here buddy!"

"You know, I think you might have heard of me Gabriel. My name is Cain and I have heard much about you." Gabriel sighed "I don't know anyone named Cain, sorry" Gabriel got ready to turn away. "How about my brother, Abel?..... Hey, come to think of it you are my really great.....Something, but we are related!" Cain said.

"Wait, you are Cain, like from the bible Cain?" Gabriel looked at the man confused. "Well I'm really nothing from nowhere, but yes I am that Cain. I wanted to see for myself the man who would destroy the world. I tried once you know.....But now you're here and I must show you....So you can be one of us!" Cain said stuttering.

"Well it's really nice to meet nothing from nowhere, but I am out of here so you have fun buddy." Gabriel said as he walked away. He made it to his truck and hopped inside happy to be free from religious chaos. Just as he put the keys in the ignition the voice shattered Gabriel's relief. "Oh you thought it was that easy?..See I was cast out as fugitive and a vagabond on the earth. Much like you I have nothing but time." Gabriel looked over at Cain now sitting in the truck next to him.

"So I can make your time a living hell, or I can show you my faithful story and return to nothing, from nowhere." Cain said. There was a long moment of pause between the two as Gabriel thought of his options. "Well I want nothing more than you biblical fucks to go away, so lets get this shit over with already shall we?" Gabriel snapped back.

"Good....Hmmm how do I start, well I was born.." Cain said. "Fuck it" Gabriel said and grabbed Cains cold hand and was jolted by electric shock. Unlike normal he was repeatedly jolted in darkness for what seemed like hours before he found himself thrown into a field. The wheat was glowing in the sunlight like Gabriel had never seen before.

Each strand of wheat looked almost perfectly placed in the ground. A hundred yards away was two young men standing at the edge of the field. The young men had fury lion cloths covering their body. The two were almost identical in size and stature. Before the men was a massive beam of light shinning down.

Gabriel walked towards the men so he could get a better look. The tops of the wheat gently tickled Gabriel's hands. Each step was perfectly supported by the well groomed ground under his feet. He glided through the field and eventually right behind the two men and beam of light. Now that he was closer he could see the beam of light favoring one of the men.

The beam shined on him and the wooden altar next to him. On it was perfectly cut meat on display and a young sheep's head was the center piece. Next to the other man was a pile of grain that glowed and gave off a golden hue. The man with the grain reached down and grabbed a handful and held it to the sky.

But the beam of light stayed on the other man with his display of sheep flesh. The one man dropped his hand from the sky and let its contents fall to the ground with his head. He then turned and walked past Gabriel with red rage over his face as he headed into the field. The man with the sheep meat basked in the beam and sat down and soaked in its rays like a prisoner in sunlight.

Gabriel was once again jolted and now was standing before the two men again but now they were in a field of sheep. "Come brother, some of your flock has strayed to my field!" The man said as he grabbed the mans hand. Gabriel could hear the poison in his voice. The man pulled the other along a path, the other reluctantly followed trying to slow the pace.

In the one mans hand was a club fashioned from a large branch. It was dark like the grain from the tree of wisdom in the garden of Eden. Gabriel had to run at times to keep up with the fast strides. Their pace never wavered and with each step the mace would swing into the air then back down at the man's side. They were now at the wheat field and almost before the altar. The man being pulled started to try and pull away.

"But Cain, none of my flock are here. Were you mistaken?" The one man said. They were now standing just before the area where they had presented there offering's to the beam of light. "No brother, there was no mistake made." Cain said as he turned to his brother. Still holding his hand he pulled him into him.

He raised the mace before the heaven's and crashed it down into the head of the other man. With one blow he fell to the ground. Blood ran down his face as he looked up towards his brother Cain. "But why have you done this brother?" The look he gave Cain was not one of pleading, but of love. Cain raised the mace in the air once more.

"You were better" Cain said as the mace plummeted down into Abel's head. His skull crashed in and blood poured out into the earth. As Cain struck he let go of the mace and blood splattered his face. He stood above his brother Abel covered in blood blankly staring at the corpse. Then a smile cracked across his face and he grabbed his brothers legs and drug his body into the tree's at the edge of the field.

Once in the forest there was no grave, but simply the cold forest floor soaking up the blood of his brother. The trail of blood was swallowed up by the earth as Gabriel followed Cain out of the forest and back to the field. The crops were now dead and wilted. Boulders that were never there now sprung up all over the decaying field.

The sky went black and roared with anger. Cain looked up with horror at swirling blackness in the sky. Out of the roars was one word "ABEL!" Cain gazed on at the sky. "I do not know, Am I my brother's keeper!?" Cain shouted back.

"The voice of thy brother's blood crieth out to me from the ground!" The sky echoed. Cains face turned to panic and he started to sprint down the trail towards another forest. "So now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. When thou farm the ground, it shall not yield good crops to you!" The sky roared.

"Thou shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth!" The words echoed from the sky and then into all the hillsides surrounding the area with the same words. Then a bolt shot from the sky and hit Gabriel jolting him back into the bar parking lot and his truck. Gabriel looked over at Cain and he had the same smile on his face as he did after killing his brother.

"You are one sick fuck you know that?" Gabriel said. "I am inside YOU and all mankind. I may have died and been cursed to being a fugitive of the earth but my blood flows in you like my brothers in the ground. My life and death was cast from the bible the day I killed my brother but my anger has burned for centuries!" Cain shouted.

"So why are you here now, in my truck showing me this?" Gabriel said shaking his head in disagreement. "Because I know somewhere in that shell you call a man, is a beautiful beast of destruction yearning to shed mans blood. Once you let go, and let it out you will feel so much better. I have watched so many try to fight their murderous nature and you must let it out. You might disagree with me now but I know you will feel it and just know I will be waiting!" Cain said as he disappeared from the truck.

Gabriel looked around the truck wanting to argue, but relieved that Cain was gone. Shaking his head Gabriel started his truck and headed home. On his way home he thought about what Cain said. Maybe Cain was right, there is something in all of us that wants power and Gabriel really was no better than Cain. How could he judge Cain when he only walked a few hundred yards in his shoes.

It was obvious that Cain worked hard, so why did god reject his offering and not his brothers. Maybe it was something that you could only see by looking at the heart of a man. It was clear Cain's heart was not in the right place when he murdered his brother, but was it before hand. God only knows but is there a time when murder is acceptable?

Mitch had to of felt the same rage Cain did at some point during the war, so was he too a vagabond of the earth. Gabriel guessed that only god could decide when he weighs the hearts of man but if Apollyon was right they all were nothing more than sinners. But what about Jesus dieing for our sins, and how was it fair to those who were there before Jesus died for us.

Why wasn't Cain forgiven for his sin's, and did he try. If he did try could he be forgiven or was he doomed to damnation. If so he was unfairly judged since Jesus had not walked the earth yet. Not only Cain but what about all of those doomed before Jesus, where was their savior. It was all questions that could only be answered by god, or possibly Apollyon.

Gabriel pulled into his driveway, the moonlight made the shadows of the tree's dance on the edge of the driveway. Pulling into his spot Gabriel could see lights on at his house. Looking inside a window he could see one of the occupants run past and the lights turned off. Gabriel got out of his truck and headed for the door.

Turning the nob it abruptly stopped, someone or thing had locked the door. He jiggled the nob and sighed. Inside he could here chuckling of women who obviously had not pulled a prank in years. "Okay real funny let me in now." Gabriel demanded. "Let me in now!" A voice of a women mocked followed by more chuckling.

"Look it's been a long night I just want to go to sleep." Gabriel said in a tone meant more for children than century old ghosts. "We are not preventing you from sleeping" Another woman's voice said. Gabriel waited a moment to see if the door would unlock. He tried the knob one last time, it was still locked. For a moment he paced on the porch getting more annoyed by the moment. It was clear that they would not let him inside no matter what he said.

Gabriel attempted a few of the police man kick in the door trick. It was followed by more laughter from inside. Giving up on the door he went over to one of the windows and it easily slid open. He climbed in the window and looked around his dark kitchen then walked into the living room. He could now here muffled chuckling from all over the house.

For a moment Gabriel almost got angry but instead of fighting a losing battle he headed upstairs to his room. He closed and locked his bedroom door so that he might avoid a rude awaking. He laid down in bed and the chuckling died down. Laying in bed he thought of how one of the woman's laughter sounded like his wives.

Gabriel laid in bed thinking about Christy, though she may or may not had cheated on him. There was always a possibility of it, but then again Apollyon was probably just playing his games. None of it changed the fact that he still loved her. As her drifted off to sleep he planned on visiting her grave in the morning and hopefully avoiding more run in's with the ghosts.

Awaking to sunlight shining through the towels Gabriel sat up and looked around the room. To his relief no one was in his room. He finally had a full nights sleep and laid back down and closed his eye's. If only he could return to that moment of nothingness during sleep. He could not even remember any dream's and his slumber had just been a empty void of bliss.

Gabriel had spent a night in his definition of heaven and laid in bed struggling to return. The days plans of visiting his wifes grave was the only thing that gave him the will to get up. Once out of bed he unlocked the door and took a deep breath heading out into the lions den of undead estrogen. Gabriel kept his head down looking at the floor hoping to not see any of the ghosts.

As he made it to his stairs it was to no avail. Tina was walking up the steps with a big smile on her face. "Morning sunshine!" Tina chirped. "Morning" Gabriel said as he walked around her and down the stairs. His run ins with the women were always uncomfortable. Gabriel made it to the front door and headed out insuring it was unlocked.

Once outside there was another one of the women sitting on the porch steps. It was one of the redheads, she had on a white blouse and tan shorts. Bright red lipstick lined her lips and red blush on her cheeks. Gabriel just glanced at her and looked away trying not to stare. He started to open the door to his truck and then glanced back at the woman.

She was stunning like all the women haunting his house. "Just gonna sleep and leave?" The woman said. "Yeah, to much temptation around this place." Gabriel said. "Then why come back, you know we are better off without you here." The woman said with a angry smirk. "Well my bed is here, and this was once my home." Gabriel said.

"It was never YOUR home" The women paused. "When will you see this is OUR home. You can't just come here and walk around trying to ignore everyone. We exist here weather you like it or not and the faster you accept it the better off we will all be." The woman said. Gabriel closed the truck door without getting in and walked back to the porch.

"Well I am a little freaked out by you all if you can imagine." Gabriel said. "Why because we are dead?" The woman said laughing. "Well I think it's more because you are women. Most women always scared me because they hold so much power over men. Like right now you could take of your clothes and throw yourself at me. Then I would have to fight all of my instincts and desires and leave. Which does not always come easy to me." Gabriel said.

"Hah you only wish I would do that. Not all of us here are madly in love with you and throwing ourselves out there. I actually don't like you one bit and I think I should at least be given the chance to let you know that." The woman said. Gabriel sat down on the bumper of his truck and crossed his arms on his chest.

"Well why don't you like me?" Gabriel asked. "Because you think you're better than all of this. You think everything is about you, and what you want. You throw away your life like it's nothing. Mope around crying poor me all the time. The girls here in this house never had a choice. So what you lost a lot in life, but so did we. So does everyone, but you just give up. You are so weak it makes me sick!" The woman said.

"See this is why I avoid you guys, I know nothing about you yet you guys somehow think you know everything about me. You have seen me at a very bad point in my life, but that does not mean you know me. You want to know why I throw everything away? because it's all I know how to do. I never wanted any of this." Gabriel said.

"That's the problem none of us always want the cards we are dealt but we deal with what we got. You just throw the cards down and walk away. Everyday I deal with the cards I got then I have to watch you bitch and moan." The woman got up from the porch. "By the way my name is Sophea......Live a little asshole." Sophea said as she walked in the house.

Gabriel knew she was right, but was mad she was so quick to judge him. He at least tried to talk to her and she did exactly what she was mad at him for doing. Running away from problems rather than working through them. "Heh, hypocrite" Gabriel said as he got up and headed back to the truck door.

Gabriel heard the door to the house burst open. "What did you call me dickhead!" Sophea shouted. Gabriel sighed and turned around. Sophea was now inches away from him. The beauty was now gone from Gabriel's mind and now all he saw was a angry bitch looking to start drama. "I said you are a hypocrite!" Gabriel said. As he was talking Christa had ran out of the house and grabbed Sophea's hand. "Come on Sophea don't worry about him, it's not worth it!" Christa shouted.

Sophea balled up her fist and tried to pull away from Christa but she wrapped her arms around her waist. "Let me go!" Sophea yelled still trying to get to Gabriel. Gabriel pulled open his truck door laughing. "Yeah you better run asshole, just you wait!" Sophea shouted. Christa was now carrying Sophea back into the house.

Gabriel peeled out from his spot and headed into town. He laughed and shrugged off the assault of the insane ghost. He wished he didn't call her a hypocrite though because now he had to deal with a woman who most likely brewed hatred for men for the last 70 years. The thought of going home now didn't sound like fun at all since the women were most likely preparing their pitch forks.

On the radio was The Doors playing come on baby light my fire. As he was driving and listening to the song a feeling of self disgust came over him. Jim Morrison the lead singer of the doors had accomplished best selling records, touched millions of lives and even today was still touching lives. He wrote poetry that enlightened Gabriel as a kid.

Jim Morrison was somewhat of a idol of Gabriel's. When he did not fit in at school or felt like a outcast he had Jim Morrison saying it's okay to be weird. Let go of all of society's bullshit and breakthrough the doors in your mind holding you back and be you. Even if you are weird or like things no one else does, that's okay. Jim Morrison touched and saved many lives.

But the feeling of self disgust Gabriel was feeling was because Jim Morrison died at the age of 27. Gabriel was now older than Jim was when he died and Gabriel did nothing but cause problems. The only thing that eased the feeling was when Gabriel thought about how Jim Morrison wrote his first record. He did it when he had no home and was living on a rooftop living on canned beans and LSD. Jim said a shaman came to him on that roof and gave him the words to his best selling songs. Gabriel now felt if Jim could start out with nothing and touch so many lives then maybe so could he.

The song ended as Gabriel's mind continued to wonder. Now he was thinking about the native American's and their god's. Was there room in all the madness for other god's and were they real. What about magic powers like voodoo or witchcraft. Or the pagan god's, the universe and even science. How did it all play into god's will?

Gabriel made a mental list of questions to barrage Apollyon with as he pulled into the town. For now he wanted to visit his dead wife who's betrayal, real or fake no longer mattered. The only thing Gabriel cared about was the love he still had for her. Axal was booming with life for a weekday. Everyone was in a hurry to get somewhere. Going the speed limit in town would only promote road rage and someone driving right on your rear bumper.

No one stopped to enjoy the beautiful mountain ranges around the town. They were only there to be seen by the rare tourist passing through. Gabriel could always spot a tourist because they were always going under the speed limit with a swarm of locals trying to pass them and honking. There could be a man dieing in the street and it would only be an inconvenience if they could not get around him.

Pulling onto the road to the graveyard Gabriel was now able to relax a little. He no longer had to keep the pace of the locals since the graveyard road was desolate. There was a reason why it was on the outskirts of town, it was so people could forget the dead and move on with their busy lives. Parking his truck to his surprise there was 2 other vehicles there. Most times the parking spots would be a good place to hide a murder victim because no one went there.

Behind the graveyard was a scenic view of the mountains around the town. The graveyard itself sat at the base of a mountain. The tree's and grass in the graveyard was well maintained even though Gabriel never saw the landscapers there. The graveyard had paths leading to different area's and for a small town it was a rather large graveyard.

To get to his wives grave he had to walk over a hillside and then a few hundred yards down to where she rested amongst other fairly new graves. On the walk Gabriel passed some of his friends and family. Gabriel always liked the graveyard because it was so peaceful. Each visit to the graveyard brought on a unexplainable emotion. One that could only be found in darkness, sadness, madness, and the uncertainty of death.

Each stone was a lifetime of memory slowly being forgotten. One day each grave will no longer have meaning. Just a random name on a stone with a completely decayed corpse below. But for now Gabriel held in his head some of the memory's of those stones. One that he passed by was a friend in grade school. Him and some of his friends were playing with his dad's 44 magnum revolver. The kid was joking with his friends and put it to his head and pulled the trigger. Unfortunately for him it went off cutting short a young mans life.

On the grave was a picture of him in his football uniform. Gabriel wondered how he might look today. He passed another friend who willingly took his life. Gabriel always wished he could have been a part of Toby's life in his final days. They were good childhood friend's but life separated them as they got older.

They would wave and say hi in passing and talk about hanging out. But they both had busy lives and they never did. Then one day Gabriel heard Toby had killed himself and they were having his funeral. Gabriel thought about going but did not feel it was his place. After all Toby had new friends and a life that Gabriel no longer knew about.

Gabriel always struggled with it afterward though. He got to see first hand what losing someone you care about to suicide felt like. The hard part was you never get closure. He had friends who died from things like drinking and driving and with them he felt closure. But with Toby he never understood it. He was such a happy and upbeat person. Gabriel could only see the happy kid who always made Gabriel feel better about his shitty life.

He never had a chance to see what Toby was like in his final years and it was one thing Gabriel deeply regretted because he always loved Toby like a brother. When they did see each other in passing it was like long lost brothers meeting again and he was the one friend that Gabriel had no bad memory's of.

Gabriel always tried to play off Toby's death though and just think of the good times so it would not get him down. He did it because he knew it was what Toby would have wanted. Each time he passed his grave he thought about the good time's rather than him being gone. Like how Gabriel could never look at him the same way because of Toby.

When they were kid's Toby had a pet pig that they kept in his back yard. Toby would pet the pig and take it for walks. They would give him baths in a kiddie pool and both Gabriel and Toby really liked that pig. Then one year after Christmas break Toby was in a strangely depressed mood. When Gabriel asked him what was wrong Toby told him they ate the pig for Christmas dinner. At the time it was sad but now anytime he has ham he thinks about Toby and that pig.

Then there was another time when Gabriel quit smoking and Toby was trying to quit. Toby asked Gabriel how he did it and Gabriel knew if he told him the truth that he had to quit cold turkey then Toby would never quit. So Gabriel told him you have to sweat the addiction out of your system. then a few weeks later Toby thanked Gabriel because it really worked for him. But the funny thing was Gabriel was still smoking and now had to hide it from Toby.

Each step Gabriel took in that graveyard brought back memory's of old friends. Some days walking through it was unbearable and other days it was like being with old friends again. It always amazed Gabriel that through all the pain, stress, success, and failure all people would eventually be nothing more than a stone and a name.

The problem Gabriel had with religion is that once your dead it's not all over. You still have to go on and you don't truly get to rest in peace. You have judgment, damnation, heaven, hell, and whatever those things mean. Really if religion was made to help the living cope with death you think it would be the other way around. Atheism seems like a much better way to cope with death because you are free of all things.
**Chapter Eight  
**

Walking along in the graveyard Gabriel was about to reach the top of a small hill. Below the hill was where his wife was buried. Each time he walked over the crest of the hill he was hit with a array of emotions. This time was no different, but the walk back was always the hardest. Leaving the grave reopened the void that was permanently ripped through his soul.

Walking away meant he would still walk the earth without her and that would mean alone. Though she did not haunt Gabriel in the realm of physics she still haunted him in memory. Like the old men in Marlov's talking about the good days, Gabriel still lived in the past. If Apollyon took him back and let Gabriel live in the memory of her sin, he would no matter how painful it might be.

He made it to the top of the hill and her grave was now in site. There in front of her grave was a man kneeling. From the distance Gabriel could not see who it was, but the mans image blocking his view of her gravestone sent chills down Gabriel's spine. Who could it be Gabriel repeatedly asked himself as he inched closer.

Now just feet from the man a uneasy feeling came over Gabriel. The man had a black wife beater and dark skin. Tattoo's line the mans arms and in his hands was 12 roses. Blood covered his arms as the man was still knelt down weeping and unaware of Gabriel's presence. It was now clear to Gabriel who it was, Antonio. Gabriel walked the row of graves directly in front of his wives and where Antonio was.

Gabriel stood directly behind the man as his blood boiled making his hands tremble. The man who now defiled the image of his wife was knelt down before him. Gabriel had never felt such disgust and rage. Right in front of his wives grave he could end mankind's misery and struggle along with his. Looking down at his feet was a grave with a metal vase and wilted flowers.

Quietly Gabriel picked up the heavy vase and lifted it with one hand above his head. There Gabriel paused for a moment while looking at the back of Antonio's head. His mind played the image of the metal vase crashing into his skull. Antonio's blood draining into the earth above her grave. Gabriel was now blind with rage.

"KILL HIM!" Cain shouted from somewhere in the graveyard behind Gabriel. "DO IT!" Cain shouted again. "LET HIM FEEL THE SUFFERING HE DEALT ON YOU AND YOU WILL BE FREE!" Cain shouted again aging on the rage in Gabriel's vein's. Gabriel turned around and threw the vase. It was enough motion to signal the unsuspecting Antonio to Gabriel's presence.

Gabriel now was looking into the eye's of Antonio. Both of their eye's were bloodshot and filled with suffering. "KILL, KILL, KILL!" Cain shouted. Gabriel reached his hand out for Antonio's shoulder. "NOOO!"Cain shouted just as Gabriel touched Antonio. Gabriel was jolted with electric rage and everything went dark for a moment.

Gabriel came to and was sitting on a playground of children. The kids ran around him were all playing and having fun. Most of the children were a bloody mess but the blood was no longer affecting Gabriel like it had before. In the corner of the playground was a little Hispanic kid playing by himself in the sand. A group of kids ran up to him and kicked sand at him laughing. "Hey Antonio you can take the mask off Halloween is over!" A girl mocked at him.

Antonio was covering up to prevent sand from getting in his eye's. "Leave me alone!" Antonio pleaded in broken English. "Shut up stupid spic." One of the boys said kicking more sand in his face. Then a little girl ran into view and stood in front of Antonio. "HEY, leave him alone or I will go get Mrs. Mathews!" The little girl said. She was the only child on the playground not covered in the blood of their ancestors sins.

Gabriel now knew who the little girl standing up for Antonio was. It was his wife Christy as a little girl. Gabriel never knew her as a kid but she had lots of picture, some of which Gabriel was still holding onto. She stood there standing up for Antonio like a super hero for bullied kids. It was a rare site, just a child and standing up for the victimized.

It would have been much safer to just look away or join in with the mob. Just a little girl and she knew what was right and was standing up for it. Years down the road she would be able to lay her head down and feel proud of what she had done. While the bullies would face a lifetime of bitterness or regret.

Unknowingly she was halting permanent damage to a foreign youth struggling to blend in, in a strange country where only the strong survive. This single moment could have given birth to Cain's rage in the young boy. Instead it was the start of hope and love. The kids ran off laughing and Christy turned around to help Antonio up. Gabriel could see in the split second that their eye's met that their lives would be intertwined.

"Are you okay?" Christy asked. "Ye..Yes I'm okay, thank you." Antonio said. "My name is Christy, whats you name?" she said. "I am Antonio." Once again everything went black as electricity jolted through Gabriel. Now he was sitting in a dark and crowed gymnasium. Slow 90's music filled the gymnasium as kids fumbled around trying to dance.

On the bench next to Gabriel was a Hispanic teenager in a rented suit. Next to him were other kids that would be the backup plan if your date ditched you. Antonio's eye's were impatiently fixated on Christy dancing with some other boy. He looked drunk on lust and the site of her with another kid was stinging the mind of a outcast teen.

Gabriel could tell that he wanted to go over to her but was to afraid. The last song stopped and the lights came on blinding Gabriel and the gymnasium of teens. "Well guys that's the end of prom. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves tonight and please get home safely!" A voice said over the speakers. The kids lined up to head out the door.

Antonio stayed seating and nothing broke his gaze on Christy as she got in line to leave. Next to her was the kid she was dancing with. The kid was making Christy laugh as they walked out. "You are a fool, go after her!" Gabriel said looking at Antonio. It was ironic that those words busted from his lips but Gabriel could still see the look in Antonio's eye's were the same as from the playground.

Once everyone left the gym Antonio got up and walked out. Gabriel followed behind him watching as Antonio's demeanor was that of a teen who watched the love of his life walk away. He was defeated by himself and let his nerves and fear determine the outcome of his youth. As they walked out the doors of the school Antonio's hand clinched into a fist and smashed into the door.

Gabriel burst into laughter as Antonio shook his now bleeding hand and walked to his car. "Man what a pathetic and wasted youth!" Gabriel said. Truth was Gabriel's was not much different from Antonio's no matter how much he tried to deny it. He too was a outcast and let all the girls he was infatuated with slip away because of fear.

At least Antonio had the fact that he was trying to make it in a foreign land. Gabriel was the definition of a teenage loser. His family never had the money for new clothes so Gabriel had just a few shirts and pants. Most of them had holes, one pair of jeans left his entire knee exposed. To avoid everyone seeing that he only had a few shirts he would wear the same sweater everyday.

It could be freezing or 100 degree's and Gabriel would be wearing that sweater. School was dreadful because it meant he could not wear his dirty old baseball cap and his nerdy bowl hair cut would be exposed. Gabriel could only be described as the nerdy kid wearing the same sweater and looked like a member of the beetles 50 years after they were cool. The average school day was spent trembling in fear in the back of the classroom while trying to appear cool and look like a bad boy.

But Gabriel thought he was a rebel living on the outside of the fashion and social trends. His youth was spent in ignorance of what he really was. He walked around like he was better than everyone else with a chip on his shoulder. It was just a defense mechanism protecting him from the horrible truth. It would have been a much easier childhood if he just accepted the fact that he came from a poor family and was no better than anyone else.

Gabriel was picked on just like Antonio. But instead of just accepting it for what it was, Gabriel would fight back. Giving in to the menace of a few kid's and fighting fire with fire. Gabriel could not count how many fights he had been in as a kid but he still had the scars to prove it. Rather than being a victim and accepting the fact that he was a outcast he fought it and felt that doing so made him a badass and a tough guy. Really it made him a bigger coward and just as bad as the kids picking on him.

Antonio's punching of the door was nothing in comparison to Gabriel's many suicide attempts and thoughts as a kid. So him laughing at Antonio was still him in defense mode, him and Antonio had everything in common but Gabriel was not allowing himself to accept it. If the tables were turned and they were looking at Gabriel's youth then he would be embarrassed at the emotional kid that he was. But since they were not in his past he was unknowingly making himself feel superior to Antonio. He felt as though he was still competing for Christy but the competition was over and no one wins when a loved one die's.

Antonio was now in his car, it was a 2 door Honda that had seen better days. Only one rim remained and the tires and car were in rough shape. Gabriel got in the passenger side, once sitting down a new feeling of disgust came over him. The smell in the car was bad and that of a foreigner. Really it wasn't that bad but Gabriel's nonacceptance of Antonio made it all the worse.

The two drove through the town of Axal for awhile as Antonio would flop from one emotion to the next. One moment he was mad, the next sad. Then they pulled into a shabby old motel that no longer exists in the town. It was very odd to Gabriel seeing the old motel again, since they tore it down years ago. It had only one floor and you parked your car right in front of the motel room you were staying in.

Next to them was a hot rod, Gabriel assumed it was some fortunate sons. Dad most likely worked his ass off for it and now his son was using it as his prom night chariot leading to some lucky girls deflowering. The lights were still on in the room and some shadows would dart by the window every so often. They sat in the car for a few moments then they got out.

Gabriel stood and watched as Antonio paced around back and fourth. Every so often he would go up to the door and get ready to knock, then his hand would drop and he would go back to pacing around outside. "Just knock already!" Gabriel shouted. He was becoming just as impatient, he knew who hot rod was with.

Christy had to be in there but Gabriel was not as worried as Antonio. Christy told Gabriel that she was a virgin and lost her virginity the first time her and Gabriel made love. But a part of Gabriel was uneasy since everything he thought he knew was falling apart around him. He was still in denial of everything though and did not know what to believe.

Finally Gabriel heard the timid and insecure knock he was waiting for. They could hear some laughter and then the door cracked open. "Hey what are you doing here?" The kid said. "Hi sorry to bother you but is Christy in there?" Antonio asked. "Dude, get lost." The kid said and shut the door. Antonio's shoulders sunk to the ground.

They could hear talking inside and a voice that sounded like Christy but neither Gabriel or Antonio could make any of it out. Antonio started to walk back to his car and then stopped and turned around. He went back to the door and knocked again. "Oh this should be good" Gabriel said. The door cracked open again. "I said get lost!" The kid said. "Christy are you in there, its me Antonio." He shouted into the room trying to look over the other kid's shoulder. Then the door slammed shut again but with more force.

Antonio turned and walked away again. Just before he made it to the car the door to the motel came open. "Antonio what are you doing here?" Christy said. She was in a silver dress that flowed down to her feet, lined with glitter. She had on a large amount of poorly placed makeup. Unlike her as a child now she had some blood on her hands that made her look like a deranged prom night killer.

Gabriel did not know what sin she had done to have blood on her hands and still in denial he did not care. Gabriel perked up when he saw her and moved towards her. Antonio was doing the same exact thing. "I am sorry Christy, I didn't mean to ruin your night but I had to tell you something." Antonio said as he choked up and paused. "Well what is it?" Christy said with a frustrated look. "I...I love you Christy, I always have." Antonio said again choking up. "This...This is really bad timing to tell me this Antonio." Christy said.

"I know I am sorry, I just could not go another night without telling you. I will go, I just thought you should know." Antonio said. His eye's were starting to fill with tears again as he turned away and went towards his car again. Christy let out a long drawn out sigh of frustration. "Wait let me get my stuff and we can go talk." Christy said. "Oo okay" Antonio said with a cracking voice.

He got back in the car with a less defeated look on his face. Gabriel was shaking his head but happy to see she was getting away from hot rod. Gabriel could hear some arguing going on in the room and went over to hear what was going on. "Really come on, I got this room and everything, you can't leave!" The kid said. "I am so sorry I had fun tonight but my friend needs me right now." Christy said. "Fine then just get out of here. I should have known better taking a prude bitch to prom!" The kid said with a angry look on his face.

Christy ran out of the room and to Antonio's car. She quickly pulled open the door. "Let's get out of here!" Christy said with relief. Then just as she shut the door Gabriel felt the jolt and darkness. Now Gabriel was sitting at the hangout spot where he almost killed himself on a few occasion's. It was also where he saw Ashley get raped by those two punks.

Now in front of him was Antonio and Christy sitting on a blanket on the hood of Antonio's car. It was no longer prom night because they were in their normal clothes again. They were holding hand's and looking up at the star's. "Do you remember the first time we met?" Antonio said looking at Christy. "No, not really, we were so young." Christy said still looking up at the star's.

"Well Jack, Brain, and Jenna had been picking on me, and you ran over and stopped them." Antonio said. "Really....Hmmm maybe I do remember." She said shrugging. "I knew then that I loved you, and just wanted to be around you. I was always so scared to tell you how I felt but none of it mattered as long as I was a part of your life." Antonio said.

"Awww thanks I love you too!" Christy said and leaned over and gave him a kiss. It lead to a teenage make out fest. Gabriel was frustrated at what he was seeing but after all this was her past. He did not know her then and was 4 years older than her. They had yet to fall in love but he never knew about Antonio. He could not understand why she never mentioned him. What if the whole time she still loved Antonio and did not tell Gabriel because she loved him too.

They finally stopped making out and Christy pulled away from Antonio. "Hey you want to try something?" Christy asked with blood running from her lips. "Uhmm yeah sure what is it?" Antonio said. "Okay just go with it alright?" Christy said. Antonio just nodded as they started making out again. Christy started do undo Antonio's pants and then he pulled her hands away. "Wait, I want it to be perfect...For you!" Antonio said.

"This is perfect!" Christy said as they locked back together. "What the fuck really?" Gabriel said as he walked away down suicide trail. He stopped and looked back and could so the two wrapped in a blanket having sex on the hood of Antonio's car. Gabriel felt betrayed again but was trying to deny what he was seeing. He felt so hurt by the fact that she had deceived him and everything he thought he knew.

But it wasn't really Antonio's fault, he did as almost any man would do. But then it was in such a harmless and respectful manner. But what about once him and Christy were married. He had to have known she was taken and he still slept with her. It was all hurting so much more, had it been a one time fling of her cheating then it would not hurt so bad. But Christy and Antonio were in love and she played the both of them.

Gabriel collapsed down next to a tree and covered his eye's with his hands. Then he looked up at the star's. "WHY!" He shouted into the sky. Why do I have to love her so much that it hurts. Not only did I lose her but now I have to lose her all over again. Gabriel saw lightning flash from the sky and then the jolting darkness.

He was now standing in front of a still kneeling Antonio in the graveyard. Behind Antonio and Christy grave was Cain brimming with rage. "Oh just do it already.....Once you start I will help you kill him!" Cain shouted. Gabriel and Antonio were now locking tear filled eye's. Antonio knew who Gabriel was though he never formally met him.

"Are you just going to let him hurt and humiliate you like that?!" Cain said. Antonio could not hear Cain though and could only hear and see Gabriel. "I am so sorry for your loss, she was a very special person." Antonio said struggling not to break down in tears. Gabriel was choking up and struggling to find words or actions to respond. "Well here we are, two men madly in love with the same dead woman." Gabriel said. As the words left Gabriel's lips Antonio's head dropped to the ground and he started to weep. "I am so sorry!" Antonio said. "He is not sorry, he ravished your wife and betrayed you and GOD!" Cain shouted.

Gabriel paused for a few moments once again trying to decide what to do. "I......Forgive you, you cannot help the fact that you loved her. Just like I can't. But would it okay if I have a few moment's alone with her?" Gabriel said. A weighted of grief was lifted from both of their shoulders. Gabriel knew he was in no state of mind to be around Antonio and had to get out of his presence/ Antonio wept for a moment and then looked up at Gabriel. "Yes I will go." Antonio said as he place the flowers next to her gravestone. Antonio looked back at Gabriel "Thank you!" Antonio said with tears running down his face.

Gabriel nodded his head at Antonio as Antonio got up and walked away. Gabriel looked back to insure that he was gone and then sat down next to her grave. Cain was still standing behind it. "You are a coward of a man!" Cain said. "Heh, not killing a man makes me a coward. Your rage might flow in my veins but I decide what to do with it." Gabriel said.

"It's a waist of blood, you just let that man defile your heart and then let him go" Cain said. "You know what your problem is Cain? You see only one side of everything. Sure you worked hard in your life and it still was not good enough. But your brother worked just as hard and because god accepted him over you that gave you no reason to kill him. You only saw your pain and not that of your brothers. Antonio is just like me and just because he hurt me does not mean he does not hurt too. I learned a valuable lesson, I almost let you win Cain. But me, and everyone hurts the same, my pain is no worse than his. Killing him will not end my pain. All these years you have been cursed to this world, has your pain ended yet?" Gabriel said.

"You only fought back your true feeling's from coming through this one time. Now you think you have the answers to the thousands of years that I have walked this retched place. I will be waiting and one day you will succumb to my rage. When you do I will be there!" Cain said.

"Well as long as I don't your curse will prevail. So go back to being a vagabond of earth!" Gabriel said with a smile. Cain glared at Gabriel and then turned away and disappeared back into his curse. Gabriel finally was alone in the graveyard. He looked at his wife's grave and engraved at the bottom was the saying "God Alone Understands"

It was the uneasy answer to the last two years of Gabriel's life. It gave no real assurance or ease in grief. It only left Gabriel religiously confused. "I wish you were here, I don't understand why you could not tell me about Antonio. The only thing I can think of is you loved us both to much. I know there was not a vile bone in your body. You were so loving and kind, I want you to know I forgive you Christy." Gabriel said.

Tears ran down his face, this time not tears of rage but that of unconditional love. "I might not be back here for awhile. I have this journey of madness and.....Enlightening. I guess its the journey we all take really, life without those we love. If you happen to be in heaven, let god know that I could use a little more help down here. I am afraid this is all too much for one broken man to take." Gabriel said.

"I want you to know I love you, and I always will. I hope you and your child are free from all his hatred and pain." Gabriel said. He bent down and kissed her gravestone. As he did the flowers Antonio had left fell over. Gabriel almost got up and walked away but instead he picked them back up. Placing the flowers right in front of the stone insuring that they would not fall over again, and then he walked away.
**Chapter Nine  
**

Walking away from the grave Gabriel had a very warm feeling rather than the normal void. He had faced many demon's that had been haunting him since falling into Apollyon's trap. The warmth he was feeling was not spiritual, or even physical. It was the knowledge that he was still human and still had morals.

He was understanding that his weakness connected him to the rest of mankind. The defenses he had been building up was what outcast him for so many years. He might be a suicidal, psychotic, madman but it was what still made him human and not a monster. Maybe Gabriel had to face death before he could really live. The pain and emotion of reality was enough to drive him insane. But he was finally starting to live and find meaning.

Gabriel took a different route out of the graveyard. It was the old section that had graves dating back from the 1800's. Iron fencing and concrete surrounded the ancient graves. Some of the graves suffered from vandalism, while some remained almost untouched. Their were many graves of infants in the old section of the graveyard. Many of them had lamb's on their tombstone and the lambs head had been removed from vandal's.

It was hard enough that a infant lost it's fight and died. Had they lived a few centuries later with modern medical equipment then they would have most likely survived. But the true horrifying thing is that some sick and twisted monster removed the lambs head from the tombstone. Gabriel had seen many sin's listed in the bible, but it's the one's that are not in the bible that has made this world sickening to live in.

God himself could not even imagine such disgusting crimes against humanity and did not list them in the commandments. The same type of person who removed the lambs head should not have been granted the life that the infant never had. Gabriel could remember seeing Indian petroglyphs as a kid. It was so magical that he could see the artwork on our earth that dated back before famous artists like Leonardo Da Vinci and invoked creativity.

Today those petroglyphs have bullet holes in them and other carving's added into the rock from ignorant rednecks. They were better off taking a shit on the Mona Lisa and wiping their ass with the starry night. The aura they leave for the next generation is this: You might be a stupid inbred fuckhead, but it's okay because you can destroy thousand year old artwork. Instead of inspiring creativity in the hearts and minds of future generations you will inspire a burning hatred for fuckheads that want to destroy art and nature.

Sometimes Gabriel felt like saving the world but it's the little thing's like the lambs head that makes him want to just say fuck it. The world has lost morals and respect for others. Why try to save them when they will destroy themselves. Like a vile plague of ignorant zombies consuming and destroying all that's in their path. Then biting the future generation and turning them into a even more horrific ignorant zombie. So how could Gabriel ever hope to save such a plague?

Some of the old wooden gravestones had rotted and fallen over. The old section was not kept up and most of the area had weeds and even trees growing in front of the tombstones. It's sad that we have forgotten about the past generations and our ancestors. They had morals and a understanding of life and their purpose here.

Gabriel always wished he lived in a earlier time. To live the simple life where if you were lazy and greedy you would starve. The days when a man could work his land and bring food home to his family simply by being a hunter and gatherer. When man lived his life with the sweat on his brow and integrity. To lay his head down at night and not have to think about all the bullshit bills, stress, and fear of the future.

Today a man cannot go out and make it simply off the sweat of his brow and integrity. Simply going to the grocery store deprives modern man of that. Some poor man, woman, or child in a third world county is living in slavery to put food and items in our grocery stores. Their life is one of pain, poverty, sickness, and suffering so that we can consume.

Our society is fine with it though, they go into a grocery store and see the commercial side of slavery. It looks colorful, happy, and delicious on the shelf. But they don't see the death and destruction that it is causing behind the scenes. But it's not always the consumers fault, we have laws that require us to join in on the corruption. After all if we could all go out and shoot a deer for dinner then there would be none left.

Gabriel had the problem, but there was no solution. Obviously the world was to far gone in the eye's of god. But it was the perfect planet for the fallen angel of hell. He was basking in the glory of all the corruption. Gabriel had yet to see a person without blood on their hands in the present time. Sure he saw people from the past without it, but not the present.

Gabriel was still walking through the graveyard and felt lost in his mind and on the earth. He was not sure if the old section would lead him back to his truck. He had no idea where he was and just walked amongst the ruins of people with integrity. Gabriel saw a bunch of graves with an iron gate around them. The stones where old and hard to read but they all died on the same day, September 8th, 1872.

"He was a real family man." Apollyon said from behind Gabriel. Gabriel did not turn around but continued to stare at the stones. "You know I have so many question's for you, but I already know the answers." Gabriel said. "Well then, if you know the answer how is it a question?"

"I know the answer will be a lie, that I have to figure out the truth in."

"I have been asked many questions throughout the dawn of man, but never that one. The less you know the better off you are Gabriel. But I will answer every question you have if you promise me one thing."

Gabriel knew what these deals with the devil would mean. He was tricked into drinking from the grail and ended up in this mess of immortality. But what more could Apollyon really do, after all Gabriel was now in control. The devil needed Gabriel more than Gabriel needed him. But Gabriel had to find answers to the many questions that made him lack faith.

"A promise to the devil.......I am better off just selling my soul."

"I already have your soul, and your soul is not what I want. The man who forgave the creature that enjoyed the finer sides of your wife, and cursed Cain. No matter how insanely despicable it is to me. That is who you must be at all times."

Gabriel loved the feeling it gave him when he was able to forgive Antonio. It lifted weights that had been dragging his soul into destruction once again. Cain was clearly a mad man and Gabriel was more than happy to be rid of him. Gabriel had already accepted the terms the day Apollyon baptized him in the river. But Gabriel was still just a man of mistakes but he needed answers.

"You know I almost killed them both, but I had to see where Antonio's heart was at before I ripped it from him." Gabriel said.

"Yes I know what you did, I was watching. I have had my eye's on you since the day god placed you in the womb." Apollyon said.

"Would you have stopped me, from killing them?"

"No, Cain cannot die and the only way you can be a saint is at heart. I protected you from many things for years. But now you are on your own, I picked you because I knew you would not kill him. I am only here because I believe god made a mistake. I was an angel once you know?"

"Yes, I had a dream about you falling from heaven as a child. It's hard to explain the dream but it was like I knew so much about religion without reading a word in the bible until now. In the dream black clouds encircled a bright light. I didn't understand it then but I do now. You came from the light, with wings torn and spewing black blood as you plummeted from the sky. Then I woke up and forgot it, until now."

"Yes, it was a glorious day. See god made a mistake by creating man. Me and some of the other Angels in heaven did not want to be less in his eye's, than his mistake. So we made our decent and I finally found what energizes my apatite, the destruction of man. You were no mistake though, created not only by god's will but my cunning. But I can no longer fight your battles for you, now the choice is yours, to prove god wrong, or build my legion. As you know either way I win!"

"So you are no longer dodging bullets, and killing the ones I love?" Gabriel said with a sigh.

"Yes that is right, so swear to me to be my saint, or prove god wrong?"

"I swear to be god's saint." Gabriel was not going to surrender himself to Apollyon. He was not doing what is right because Apollyon had to build his legion. But because he still had morals, god was a mystery to him. But he would rather make a oath to god than the devil.

"Ha, well that is good enough for me. Now walk with me and I will answer anything you wish to know."

Gabriel turned away from the graves and walked down the graveyard road with Apollyon. "Hmmm, what happened to that family back there anyways?"

"Hahaha! I tell you I will answer any question. Give you the key's to life and this is what I get asked!" Apollyon said laughing hysterically.

"We can get to that later, we have time. So the family?"

"As you wish, You read the story of Job so you know Job was a true saint of god's. I told god what if I take everything from him will he still be a saint. Job remained as such, the man back there was no different from Job. One day he was cutting wood in the forest alone just outside of his cabin. Me and some of my angels charged through the forest after him. He nearly died of fear and ran to his cabin. We screamed and yelled from outside. He barricaded himself and his family inside. He looked up to the heavens and prayed god would forgive him. He said he would not allow his family to be captured by demons and would trade himself. So he raised the ax above his head and smashed it into his wives shoulder blade. She collapsed to the floor and he then smashed it into her head. Next were the children, then when they all were slayed he walked out to me and bowed down before me. I was utterly impressed by his blood lust. He did not just kill his family to save them, he enjoyed surrendering to us.

"Heh imagine if the story's like that made it in the bible!" Gabriel said.

"Ha, then man would be unable to read the bible in his pathetic lifespan."

"Will you still answer my questions if we don't get to them all now?" Gabriel was being cautious of more tricks. Apollyon was known to flake out on him and the chances of all of Gabriel's questions being answered were as slim as Cain being forgiven.

"Your questions are horrible! But yes as long as you are sworn to me, I will."

Now they were walking in a unknown area of the graveyard or world. Gabriel had walked the Graveyard many times and never saw the old crosses and stones that he was seeing now. When he walked this section in the past it was just a empty field so it seemed foreign to him. Some of the graves were from before the old section of the graveyard. These graves dated back to the 1850's and looked like they were placed yesterday. Even the soil had been recently dug and fresh flowers adorned the graves.

"If Jesus died for our sin's why was Cain not forgiven?"

"Human's and their Jesus died for our sin's bit. Jesus died because of your sin's not for them. If so we would not be in the chaos we are now. If all was forgiven I would be no more, heaven would be full of men like Cain. Did you know Jeffery Dahmer, a man who feasted on childrens flesh asked for forgiveness. Now do you imagine your heaven with Jeffery Dahmer in it? That sounds more like my heaven, and that's exactly where he is." Apollyon said with fury in his voice.

"So I can't just go out and spree kill, fuck random sluts, then suicide bomb a mosque and ask for forgiveness?" Gabriel said laughing.

"Don't you know, I will have 50 virgins waiting if you did that. No man clearly did not understand Jesus and twists his history to allow themselves to feel good about sinning. You can ask for forgiveness all you want but if you are not truly ashamed of the sins then you will be welcomed to my heaven."

Gabriel was confused, it seemed as though Apollyon was running his mind around in circles. The conversation was becoming as confusing as the landscape. Next to one of the graves they passed was a statue of three children on a bench. It was of two girls and one boy sitting in the middle on a bench reading the bible.

Gabriel stared at it for a moment and its symbolism to him in that moment. None of the children were old enough to read but were expected to understand the bible and have faith. Gabriel felt like the boy, he was expected to understand what he cannot. Then he was expected not to fall for the temptation at his right and left side and all around him.

Around them in the woods was the laughter of children. Gabriel imagined that Apollyon could see into his thoughts and setting more traps to confuse and capture him. There was almost a romantic side to Apollyon, he was easy to like. But Gabriel knew he could not fall for his tricks or love the world he was creating.

"So if Dahmer was truly ashamed of what he did then he would have been forgiven?" Gabriel said.

"You really think he was, you think those people who beg for forgiveness then do the same thing again will be forgiven? If I offered Dahmer a child today, he would have it cut up and be chewing on its bones. You can be forgiven, but not in the way mankind thinks they will be."

"What about a man who forgives, will he be forgiven?"

"Sure if he truly thinks he was wrong for doing the sin and really forgave others, then of course. No one see's the hearts of man but god and me. Today their hearts are full of corruption and excuses. They go to church and lie to themselves then go out and sin. If you let 100 religious men fuck the woman or man they most desired. Then the next day hook them up to a lie detector and ask if they were sorry for their sins and wanted to be forgiven. Do you really think they would pass the test. So it is with god." Apollyon was struggling to explain things to Gabriel and was becoming more and more impatient with him. He struggled with modern analogies so that Gabriel might comprehend what he was saying.

"Okay so what about science?" Gabriel was trying to get off the conversation of forgiveness. He was having as hard of a time understanding it as the devil teaching him it.

"What about it?" Apollyon said.

"Well isn't science there to prove that god does not exist?"

"Well it depends really, the question is way to broad for me to give an answer. If you want the truth from me you must be as specific with the question as humanly possible."

"Fine, the dinosaurs, what were they, how were they in god's plan?"

"It sounds to me Gabriel that you are trying to prove to yourself that god does not exist. I have many webs that I cast on earth to ensnare man."

"Now you sound more like a preacher, okay evolution. We know it happens so did we come from monkey's?"

"Well I personally would place you in the same category, yes. But it all happens by god's will, simply because an evolved version of a monkey existed does not mean it's where man came from. Evolution does exist and was a part of his will. I think he hoped you would evolve into something better, more worthy of his love. But luckily for me that has not happened!"

Apollyon always spoke of man as though there was no hope for them. Like Apollyon had already won the ancient battle of good and evil and put the nail in the coffin.

"Well a few months ago I would have asked why is there evil, but I understand that now. Why has god remained hidden. Why is there no modern bible or laws that pertain to our society?"

"You should have been a joker because these questions are absurd. You want god to conform to your society. You want him to change his law's to fit yours? I know I destroyed most of the bible but I thought enough was left for people to understand. You are playing OUR game, not your game. Why would he answer to a corrupted world. There is no modern bible because the man who wrote it would be strung up by his neck. Just as Jesus was crucified. If you ran into the Vatican city now and said you talk to angels and god and have a message for the pope they would find the nearest cell to lock you in. It's the same reason you cannot tell anyone about us. It took time but I made it this way, so no one can really believe or have faith."

"What about the other gods?"

"Again you must be specific!"

"Well are the other gods real, like the people who believe in say Buddha?"

"Siddhartha Gautama was real, he lived within god's commandments and so was given eternal life."

"But he did not believe in the catholic or christian god?"

"So what, neither does a infant who dies at birth. If he stayed within the commandments and had a pure heart is he less of a being for not knowing gods name?"

"Well, no." Gabriel said confused. Gabriel remained silent for a moment letting it all sink in. His mind darted for questions and struggled with the answers. There was so much more to know and understand but his mind and our language was not evolved enough to understand it all.

"What language did you use in heaven?"

"It is like any language, in heaven you are equipped with it. But it is much more intense than any language of the earth. If we were speaking it now you would already understand everything and there would be no more discussion. Unfortunately I have to explain it all in this form you call English!"

"Do you use the same language in hell?"

"No, those not in my legion have no language, or understanding of anything. Just feeling, suffering. Those in my legion and my angels speak Latin. When we were cast from heaven we had to figure out a way to communicate. So we used Latin, and still do. Which is why those possessed will normally speak Latin, but we can also speak your languages."

"Okay so you can speak any language but use Latin when speaking with your legion?"

"You are catching on so fast, I will need to witness a family be slaughtered or maybe an orphanage of children just to get your ignorant stench from my tongue!" Apollyon's aggravation was growing and the landscape was going dark, and dead. The grass was dead and scorched. The graves were now falling over and the sky was going dark. Pine tree's were barren and dead.

"Sorry just making sure I am understanding this all correctly. So do angels....you, and god have mind's and do you learn things?"

"Well I have been learning that maybe I was wrong and should have never picked you!" Apollyon paused for a moment of irritation.

"Yes but your mind is no where near capable of understanding ours, or us." Apollyon said.

"So what do you do in heaven, do you have sex with angel's, run around with a sword killing demons or what?" Gabriel was now simply grasping for any question to ask. The ignorance of a citizen of Axal was starting to shine through.

"Some questions I cannot answer, what man does in heaven is as much a mystery to me as to you. I was outcast before and have not returned since."

"Okay so what did you do in heaven before?"

"It was much like any kingdom of man, except honest. We lived for the affection of god. I assume the angels in heaven still do. We also served god and his will, if he willed us to love we did. If he willed us to fight, we would. We did as he commanded and it was always right. That is until he made man." Apollyon had a expression of a orphan child out cast from his fathers love. It was apparent to Gabriel that Apollyon loved god and his kingdom. Gabriel could even hear the jealousy in his words. The master of lies and tricks was starting to crack before him.

"So once he made man what did you do, did you create hell, and what exactly is in hell?"

"One day when you are ready I will show you hell.... We had to build an underworld to keep those devoted to me. The best way to explain hell in English is damnation. Since falling from heaven I cannot explain all I have done, simply put I ravished the plague of man."

"I know these are broad questions but I think you are holding out on so many of the answers."

"Some thing's the mind of man cannot handle. God did not put you here to understand everything which is why the mind of man is limited. I can only answer what you can understand and I can translate."

"Alright fair enough I guess..." Gabriel said but Apollyon cut him off before he could finish.

"That is enough questions for now. I will answer them all in time as promised but this all bores me. The knowledge you gain will simply be wasted. For now I must leave, even I have a apatite to feed!"

"Well just know I am holding you to it. Next time we meet you will get many more questions. So I guess this is bye,and thanks?"

Apollyon had pulled his typical vanishing act leaving Gabriel with the last word. Gabriel would have went on for days asking Apollyon questions but it was clear his patients with Gabriel was thin. Once again he was left to seek his purpose and somehow live in the world with everything he now knew.

Before the blink of a eye, the clouds and graves were gone. Gabriel was standing in the empty section of the graveyard that he remembered from previous exploration. He was unsure of why Apollyon was displaying graves and memorials that did not exist. Gabriel walked back towards the old section of the graveyard so that he could get back to his truck without getting lost once again.

The old section was now in view and looking at it was as though looking into Gabriel's soul. Old graves partially destroyed by vandal's and the passing of time. Each one unique with its own story of pain and suffering. They were guarded like his heart, by morals and spiritual taboo. Going into the depths of the graves in his soul would only bring on future pain. So each grave was treated with absolute care and respect of the past.
**Chapter Ten  
**

Just before making it out of the open field Gabriel noticed a large grave plaque. On it Gabriel read the following: This is a memorial dedicated to the founders of the valley and mountain ranges of Axal. In this field is where the people who built Axal's foundations are buried. Their graves and names are now lost due to vandalism and the corrupt spirit that is now found throughout our world.

Etched in the memorial was a closed gate with rays of sun shining down on it. Gabriel had seen gates like this on graves but they were always open. Whoever made the memorial had to have the same no bullshit spirit that Gabriel was finding in himself. The closed gate symbolized what Gabriel already knew. That the modern generations can only look forward to closed gates in life and death.

Gabriel looked out into the field trying to remember how it looked when he was walking with Apollyon. Gabriel was able to have a glimpse at how beautiful it used to be. Where lives lost loved ones, and grand-children of earth found their ancestors resting place. Now they only have a empty field of hollowed ground to look at.

Out in the field Gabriel could see divots in the earth where a grave was. in one spot he could make out a hole where someone had actually dug up a corpse and left it open. Gabriel hoped that maybe someone's ancestors had found the location of a relative and moved them to a marked grave. But most likely it was the twisted mind of a necromancy redneck since he could see beer cans around the hole. Upon further inspection of the field it was not really empty grave site but a junk yard of disrespect.

Everyday spent in Axal was enough to remind you of how corrupt people are. Axal was suppose to be one of the last frontiers where man could escape corruption. Instead it was just another birthing place of ignorance and vile swine. Finding love and happiness in such a place would be the hardest way of doing so.

Gabriel walked away from the hollowed junkyard of disrespect and headed back towards his wives resting place and his truck. Once he made it to Christy's grave again he stopped a moment and nodded his head before walking away again. He made his way back over the hill of his last true friends. When he made it to the top and started back down he could see a woman sitting on one of the graveyard benches reading a book.

He looked at the woman and then looked away. But something about her drew his glance back. He stopped and just intently stared at the unsuspecting women. She was such a beautiful and amazing monster of our world. She had on black cargo pants with chains hanging from the pants pockets. There was writing's and tears on her pants.

Her shirt was a simple black tank top, exposing green bra straps. On one of her arms was a tattoo of skeleton stick figures, with skull heads. One was a woman with a brides veil, the other was a man handing her a ring. The woman was a natural blonde but she had once died her hair black and it was fading. Her lip had multiple spikes coming out from them and strong black make up lined her face.

Everything about her was clearly saying don't fuck with me. She could have been reading at the library or in the woods but much like Gabriel, she enjoyed the company of the dead. She was a absolutely gorgeous ruin of a woman. Gabriel was completely fascinated by her, he was now ducking behind a pine tree to conceal himself.

She was much like Ashley but even Ashley still had a purpose in life to destroy men. But this magnificent monstrosity of modern worlds design was completely dead to the world. She did have some blood on her hands but the pain of her life was absolutely intriguing to Gabriel. The woman was the first that Gabriel could look at and want to see her suffering since she wore it like a trophy on her body.

Gabriel was even undressing her with his eye's. Removing the defense mechanisms of a corrupted soul. Underneath the chains, studs, black makeup, and hair coloring was a drop dead gorgeous blonde. He was not undressing her in a lustful way, but to see the perfect creature underneath it all. She was a butterfly that went back into a cocoon concealing her beauty. But Gabriel could see it shining through and was not falling for the masks.

After watching her for a few moments he knew he had to speak with this woman. He had to see the pain she went through no matter how frightening it might be. He would not walk away without seeing the architect of such a perfect ruin. Just like he used his curse to see Antonio's love for Christy, he would use it to see her pain.

At first he thought about sneaking up and just gently touching her. But he wanted to speak to her, and to know who she was before seeing what made her that way. He stepped out from behind the tree and headed down the road towards her. She was still reading her book and was unaware Gabriel was there even though he was now right next to her.

"What are you reading?" Gabriel said. She didn't even jump, or change expression. She just continued to read until she was at a point where she could answer. "I am reading poem's by Edgar Allan Poe." Once she was done speaking she went back to reading.

"Mind if I sit?" Gabriel asked. Once again there was no reply but a simple nod of her head. Gabriel sat down next to her on the bench. He remained silent for a few moments and watched a blue bird flying around landing from tombstone to tombstone. "So do you like being in the graveyard?" Gabriel asked searching for words like a young man with pick up lines.

"I do enjoy the graveyard when no one is here." She said in dismissal of Gabriel. "Not the friendly type huh?" Gabriel said.

"Do I look like the friendly type?" She was becoming agitated with Gabriel. She just wanted to read her book and be left in peace. "I am sorry to bother you, just wanted to know why such a beautiful woman would be alone and reading in the graveyard."

"Look buddy, I am not into men. Save your pickup lines for some other clueless girl."

"Well I am not looking for a woman so you don't have to worry about that. I just thought maybe you were someone I could have a interesting conversation with."

"You thought wrong, I just want to be left alone please." Right as she finished speaking she went back to reading her book. Gabriel was getting no where fast with the woman, so he turned to plan B. He reached his hand out and brushed up against her leg. The normal jolt and darkness hit him for a moment and then he found himself in a trailer home.

Looking up at a clock on the wall it was reading 1a.m. A little girl and boy were playing in the living room. The girl was about 6 or 7 and the boy looked a few years younger. The girl had blonde hair and Gabriel knew it was the woman back in the graveyard that he was so fascinated with. They had toy cars and GI Joe's sprawled out all over the floor.

The kids played for a few moments and then Gabriel felt the whole trailer shake and a loud bang. The kids panicked and shut off the light and darted down a hallway to their room. Gabriel could hear the engine of a car and he thought at first maybe it was a earthquake that shook the trailer but it was the vehicle. Gabriel followed through the dark back to the kid's bedroom.

Inside the room was a shabby home made bunk bed made from plywood and two by four's. It looked more like a crappy tree house that some kids slapped together. The girl was already up on the top bunk pretending to be asleep. The boy was on the bottom bunk doing the same. Gabriel just hoped that the whole bunk bed would not collapse crushing the poor boy below.

Even the trailer looked like it might collapse from the force of the car hitting it. But luckily the redneck paradise was somehow holding together. Gabriel could hear the door slam shut and some heavy coughing. Then he heard another huge thud of someone collapsing. "FUCKING TOY'S!" A man yelled in a drunken rage.

"Stupid fucking kids have been up playing all night!" The man yelled. Gabriel could hear some cupboards slamming shut. The light from the living room flashed on, the kids door was slightly cracked and allowed the light to glow in. Gabriel could hear more banging of cupboards then silence.

"That's it, I'm gonna teach these kids a lesson!" The man's rage was growing by the minute. Gabriel walked out to see the man. He was standing in the kitchen holding a Zipo lighter and going through a old cigar box. The man had long brown hair and a purple muscle shirt. He was very tall with a long face filled with rage.

Though he had on a muscle shirt he was very scrawny. His arms were covered in tattoo's of Nazi signs, knives, revolvers, and roses. He also had a large cross with a Nazi sign in the middle of it. The tattoo's looked like they had been done in prison rather than by a professional. Once Gabriel was close enough he could see the man fumbling through WWII German badges in the cigar box.

The man could hardly stand straight and was trembling mad. He pulled one swastika badge from the box and closed it up. He laid the badge and the Zipo down on the table. He put the box of badges back in the cupboard and slammed it shut. Then he walked over to a drawer and pulled out some needle nose pliers and threw them down on the table.

Gabriel was not sure what nightmare the man was working on but it didn't look good for the children in their room. It looked like he was preparing for a drunken satanic and racist funeral of the kid's innocents. Gabriel could feel that sickness quickly coming back. Not the one of withdrawal but of disgust in the worlds monsters.

The Nazi sandman walked out of the kitchen and past Gabriel. Rage boiled on his face as he grimaced in anger. The rage on his face was not because of the children. But because of his own demon's that he faced in life. It was clear that the children were about to suffer because he was to much of a coward to face down his true demon's.

"Come here you little shit!" The man yelled.

"No daddy it wasn't him it was me, he was sleeping!" The girl pleaded. Gabriel walked back to see the chaos. He wished he could knock the man out. In the morning he would not even remember what happened.

The man had the young boy up in his arms. Then he threw the boy down on the floor. "You did this?!" He yelled. "I'm sorry daddy, it was me I was up playing!" The girl was now in tears, frozen in a frantic horror. With one arm he grabbed her leg and lifted her from the bed. Her body and head swung out from the top bunk and barely missed the floor.

Her nightgown covered the terror on her face. The coward carried her by one leg out to the living room and dropped her head first on the floor. "Don't move!" He said as he walked over to the kitchen table and grabbed the items he had prepared. The little girl laid motionless on the floor. Tears streaming down her face and onto the floor.

The coward walked over to his trembling daughter. "I am gonna be teaching you a lesson!" he shouted at her. He took the pliers and grabbed a corner of the swastika badge and then took the Zipo and clicked the orange flame on. He held the raging flame under the swastika heating it up. Fire from the flame glowed in his eye's.

After a few moments the swastika was glowing bright orange. "NO!" Gabriel shouted to no avail. The coward grabbed the girl's hand and dropped the glowing hot swastika on it. She screamed in blood curtailing pain that Gabriel had never heard come from the mouth of a child. The smell of burning flesh filled the room. The cowards sadistic hand clinched the little girls. Tears now rolled down Gabriel's face as he fell down next to the girl.

With the pliers in hand he removed the swastika from the little girls hand. She was now passed out on the floor from pain. Her mind could be safe from the nightmare the man had caused. He let go of her arm and walked away into the darkness of the hallway. Her hand was severely burnt with the imprint of hatred.

She was a hero for sticking up for her brother. But now she would bear the night's anger on her hand for the rest of her life. Gabriel stared at her hand still crying, then he sprung to his feet. Cain's blood quickly being pumped from the valves in his heart. Storming off after the man he headed into the dark hallway.

"You gutless fucking coward!" Gabriel shouted into the dark. The man was laid out on a mattress on the floor in his bedroom. Gabriel dove after the man and just as he collided with him he felt the jolting of electricity. Then darkness, but Gabriel was still coherently angry. Now Gabriel found himself in the same trailer.

This time it was daylight and the coward was sitting at the kitchen table with a bottle of whiskey. Behind him was a window and Gabriel could see the street outside. A school bus had just pulled up and children from the trailer park were filing out of it. Gabriel examined the kitchen table a little closer and saw a used condom sitting in front of coward.

He intently stared at the condom as he took another swig from the bottle. The door came open and the girl Gabriel had just witnessed being branded walked in. Now she was a few years older, possibly 9 or 10. The second the door shut the man jumped from his chair, knocking it down. The girl's eye's went huge as she watched him.

The coward grabbed the bottle and threw it at her. Luckily it just missed and crashed into the door. She quickly tried to open the door and run out but the screen door gave the coward enough time to grab a hold of her and pull her back into his lunatic grasp. He slammed the door and drug her across the broken glass on the floor.

"You want to go around fucking boys now huh!" He shouted as he slung her across the living room.

"Daddy I don't know what you are talking about!" She pleaded.

"Well then why did I find a condom in the yard right in front of your window when I was mowing the yard. You little slut!" The coward raised his hand and back handed the girl multiple times. She was almost in the same spot where he held her and branded her. Tears once again soaked into the stained white carpet. After a few backhand's she just laid still on the floor. Blood running from her nose and lip. The coward walked over to the table and grabbed the used condom and walked back over to the girl. He slung the condom at her once again barley missing her head. Then he turned around and walked to the door.

"This shit better be cleaned up when I come home tonight. As long as you are my little girl you won't be having sex with boy's so I don't want to see this shit again!" Then he walked out the door and slammed it shut. Once he was gone she slowly braced herself up from the floor. Her shirt and the carpet were now stained with blood.

She got up to her feet and went over to the sink and started cleaning the blood from her face. Gabriel was regretting wanting to see the architect behind the lost soul in the graveyard. He was just a racist insecure coward. Tears continued to run down both Gabriel's eye's and the girls. He could tell that she was not even close to the age of being sexually mature or even interested in it.

Once she cleaned the blood from her face she walked out into the living room and starting cleaning up the mess. She grabbed a paper towel and used it to protect her fingers as she pinched at the condom on the floor. Picking it up she held it far away from her body and she grimaced in disgust. It was very clear that she had nothing to do with it. "Yuck!" she said as she threw it into the trash.

Then she sat down on the floor and started picking up broken glass from the whiskey bottle. The image of her cleaning up that sick twisted mans mess was heartbreaking. Gabriel wanted to help her but he knew it was to late anyway. This was just the nightmares from her past and unfortunately he could not change it.

Most likely some teenagers or the neighbors threw the condom in the yard. The coward was so insecure and controlling with his daughter that he instantly assumed it was hers. Never thinking it through or using logic, he just used his ignorant racist wasted mind to connect the dots. He never even saw the damage he was causing in such a innocent little girl.

"I am so sorry!" Gabriel said to the girl just as he was jolted once again. He was back in the living room of the trailer and this time it was dark again. "Great what next?" Gabriel said. The girls brother was now a teenager and was sitting on the floor playing video games. The girl came out from the hallway with a backpack on and tears running down her face.

"Whats wrong Tiffany?" The young man asked looking at his sister. "I am so, so sorry Steven. I have to get out of here. I graduate next month and I cannot stay here any longer. I am 18 now and I just need to get away from here and start a life." Tiffany said crying.

"Well are you gonna come back?" Steven asked, he was now crying as well and getting up to his feet.

"I don't know when I will be back. I am sorry to leave you with him but I don't have a choice!" Tiffany said still crying and opening her arms for her brother. He fell into her arms and started sobbing. "Take me with you!"

"I can't take you with me, I don't even know where I am going to go."

"What about dad, he is going to kill you when he finds out!"

"That's why I need to go alone, I am an adult now and he can't stop me. But he can't know about it, just act like you don't even know about it."

"I don't want you to go!" Steven was struggling to talk through his sobbing.

"I know you don't, one day I will come back for you. But I really have to go dad gets off work in a few hours and I have little time!"

"Please don't go Tiffany!" Steven could barely talk now.

"I love you!" Tiffany said as she let go of her brother.

"I love you too, but I don't want you to leave us!" Steven said. Tiffany was now walking for the door.

"I am going to miss you so much, take care of yourself okay!" Tiffany said as she walked out the door. Steven just fell to the floor still crying. Gabriel followed behind Tiffany as she walked out into the darkness. She had just a small backpack, blue jeans, and a school sweatshirt on. She had long blonde hair, and was a very natural beauty. Gabriel knew all along that underneath her shield was that beautiful woman.

Gabriel was really starting to worry as cars passed by on the highway. It was clear she had no plan or idea of where she was going. She had nothing but the few items in the bag and years of scars. They walked under the nights sky for hours and it was very early in the morning now. A semi screeched by and was hitting his brakes hard enough that Gabriel could smell the burning rubber.

The truck came to a halt and a man jumped out from the cab. He looked like he was in his forties, his skin on his face squeezed his chin and cheek bones. From his face he appeared to have done years of drugs. But he had a slight pudgy beer gut. He was wearing a ball cap, a red and black flannel shirt that was tucked in to his pants. He had a large silver belt buckle with a golden semi in the middle of it. Tight pants squeezed his rolls and cowboy boots completed the scary image.

"Howdy, you look like you need some help?" The man said.

"Well I could use a ride out of here!" Tiffany said. The man smiled exposing gaps in his teeth. Gabriel was uneasy about the exchange of words. The man looked like it was his lucky day and was brimming at the thought of this young beauty being his co pilot.

"Sure, lets go I will get you outa here!" The man turned around motioning for Tiffany to follow. Gabriel went ahead of them and climbed in the truck. Once inside he went back and sat on the bed. There on the other side of the bed was a area where the man had a TV. On top of that was a extensive collection of porn and Rambo movies. It looked like Tiffany was going from one nightmare to the next. As she got in and sat down in the passenger seat Gabriel let out a sigh. The man hit the air brakes and put the truck in gear and took off.

"So where is it you are looking to go?" The man said.

"I am not sure, I am kinda running away from home."

"Wait how old are you?" The man said slowing down.

"It's fine, I am 18 I just had to get out of my fathers house!" The man was once again smiling from ear to ear and speeding back up.

"Well as long as you really are 18 you can stay with me as long as you like, my name is Bob!"

"Nice to meet you Bob, my name is Tiffany" Tiffany was looking uneasy about Bob just like Gabriel was. But she also had desperation wrote all over her. As long as she was away from the monster she lived with for the last 18 years. Gabriel just wished that someone better for her had found her but instead she was in Bob's clutches.

Gabriel was jolted again and shot into darkness. Coming too he was now on the top bunk of the semi. Bob's luggage was up there with him in a unorganized mess. The shades to the cab were closed and a light was on. A smokey haze filled the truck and a sweet and unfamiliar smell filled the air. Gabriel hung his head down from the bunk and saw Bob and Tiffany laying in the bed below.

Bob had a glass pipe in his hand and a lighter. He put the pipe to his lips and light the liter just below the bowel of the pipe. Inside the pipe was small crystals that where melting and turning into smoke. Bob's eye's looked just like her fathers with the flame flickering in them. His face turned almost purple as he inhaled the smoke. Tiffany just laid there staring off in space. It looked like she was trying to separate her mind from the moment.

"Here try some!" Bob murmured as he held the smoke in his lungs. Then he exhaled a almost blue haze of smoke. Tiffany was shaking her head and was not liking the idea.

"Trust me you will feel so much better once you are high!"

"I have never smoked meth before and I don't know everyone at school said it was a really bad drug."

"Nah, it's not bad at all. It makes you feel better and you can even lose weight. I have smoked it for years and I think I am doing alright for myself. I used to be about 350 and now look at me now, I am fit and sitting next to a real beauty!"

Tiffany sighed and grabbed the pipe. Bob smiled and started to help her guide it to her lips.

"Isn't this stuff really addictive?" Tiffany said with some hesitation.

"Nope, I have quit many time's. I just like the feeling it gives me and how it keeps me in shape." Bob guided her hand and the pipe back to her mouth.

"Now what you want to do is melt the crystal's and inhale the smoke." Bob place the lighter under the pipe and started the flame. He twirled the pipe from side to side under the flame so that it was not direct heat. Tiffany inhaled the retched smoke of death and then pushed the pipe away. She started coughing out the smoke and choking on the toxins.

"Hahaha, not bad for the first time rookie. It's okay you will get used to it in no time!" Bob said with his holey grin. Once again Gabriel was jolted into another time. He was back in the bunk in a cloud of smoke. Below him he could hear the lighter flick the flame. He could even hear the toxin's crackle and boil in the glass pipe.

Looking down below he saw Tiffany and Bob propped up in the bed. Tiffany was in her bra and underwear. While bob was a horrific site in his whitey tighties and ignorant expression. Tiffany was sucking on the pipe like a calf struggling for its mothers milk of life. Instead though she struggled to get the poisons into her body.

"You know you have been with me awhile now." Bob said with a more serious look on his face.

"Yes I know, I am truly thankful for everything you have done for me!" Tiffany said passing the pipe back to bob.

"I know but the ice, food, and room and board is not cheap. I think it's about time you did something for me. I know we have talked about it, but this time I am serious. You can do this one thing for me and if not you need to go." The expression on Bob's face was serious. His eye's scanned her body up and down and his mouth dripped with disgusting lust.

"I guess if it means that much to you, but I have never done it so be gentle okay?" Tiffany was frightened and her body slightly spasmed at the touch of bob. He placed his hand on one of her boob's and goosebumps raised the hair on her arm. Then he ran his hand down and into her panty's. Tiffany looked away as she reached back to undo her bra.

Gabriel could not watch and looked up at the ceiling of the truck. This perverted man had spewed his poisons into her. Now she was addicted to it and willing to give up her innocents to him. Bob was as much of a coward as her father. He was using her for his perverse desires and taking advantage of a lost young woman.

In any other world Bob would never be able to take advantage of such a vulnerable flower. But in our twisted reality he was able to. The sad truth was most men would have, but maybe some would have done right by her. It did not matter now though because she was about to be branded by corruption once more.

"Wait a second, take your panty's off I need to get a condom." Bob got up from the bed and reached up towards a bag at Gabriel's feet. Gabriel quickly darted his legs away from Bob's fumbling hands. He opened the bag and pulled out a condom. He got ready to zip the bag back up and then stopped with a smile on his face. He reached back in the bag and pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

Gabriel clinched his legs in his hands trying not to throw up. He dry heaved for a moment and leaned over the bunk in preparation of throwing up. When he looked down he saw Tiffany, completely nude and frightened. She was looking at the scar of a swastika on her hand and rubbing her finger along it. She was perfectly broken in Gabriel's eye's. Such a beauty stuck with beasts from nightmares.

Bob got back into the small bed hardly big enough for the two of them. Gabriel pulled his head back into the top bunk. He did not want to watch what would happen next. Just hearing the motion under him made him dry heave in his mouth.

"Why the handcuffs?" Tiffany said with a worried tone in her voice.

"Just trust me, it will be much easier this way." Bob said with confidence. Gabriel could her the sound of the cuffs clicking around her wrists and he winced in further disgust. Gabriel covered his ears and squeezed his eye's shut. He should have known better than to go into her past. The skeletons were written all over her in the graveyard.

Though he squeezed his head tight he could hear the cry of her innocents leaving her crushed body under the weight of another monster. How she was able to keep from killing herself after such a horrible life was beyond Gabriel. He knew after walking a few feet in her shoe's that he wanted it to be over for her. The truck swayed back and fourth under Gabriel and then it was quickly over.

It was clear bob had not been with a woman in a very long time. Tiffany was now crying and trying to hold back the pain. "I am sorry I had to do it this way. It's like a band aid you just have to pull it off. That's why I cuffed you, it was to protect you from causing more pain." Bob said with little remorse in his lips. Gabriel could hear him kissing her skin as though it would offer relief from his poisons.
Chapter Elevn

Gabriel was jolted into darkness again and it came as a relief. The pain of that moment was gone and Gabriel was just hoping to be free of her nightmares. Unfortunately it would not be so and he found himself sitting in the bed in the semi as bob drove down the road. The cuff's were wrapped around the handle to the push out vent just above their pillows.

Tiffany sat in the front seat looking off into the country side. She had on low cut shorts and a tank top exposing the bruise's on her skin. She looked completely different from the girl who first got into the truck. Just a hollow shell of a life being fueled by drugs. Her hair was a mess, and the skin on her face now sucked into her cheek bones. Gabriel had a hard time even recognizing her as they drove through the darkness.

"So like I was telling you we need money if we want to score some more." Bob was once again preaching toxin into her ears. They pulled into a truck stop and Bob slowed down almost to a halt as he searched the cab of each truck. "Hey there is one, see how he has a red light on....Hey girl you better be listening to me. We are out of ice and I won't get paid for another week." Desperation was spewing from his withdrawing lips. "Yeah, I hear you I just wish there was a better way."

"Well remember that truck because once we park you are going over to it. Just knock on the cab and tell him thirty for a blow job and sixty for anything. Oh and make sure you take a condom I don't want to be getting the he bee Jeeves from you!" Tiffany remained silent staring out the window. Gabriel knew what was going on. Bob was going to whore out Tiffany in order to get more drugs.

They backed into a spot and Tiffany got up from her seat and got a condom from the bag and put it in her back pocket. She got ready to open the door when Bob grabbed her hand. "No kiss, come on don't be like that." Tiffany leaned over and gave him a lackluster kiss. She closed her eye's not in love but disgrace. She scratched her arm as she kissed him. She wiggled about as her skin crawled.

It was just another daunting site to Gabriel. Truth of the matter is that all over the world this madness is taking place. Women being violated and being forced into relationships. Some for money, drugs, security, and even religion. This was a small spec of sand in the ocean of woman's oppression. It was unbearable to witness but millions of women are suffering like Tiffany.

Gabriel had love in his heart for all women. It was not the lust of sexual desires or power. But caring for them, and wishing they all could be treated with love and respect. The world he was trying to save was one where most of them were not treated with love and respect. But forced into slavery, some against their will. Others by choice even to the point of denial. If you don't love yourself and the man you are with then you too are a victim of this slavery. Life is so short and full of love, you just need to remove the chains and find it.

Tiffany stepped out of the truck and Gabriel followed her. It was nice being free of the toxic and claustrophobic place that she was calling home. Her fathers abuse did not even compare to what Bob was doing to the poor woman. But they were very much linked, had her father been loving she would most likely not be in this nightmare. He was as much responsible, if not more than Bob. Bob hung his head out the window. "Don't be kissing them men either!" Bob shouted out at her.

She was staggering as she walked and every few yards she would itch her body frantically. The withdraws of the poison and disgusting desires of the monster she was with was taking its tool. She was a bruised and broken skeleton that lacked any hygiene. The violent night breeze carried her foul sent to Gabriel's nostrils. She was not the beautiful monster that Gabriel was with in the graveyard. But a craving fiend of the truck stops night sky.

It was very cold out and Gabriel had more clothes on and was struggling in the cold wind. But Tiffany seemed more affected by her crawling skin than the cold night. She made it to one of the truck's with a red light glowing in the cab. It was not the same one that Bob pointed out but it did not really matter. She was about to give her body to a man, not for love or her own pleasure. But for money so that they could support their addiction.

Tiffany balled up a weak and boney fist and pounded on the side of the truck. After pounding on it and waiting for a response she repeatedly pounded. After a few moments a old man with a long grey beard came into view in the drivers window. He rolled it down and spit a huge luge out onto the ground.

"What is it!" The man sad in a grumpy and tired tone.

"Thirty for a BJ and sixty for whatever you want." Tiffany said looking at the ground and not at the man.

"Well hop on in girl" The man said still tired.

Gabriel had seen enough, he was beyond nauseous and the fresh air felt stuffy. The lot was starting to spin and he felt like he was about to fall over. He sat down on the bumper of a truck next to the old man's. He could hear the door to the truck close signaling another moment of abuse.

"Get me out of here!" Gabriel shouted and struggled not to vomit. The poison of hate that branded Tiffany's life was seeping into his mind and placing a dark haze over it and the toxins had drained into his guts. He knew the world was this way, but never actually felt the abuse so vividly. What happened to Ashley was unbearable but this was on a different level. Gabriel was jolted into darkness that carried his nausea with it. He was not sure if he was going through time again or if he fainted.

He opened his eye's expecting to see the lot of filth, but instead he was back on the bench in the cemetery. He pulled his hand away from Tiffany's leg and was lost for words. The brushing of Tiffany's leg had brought on a grimace in her face. It was clear she did not want to be touched by a man and to her Gabriel was another abuser.

"I am really sorry, I just want you to know it's not your fault Tiffany." Gabriel said. After the words came from his lips he regretted it because now he had to explain how he knew her name.

"You don't know me, and how do you know my name. Are you some kind of a whacko stalker, because I have enough of those in my life!" Gabriel could not hold back he had to tell her what he was feeling. "What your father did to your hand was wrong, it was not your fault. That man in the truck who defiled you was a pervert and you deserved so much better. You being here today is evidence of how strong and beautiful you are." Gabriel cut himself off before he could say more.

Sadness and confusion was on Tiffany's face, it was as though Gabriel was a ghost from her past. "How do you know that stuff, no one knows that!" Tiffany was sad and angry. Gabriel got up from the bench and was about to walk away. Tiffany jumped from the seat dropping the poems of one of the world's few geniuses of literature. She balled up her fists and pounded them into Gabriel chest. The force was weak and felt like a broken woman desperate for love. Gabriel wrapped his arm's around her and held her in his arms as she broke down into him.

Gabriel wanted to show her the love and compassion that she never had. He wanted his arms and grasp to remove her endless suffering. Finally she let go of her defense and just cried into his arms. They remained like this for a few moments and Gabriel had not held a woman with such love since holding his wife.

Oddly her sadness and tears were feeding Gabriel's heart and ending the nausea. This woman saw him as a complete stranger but he was able to brake through to her and lower the defenses. If he could do that with everyone then maybe there was hope. If he could just stop the zombie plague of hate and Cain's rage, then maybe there could be an end to their suffering.

Looking over Tiffany's shoulder he could see his madman nemesis. Not Apollyon but Cain, grinning from ear to ear at what he was seeing. Gabriel let go of his warm embrace for Tiffany but still held onto her arms. The hope and love that Gabriel was feeling for the stranger had now turned cold and the nausea was coming back.

Tiffany was looking down at the ground as tear's ran from her face onto the ground. Cain was now standing next to Tiffany. Cain placed his arm around Tiffany still smiling at Gabriel. "Ohhh, you didn't show him the best part!" Cain said in a mocking voice.

"What is that?" Gabriel asked confused.

"Touch her arm one more time, see what lays behind those beautiful eyes!" Cain was still smiling.

"No please don't, I don't want you to see it!" Tiffany said as she tried to get free from Cain's grasp. It was to no avail, Cain tightened his grip as to hold her hostage. "I said I would show you, NOW DO IT!" Cain shouted at Gabriel. Gabriel didn't want to know what was going to happen next but he chose to see what sin possessed this beautiful monster. Gabriel's hand was shaking as he reached out to touch Cain's terrified hostage.

"Please don't!" Tiffany pleaded again. It was to late Gabriel was jolted into darkness as her screams repeated in the endless dark. Gabriel was once again sitting on top the bunk of the Semi. The sun was rising and Tiffany was sitting in the passenger seat. She now had even worse bruises all over her body than before. Sores from the poisons trying to escape her body lined the wilting flesh.

She was in her underwear and white tank top with stain's. Tears ran down her face as she played with a tire thumper. They are used to hit the tire's and check for air pressure. It was made out of wood and was fashioned much like the club Cain used on Able. Dark like the tree of life but lacking the beautiful texture.

Gabriel looked down from the bunk and could see the nightmare image of Bob sleeping in his underwear. The stench and site of him was that of a slumbering warthog. Gabriel looked back at Tiffany as she still twirled the tire thumper in her hands. Then the twirling stopped along with the tear's. Tiffany got up from the seat with Cain's rage on her face.

"Wait!" Gabriel shouted, still not wanting to accept the fact that he could not change the past. Tiffany lunged on top of the wild beast and raised the club up above her head and smashed it down into Bob's skull. Gabriel heard the cracking thud just as he did with Cain and Able. Then a bloodcurdling scream from Bob.

When Gabriel watched Cain kill Able he felt such sadness for Able. This time though he could only feel sadness for Tiffany. She really had been built into a monster of our sick and twisted society. Tiffany Continued to smash Bob's head with the club until it was nothing more than a flesh and blood mass in the bunk. Blood covered everything, including Tiffany.

Gabriel looked at the blood on Tiffany as he did the blood on Mitch. They should have been free of their sin, but wore the sin of the world. Tiffany was no more a murderer than Mitch was. But both of them killed and felt the same rage and anger as Cain. Leading Gabriel to the same moral grounds that he always stood on. Trying to judge mankind in the flesh blood was simply impossible without seeing the nightmares they overcame in life.

Tiffany stood up and shut the curtains to the back of the truck. She turned on a light in the back and pulled down one of her bags from the top bunk and laid it down next to Bob. Unzipping the bag she revealed a 9mm pistol with multiple clips laying next to it. She removed the clips from the bag and stuffed them on the sides of her underwear. Tears and blood streamed down her face as she picked up the gun and cocked it.

Gabriel watched as she raised it to her temple shaking. Gabriel saw her pain from the sins of others and running down her bloody face. He wanted her to be free from the madmen in her life. Gabriel closed his eye's hoping she would pull the trigger and end her suffering. His ears yearned to hear the sound of the gun going off.

After a few moment's he saw the light of the sun burst into the back of the cab. Tiffany had opened the curtains and stood there for a moment looking at the sunrise. Gabriel jumped down from the bunk and stood behind Tiffany praying it would be the last time the sun shined on her miserable life. But then she sat down in the passenger seat and opened the door.

Gabriel was confused, he did not know if she was turning herself in or if she decide to die outside of the truck. He followed her out the door as she walked into the middle of a truck stop lot. The sun glowed off her withered body covered in blood. She walked down the lot towards the truck stop. There was a overweight trucker with two bags of food heading back to his truck.

When the man saw Tiffany he was not sure if he should run or help her. Then she raised the 9mm from her side and opened fire. Gabriel's heart jumped as his hope for our world died with each shot. The first two shots missed the man who turned and ran. The next one hit him in the back dropping him. The woman Gabriel learned to love was now a grim reaper in underwear and a tank top.

She walked over to the large man trying to claw his way away from her. She placed the gun behind his head and pulled the trigger again. Gabriel was hit with the blood and derbies from the asphalt that sprayed the parking lot. Tiffany had become the machine of death that she was designed from birth to be. Gabriel now knew that it was to late for her to be forgiven by him or god.

He followed her into the truck stop as he saw people running out the back door through the glass outside. By the time he and Tiffany made it into the truck stop it was empty. Gabriel stayed inside the main area of the truck stop as Tiffany checked each bathroom. No shots were fired and she walked back to where Gabriel was standing.

Tiffany looked out the window and smiled as the people fled the truck stop. She raised the gun and shot out the window's of the truck stop letting in the cool morning breeze. She walked over and removed a pop from one of the coolers and took a drink and then placed it back in the same spot. Walking back to the cashier counter she looked up at the camera and smiled. Then she placed the gun to her head and pulled the trigger.

Her body crashed into the floor with violent anger for the earth below. Her pain was over and Gabriel was crying tears of sorrow and anger. The world never gave her a chance, she would never see a happy day. A happy day was just one more to remember the pain and suffering of her life. Looking at her lifeless body Gabriel wished he could pick up the gun and end it like she had. But he knew this was just the start of his nightmare journey of life. Darkness fell upon him jolting him back into a society of nothing but insanity.
**Chapter Twelve  
**

Tiffany was once again being held hostage in front of Gabriel. Cain was smiling in acceptance of his masterful creations. Gabriel pulled his trembling hand away from Tiffany's and looked away from them. A breeze chilled the sweats of withdraw and disgust running down Gabriel's back. Closing his eyes as to let the wind wash away the suffering and rage.

Cain's voice interrupted the calming breeze "You know they said the holy spirit is like a wind, rushing over your body. But what would I know, I never drowned my children. I may have killed my brother, and dwell within the worlds pain. But I never created it, I simply wander it."

"What is it with you and Apollyon speaking in parables. Can't you just fucking speak what you mean?" Gabriel said opening his eye's.

"Ha! well let me break it down to you, would a loving father or god drowned his children. Would he pillage and kill, because that is what he did. You might think what I have done is sooo horrible, but you know nothing of what I have seen." Cain stopped for a moment.

"GOD..Created this nightmare that we all live in. There was a time I yearned for his love until I saw the tangle of webs he spews. Apollyon could not even devise such sickening threads." Cain said as he let go of Tiffany almost pushing her into Gabriel.

"Gabriel I am sorry for what I did, you....You believe me right?" Tiffany choked out the words while trying to hold Gabriel's gaze.

"Yes I do, you know as I watched your life unfold I just wished someone with a heart would have saved you. But here you are the socially architected monstrosity wandering the graveyard with a madman." Gabriel said turning from Tiffany's innocently tortured gaze.

"Ohh you have not even seen the beginning of the outcast wanderers of gods dysfunctional Eden. There are many of us stuck here watching our numbers grow. I am the first of many, Tiffany could be one of the last you know. Just follow the footprints of OUR rage and join us in the battle against heaven and HELL!" Cain shouted as the calming breeze turned into a swirling inferno of leaves and graveyard debris.

"Don't you get it, I CAN'T make that decision. There is good amongst this world, it's to bad you guys never saw it." Gabriel said as he walked past Tiffany and Cain. The wind pushed against his back as to lead him away from them.

"What must I show you more?!"

"How about the nameless one's of god's holy word!" Cain shouted from behind Gabriel. Gabriel could see the gates to the graveyard and his truck beckoning him. His pace picked up to almost a run as he tried to escape the madman. Just as Gabriel made it to the gate a horrific beast came running full speed from behind a tree. Blood covered it, and a puzzled heap of sown together flesh charged Gabriel. It had no clothes and appeared to be a ghoulish being of a female sex. It let out a squealing cry as it charged head first. Gabriel froze in fright as he prepared for the impact from the charge.

"MEET THE CONCUBINE OF BETHLEHEM!" Cain shouted as the puzzled together mass of flesh collided with Gabriel taking him off his feet. It was followed by the all to familiar jolt of darkness. Gabriel found himself along a mountainside above a desert village. Sand was blowing around the side of the mountain as the figure of a man in robes struggled to walk down the side of the mountain to the town.

Behind the man was another who held the reins of two asses. On the asses backs were packs and rolled up bedding. The man leading the asses struggled to keep up with the man in front of him. Gabriel covered his eye's to keep the sand from blowing into them as he followed the two asses and men. The sand created what felt like a hot bed of coals around Gabriel's feet. He looked for outcroppings of rocks to place his feet on.

Angrily kicking at the sand around his feet, Gabriel fell behind the men. Modern fashion trends stood no chance to the sand storms in the middle eastern desert. Grit from the sand blew into his mouth with each breath he took. Falling to the ground Gabriel coward under his shirt to find protection from the sand.

The only pleasure he was deprived from in the desert sand was thirst. Spitting out sand under the comfort of his T-shirt fort he shouted "GET ME OUT OF HERE!" The exposure was becoming far to much for him to take. Clinching his eye's shut he fell over onto his side. The sand burned against his flesh as the wind blew his shirt up around his head.

A vicious force pulled at Gabriel and tore him from his T-shirt fort. Opening his mouth to yell sand flew in. He quickly closed his mouth now full of sand and clinched his lips shut. The force drug him on his back across the burning sand and sharp rocks. His legs were dangling in the air as the hot sand paper and razor rocks tore into his back.

Gabriel couldn't scream, cry, open his eyes, or even breath. He was being tormented by what only he could assume was the torture of hell. He prayed that with each rock his head bounced off that it would knock him out. The sand clawed into the open wounds on his back. For a moment he had just the agony of hot sand, then a rock would shred first into his buttock and then up his spine to his shoulder blade.

It was only moments but it felt like days descending from that mountain. The temptations Jesus faced from Apollyon on a mountain top seemed as though a paid trip to a Vegas whore house compared to the pain Gabriel was enduring. His tailbone crushed into a sandstone wall. The pain and force sent the sand in Gabriel's mouth shooting out in gritty agony. The dragging force was over as he rolled on his side to ease the pain from his back. Opening his eye's he could see the feet of the two asses going past him through a gate.

As quickly as the pain started it was over and his body return to the numb capsule of withdraw. Scrambling to his feet to get out of the hot sand, he gasped for air. For a moment he leaned up against the sandstone wall catching his breath. Old thoughts of swimming to the deepest depths or flying endlessly in space ceased.

It was now clear that although no air would not kill him, it would endlessly agonize him. Reaching down to his legs he tried to brush the sand off but it didn't matter. Although the wind was not as strong it still sprayed the skies with sand. His only hope was to follow the men and find some shelter. He ran through the gate to catch up to the men who were tying up the asses and removing the bedding and goods.

A poorly sealed door burst open and a woman stood opening it and welcoming the men. Gabriel rushed in as it slammed shut behind him. Wind and sand blew in through the seals in the door. Turning a corner Gabriel headed into the living area that was welcoming him without blowing hot sand. Collapsing to the floor he leaned up against a wall and watched as the woman removed the robes from the man who was in the lead.

The other man laid down the gear and bowed to the man and woman. Then he got up and walked out the door and back into the sandstorm. Jolting from the aftershock of the thought of the sandstorm Gabriel got to his feet and walked over and fell down into a corner farther away from the doorway. The woman began to help disrobe the man from his sandstorm armor. He was standing completely nude in front of Gabriel as he clenched his eye's shut once again.

After a few moments Gabriel was relieved that he was not suppose to follow the other man back into the sandy hell. Although it had not even been a day in Gabriel's life, it felt like he had been up for days. From following Tiffany through her horrifying past, to now following a ancient desert stranger. He knew what would come next could not be good.

His eyes were to heavy to open as he heard the sounds of the stranger and his concubine having sex. The sounds was not that of lovers but of a spoiled man and his whore. The sounds faded into darkness as Gabriel fell into a deep, sandy sleep. For a moment he was again free of sin, and in the dream land of his loving wife, and happy little town. It was far from the reality, but what good are dreams if they are not real.

"Harlot! I will show you a harlot, you wrench of a man!" The sandy towns concubine screamed waking Gabriel from his blissful slumber.

"You are a harlot, why won't you pledge yourself to me... Harlot!" The man yelled. Gabriel opened his eye's and could see the tan woman hastily putting on her robes. Here long dark hair ran all the way down her body and tried to curtain her black nipples. With one motion she had her robe on and covered her face. The man looked at her with pleading eye's, hoping she would stop and go back to the bedding. The concubine locked eye's with the man through her veil and gave a deafening glare.

"Don't beckon me again you ass!" She yelled as she ran out the door.

"HARLOT!" The man yelled. He let out a quick sigh and laid back down in his bedding. Closing his eye's again Gabriel smiled at the fact that he was not the only one with woman problems. It was all to clear that the man had more than lust full feelings for his whore. Even in ancient time's mans hearts followed women with many admirers.

Gabriel had many run in's with Axal's harlot's. But some how he remained immune to letting them lay in his bed. Maybe this man sleeping near him was a long forgotten ancestor and the sands of time shaped his bloodline into a psychotically moral human being. Or maybe Gabriel was a freak of nature and evolution stood no chance to mans will to procreate with earth's harlots.

No matter the case, it was clear to Gabriel that this mans heart was destine to disaster. His concubine was poison, and he loved how she intoxicated him. Rustling with anger in his bedding he was instantly withdrawing from her infectious cancer that plagued the hearts of fools. They say man is the top of the food chain, and if that is the case then his harlot is a goddess disillusioning him from all self preservation.

Falling back into slumber Gabriel's mind rested for what seemed mere moments. Then the dark licenses of his eyelid's filled with light and the heat of a desert inferno. The hot sand once again stung his back and arms. Rolling off his back his eye's burst open to the white desert sand. He was no longer in the safety of the desert village. Next to him was the tracks of a man and his asses.

Getting to his feet he hoped to see a vast ocean and private beach where he could run out to the seas refreshing arms. To his dismay before him was desert from ridge to ridge. The only tracks where the two, well three asses following after the masters of their hearts. No specie on earth was dumb enough to venture into the sandy grave of Hades.

"ARGHHH!" Gabriel kicked sand into the air as he ran to catch up to the blind fool. With each stride gave relief from the hot sand, only to be burned and burned again. Gabriel knew if he did not keep close to the man on his own, then he would be dragged along by hells tormenter. The man almost glided over the desert sand, with little effort.

If he had been one of Gabriel's ancestors then wandering through a desert after poisonous love was a instinctual trait that Gabriel clearly missed. Gabriel's normal stride was not enough and he had to run and crawl through the sand to keep pace. After swimming for sand for what felt like days a small desert sanctuary came into view. It was just a small sandstone shack somehow place perfectly in the middle of the desert Hades. To Gabriel it looked like a island resort to find comfort from the sea's of hell.

As they approached an old man stood in front of the sandstone shack to welcome the man. Time and hells exposure shaped the old man into a imperfect desert nomad. The old man smiled with few teeth and opened his arms to greet the intoxicated lover of harlots. He dropped the reins of the asses and embraced the old man with a huge smile and hug.

"Come!" The old man said in a raspy voice.

No more words were said as the man tied up his asses and followed the old man into his house smiling. Gabriel followed closely behind eager to escape the desert heat.

"Is she here?!" The man pleaded as they sat down on silk pillow's to rest.

"Yes, yes she came home!" The old man said with a smile.

"Oh thank the heavens, I thought I braved the sands of Satan to have lost her." The man said as his whole demeanor changed. Smiling like a drug fiend about to score his big hit. He was in the same place as his lost poison and that moment was more blissful than his calling demise.

"Father?" The woman said gracefully walking into the room. She paused a moment as she saw her admirer. She struggled not to get angry and covered her face with the veil and sat down on a pillow next to her father. The veil was the curtain disillusioning her fathers vision of his daughters virginity. If he only knew of the secrets hiding behind the dark veil.

"Please stay, eat and drink with us!" The old man said eager to keep his guest there. It was clear the old man had few, if any visitors and wanted to imprint his tales in his daughter suitor. Gabriel was jolted into darkness and found himself laying next to the asses tied up outside. Getting up to his feet he saw the mans servant had caught up with him and he held the reins of the asses. The man and his concubine walked out of the house hand in hand.

"Please!" The old man pleaded from behind them.

"It is almost dark. The day is almost gone. So stay the night here and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow morning you can get up early and go on your way." The old man said hoping to convince them to stay another night.

"We are very grateful, but really we must be going." The man said opening his arms to embrace the old man in a farewell hug.

"Please...Be well!" The old man said as he let go of his hug and turned away from his daughter and suitor. Gabriel watched as the old man turned around one last time to watch his daughter walk away. His face went from cheerful to loneliness. All that he had left, was now gone and the light in his eye's faded. His soul purpose in life was complete, now all he had left was to face the hands of death. Gabriel felt sorry for the old man but had no time to waste as he ran to catch up to the desert travelers. Another venture through the desert seemed all too dreadful.

Once Gabriel caught up to them he grabbed a hold of the pack on the asses back. He ran along the side of the ass struggling to pull himself up onto it. "ARRRGH!" Gabriel groaned as he finally pulled his tired body up onto the ass. Although the man had days to rest from the desert, Gabriel just left it only moments ago and was not about to crawl through it again.

He laid his head down on the base of the asses neck, and closed his eye's to avoid the glare of the sun. As the ass plotted through the desert, Gabriel's exposed skin would burn, heal, then burn again. It was a almost endless cycle. He thought that from now on he needed a backpack with items to fight the elements of hell. Then there was a city that appeared to Gabriel as a mirage on the edge of the desert.

"Let's stop at this Jebusite city. Let's stay the night here." The servant man said to his master in exhaustion.

"No, we will not go inside a strange city. Those people are not Israelites. We will go to the city of Gibeah." The man's master said pulling his concubine in close. The servant stopped halting the asses for a moment.

"Come on. Let's try to make it to Gibeah or Ramah. We can stay the night in one of those cities." The mans master said, urging him to continue. Shaking his head in disbelief the servant followed his master. Gabriel closed his eye's and fell asleep as they traveled through the desert. The back of the ass was not a comfortable bed but it was better than walking or being drug.

His sleep was interrupted as the momentum of the ass made Gabriel fall off the side of it. Crashing into the hot sand was a unpleasant alarm. Quickly springing to his feet looked around and could see the sun going down over the desert.

"Gibeah!" The man shouted in glee. Gabriel turned his head and could see the city gates as wanderers headed in to avoid the monsters of the night. They walked through the gates and Gabriel looked at the villagers. They all had smug and unpleasant looks on their faces as they stood outside of their huts. It was clear where Axal's hospitality evolved from.

They walked into the city square and they sat down. The man held his concubine in his arms and looked around at the villagers who watched them and then turned and went inside their homes. Night was approaching and it was clear that they would sleep under the stars in the town square. Just before the sun fell behind the walls a old man walked into the city square.

"Where are you going? Where did you come from?" The old mans asked.

"We have come from Bethlehem in Judah, where I went for a visit. Now I am on my way home, which is a long way into the hill country of Ephraim. I expected that someone here would invite us in for the night, but no one has. We already have straw and food for our donkeys. There is also bread and wine for me, the young woman, and my servant. We don't need anything but a place to sleep." The man said.

"You are welcome to stay at my house. I will give you anything you need, but don't stay the night in the public square." The old man said with a look of dread on his face. Then the old man lead them to his house. The old man fed their donkey's as they washed their feet outside of his home. Gabriel followed them inside the hut.

All seemed well but Gabriel had a very uneasy feeling about the village they were in. He could not figure it out, but there was a very evil presence all around. They sat down and had dinner and poured wine. They seemed to be having a good evening although the old man seemed apprehensive to have the strangers in his home.

"BANG, BANG, BANG" Gabriel could hear someone pounding on the door. He could hear the voices of many men shouting.

"Bring out the man who came to your house. We want to have sex with him!" A man said as the villagers behind him cheered.

"THE FUCK?!" Gabriel said with a confused look on his face. He knew something was odd about the villagers, but he did not expect that they enjoyed community gang bangs with the tourists. The old man got up and took the hand of a young woman living in his house and headed out the door. The woman was very petite and her face was hidden with a veil.

"My friends, don't do such an evil thing! This man is a guest in my house. Don't commit this terrible sin." The man said. Gabriel headed out the door and could see the growing crowd outside. Stragglers headed from their homes over to the rally. The old man pulled the young woman's arm and pushed her infront of him.

"Look, here is my daughter. She has never had sex before." The old man said offering up his daughter to the towns festive. Gabriel could not believe how the night had turned into a village of insanity. Axal looked like who ville compared to this sick community. He could not help but wounder if they were standing in the ancient Vatican city because that was the only explanation.

"This man also has a slave woman. You can use them any way you want, but don't do such a terrible sin against this man." The old man said. The crowed would not listen and they were growing angry.

"We want the man!" One said.

"Yeah! The man!" Another shouted. The crowd was turning into a frenzy. The man held his concubine out in front of him as he walked out from the hut. The old man grabbed the hand of his daughter and led her back into the house, past the man and his concubine. The man pulled the robes off from the woman he marched through the desert for. Her beauty made the crowd stop and look in awe.

Gabriel saw the familiar long dark hair covering her breasts. She trembled in terror as the man who she thought loved her pushed her out into the crowed and coward back inside the hut slamming the door behind him. The villagers picked the woman up in the air and they all pulled and tugged on her like a pack of zombies. They carried her off to the town square and tied her up like a farm animal.

"PLEASE GOD SAVE ME!" The woman pleaded into the night sky. Tears ran down her face as the mob lined up behind the woman. First they laughed and pointed at her as she pleaded.

"PLEASE!" she shouted again. A man came up from behind her and spread her legs out. The mob cheered him as he pointed to her exposed butt and smiled. He went around in front of her and slapped her in the face. Each time he slapped her the mob shouted. Gabriel had seen horrific things, but nothing as inhumane as a community rape. He turned away and looked at the hut that they had just enjoyed the comforts of.

He imagined what that coward inside was doing. Trembling in fear for his own life most likely. He went through all the trouble to take her from her fathers home and now he abandoned her at the first sign of trouble. He did not even try to stop what was happening because he knew it would be him instead.

Gabriel went around the side of a hut to shield himself from the inhumane act that was taking place. The whole night he covered his ears but could hear the woman's cries. Each new town folk had his own sick desires with the woman, some beat her, spit on her, fondled her with objects, and repeatedly raped her.

"Where are you god!?" Gabriel shouted.

"Bring this place down like Sodom and Gomorrah. Turn the foul monsters to salt and ash! Send them back to hell where they crawled out from!"

Gabriel looked up and saw a somewhat younger version of Apollyon looking on and smiling. His teeth glowed in the moonlight as that of a madman drunk on destruction. His noble attire was less adorn but still far to glamorous for its time. As another man stepped up to rape the woman Apollyon clapped his hands and cheered.

"YES! Sin upon the concubine of Bethlehems flesh!" Apollyon said as he spun and danced around in drunken bliss. Then for a moment his eye's locked onto Gabriel's and he tilted his head and smiled. Gabriel gazed at him in pure disgust.

"What you disagree with your ancestors?" Apollyon said smiling as he disappeared into the shadows of the night. The light of day glowed into the village lighting up the roofs of the huts. The last cry from the woman echoed into the desert. There was just one man left who finished his desires with her. He untied the woman and pushed her down on the ground and walked off laughing.

Gabriel walked over to the bloody, defiled, beaten, and raped woman. His face turned red but he sucked back his tears. He had shed to many tears for the worlds injustice and it was as though he had none left to give. The woman crawled her way over to the hut where her lust filled suitor was hiding from the nights screams.

She clawed and pulled herself up to the door leaving a trail of blood in the sand. How she survived such unspeakable violations was a sin against mankind. She did not even get the blessings of death, and had to endure a whole town of demons. Her head fell just before the door and she remained still. The sun raised into the sky as the villagers continued to sleep due to their sickening nightlife.

The man cracked open the door to insure no one was waiting. Then he looked down at his once intoxicating obsession. She laid lifeless at his feet hopefully in deaths grasps. The man did not cry, or come to the aid of the woman. He just broke the silence with immorality and said.

"Get up let's go!" He gently kicked the woman and she did not move. His emotionless face looked down at her. Reaching down he grabbed her arms and drug her over to one of the donkeys. Struggling he pulled her violated body up onto the donkey. Her legs hung down from one side and arms over the other. Gabriel followed the man as he headed outside of the village gates.

After walking to the outskirts of town he came to a stop and pulled the woman's body down onto the ground. Her body sprawled out before the desert sun. The man turned from her and started going through the packs on the donkey. Looking down at the woman Gabriel saw her reach her hand up at the man and then it fell into the sand.

The man did not even notice that she was still alive. Although she needed the medical attention of a modern trauma unit. The man pulled a curved scimitar from one of the packs. Anger came across his face as it reflected into the blade. He swung around and with one quick swing he severed the woman's arm off. Blood shot across the man and the white sand.

Gabriel turned away as he could hear the blade cut through the air and then into the woman's flesh. After at least 10 minutes he could no longer her the blade cutting through the flesh of the woman. He did not want to turn around to see what became of the concubine of Bethlehem. She was cut into 12 pieces of mangled flesh.

The man stacked her body parts onto the donkey. Blood covered him and the sand at his feet. Even the donkey could not look at what was taking place. He grabbed the reins of the donkey and pulled him past Gabriel and towards the town. Reluctantly Gabriel followed him, ass blood still dripped from the mangled body parts onto the desert sand. Once at the city gate the man removed the woman's head from the donkey and placed it on the ground. Gabriel had to follow the man as he laid the twelve parts of the woman's body around the town.

Once the man was done he headed to the town square and collapsed in exhaustion. The donkey covered in blood ate from straw that was on the ground of the town square. Gabriel sat down away from the bloody mess and watched the lunatic sit emotionless. If he loved the woman, it was the most asinine way of showing it.

The villager's slowly awoke from their slumber and as they headed out to do the days work they found the body parts spread throughout the village. Eventually they all made their way to the town square to gaze at the village bloody joker. The town of villainy looked on at the man in disgust. Even to abusers, molesters, and rapists the man before them was vile. The village leader who the night before exposed and beat the woman stood before the mob.

"Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel before. We haven't seen anything like this from the time we came out of Egypt. Discuss this and tell us what to do." the village leader said just as Gabriel was jolted into darkness.
**Chapter Thirteen  
**

Flying through the air, Gabriel found himself back in the graveyard. The stitched together monster crashed on top of Gabriel as he fell into the gravel pathway. His eye's locked with the monsters for just a second as it leaped from on top of him and ran off on all fours. The eye's Gabriel could not forget, those of the concubine who once covered her face with a veil.

"Hahaha!" Cain echoed in laughter.

Rolling over and getting back to his feet Gabriel looked towards Cain and Tiffany. The concubine was still on all fours hiding behind Cain's legs. Gabriel could see the poorly sown together flesh. Parts had torn and blood ran down from the mangled and bruised tan skin. She had on no clothes and looked hardly human anymore.

"I had to stitch together her broken soul, there are many of us in this....Grey area, we are heavens abominations!" Cain said as he squatted down next to the concubine of Bethlehem. He patted her on the head.

"Well done!" Cain said as he got back to his feet.

"I call her heavens harlot but she is not very fond of the name. She cannot speak, but I have seen her shred through a soldier in Apollyon's legion with her teeth!" Cain said.

"Why is she still here?" Gabriel asked brushing himself off.

"Same reason why I am here Gabriel. Its because god gave us no justice, no saving grace. He left us to wander about this earth and so we have been uniting. That is until we found you, the only one who can be our savior." Tiffany said as she brushed her hair from her face.

"A savior? A saint? I am none of these things, I am a man who could not even end his suffering. That has to make me just another coward." Gabriel said.

"No you are not a coward, and you can end your suffering....Our suffering." Tiffany said.

"I won't join you." Gabriel said turning around to leave. Just as he did he found a man wearing a black leather breastplate. The man had long, wild brown hair, and a long beard. He was in perfect battle shape with muscles bulging from the armor. He raised a short sword that was at his side so the tip almost touched Gabriel's throat.

"You're going nowhere!" The man said.

"What you think your sword is going to kill me?" Gabriel said.

"No, but the blood on it will kill that last bit of hope inside you!"

"So I have to sit here and walk a mile in all of your lives so you can somehow prove to me that I need to end the world?"

"If that is what it takes, yes!" The man said.

"Gabriel, please meet KING Abimelech!" Cain said.

"Like Abimelech from the bible I presume?" Gabriel said.

"Yes, you know heavens harlot was in the bible as well. I figured you would have came upon her in your bible study's. Her story.... The one you were just a part of is in Judges 19. God's words never even gave the poor woman a name!" Cain said.

"I already know your story Abimelech, the man who killed 70 of his brothers." Gabriel said.

"Oh you know his but you didn't remember the poor harlots?" Cain said laughing.

"You don't know my story!" Abimelech said in a stern voice, his eye's locked onto Gabriel's as to challenge him.

"So how do you guys avoid Apollyon?" Gabriel said.

"Oh he know's we are here, but we can't beat him. So we hide, and pick our fights wisely." Abimelech said.

"Oh? so what happens when he finds you?" Gabriel said.

"Some of us are cursed here, while others he will drag to the pits of hell. We have lost many, but our numbers grow as heaven rejects us and hell knows not our names." Cain said.

"Well as I said, I am not interested in joining you guys. Now can I leave?" Gabriel said.

"No you cannot!" Abimelech said frowning at Gabriel.

"APOLLYON APOLLYOO!" Gabriel shouted but was cut of as Abimelech thrust his sword into Gabriel's throat. The blow severed his vocal cords and throat leaving Gabriel gagging and gargling on blood.

"Fool!" Abimelech said as he pulled Gabriel to him with his sword and reached his palm out and touched Gabriel's head. Instantly jolting Gabriel into darkness, he went from suffocating pain to being thrown into another desert village. Before him was Abimelech standing on a broken stone pillar. He was holding his sword into the sky.

There was a crowd that had formed around Abimelech. Most were old, and worn out people to weak to fight. Some had on armor, others had just robes. Behind Abimelech was a great stone temple with a mighty horned demon statue guarding the front of it. Carved on the entrance to the mighty temple was the words "Baal Berith." The temple had intricate carving's of demon's and massive monster's with tusks and fangs.

"Mighty people!" Abimelech shouted and paused to wait for their attention.

"Brothers, Uncles, and relatives of my mother HEAR ME!" Abimelech shouted again and paused. The crowed was now content with hearing the warriors speech.

"Is it better for you to be ruled by the 70 sons of Gideon?!" He paused once more.

"Nooo!" One man from the crowd yelled.

"Or to be ruled by only one man!?" Abimelech was shaking his sword in the air as he yelled. Although his words and body language was very dramatic, the crowed was silent. Abimelech looked out at them, unsure of what to say next. He dropped his sword from the sky and made a motion as to turn away, but then he stopped.

"Remember I am your blood! With me as king our blood line will grow as the stars in the sky. Our army's will be as fast as the sand in the desert!" Abimelech yelled and again raised his sword to the sky. The leaders of the village, Abimelech's uncles, approached and dropped at his feet a large coin purse.

"Build us an army that shakes the heavens!" The town elder said. Abimelech picked up the coin purse and nodded to his uncle, the village elder. Following Abimelech Gabriel headed out from the village gates. The village itself was sitting on a large cliff side that erupted from the desert sands. Walking on the path leading in and out of the village Gabriel and Abimelech passed small stone statues of demon's with armor and weapons.

The only way to the village was on the path, defended by the stone creatures of hell. All the other sides of the village was massive cliffs unclimbable by any army. Abimelech walked through the statues with his sword still in his hand. He moved like a warrior marching to his final battle. Gabriel could see that he was very tense and at times even stopped as though the statues were going to come to life and ambush him from all directions.

After walking for a few miles Gabriel turned and looked at the village far in the distance. The statues before the city looked like a mighty army. The old, and weak men and women relied on the demonic statues to defend them. Any army passing by would surely march around the village devote to Baal who served in Apollyon's legion. As they walked Gabriel fell into deep thought's about religion and our society.

The village survived for years because of idol's and superstitions. When really a small band of mercenaries could easily storm the cliffs and take the village for their own. Even today the tactic is used. Wearing chains, spikes, piercing's, and other idol's will make people fear you. You can be a nice, timid, and physically weak person. But if you appear to be gothic, demonic, or evil than those who believe in the divine will have reason to fear you.

On the other hand, that priest who uses his good image to commit evil act's does the same thing. He wears his godly idol's but behind them is a monster. Gabriel came to the conclusion that those wearing good idol's are far more dangerous to mankind than those wearing evil idol's. Even history itself has proven Gabriel's theory to hold true.

Far more sin's have been committed in god's name than in Apollyon's. The bible has countless tales of god and his saints killing. Gabriel looked back on the passages of god commanding his people to kill. How could such saying's be used in context of god's name. How many passages did you hear of the devil saying kill someone for their way of life?

Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the LORD your God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged from Israel. Deuteronomy 17. So when those many priests judged their followers to acts of molestation, rape, suicide, and immorality. It was fine and anyone who questioned it should be put to death. Gabriel thought, how could that passage be god's word. It sounds more like something Apollyon would have commanded. Then Gabriel thought of the other passages he read that seemed unrealistic of a loving god.

But if this charge is true (that she wasn't a virgin on her wedding night), and evidence of the girls virginity is not found, they shall bring the girl to the entrance of her fathers house and there her townsman shall stone her to death, because she committed a crime against Israel by her unchasteness in her father's house. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst. Deuteronomy 22: 20-21

It was clear to Gabriel the book of Deuteronomy was either written by Apollyon himself or they let a madman into the scriptures of love and faith. As Gabriel walked he thought of the people in the village that they just left. One of those men trying to determine what woman is a virgin and what one is not.

Thinking back to the cut up harlot who wore the veil in front of her father. How was he, or anyone to know that she laid with many men. It was a passage meant to be abused, where the innocent died and the sinful perished. Had a woman lost her flower due to trama, medical defects, or rape was impossible to determine then, and even now. How could someone have faith that such a vile book was the direct words of god?

Do not allow a sorceress to live. Exodus 22: 18. The passage caused countless innocent murder. Where was their forgiveness, Gabriel thought. When they had stones tied to them and thrown into a river. If they survived they were surely a witch, but if they were murdered and suffocated to death, Then they were free from sin. These were laws that could only be judged by god himself. Why have heaven and hell if it's for man to decide who lives?

If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them shall be put to death for their abominable deed; they have forfeited their lives. Leviticus 20: 13 Why have freedom to choose, if death is consequences of choice. Who was Gabriel to decide who lived and died, Or who love what they loved?

Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed. Exodus 22:20 If a child is born into a life of other gods, and knows not the right one, then he should be put to death. Again to Gabriel it sounded like words directly from Apollyon's mouth.

Make ready to slaughter his sons for the guilt of their fathers; Lest they rise and posses the earth, and fill the breadth of the world with tyrants. Isaiah 14: 21 Gabriel assumed this is why their was blood on all of mankind, and he was the last saint. Was it up to Gabriel to end all of their lives simply because their fathers sinned. Or should they be given the chance to be forgiven and do their own trail of fire.

If within the city a man comes upon a maiden who is betrothed, and has relations with her, you shall bring them both out of the gate of the city and there stone them to death: the girl because she did not cry out for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbors wife. Deuteronomy 22: 23-24 In short, had the concubine of Bethlehem not cried out for the help that would never come, then she should have been put to death. Once again their was no justice for the just amongst the world.

But any prophet who claims to give a message from another god or who falsely claims to speak for me must die. You may wonder, 'How will we know whether the prophecy is from the LORD or not?' If the prophet predicts something in the LORD's name and it does not happen, the LORD did not give the message. That prophet has spoken on his own and need not be feared. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 This was the last passage that Gabriel thought of while walking with Abimelech. Smiling Gabriel thought, finally justice, maybe the Deuteronomy has something right. All of the priests who believed in the Revelations that had yet to come, should not be feared until such prophesy came to pass. All of those priests and prophets who believed in the unseen, were not really priests or prophets after all.

His thought's ceased as him and Abimelech approached a camp of rebel's and mercenary's. Outside of tents were battle hardened men, getting fat from inactivity. Sheathing his sword Abimelech walked towards the leader of the mercenary's. The man was at least 300 pound's, and not fit for battle.

"Hail, I come to pay tribute to services yet done!" Abimelech said.

"What services do you require?" The leader said while taking a bite from a chicken leg. The man had chicken juice running down his face and all over his chest.

"I come to bleed my bloodline dry!" Abimelech said as he threw the bag of coins at the leader.

"Oh?" The leader said as he dropped his chicken leg and struggled to bend over and grab the coins.

"What is the cost?" Abimelech asked.

"Besides damnation?...It requires all that you have." The leader said laughing.

"Take it, tonight we march!" Abimelech turned from the leader and walked outside of the camp to wait for the army. Drum's pounded as the lazy, and battle hardened mercenary's began gathering their gear. Gabriel could see at lease a few hundred men starting to gather. Their ranks looked as unorganized as the weapons they possessed. They gathered before Abimelech with sword's, shields, spears, javelins, clubs, and pitch forks.

Abimelech looked at the shabby display of a legion. After looking on with disgust for a few moment's he turned and started walking back towards the village. Gabriel was keeping up with Abimelech, but as he looked back he could see they were quickly losing the poorly conditioned army. The sounds of them marching was fading and Abimelech turned to look for his army.

"I GIVE ALL I HAVE FOR THIS?!" Abimelech yelled throwing his sword into the sand. Abimelech paced back and fourth waiting for his army to show up. They were maybe only a mile away from the village and its idol army was in site. After some time absorbing the heat, Gabriel was relieved to see the army catching up. The look on the mercenary's faces went from calm and no care in the world, to uneasy fear. Abimelech could see them fading from the heat, and fear.

"What are you afraid of!" Abimelech shouted at them.

"You want us to do battle with an army of Hades?!" A man yelled in disbelief, some of the men started to walk away.

"Do not turn in fear!" Abimelech yelled.

"I purchased you not to slay an army from hell, but to fight like an army of hell!" Abimelech said trying to get the men to stay.

"In that village, is only weak men and women. My family is in that village, and I purchased this army not just to take advantage of the meek. But to rule these land, and I swear to you any man who follows me into that village will claim ownership to these lands!" Abimelech yelled as he turned and ran towards the village sword in hand. Some of the men in the army charged with Abimelech. While most of the men turned and walked away.

Standing still and watching the charge, Gabriel could feel hell's tormenter pulling for his legs. As soon as he could feel the tug Gabriel started running after Abimelech as fast as he could. Gabriel was running out of breath as he caught up to Abimelech. A burning pain was growing in his side as he struggled not to stop and let his lungs fill with air.

Making it to the first statue, Abimelech charged it and knocked it over. It shattered as it hit the sand and turned to dust. Gabriel could hear the men behind them cheering and becoming confident in their decision to follow Abimelech. Trumpet's from the town blew as men with weapons rushed to the gates to defend the city.

"RAAAAA!" Abimelech yelled as he crashed into the men at the gate. The first one he quickly parried his blow and returned with his own blow severing the mans head and spraying blood on his companions behind him. The men at the gate looked terrified and had never been in battle. Standing in right in the middle of the battle Gabriel covered up from the blood flying from the edges of swords. Severed limbs, and mangled body's fell at his feet as they rushed inside the city.

At the town square was about 70 men who Abimelech and his army quickly turned into corpses. Abimelech had turned on his brothers and used their money to buy their doom. At the end of the battle 70 of Abimelech's brother's laid dead at his feet as he stood on the broken pedestal. Blood of his brothers ran from Abimelech and his blade.

"YAAAH!" The mercenary's yelled.

"VICTORY!" Abimelech shouted at them.

A petite old woman walked through the corpses and the cheering mercenary's. She walked right up to Abimelech and he looked down at her and smiled. She had scars on her arms from being beat with whips. She bowed down at Abimelech's feet.

"MOTHER!" Abimelech cried.

"I am the new king, my brothers are slain. As will be all who oppose us!"

Abimelech reached down and pulled his mother up and they turned to face the mighty temple of Baal. The people in the village came from their home's to see their husbands, sons, and nephews all dead. Some of them ran to their loved one's and cried next to their body's. Others walked over to join Abimelech and spare their lives.

From the temple rang mighty trumpets. Two men in black robes stood next to the entrance with the long trumpets. Priests of Baal Berith came out from the temple in black hooded robes, and black masks. The black masks were carved faces of demon's and each one was unique. Gabriel watched as 8 priests of hell came out from the mighty temple.

The priest in the lead held a black crown, ornamented with blood red gems. As they approached Gabriel could see small demon's carved into the crown. The priests surrounded Abimelech on all side's as the mercenary's and villagers waited for the priests to accept their new king. Abimelech stepped down from the pillar and knelt down before the priest with the crown.

"BAAL!" The priests cried into the sky as the one held the crown in the air just above Abimelech's blood covered head. The bright desert sky's went black and thunder echoed from all around. Lowering the crown onto Abimelech's head, the blood red gem's glowed and the tiny demon's danced. Once it was on his head the demon's laughed, and then their faces changed to a evil grimace and they stayed still. The gem's return to their normal gleam.

After crowning Abimelech king the lead priest walked back to the temple. The other priest's followed and the men with trumpets let out one more chilling composition. Abimelech stood and turned to the stunned villagers, blood still dripped from his armor and face.

"Our KING Abimelech!" A man cheered. In Abimelech's eye's was a red glow of blood lust. The smell of decay was filling the air just as a flash of bright light hit Gabriel sending him back into darkness and into a new biblical nightmare. He found himself back inside the village just before Abimelech's army collided with the men at the gate. Abimelech's brothers were all gathering near the broken stone pillar.

Gabriel was standing next to a small man with his sword out. He looked around at his brothers and made sure none were watching him as he slipped out from their ranks. Gabriel followed him around to the back of the village where they jumped into a sewage tunnel. Just as they jumped in and could smell the horrible aroma of shit and piss Gabriel could hear Abimelech.

"RAAAAA!" It was the same battle cry he heard before.

The man Gabriel was following through the sewage moved faster as he heard the battle cry. After turning around a few s shaped curves they made it outside of the village where the sewage poured off the great cliffside. Looking down Gabriel could see sharp rock's, sewage, bones, junk, and even body's hundreds of yards below.

Grabbing a hold of the rock wall the man shimmied his way along the side of the cliff. Grabbing the same rock outcrops, Gabriel struggled to follow the man. Hanging from the edge of the cliff they could hear the mercenary's yelling in victory. The man with Gabriel made it to a slope that lead down off the cliff. Gabriel was just seconds away from being off the cliff and on the walkway when his foot slipped. Hanging from a rock with one hand Gabriel desperately tried to regain his footing. His finger tips slipped from the rock due to sweaty hands.

"AHHH" Gabriel screamed as he plummeted for the ground below. Then just before his body smashed to piece's hells tormentor, or angle grabbed Gabriel's legs and pulled him back into the air. For the first time Gabriel could see the force that had tormented him before. A saggy black hooded robe covered the tormenter. Black massive raven wings sprawled out from its back.

To Gabriel it looked like he had just been saved by death himself as the thrusts from the wings blew air into Gabriel's face. Dangling right next to the man walking on the pathway, Gabriel was dropped on the ground right next to him. Hells tormenter turned and locked eye's with Gabriel. The hood from the robe blew off. Long black hair fell from the hood as a young woman's head popped out from the hood.

Her skin was as white as snow, black lipstick covered her pursing lips. Dark eyebrow's covered dark red and glowing eye's. Gabriel was frozen and frightened by the horridly gorgeous tormentor that had forcing him to follow earth's nightmares. The woman glared and hissed at Gabriel exposing sharp white teeth like those of a shark.

Turning her head the tormenter flapped her giant raven wings and flew away from the cliffside. Gabriel watched in awe as she disappeared into the sky. Looking down the pathway Gabriel could see the man was quickly losing Gabriel again so he jumped to his feet and ran down the narrow path to catch the man. Gabriel could hear the sounds of weeping as he approached that man. He had abandoned his brother's in death and coward from his family and life.

Eventually they made it off the narrow cliff edge and walked along the desert floor below the cliffs. After walking a short distance another village came into view at the base of a small desert mountain. The man was still weeping as he walked passed the village with his sword in hand. The townsfolk knew who the man and some of them were in the cliff village and paid Abimelech for the army.

"Jotham! what troubles you?" The town elder who gave Abimelech the coin purse said. But Jotham did not speak but continued to weep as they made it to the base of the mountain. The whole village was now following them as they made the steps up the mountain. Gabriel could not help but to think about the rocky movie when he ran up the steps and everyone followed him. After a decent climb Gabriel, Jotham and the villagers made it to the top of the mountain.

"Listen to me you leaders of the city of Shechem. Then let God listen to you!" Jotham said with tears running down his face.

"One day the trees decided to choose a king to rule over them. The trees said to the olive tree, 'You be king over us." Jotham said as the people looked around at each other in confusion.

"Uhhh..." Gabriel said as he looked at the deranged man.

"But the olive tree said, 'My oil is used to honor gods and humans. Should I stop making my oil just to go and sway over the other trees?" Jotham paused to let his story sink in to the villagers. Gabriel sighed and sat down on a rock to rest and rub his head.

"Then the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be our king."

"But the fig tree answered, 'Should I stop making my good, sweet fruit just to go and sway over the other trees?" The villagers were growing impatient, they just wanted to know what had happened.

"Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king."

"But the vine answered, 'My wine makes men and kings happy. Should I stop making my wine just to go and sway over the trees?"

"Finally, all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king."

"But the thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to make me king over you, come and find shelter in my shade. But if you don't want to do this, let fire come out of the thornbush. Let the fire burn even the cedar trees of Lebanon."

"Now if you were completely honest when you made Abimelech king, may you be happy with him. And if you have been fair to Gideon and his family, and if you have treated him as you should, this is also good. But remember what my father did for you. He fought for you and risked his life when he saved you from the Midianites. But now you have turned against my father's family. You have killed 70 of his sons all at the same time. You made Abimelech the new king over the city of Shechem. He is only the son of my father's slave girl. But you made him king because he is your relative. So if you have been completely honest to Gideon and his family today, then may you be happy with Abimelech as your king. And may he be happy with you. But leaders of Shechem and the house of Millo, if you have not acted right, may Abimelech destroy you. And may Abimelech be destroyed too!" As Jotham finished he took off and ran past Gabriel and the villagers with panic and fear in his face. He ran off the mountain and Gabriel watched in confusion. Gabriel got up and just as he did he was struck again into darkness.
**Chapter Fourteen  
**

Gabriel found himself in the dark of the desert night. He could hardly make out the mountain that he was just on and could see the village of Shechem. The gates were closed and men were on watch on the walls. Turning around Gabriel saw Abimelech right behind him crouched down and sneaking through the night.

With Abimelech was a much more organized and stealthy army. Gabriel would not have known they were there had he not been right next to them. There was not even a sound as they sneaked up to the village walls. Gabriel followed them and just as they were almost to the gate Abimelech held up one hand to halt the men.

"Look! there are people coming down from the mountains." A man on the wall shouted.

"You are only seeing the shadows of the mountains. The shadows just look like people." Another man said as Abimelech's army remained motionless.

"Look, there are some people coming down from that place over there by Land's Navel. And there! I saw someone's head over by Magician's Tree!" The man shouted.

"Why aren't you bragging now? You said, 'Who is Abimelech? Why should we obey him?' You made fun of these men. Now go out and fight them!" The other man said as he climbed down from the wall and back into the village.

"Men! prepare to attack!" The man on the wall said as everyone got off the walls except two men at the gate.

"Three years men, three years we have fought to remove my bloodline. Tonight it ends!" Abimelech yelled as the men stood up and cheered.

"HOOOWAAA!"

"HOOOWAAA!"

"HOOOWAAA!" The men shouted and stomped their feet to strike fear in the villagers hearts. Gabriel could feel the ground shake under his feet. What Gabriel thought was only a few men turned into hundreds all around the village. Abimelech's blood lust for his family and power had formed a army that would scare any man. Chill's and goosebumps rose on Gabriel's skin from the cool night air and the army hungry for blood.

Watching the village, Gabriel saw the village gates burst open in stupidity. The small army inside rushed out to meet Abimelech's.

"CHARGGGEE! Abimelech yelled as the desert floor shook so hard that Gabriel felt weak in the knee's.

"HOOOWAAA!" The men shouted back at Abimelech as they raised from the darkness. Shadow's from mountain side's all around poured down and enveloped the small army that was facing them. Abimelech's mighty army could dismantle the village in no time, nothing inside stood a chance against such a force. Hearing the cling of metal, death cries, and cheers Gabriel looked as the villagers army was being swallowed alive.

"FALL BACK!" A man yelled as the gates burst open again. The only thing keeping Abimelech's army from getting through was a small group of men using the walls and the open gate to protect them. Few of them made it inside the gate before the mouth of Abimelech's shadow army completely devoured anyone outside of the gate. Just as it did the gate slammed shut, buying the villagers mere moments to live.

Looking at his side, Gabriel could see Apollyon standing on a nearby hilltop. He watched the shadow army's murderous blood lust as a groupie to their favorite death metal band. At Apollyon's side's were two giant black wolves with glowing red eye's. Abimelech thought he was king over that army, but it was clear who the true king of that army was. Behind night's curtains stood the shadow armies leader. Feeding their lust for greed and power. Abimelech was simply a puppet in Apollyon's war.

"Fall back men, we will strike the heart not through the chest, but from the neck!" Abimelech yelled into the night as the shadow's retreated to the mountains around them. Gabriel walked over to Abimelech so he could hear the battle plan being discussed. Now with Abimelech was the now 500 plus pound mercenary leader.

"Tell half the men who battled tonight to go home. The rest I want divided into three groups." Abimelech stopped, feeling the enormous man was not listening. The mercenary leader was looking in the direction of Apollyon and his wolves.

"ARE YOU LISTENING?!" Abimelech yelled as the man slowly turned his head from Apollyon, back to Abimelech.

"Ye...Yes Master." The man said in almost feminine voice.

"Good! Now divide the rest of the army in three's. Have them hide in the field's until morning. Then on my signal, they strike and take Shechem and those working in the fields."

"Master" The 500 pound man said and gave a belly bow to Abimelech. He turned from Abimelech and looked to Apollyon. Making a slit throat motion to the man he nodded to Apollyon and walked off into the darkness. Abimelech and some of his men went down to a field with grapes and in a irrigation ditch they laid and waited for morning. Apollyon walked through the darkness with his wolves and right through the city gate.

Waiting with Abimelech and his men, Gabriel was getting very bored since there was no more activity in the night. He could not help to think what the men were thinking. The morning could be their last sunrise, or one that would infinitely haunt them in old age. Either way morality would die with the rising of the sun that was now creeping over the mountains.

The one thing Gabriel did not expect to see in Abimelech's army was fear. But the young men with many scars looked terrified. Not for self preservation, or losing the battle. They feared what they had become through following Abimelech, they signed a deal with Apollyon. The young men laying in the ditch waiting to shed innocent blood had no other choice.

Fear, of the monsters that they were becoming. The men were not serial killers, rapists, or emotionless barbarians. But young men with a whole life of nightmares and a death of servitude to Apollyon. Watching their faces as the sun glowed on it, Gabriel saw son's, fathers, brothers, and lovers selling their souls to the will of Apollyon. Dragon tattoo's glowed on their necks as the gates opened letting the villagers into the fields, and the young men into the eternal legion.

"Now!" Abimelech cried as three small army's rose from the field's. The men followed Abimelech into the vine yards. Women, children, and old men had baskets and were getting food for their family. They stood still in fright as Apollyon proposed his contract to the men charging the villagers. Abimelech struck first almost cutting a old man in half. It was clear that this was a take no prisoners bloodshed.

Joining Abimelech the men cut through the villagers as though they were grape vines. The villager's did not run or even cry in fear. Gabriel watched one boy who looked at him and gently tilted his head. Just as Gabriel saw him a man with a sword covered the image of the boy. Then as the man ran off the boy was no longer an image, but a corpse.

Behind Gabriel he could hear the mighty raven wings. As he turned he saw hell's tormentor in all of her glory. Eye's glowing read hot and arms reaching towards him like claws. Turning to run Gabriel did not look back or down. At his feet were innocent corpses of the village. He would see that there were body's but he did not allow his eye's to fixate on any of them.

Finally he caught up to Abimelech as they ran through the gates of Shechem. Ahead of them many villagers piled into a temple. Just as they ran up to it the door's echoed shut leaving a family trapped between the shadow army, and sanctuary. Turning his head Gabriel saw the blood fly like thousands of vultures shredding flesh. On the steps of the temple laid the young family cut to shreds.

Tilting his head Abimelech looked at the temple. Then he looked up and could see the wooden roof over the stone temple. A huge smile came over his face and he looked back down at the door and let out a vicious laugh. His men looked around at each other covered in blood and confused.

"Follow me to the tree's!" Abimelech said motioning his hand onward. The men and Gabriel followed him out of the city and to a small patch of tree's just outside the gates. Body's from the night and morning littered the landscape around the village. But it was clear that Abimelech was not done with the village yet as he swung his sword and cut into a branch like butter. Once he cut to long branches off a tree he threw them over his shoulder.

"Get branches and follow!" Abimelech said still following. The men cut what branches down that they could and followed Abimelech back into the city. They marched branches in hand right up to the temple. Abimelech leaned one of his massive branches up against the temple so that one end touched the roof and the other the ground.

"Do just as I did!" He barked at his men. The temple had branches all around it, then Abimelech removed his flint and struck it lighting the branch. Without being told the men did the same lighting the branches all around.

"Now if they want to hide with their god, then they will die there! hold the doors!" Abimelech said as he leaned up against the massive door to hold it shut. The men all did the same bracing it shut. After awhile of branches burning and braking some finally hit home lighting the roof. it smoldered for a few minutes and then turned into a mighty blaze.

"AHHH! LET US OUT!" Men, women, and children cried. Smoldering hot ash rained down on the villagers inside. Then with one violent bang the whole fiery inferno of a roof came down. The screams changed from fear to deaths agony. Some pushed on the door just enough to get smoke to seep out but not enough to strain the soldiers holding it.

Once the cry's and burning flesh were removed from the air Abimelech and his men let go of the door. It swung open as charred body's sprung out with the door in a smoldering flesh pile. The smell was much like Gabriel smelled when the napalm hit in Nam. But inside was small, and large undefinable burnt corpses.

The men walked into the temple and thrust their swords into each corpse making sure all were dead. Gabriel sat outside looking away, and the flash of someone came past him. It was a young woman half burnt with a stab wound. Half of her hair was burnt off but Gabriel could still see light brown strands. Her robes were white covered in ash and charcoal.

"Hahaha! what do we have here?" Abimelech laughed as the woman ran into his arms. Abimelech held her gently for a moment as she laid her head on his shoulder crying.

"Shhhhhh its okay.....But I don't go for religious cunt!" Just as Abimelech finished pushed the woman away and drove his sword through here collar bone and into her heart. The woman fell to her knee's and took one last look at Abimelech.

"I will kill you!" The woman said just as she died. Abimelech removed his sword and wiped the blood off on her charcoal dress and laughed. Blood pooled around Abimelech feet and he jumped back so that he would not get blood on his feet. Abimelech looked at the ruined temple as he waited for his men to finish slaying the village.

Once all were dead Gabriel followed Abimelech in disgust as he walked towards the gate. One of Abimelech's men walked with him as they approached the gate. Gabriel watched as it slowly opened and as it did Apollyon and his wolves were waiting on the outside. Then from just above the gate a woman shined out like a ray of light before them. She wore white robe's and had light brown hair.

Gabriel immediately knew who it was, but how could it be. White wings waved through the air behind her and her eye's went black. It was the woman that Abimelech had moments before thrust his sword in. In her hand was a white stone tablet. She looked down at Abimelech and smiled with black eye's. Then she let the stone fall, with a hard thud it crashed into Abimelech's head. He fell to the ground, still alive but part of his brain was exposed.

"Shhhh it's okay" The woman said. Gabriel's heart jumped in his throat, it was poetic justice for such a foul man. Apollyon was still on the other side of the gate now holding onto his wolves who were clawing to get to Abimelech. They bared their white fangs and pulled against Apollyon who was laughing. Abimelech looked up at the man with him.

"Take out your sword and kill me. I want you to kill me so that people will not say, 'A woman killed Abimelech.'" Abimelech said as blood pooled around him. The man took his sword out and thrust it into his chest. Just as he did, Apollyon let go of the wolves who ran up to devour Abimelech. Just as they did, Cain and other men ran up and grabbed Abimelech's hands.

"NO!" Apollyon said as the gates slammed shut in his face. Cain pulled against the wolves in a tug of war with a vile corpse. Then two men grabbed at the wolves who then let go of Abimelech. The wolves latched on to the two men and drug them to the ground. Once there a black hole emerged from the ground. The wolves drug the two men into it, Gabriel could hear them scream on the way down.

Apollyon walked right through the gate, but it was too late. Cain and Abimelech's corpse were long gone. Apollyon glared at Gabriel and then he was struck with the jolt into darkness. Gabriel found himself back in the graveyard, at the end of Abimelech's blade. Gargling blood and feeling the cold steel wedged in his throat, Gabriel tried to speak.

"He's here!!" Cain yelled.

"Run!" Abimelech said as he removed the sword from Gabriel's throat. Falling to the ground Gabriel looked up to see the king of his nightmares. Apollyon swung his palm at Abimelech and when it impacted it sent Abimelech flying into the sky. Gabriel could not even see where he landed, he flew that far away. Looking back to Apollyon he had a vicious look of irritation and anger. He ran past Gabriel and toward Cain and heavens abominations. Gabriel turned around to see them, and Cain had not moved. But heavens harlot was running one direction and Tiffany was running the other. Apollyon saw them both and had to decide, who he wanted.

"You! how did you slip my grasps!" Apollyon said.

Gabriel was still gargling blood and as Apollyon made his choice bumps rose all over Gabriel's body. Instead of blood, he felt his heart jump into his throat as he struggled to speak. Apollyon was second's away from catching his lost black sheep.

"Hugggh!" Gabriel said trying to make words with a severed throat.

"Noawg!" Gabriel grabbed his throat in frustration and jumped to his feet.

"NOOOO APOLLYON!" Gabriel finally shouted. Apollyon was inches from grabbing Tiffany. Gabriel had to save her, he did not care about Cain, Abimelech, or the harlot. But something drew him to Tiffany from the moment he saw her. A fire grew inside of him the second they spoke. He had only just met her, but now that he had seen such a beautiful creature. For the first time he had a reason to fight, without her beauty the world would be empty, and weaker.

Apollyon reached out and touched Tiffany's hair with his fingertip's. But as soon as he heard Gabriel he stopped and looked back at him. It gave Tiffany just enough time to run and hide from the king of hell. Apollyon saw that Gabriel was in no danger but had just tricked the master trickster.

"Fool!" Apollyon said.

"Bravo!" Cain said clapping his hands and laughing. Apollyon walked past Cain and got inches from Gabriel's face.

"Now!....Why...Did you do that?!" Apollyon said. The goosebumps on Gabriel rose on his arms once again, but in fear.

"I....I had to, you wouldn't understand!" Gabriel said.

"Why don't you take him?!" Gabriel pointed to Cain.

"I can't take him, god cursed him here!" Apollyon shouted in Gabriel's face.

"Yes, be a good boy and listen to your master!" Cain said. Apollyon quickly turned from Gabriel and headed towards Cain who was stumbling backwards from Apollyon.

"I'm sorry, I, I didn't mean it!" Cain said holding his hands out in front of him as his back bumped into a tree. Apollyon reached his hand out in a flash and grabbed Cain by the neck and lifted him off the ground.

"I might not be able to drag you to hell, but I can, and will bring hell here. So know this Cain, your days of mocking me are coming to an end!" Apollyon said as he let go of Cain and he fell to the ground like an old helpless man.

"Now leave here!" Apollyon said and Cain got to his feet and walked away.

"Now you!" Apollyon said walking back to Gabriel.

"I hold something you want Apollyon, it would be unwise to take her away." Gabriel said.

"Ha, you are playing with fire you moron. You think they are your friends? you think you and her can ride off in happily ever after? She is MINE, and when I find her I will take her!" Apollyon said.

"You have control issues don't you?" Gabriel asked smirking.

"Just know Gabriel, this can be easy or hard for you. You might think you are, but you are not in control and soon when the gates of hell burst open you will know that." Apollyon said.

"Oh, your not in control either. You have people who escape you, ones you can't even lay a finger on. What kind of a king is that? your not a king, your a JOKE!" Gabriel yelled back. Apollyon got right up into Gabriel's face with fire burning in his eye's he motioned as to grab Gabriel by the neck. Gabriel smiled, for once he saw Apollyon for what he was. Then Apollyon dropped his hand and turned and walked away into the graveyard.
**Chapter Fifteen  
**

Turning away from Apollyon Gabriel started walking out of the graveyard and back to his truck. Looking at a white stone cross Gabriel saw a film of orange fungus growing on it. Much like heavens abomination's were growing on the cursed earth. Being rejected from heaven, and hell not knowing their name.

But they did not seek either, heaven or hell. All they wanted was a dream that Gabriel once had. Not eternal life, or damnation. They wanted their suffering, love, hate, and loss of god to disappear into a black hole. Never to return again, where all matter was lost and they could finally rest in peace. Gabriel found it as hard to deny them that, as it was to find hope for mankind.

Driving away from the graveyard Gabriel could not help to wonder if Tiffany got away. Why didn't Apollyon take Abimelech, after all he was far more valuable to the hounds of hell. One thing Gabriel knew, Apollyon had a reason for every move he made. Apollyon never did anything beyond god's will, but he still had free dominion over those who signed their deals with him.

If the world, heaven, and hell was a chess match between god and man. Then Apollyon was his queen, able to move about the world freely. But he could only take the pawn's who fell into his snares. So how could some get away from such a dominate force. The only possible explanation that Gabriel could figure was that it was god's will for Apollyon to fail.

Cain, was cursed to wander the world from god's will. Cain saved Abimelech from Apollyon, as he did with many others. So it was god's will that inevitably saved them from hell, and heaven. Taking the bypass around Axal, Gabriel was driving passed the railroad track's and grain elevator that he had jumped from.

Then just as he passed the spot where his mangled corpse once rested a light bulb went off in his head. God willed, Apollyon to trap him in worlds immortal pandemonium. Apollyon thinks he is at war to prove god wrong, but he is merely a pawn to prove him right. There was a reason Tiffany was not in the pits of hell. A reason why Cain roams the earth. A reason why the women haunted his house. A reason why heavens abomination's suffering was there.

As Gabriel drove down his driveway he stopped his truck in the middle of it. Finally a enlightening revelation happened. Apollyon didn't choose him, Cain didn't find him, god did. Whoever, or whatever that was. Whether it was the god Apollyon, the bible, or the world portrayed he did not know. Everything inside Gabriel told him it could not be the god any of them portrayed.

It was the god burning inside of him all those years that told him although mankind's suffering is painful, it's worth being felt. The god that lead Gabriel down the moral crossroads between love and hate. No matter if that god was something physical, or merely an emotion inside all of us. Gabriel was no longer sure if Apollyon, or anything he went through since he met him was real. Maybe it was all merely insanity from the loss of love. But he now knew that god was there, even if only an emotion.

Driving the rest of the way down the driveway Gabriel remembered his fight that morning. It felt like a lifetime ago, but now he would be faced by an estrogen filled paranormal mob. If everything that happened was just insanity, then his mentally ill mind was cannibalizing itself. Pulling into his parking spot, all looked well. He looked into each window, scanning the house before getting out of his truck.

Knowing Sophia would be laying in wait for Gabriel, he cautiously approached his home. Creaking up the steps he prepared himself for the door to burst open releasing decades of fury from one man's sin. Gabriel knew it was not him that the anger was directed at, but the man who plunged his blade into the young and defiled.

Pausing for a moment, Gabriel grabbed the door knob. Turning it he expected to feel the pressure of yet another locked door. Instead, the door came open almost on its own, as to welcome him home. Walking into the house he looked around the stairwell and living room. He did not want to investigate to deeply, hoping they would not notice him.

Walking up the steps the bitter sweet chloroform hit his nose. A reminder, that they were there. The fact that he could not see them was creating an uneasy feeling. Scanning the halls upstairs it was clear that the cost was clear. He went into his bedroom and shut and locked the door. Rearranging his dresser, he used it as a blockade and pushed it in front of the door.

Trying to think of what plot they were devising against him, Gabriel laid down in his bed. Would they attack him in his sleep. Or would they wait, leaving an uneasy feeling, which was worse than revenge. Maybe they are gone, he thought as grasps of exhaustion quickly pulled him into a deep sleep. Loud creaking of the house, and the bright moon were not enough to disturb his slumber.

"Gabriel help!" A woman's voice cried out from outside of the house. Keeping his eye's closed Gabriel heard the cry for help but thought it was just a dream.

"Help!" The voice cried again. This time he knew it was no dream, but his insanity that was becoming reality. With heavy eye's he opened them and stared at the moonlight for a moment. Trying to convince himself that the voice was not real, he closed his eye's again. Wait, he thought, what if it's Tiffany. What if she was in danger, maybe Apollyon knew she would come for Gabriel and was now dragging her to hell?

Jumping out of bed Gabriel ran to the door forgetting the dresser was there. Falling into the dresser the surge of pain made him momentarily lose all bodily control. Wanting to wait in pain, Gabriel convinced himself to move the dresser. Grabbing it from the top Gabriel just knocked it over onto the floor. Then grabbing the bottom he rolled it one more time, the sound of breaking wood filled the room.

Swinging the door open Gabriel rushed out of the room and down the steps. Pausing for a moment he quickly opened the front door and ran outside not stopping to close the door. Running into the open area before the dark woods Gabriel stopped to scan the darkness. One shadow caught his eye as it danced in the moonlight through the tree's.

"Gabriel!" The voice cried in the direction of the dancing shadow's. Not waiting to process things Gabriel rushed into the dark wood's chasing shadow's. A shadow would flash one way, then another would flash a different direction. Running in what was circle's Gabriel stopped to allow his mind to process the shadow's.

Wait the voice's were different, Gabriel thought. That wasn't Tiffany, and now he was lost in a dark forest. Flashing before him Sophea was running through the woods at him. From her lipstick covered lips blood spewed. Her red hair glowed in the moonlight, and her white blouse had stab wounds. Then from another direction appeared the image of another woman.

It was Christa, dark black hair, and pale white skin. Her tight pink shirt was torn, with multiple stab wounds protruding from it. The poodle skirt was torn as well and blood ran down her legs. Then from another direction was the sounds of another running corpse. Blonde hair, and a black and white strapless dress. It was the dark forests slut, Tina with a bloodstained dress.

The forest was coming to life all around Gabriel. He did not know if he should cower in fear or run. The women looked possessed with rage like demented sorceresses. He turned and ran in the only direction that he did not see a murdered ghost coming from. Laughter and rustling of the forest floor was all Gabriel could hear from behind him.

"What Gabriel you don't want to play?!" Sophea's voice said from the forest behind him.

"Well we DO!" Tina said. Just as she said it Gabriel saw the edge of a cliff coming. Not having time to stop Gabriel fell sliding across the forest floor. His leg's fell from the edge as his hands clung to rocks and branches. The women wanted to horrify him and then lead him over the edge of the cliff. They knew he would not die, but he would feel it which was worse.

Struggling to pull himself up from the ledge Gabriel could hear the laughter growing. Just as Gabriel was about to let go and accept his temporary fate, he saw hands reaching down for him. Looking up to his relief Gabriel saw his beautifully manufactured monster smiling down at him. Tiffany was a teen girl with long blue and black hair, she was reaching down to help Gabriel up.

"Wait!" Gabriel yelled hoping to prevent another nightmare. But it was to late, the teenager gently touched his hand to help pull him up. Just as she did, Gabriel was jolted and sent into darkness's waiting room for nightmares. Gabriel now found himself in the middle of Axal's Skate park. Teenagers zipped past him on their skateboards. Gabriel thought that it had to have been just months before since the skate park was just built not long ago.

Looking around Gabriel spotted the teen girl who touched his hand on the cliff. She was holding a teen girls hand on top of the half pipe. The girl who was with Tiffany was wearing a jean skirt with fishnet stockings and a black tank top. The hand she was using to hold hands had a fishnet spiderweb glove. Gabriel walked over to them as they watched a kid riding the half pipe.

There was another group of kids just a little ways away from the two girls. Gabriel could see them pointing and laughing at them. Surprisingly the kids did not phase them, and the teen lovers held hands not caring what the others thought of them. Everyone at the park singled them out and stuck to their own little niches.

Watching the girl's Gabriel felt as though he was watching Rosa Park's in the shitty mountain town of Axal. It was an impressive sight of ones love and individuality. Gabriel could already see the problem though. Unfortunately the two lovers had to be born in the ignorant town of Axal. It was clear that they would be eaten alive by close minded town scum.

Being in a skate park Gabriel figured the girl's might be safe from the typical closed minds. But that was far from the case as even in a place of expressing art and love, the girls were singled out. No one could simply accept them for being who they were. Although the tables had been turned they would have wanted the same respect.

The skate park was filled with fake people seeking acceptance. Except for the two teenage girls, expressing who they really were and standing on stage to be judged. Blood drained from the eye's of the kid's pointing and laughing. No one was being threatened, their sexuality was not being challenged. Some how though, the bloodline of ignorance ran deep and they feared the two girls. Gabriel could feel Axal's scowls, but the girls turned and gave each other a kiss.

Kid's that were poking fun now acted as though they were going to throw up. Gabriel could not hear them but he know their intent. They were bullies, who were too afraid to accept others for who they are. Gabriel dealt with the same kid's, he was bullied and the bully. He knew both side's were victim's being filtered through a monstrosity of a society.

Two young lovers of the same sex had to face people to afraid to face them. Scared the bullies let their fear over whelm them to the point of ignorance. Gabriel had seen Cain slaughter his brother, the harlot being defiled, and Abimelech's wars. This was just as big of a fight as those biblical. The two girls were soldier's, in the army of love facing an army of fear and crudeness.

"You guys are gross!" A girl said walking up to them. She was trying to impress her fake niche of friends.

"Piss off bitch!" The blue haired girl said.

"Ohhh really? I'm not a bitch you stupid dike!" The other girl said. The blue haired girl let go of the other girls hand and started towards the girl mocking them.

"Lura she's not worth it!" The other girl said grabbing a hold of her.

"Yeah hold your little pet back Sarah!" The bully said.

"How about I tell your mom that your a homo?" The bully said. Lura was now struggling against Sarah to kick the shit out of the bully.

"Just leave my mom out of it." Sarah said hugging Lura from behind so she would not jump down and fight the girl.

"We used to be friend's, but now I don't even know who you are." The bully said.

"Lura stop! Lets get out of here." Sarah said. Lura stopped fighting against her young lover.

"Yeah lets go, this dumb bitch is not worth our time." Lura said.

"Fuck you homo!" The bully said. Getting down from the half pipe Lura and Sarah walked away from the girl teasing them.

"I'm gonna tell your mom!" The bully said as they walked away. Gabriel followed them as they walked through a grassy area surrounding the skate park. They stopped and sat down under a huge willow tree.

"Why does Stephanie have to be such a bitch." Lura said.

"She is just trying to show off, but I hope she does not tell my mom." Sarah said.

"So what, I don't care who knows about us." Lura said.

"I know, I just don't want to have to tell my mom about it. Then she won't let us see each other anymore."

"We could run away, then no one could mess with us"

"But where would we go?"

"I don't care as long as it's you and me. Maybe we can jump on the train and ride it out of here. Then we could just travel around."

"What would we eat, I just don't think we could survive."

"I could survive in the wild better than I could without you." Lura said going in for a kiss from Sarah.

"Well I have to go home, I will message you on FB tonight." Sarah said getting up to walk home.

"Can't you just stay a little longer?" Lura said.

"No, my mom will be home soon and I am already in hot water."

"Well I love you, talk to you tonight."

"Yup you too!" Sarah said walking away. Gabriel stayed with Lura watching her play with strands of grass. Lura watched as Sarah walked away, Gabriel could see that she already missed her. She was intoxicated by young love. Gabriel knew that nothing was as strong as teen love. They would do anything for the one they loved, which is what made it so poisonous. They had yet explored the depth's of ones love and still had the fresh euphoria for one another.

It was dangerous, and destructive. Passionate love at a young age was destined for slaughter. At such a time when teenagers are finding themselves, they become addicted to feelings of desire. Once that addiction is seized, the withdraws of desire send them into a lethal spiral ending in disaster. Many young lovers fall to this fate, turning them into a cruel and calculated lover. This is a plague much like Cain's rage, or Eve's fascination with power.

Gabriel looked over at Lura, playing with the grass trying to distract herself from young loves withdrawal. Then Gabriel was shocked into nightmares waiting room, ready to see the destruction of love and being who you are. Now Gabriel found himself on a bed with a black comforter. He was in Lura's mess of a bedroom.

Posters of band's with tattoo's, leather, spikes, and black hair lined her walls. No princesses, kitty's, ballerinas, or bright colors. The room was dark and drab, Gabriel felt at home being there. If he had known Lura as a teenager then he was sure they would have gotten along well. Music blared from a CD player, it was a modern version of kiss, mixed with demonic and hollow lyrics.

Gabriel instantly loved the music, and could see Lura sitting in front of her computer in a tank top and boxers. Getting up from the bed to see what Lura was doing Gabriel stepped over cloth's, spikes' and chain's. Lura was on her facebook page and it was blowing up. Gabriel read some of the messages in disbelief at the menaces of teenage social media.

"Nasty homo slut!" One girl wrote.

"They shouldn't even let you in the girls bathroom. I don't want you being a peeping tom when I am going to the bathroom!" Another girl wrote, as though Lura would even be attracted to a girl taking a piss.

"If I see you in school I'm going to kick your ass" Some other girl wrote, the messages were stacking up. Gabriel could see in Lura's hand a bottle of prescription pills. Knowing exactly how she felt clinching a bottle of pills. Even now Gabriel wanted to down the bottle and see if it would be over. But how many times would he have to attempt suicide to prove to himself that there was no escape.

Lura unclenched her hand and rolled the bottle back and fourth. Messages continued to fill the screen with ignorant, mob mentality hatred. Gabriel's generation did not have social media, so when you left school and went home you were safe from a bullies menace. It was clear that Lura had no escape though, school was a institute of aversion. Outside of school, she still was unable to be herself without hate. Then once home she faced something even worse. Unable to defend herself the cowards attacking her hid behind a screen and the comfort of their homes.

"Bing" The sound of a new personal message filled the room. With hesitation Lura opened the message. It was from Sarah, Gabriel looked closely at the screen to try and read the blocked message.

"I am so sorry, I wish I didn't have to do this but I have no choice. Someone called my mom tonight and told her about us. She was so mad and yelled at me for the past hour. Now I have to call my dad and we are going to have an intervention as my mom put it. I had to tell her the truth because I was tired of hiding it from her. But she said that we can no longer see each other. She said it's immoral, and unnatural. Then she said how if I don't change and repent then I will go to hell and so will you. Lastly she said it was just a phase and I need to stop being childish. I hate to have to do this but I have to break up with you. I can't take the harassment anymore and now I am grounded for life. I hope you understand and please don't make this harder than it already is."

Tears ran down Lura's face as she thought of the words to type. Gabriel watched as she would start to type something and then delete it and stare blankly at the pills. Lura had went through hell expressing who she was, and who she loved. Now it seemed as though it was all for nothing. The poison of teen love, and suffering ran through her veins. Blankly staring at the screen and keyboard she finished her message.

"It's not immoral or unnatural, how can love be immoral. I don't see how you can let them do this to us. If I am wrong for loving you, and going to hell then so be it because it can't be any worse than this. I hate this, I don't want to lose you..Please don't do this to me." Lura clicked the send button and waited for a response. The CD played over and over intensifying the dread and suffering. Tears drenched her shirt as more hate filled messages came over the screen. Then finally one from Sarah, the "Bing" sound made her heart jump.

"I am sorry, my mom knows that I messaged you. I have to go, I can't see you anymore." Lura's heart dropped as she finished reading the message. Her eye's went back to the bottle of pills as she curled up in the computer chair crying. Gabriel watched as she cried herself to sleep, as always he wished he could make a difference. Hate mail flashed on the screen and the glow lit across Lura's face but she was free from their torment.

Laying back on the bed Gabriel was about to doze off and then was jolted and sent to the dark waiting room of hell. Now he found himself outside of a high school. Teen's were all in their groups of friend's eating lunch. Not Lura though, Gabriel sat next to her as she ate alone under a tree. Just like at the skate park kid's pointed and laughed at her from the distance.

Looking around Gabriel saw Sarah, sitting with Stephanie and some other girls. Stephanie's spite had taken Sarah away and she had won. Lura looked up at them as they laughed and ate their food. Then she would look down at her food that she had not touched. Pulling a lighter from her pocket she flicked it on and placed the flame to her skin.

Kid's laughed at her as she tested fleshes flammability. Holding the fire to her arm it burnt her skin, but she did not flinch. To Gabriel's relief the wind blew out the flame. He wished that same wind could put out the flames of teenage blind hatred. Looking back at Sarah, Lura tried to draw her attention but it was not working.

Looking back down at the lighter she flicked the flame under her arm again. Gabriel waited counting on the wind to put it out. But instead of the wind it was Lura getting up from under the tree. Gabriel walked with her as she left her food and headed straight for Sarah. More kid's pointed at her and moved closer to Sarah and the group of girl's she was with. It was as though they knew that something big was about to happen.

"Hey, Sarah can we talk" Lura said, facing scowls from the group of girls Sarah was with.

"Get away from her homo, she doesn't like you!" Stephanie said.

"Fuck off I wasn't talking to you!" Lura said waiting for a response from Sarah.

"Well I am talking to you, now get the fuck out of here before I kick your ass!" Stephanie said stepping into Lura's face. Gabriel had seen this before, he knew the bully was normally all bark and no bite. But Lura had enough of the torment, she grabbed Stephanie's shirt and started slapping away at her face.

"Fight, Fight!" Kid's shouted as they all moved in to watch. Stephanie grabbed Lura's hair as she swung her by it. Lura tried to keep hitting Stephanie but she was pulling her head down towards the ground. Lura grabbed a hold of Stephanie taking her to the ground. The two girl's shuffled for control and rolled around in the grass.

"Get off me bitch!" Stephanie yelled in a desperate plea. Lura ended up on top of Stephanie in the jostle for position. Stephanie still had a hold of her hair but Lura laid into her face with clinched fists. Lura had drawn first blood and it ran down from Stephanie's nose. The girl's that were with Stephanie started to kick and pull at Lura once they saw their friend was in trouble.

Four girl's pulled Lura off and they were kicking and punching at her. Gabriel looked up at Sarah and she just looked on with a blank expression. She had given in to the world of fake smiles and friends. After all it is so much easier to be fake, than to be ridiculed for who you were. Gabriel figured that she must not have really cared about Lura, because if she did she would be swinging at the preppy pack of wolves.

Teachers ran outside to break up the fight. The damage was done though, Lura had multiple gashes pouring blood out. Two girls held her down as Stephanie and two other girls kicked and punched her in the face and body. Even the kid's who came to see the show had a sick expression on their face. It had turned from even combat to a raping of ones soul and all who watched felt violated.

Lura could not even defend herself because she was pinned down. Finally a teacher pulled two of the girls away giving Lura a chance to cover her face. Another teacher came running in and used his body to cover Lura from any more of a beating. It was far from the fight's that Gabriel remembered, where teachers would allow it to happen. No moral person could allow it to continue as even some kid's helped hold back the girls.

Line's of teachers came running out as they prepared for an all out brawl. Gabriel walked away from the riot looking down at the ground. Sounds of teens cursing and screaming rang in his ears as the sound of raven wings swooshed down beside him. Looking to his side he saw hell's tormentor reaching her hands out to grab him. Just before she pulled him back to the beating the jolt and darkness came to his relief.

Falling on to Lura's bed Gabriel looked and saw he sitting at her computer chair. She had on black pajama pants with white skulls and crossbones and a dark blue t-shirt. Walking up to her Gabriel saw the damage to her face. Blue and black bruises covered her eye's, lips, neck, and even on her arms. Stitches covered a big gash that was in her for head and on the side of her eyebrow.

Her eye's were bloodshot with pain and suffering as the screen reflected in them. The old bottle and a new bottle of pills sat on her computer desk. The messages popped up on her screen, and then the worst one yet.

"We all know you want to do it, so just kill yourself already!" One of the girls who helped attack her wrote.

"Yeah, cut your wrists already bitch" Stephanie wrote in response.

"Die!" Another one said. Clicking on a picture, Sarah filled her screen covering up the murderous messages. Tears fell from broken tear ducts as Lura distracted herself with her lost love. Then she reached up and shut off the monitor. Picking up the bottle of pills, Lura examined them in her hand. Pouring some out into her hand she counted them.

To Gabriel's relief she put the pills back in the bottle. Lura got up and grabbed a leather jacket from her closet. She put it on and then pulled her hair out from under it and headed out her bedroom door. Gabriel followed her down her steps and to the front door. Looking over Gabriel could see Lura's mother sleeping on the couch with the TV going. Lura walked up to her and knelt down. For a moment she just looked at her mother with love.

Then she got up and Gabriel followed her out the front door. Hoping she was just walking to blow off steam, Gabriel walked side by side with her. They walked for many blocks until eventually they came to the abandoned rail yard. Lura looked up at the stars and Gabriel followed with an uneasy feeling as they passed the grain elevator that Gabriel jumped from.

Smiling Gabriel was happy that they walked passed it and continued following the train tracks. They had walked for a few more miles and the glow from the town faded behind them. The moon glowed on the tracks. On both side's of the tracks were dark pine forests. Gabriel could hear Lura sniffle from the pain she was going through.

Gabriel had never been so far down the track's and there were no roads around to get to where they were. Seeing the iron arches of a train bridge Gabriel had the uneasy feeling once more. Lura was sniffling more as they got closer, and more tears ran down her broken face. Following behind Lura Gabriel walked down the train bridge.

Every so often he would peer over the edge of the bridge and could see the white water and rocks far below. They had made their way to the middle of the bridge and Gabriel listened to the rumble of the water below. Lura stopped and walked over to the edge of the bridge. She climbed over the railing and stepped out to the edge.

"Don't do this, there is so much more to life than these shitty teenage years." Gabriel pleaded standing just behind her. She hung onto the rail behind her and let her body lean over the side. Lura looked up at the moon as a single tear ran down her face.

"So long cruel world" Lura said in a insanely mellow voice. The last tear fell from her face as she let go of the rail.

"No!" Gabriel reached out to grab her but was to late. Looking down he saw her plummet to the river below. With a sickening crash he watched as her body smashed into the rocks below. Then the white water turned red, carrying her body, and suffering away. Downstream Gabriel could see a woman wading out into the water. The jolt hit Gabriel sending him back into darkness and nightmares waiting room.
**Chapter Sixteen**

Still hanging from the cliff side Gabriel looked up at the two self destructed outcasts holding onto him. Snow started to fall from the black abyss above Lura and Tiffany. Large flakes perfectly spaced as though they were placed to immortalize the moment. A snow fall you would see just before a roman battle against the barbarian hordes.

Struggling to pull himself up Gabriel felt the force of the anchors holding him relax their grip. Not helping him up the cliff but holding him there, as a hostage. There was no use in even trying to get up, he was at their mercy looking into pale emotionless faces.

"Gabriel you must listen to me, and I will make it quick because hells bitch, watch dogs approach to keep you within his reach." Tiffany said pausing to let Gabriel digest the words in his awkward predicament.

"Apollyon has not even scratched the surface about what is to come. You see things in black, grey, and white..Apollyon the black, Cain the grey, and God the white. But there is a entire realm of color waiting to collide with the forces you know of. A realm that Apollyon and even god does not want you to see. When Lura died I found her in the river to bring her to Cain, but I found someone else there. He was there to take her as his own, and introducing me to the truth." Tiffany paused again.

"There is no time the bitches are close!" Tiffany said as the laughter of the women haunting Gabriel echoed across the mountains.

"If you choose to go with us you must not speak of Apollyon, or even say his name or he will find you...Though he might anyways and when he does you will see his true wrath." Tiffany said as Gabriel prepared to speak but could not find the words in time.

"Don't speak! If you choose to go with us and meet a man of infinite knowledge than simply let go." Lura said.

Trying to process the information, the tree's around them began to shake. He thought he was simply being tricked by the women of the house, but it was them being tricked. Now faced with an unexpected choice he simply froze to the ledge. Hesitating he loosened his grip then clung back to the ledge. Looking up at Tiffany's face she had a look of dread like she did in the truck stop just before her rampage.

Letting go once more Gabriel kicked his legs from the ledge as to push off. As he fell away from the ledge Lura, and Tiffany jumped as well, their faces turned to almost greedy smiles. The ledge faded into the darkness, then what seemed as though a thousand tiny shadow's engulfed Gabriel and the two young women. The feeling was like that of landing on millions of crawling rats all pushing against his body.

His vision was filled with wing's and black feathers that swarmed all around him. Stars shined through the swarm and Gabriel could see they were going into the clouds. It was a swarm of raven's carrying them through the cold night sky. The swarm was gaining momentum and all he could see now was darkness flashing around him. Now the feeling was that of a blanket being wrapped around you and hoisting you off the ground.

Forcing his eye's closed to block out the darkness causing sensations of vertigo he relaxed his muscles into the ancient chariot of souls. Thoughts of Apollyon unleashing his fury came into Gabriel's mind as he flew across the night sky. Apollyon was, and would always be his immortal enemy. He was the man who cursed Gabriel's life since birth.

What could he really do to him, cage him up. Seal him in a dark chasm of the earth or hell. It didn't really matter, the battle lines were drawn. Where ever they were going he could only hope that it was far from Apollyon's reaches. Gabriel still needed time to figure out how to out maneuver the trickster. Staying at Apollyon's side like Gabriel had done only allowed him to play into Gabriel's emotions and mind. Their war had to take place not in Apollyon's maze, but in the shadow's where Gabriel could search for Apollyon's weakness.

Only knowing that it was only minutes since they left the cliff Gabriel did not know how far they had gone. The raven swarms place slowed down as they moved from the clouds back to the earth. Old dark forests were below them. Not a forest that you would see anyplace in America, but one almost European. The tree's were massive, stretching out into the sky. Plumes of deep snow rested on their branches.

As the swarm decreased their speed, their ranks also weakened. Leaving Gabriel unprotected from the freezing night sky. Pain and feeling was coming back to Gabriel once more. When he first drank from the grail there was no more pain, or feelings. Now for some reason he was feeling mortal once more. From the hot sands of the deserts and razor sharp rocks, crippling withdraws from an appetite of spirits, to the cold night sky.

Descending from the sky the ravens around them smashed into the ancient tree's sending feathers and snow flying. It was not the descent that Gabriel was expecting but more of a crash landing. Branches, snow, and feathers smashed into him as he was now free falling through the tree's with only a few ravens left to attempt to slow his fall.

Crashing back into the earth debris fell all around him. Landing into a deep snow drift his crash landing was cushioned in freezing pain. Laying face first in the snow bank he could hear Lura and Tiffany crash into the frozen forest as well. Quickly getting to his feet underneath him were dead ravens crushed by his landing.

The moon shined down on the snowy floor illuminating light all around him and revealing the chaos of their landing. Dead raven's and feathers littered the floor like leaves in fall. Lura and Tiffany were already to their feet when Gabriel got up.

"I guess you are used to the flawed landing?" Gabriel said trying not to snicker so his body would not intensify the frozen pain.

"They were not meant to land with the lost souls, but to carry them to their final resting" Lura said.

"So....Where are we?" Gabriel said.

"A forest" Lura said.

"Well I was able to gather that information. Here I thought I would gain more knowledge than I did with..." Gabriel was cut off.

"DONT SAY IT!" Lura said.

"Come Gabriel, we are not far from our destination." Tiffany said as she began walking into the forest.

"So the raven airlines couldn't have at least dropped us off where we need to be...Maybe some place warm?" Gabriel said.

"He doesn't work that way, there is meaning in all that he does. Much like the bible you will have to decipher it. We are in his realm now, so you play by his rules." Lura said as they walked through the forest.

"Great, I can only hope for another mad man to lead me further from where I want to be. Maybe I should have stayed with those crazy bitches. I would have been warmer anyways."

"They were there to watch you, and spy on you. Their purpose seemed unknown but all paranormal have a purpose." Tiffany said.

"Hmm and here I thought they were there because they enjoyed my company....But back to the nightmare I came from before this, why were you down at the river to get Lura?" Gabriel said.

"Cain chose her, but she was already taken by the one you will soon meet. I was sent by Cain so she could join us, but then she introduced me to the truth." Tiffany said.

"The truth huh..Well why did you do it Lura. Not moments ago I walked with you to your doom. I saw the bullies you faced but you only let them win!" Gabriel said.

"Yes, they got what they wanted from me. But by choosing to die young, made me the exception to the rule. Letting me be free from living up to society's expectations of me. Well at least that's what he told me. I just wanted to end their bullshit and my hurting." Lura said.

Feeling his flesh sting and stab at him begging for relief from the cold, they zigged and zagged through the Forrest. It was like they were doing circles and Gabriel could see their previous tracks all around them. Where ever they were at it was clear Tiffany and Lura were being mentored in death by someone or something.

"Something he once told me was that the mentally weak can no longer survive. This world is no longer survival of the fittest but survival of the heartless. Knowledge and truth is his way even if it's not what you want or need. So he told me and Lura that we are mentally weak, and so we could not survive. At first I was offended, then I understood and it will be the same for you Gabriel. He will downright piss you off, but so will the truth." Tiffany said.

"Well here is some truth for you, we are walking in fucking circles and I am cold and just want to sit down and die like these fucking ravens that we keep passing!" Gabriel said shaking.

"He is testing you." Lura said.

"What testing my ability to withstand cold? why the fuck would HE, whoever HE is need to know that?" Gabriel shouted.

"Testing your emotion's, his enemy is ego. He wants to see yours so that he knows what he is up against." Lura said.

"So I am being tested, and you gave me the answers. So can we move on to the warm introductions already?" Gabriel said shivering even more violently and holding his arms inside of his shirt.

"Not only that but he is ensuring that we are not being followed. Our journey through this forest might be a long one or short depending." Tiffany said.

"So could his test include a coat or some warm weather. I don't see why I have to be so miserably cold!" Gabriel said.

"Here I thought I was the teenage drama queen!" Lura said laughing.

Too cold and frustrated to speak Gabriel followed behind the young women. Falling behind and dragging his feet through the snow. Just a few yards ahead of him was a tree unlike the others. Massive in height it reached way up in the sky riddled with twisted branches. Making it to the tree he fell to his knee's. He could no longer continue and had reached his destination, or Apollyons.

Struggling to keep his upper body from falling into the cold snow he looked up into the sky and saw the massive height of the tree. Towards the top of the tree was a large javelin pierced into the bark. The javelin was too large for any man, and a man could not have thrown it that high up in the tree. Confused and cold Gabriel fell into the tree to prevent himself from falling into the snow.

Looking at the bark, lights from flames now glowed into it and the forest around him. Using his last strength Gabriel looked around to see the source of the flames. Large men wielding massive round shields, axes, and torches stood around him. Tiffany and Lura backed away from the encirclement and stepped into the darkness behind the men.

His mind raced, was he finally lead to his death. Maybe some ritual that would break his curse. The men had capes of bear and wolves heads and fur over their heads. Scars and thick beards covered their faces, and wolves much like those with Apollyon stood in the darkness behind them licking their lips. The men were expressionless but their demeanor was that of blood thirsty savages waiting to be unleashed.

"No need to kneel before me." A man said stepping in front of Gabriel from behind the tree. He was old but not frail like most old men. He wore a simple dark grey cloak, and robes. In his hand was an old twisted staff that he leaned on. He had a long dark beard although for the mans age laws of time should have turned it grey. The old man was very tall much like the warriors behind him. He was missing one eye and all that remained was a torn up scar of flesh.

"The god's are our superiors. Our superiors serve us, so there is not need to kneel. When gods refuse to serve. chaos ensures. But one, ego-less pawn can bring down the kingdom of heaven." The man said. Gabriel could not get up though, he was not choosing to kneel but the environment forced him to.

"Stand!" The man said, not giving any assistance. Gabriel clung to the tree trying to pull himself up, until finally he was to his feet.

"Now I can introduce myself as we are evenly matched." The man said.

"If I had to guess you are a wizzard?" Gabriel said trying to smirk with frozen lips.

"Loki! a coat for our guest?" The old man shouted ignoring the attempted humor. From behind one of the torch wielding warriors came a sheep, wearing a wolfs pelt on its back. The wolves head was on the pelt and it laid on the top of the sheep's head. Much like the warriors pelts covered their heads. Tilting its head at Gabriel the sheep gave out a mellow dramatic "Baaaah."

The old man's face looked to give a sigh at the whole display. As though he was ashamed of the sheep in a wolves pelt. Growing impatient the man looked down at the sheep as though he was about to scold it. Then from the sheep transformed a scrawny man with war paint on his face, trousers, and no shirt but still with the wolf pelt covering his head and back. On his belt was an old pen with a raven feather, as well as paint brushes, and a weird idol of a half man half beast. From behind his back he pulled out a white and fluffy wool coat. It looked like one a old rich hag would wear. Loki gave a smirk to Gabriel as to mock him.

"Well...do you not want?" Loki said. Gabriel left the embrace of his tree to get the coat. Just as he reached to grab it from Loki, he pulled it away a few more inches from Gabriel's grasp. Frustrated Gabriel dropped his hands to his side.

"No?" Loki said.

"Loki" The old man said in a demanding voice. With that Loki wrapped it around Gabriel. Now he was standing in the encirclement of warriors in a white fur coat fit only for a fool.

"Please forgive Loki, my family has many......Well..Personality's?" The old man said

"Now that I am humiliated, who are you people?" Gabriel asked.

"Humility is the greatest weapon of any warrior. My name is Odin, these people are men who I have served and in turn joined me here in Asgard." Odin said.

"Hahaha, Odin huh, what next superman?" Gabriel said looking up at the sky.

"I do not know of a superman, but yes I am known as Odin."

"So why am I here before you Odin?"

"Not for fealty, Nor to fulfill desire. You are here for knowledge as I came for at this very spot as a young man." Odin said approaching the tree and laying his hand on it.

"Yggdrasil, is its name. This is where I sacrificed myself with my own javelin. Here I hung for nine days so I could attain knowledge of the kingdoms." Odin said.

"So another god who sacrificed himself. If you are a god then why do you have to sacrifice?" Gabriel said.

"Servitude, much as I told you us gods serve you. Some do not though and chaos arises" Odin said.

"Come let us sit by the fire, we have much to talk about." Odin said pointing at a fire off in the distance where a old wooden chair and a throne sat. Rushing over to the fire Gabriel went for the old wooden chair rather than the throne.

"No, you sit amongst the kings." Odin said pointing at the throne. Gabriel was in no mood to argue so he went and sat down in the throne in front of the fire. Odin sat down in the old wooden chair and Loki came to his side and knelt down looking into the fire like an insane man. Loki gave out a twisted laugh at the fire. It was as if he mocked all things, and all things were fools before him.

"A scream, she calls, please. Out from inside of me! A spawn of Helheim, plead with my obsession. The addiction to put the pen to the pages of my insanity!" Loki said still staring into the fire. Gabriel did not know what to say after the statement. It was out of context to the meeting with Odin, but so was the fur coat that thankfully to Gabriel was too hot to wear in front of the fire.

Sitting with his legs crossed Loki pulled out a paint brush and parchment and started feverishly writing rather than painting. Odin sat silent soaking in the fire with Gabriel. Every so often Loki would chew on the paint brush like a rabid dog on a bone. Then he would go back to his possession with painting words. Looking around Gabriel could see the warriors and wolves still waiting to pounce.

"So what did you learn of the kingdoms?" Gabriel said wanting to break the very awkward silence.

"You know of god, Satan, and earth as written in the holy bible. But it leaves out all that is before. There are many, many gods. As well as kingdoms, and each are much alike from one another." Odin said.

"So how can that be, isn't their suppose to be one true god, that more or less concurs all?" Gabriel said.

"The gods were made by man, which is why we serve you. If man gives enough power to a deity is it not so? can you defy their god by refusal?" Odin said.

"Idols, pyramids, made to be gods, temples and churches to find one god, and man to defy!" Loki said still scribbling on parchment.

"Is he going to be okay?" Gabriel said looking confused at Loki.

"I AM.........A man of words, but in all cultures does it not make me a god?" Loki said.

"I guess...." Gabriel said.

"It is better not to respond to Loki, but he is worth a listen...Back to the kingdoms!" Odin said looking into the fire and trying to derail madness.

"They were built by mankind through their worship. You give us our power, but many kingdoms are falling and what you know as the revelations are coming. But not as you know it..There is WAR coming." Odin said.

"But what kingdoms are there?" Gabriel asked.

"Nine of them, five old kingdoms, and four new. But all will meet on the battle fields to decide their fate in eternity." Odin said.

"Name them" Gabriel said more bluntly and tired of the many riddles of the gods.

"Ours, the kingdom of the Norse, The Celtic, The Egyptian, The Greeks, and the Romans. They are the old kingdoms. The new ones are more known to the modern age. The Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists." Odin said.

"So you are saying there will be a war of monks, Jesus, and some planets?" Gabriel said.

"Is their not already?" Odin said.

"Hell if I know!" Gabriel said.

"Helheim!" Loki said to mock.

"They all are linked, from their tales, gods, and origin. Does the bible that you know of not speak of the Greeks god? Revelation 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire." Odin said.

"It tells of the final war, and speaks of one of the nine kingdoms. It is written all over the walls of history, yet the world has yet to see it." Odin said.

"So then why am I a part in this, and would following one of the other kingdoms make me a sinner. In turn ending the world?"

"I cannot tell you the outcome of another kingdom, I only know the past and what is now."

"I asked this question too..." Gabriel paused restraining himself from saying Apollyon's name.

"Fool do not give power to your GOD!" Loki said breaking his trance from the pages.

"Forgive me...What am I in all of this?" Gabriel said.

"The ego-less pawn that can bring the kingdom down." Odin said.

"But what about the grail, immortality, and being a saint?" Gabriel said

"You are a saint, in your kingdom. For humility and not having an ego. Those quality's are extinct in mankind and make you more powerful than the grail or immortality has." Odin said.

"When I drank from the grail it made me free from pain, but now I am feeling everything and these horrible withdrawals!"

"Yes, its first reaction was much like a drug. The most powerful one, but drugs are toxins in Loki's cloak. Your immortal soul is calling out for the blood of the grail. You are a fiend of it, but you will never drink of it again."

"So I am an immortal drug fiend, is what you are telling me?"

"A pompous joker, destined for destruction....Maybe a god, maybe a dead man." Loki said pausing before going into a unusual fit.

"Who am I, who am you. You tell me, you utensil of failed creativeness." Loki said twitching and put the paintbrush back in his mouth. Gabriel looked at the parchment in his hand that he was painting on. The word was dood, or maybe poop upside down. Loki looked at it sideways for a moment and then threw it into the flames.

"What Loki was attempting to say.....Was that you are what you are and I cannot change that or tell you." Odin said.

"So what do I do from here?" Gabriel asked unsure.

"For now you prepare for the coming war, by silently attaining knowledge." Odin said. Gabriel sat in silence amused by the gnawing and twitching of Loki. Now he had his pen out with the raven feather trying to paint. Loki had all the making of a great god, but seemed to be lacking the correct tools and words. Gabriel was about to suggest using the paint brush to paint but looking up at Odin, he shook his head.

Gabriel did not know if he should take Odin's warning or help the confused god. By doing so would Gabriel be helping himself or the god. Maybe Loki's ignorance was bliss, or maybe he was trying to actually make Gabriel look like a fool, by acting like a fool. It was quickly becoming more than he could bare watching him paint with a pen.

"Loki try using the paintbrush to paint." Gabriel said in a mellow voice of wisdom. Odin let out a long sigh as Loki looked up at Gabriel and stopped twitching.

"A paintbrush to PAINT?! what madness do you speak. Do you not wound to prevent pain? Do you not kill to live? you take ME as confused, yet you don't even know.....YOU!" Loki shouted still perfectly still. Gabriel did not know how to respond, but Loki was pleading for one. His battlefield was in tricking you into the truth. So maybe painting with a pen was not madness, but painting by paintbrush was. Loki turned his head and started twitching again.

"All hail to the KING!" Loki said with a cross legged and crooked bow from sitting, directed towards Gabriel. Odin was simply sitting back in amusement and allowing Loki to get the upper hand of insanity on Gabriel. After all he did warn him.

"Please, stay here in Asgard, gain the knowledge that I obtained. I will provide all you need and you will be safe here. Tiffany and Lura accompany Gabriel to his longhouse for I fear he grows weary." Odin said beckoning Lura and Tiffany.
**Chapter Seventeen  
**

Lura and Tiffany walked from the darkness and passed the warriors and went over to Gabriel. They looked completely out of place in the ancient kingdom of the Norse. But within them was the same Gothic and warrior spirit, where they would rather die than be taken alive. Asgard was a beautiful and harsh realm. There was a sense of humor about the suffering there. It was unlike a modern civilization where they refuse to simply accept their hardships.

"There is something I find humors and humbling here. But then I get a feeling of dread rather than the happiness that you should feel in a kingdom of heaven?" Gabriel said.

"This is the heaven those of us here choose by swearing our fealty to it and living by its law." Lura said.

"So if I swore fealty to you Odin and Asgard then this is what my heaven would look like?" Gabriel asked getting up from his throne.

"Possibly....No, not you. You are still positively fake, while we are negatively happy." Loki said with the pen in his mouth and ink running from his lips.

"It is possible but it's all in how you live, and where your true allegiance lays. I don't think it is here amongst my people. Maybe one day, but that is not why you are here now. Not to enjoy heaven, for your days of mortal suffering are not over." Odin said.

"That's enough for tonight, Gabriel lets go to the longhouses." Tiffany said grabbing Gabriel's hand. Pulling away Gabriel expected more of Tiffany's nightmares to fall on him like a storm. But they did not, and instead he insulted her soft hospitality. Following them back into the forest the light of the fires behind them were gone and so was Odin. The girls chains, spikes, and studs rattled in the woods. In the night Gabriel could see they were vikings amongst the modern world who were now in their true home.

Feelings of comfort fell over Gabriel, knowing they had a place. But their was no beauty, or romanticism in suicide. There was still a life that they missed and many people they let down for selfish reasons. Suicide was like painting with a pen, they ended their pain but simply caused much more for those who loved them.

Watching Tiffany Gabriel felt as he did when he first saw her. He wanted to bring down the walls and take off the wolves pelt guarding the beautiful woman inside. But if a war was really coming, then attachments would be his demise and he knew it. Still governed by his morals, and what the Christians would want from him. Maybe Odin was right, he did not swear fealty to them because maybe he already had an allegiance in the war.

Thinking into things like Gabriel loved to do, he started to panic. Maybe he was a captive, after all why all the warriors and traps. Was he actually behind enemy lines, or amongst friends. All he knew is that for now he could not let down his guard, and his sworn enemy could be his savior at any moment. Much as he could be for Apollyon but for now he was playing by Odins rules.

Making their way out of the dark forest Gabriel could see large open pastures which encircled a Norman village. Beyond the circling pastures was forest in every direction. Asgard simply a Norman fortification, although it was a rather large one from what Gabriel could see. On the walls were many berserkers keeping watch, just like those in the forest.

Stepping into the clearing it was easy to see that the clearing was just one of Asgards defenses. The clearing made him feel vulnerable. Like thousands of eye's were watching while he could see but a few of them. Thick clogs of lush grass, rocks, and little snow were in the clearing. There was also what appeared to be burial sites, but Gabriel could see it was not for men, but plunder.

Gold and jewels were poking out from the burial sites in the clearing. Maybe another defense of Asgard, or ritual he thought. Making the long walk in silence they made it to the gates of Asgard. It was made of thick dark timber, as was everything. It looked strong, for an ancient heaven but a bulldozer or match could make short work of it. Etched in the wood was many viking carvings that you would see on runestones.

The gate swung open, although a ten foot ladder would have also done the trick. Maybe it was an aspect of the heavens dark humor Gabriel thought. Since after all the marvels of man were much more impressive. A mountain fortress made to withstand a nuke would have been a better choice for a heaven preparing for war with mankind and the gods.

Walking through the gates Gabriel saw many longhouses lined up, their roofs steep with large tiles lining them. On the top of each longhouse was one massive piece of timber carved into the central support. Each one had its own dragon head, and tale on the end. The streets were filled with old Norse, and even more modern people some who adapted to the Norse attire and some like Tiffany and Lura who did not.

They were having some kind of festival, and they all were drunk or extremely stoned. Walking passed the homes in the spaces between were men and women loitering, having sex, or fighting. It did not matter, color, race, sex, or even sexuality all were the same, stoned and enjoying Asgard. Two Norse women were fighting when Gabriel was a distance from them and as they got closer they turned to making out with each other.

"Brutally beautiful madness!" Lura shouted with a wild smile. She even seemed to be going into a trance. She grabbed a handfull of mushrooms and roots from a man, and then took his drink. No asking, or even stealing it was like mutual piracy. She tossed the mush of mushrooms and roots into her mouth and then chugged it down with the mans mead as she danced in a circle. Her age meant nothing in Asgard, everyone was simply the same, completely fucking crazy. But as they walked Gabriel felt no judgment, no one even really took a glance at him.

It reminded him somewhat of the people of Axal, but everything they did was rude. Here it was rude, but in a mutual and non judgmental way and not out of hate. Really it was as though they loved each other, and their chaos Gabriel thought as they approached a central Longhouse. It was not in a line with the streets like the others, and it had no neighbor as the street went around it.

Outside were many berserkers, emotionless in servitude to Odin. They made a wall of shields around the house, with more berserkers behind that. They came to a stop to wait for the guards to lower their shields and let them pass. It was a painfully slow endeavor for Gabriel since he knew Mitch with a M16 or better yet a flamethrower, would easily get past.

After walking past a few walls of shields they made it to the large timber door, with the dragon head from the roof overshadowing it. Again the feeling of not being protected but enslaved came over Gabriel. After all where was their shield wall to protect them from the festivals inside the town. when the door closed behind them, it reminded him more of a trap cage door clanging shut.

Lura, and Tiffany walked right in as though they were right at home. The longhouse had no rooms, just open and empty space. Their was only one level, and one room even though their could have been a mansion's worth of rooms. A large oak table was in the middle, and a fire pit beside that. Along the sides were two large beds, with bear and wolf pelts on them.

In the far back was another bed, lined with a white wool blanket, more of Loki's humor, or tricks. Next to it was a desk with a book and candle sitting on it. Above that was a odd chandelier of body parts. Gabriel stared at it confused and somewhat horrified.

"What the fuck is that?" Gabriel said breaking the long period of silence.

"Loki thought you would like it, I will let him explain it to you. He calls it simply, ART! with that much enthusiasm." Lura said laughing and falling onto her bed. She looked up at the ceiling as a dizzy drunk would do, in a sickening trance of spinning. Walking over to his bed Gabriel sat down on it and looked around the room to see if there was any more of Loki's artworks around.

His eye's fell upon a masterpiece of the heavens, Tiffany as she began her rituals before bed. Removing her black tank top and green bra Gabriel watched like a pervert in awe. Then again it was either watch Tiffany disrobe before bed, or Loki's art and Tiffany looked much more mesmerizing. Glancing across the room he could feel Lura's eye's on him. She turned from her trance to watch Gabriel trying to catch a glimpse of Tiffany in the nude. When Gabriel look over at Lura she had a disgusted look on her face.

"Don't you try to catch a peek at me you pervert, there may not be walls here but I am still a teen and a firm hater of men, and pedophiles alike!" Lura said turning away in her bed. As Gabriel turned back to Tiffany he could see the cargo pants and chains were off and she was in all of her glory. But only for a moment as she slipped under the pelts.

"Just know Gabriel, love is the leader in your enemy's legion that he is building. It will destroy you if you let it. If you can look at me without care, or judgment and simply as a moment of pleasure than you will have a chance in the coming war." Tiffany said as the lights in the room went out.

"Don't worry that was all it was." Gabriel said laying down and closing his eye's.

"I sure hope so!" Tiffany said as Gabriel fell asleep to those final words. He quickly fell into a deep and comfortable sleep. Like that of a child, with no care, or troubles, just fun and mischief in their minds.

"Baaaaaah" Gabriel heard as he awoke. A sheep was on the table in the middle of the room. The fires were lit and and it was very warm inside. Too warm to sleep, not as though Gabriel could, knowing a sheep was in the same room. Tiffany and Lura were awake now as well, looking at the sheep with groggy eye's. Getting out of bed Gabriel walked up to the sheep.

"Morning Loki!" Gabriel said looking at the sheep.

"How was your night?" He said trying to get Loki to transform from the sheep. But it just stood their looking at him.

"So whats that odd contraption hanging above the desk?" Gabriel asked the sheep.

"Hahahaha!" Laughter burst from under Gabriel bed.

"Paint, with a paintbrush, yet you speak to sheep!" Loki said laughing and getting up from under Gabriels bed. Tiffany and Lura snickered at the prank as well.

"You are a mad, mad, mad.......Well you!" Loki said.

"How would I have known a troll was under my bed." Gabriel said laughing.

"Troll?! I am no troll that you speak of."

"So whats the ART, suppose to be?" Gabriel asked pointing at the dangling mass of flesh.

"ART, yes....ART. Come I will show you!" Loki said excited. They stood in front of the flesh as blood dripped down on the floor and desk.

"Seeee..The eye?!" Loki said ecstatic and jumping.

"Yes you took someone's eye and hung it up..."Gabriel said.

"No not someone....But the one's eye." Loki said now holding it in his palm.

"Is it Odin's eye?"

"Odin's eye......No not Odin!"

"Okay so who's eye does that belong to?"

"This is Van Gogh's Eye!" Loki said now petting it.

"Seee Ear....Van Beethoven!" Loki said slightly poking the ear and then quickly pulling away once he touched it, but still coddling the eye in his other hand.

"Lips, Shakespeare....Genghis Khan, hand...Brain...Who's brain. Ummm oh Da....Vinci? yeah him. Leg...Leg is...Woman's leg yes." Loki said ecstatic and in confusion of body parts.

"Well it's a good thing you added the Woman's leg or I would say you are a sexist artist!" Gabriel said laughing. But Loki did not understand Gabriel's humor.

"Ummm YES ART!" Loki said.

"Okay so what's the book here at the desk as I assume it is for me?"

"Oh that....That is book...This though, it's ART!" Loki said not looking away from the chandelier of flesh.

"Should I read this book?" Gabriel asked like he was talking to a child.

"Noo....noo....Yes..Read ART!"

"The book was written by Odin, after his nine days of sacrifice. He gained the knowledge of the nine kingdoms and so he wrote about them. But it was only written by his hand, and the knowledge attained at the tree. So it's somewhat incoherent in sense that he en-body's all of the gods in order to write of them." Tiffany said.

"Blah! book...Hello!" Loki said as he walked out of the long house.

"Uh goodbye Loki!" Gabriel said as Loki walked out the door.

"He is not a moron you know, you speak to him as though he is. He is infinitely more intelligent than you. Though it makes him somewhat incoherent at times." Lura said.

"I never said he was a moron, but yeah..The book is like what the bible?"

"No it's more to the point, It's like the bible in the sense that it's one book of a few. That book is the book of the five old kingdoms. Odin is giving you his knowledge so that when the war comes you will be ready." Tiffany said.

"So why is Odin helping me, after all I am not a part of his kingdom?" Gabriel asked.

"I do not know, all I know is what he asks of me." Tiffany said.

"So what does he want from you?"

"To spy, on Cain, and you. In exchange I will be a part of his kingdom and have a place to call my own." Tiffany said.

"So you are my enemy then?"

"I don't know, am I?" Tiffany said rising from her bed and exposing her bare body.

"No you are not." Gabriel choked out the words stunned by her rugged and viking beauty.

"It would be better if I was." Tiffany said putting her clothes back on.

"So do I have a choice, now that I am here?"

"I don't know...Gabriel, do you?" Tiffany said finishing putting on her clothes.

"Come on Tiffany lets GO!" Lura said now standing by the door.

"So what do I do?" Gabriel said.

"Choose I guess?" Tiffany said walking out the door.

"Wait, the book, where are the others?" Gabriel shouted.

"The five kingdoms of old is the only book left. The others are stolen, by god, man, or whoever." Tiffany said as she closed the door behind her. She seemed cold and calculative to Gabriel now. His intrigue with her was only growing though. Then again maybe she was always cold and calculative and his lustful eye's and mind was blinding him and reality, or insanity was showing itself.

Confused with everything Gabriel felt like he came off a intense high and now he was at his low. A bird in a cage, led in by his hunger for knowledge, hate for Apollyon, and lust for women. Maybe after all he wasn't really different than the rest of the world, but exactly the same. A greedy, sex filled man driven by desires.

Wanting to see if he could leave, he made for the door. A part of him did not want to know if he was captive, or a free man. Maybe being blinded by ignorance and lust was a better course? Grabbing the door handle he had to know the truth, behind the truth. As he feared the door was barricaded shut. Looking out the iron gate window on the door he could see the shield wall not protecting him, but facing him.

One word...One name, he thought and I can be free. So why would they hold me hostage? Or maybe I am not, and they are simply keeping me from roaming within their kingdom. After all how can you really be free in a kingdom you have not chosen. He was free he thought, just not free to be a part of their heaven.

Walking over to the desk, his growing panic ceased. Looking at the book he thought about opening it, but wanted to maintain his freedom of choice, so he looked up at Loki's dripping art. All art has meaning, maybe if only what you believe it means. The book is religion, it to is much like art simply what it means to you.

So what does Loki's art mean, Gabriel thought as he looked at its gruesomeness and pondered its hidden meaning. After awhile it hit him, the perfect god. To see as Van Gogh, to hear as Van Beethoven. Or not to hear at all since he was deaf. Having the voice of Shakespeare, the power and strength of Genghis Khan. The mind of Da Vinci, and last but not least the legs of a woman.

It was a gruesomely morbid masterpiece. The perfect god, what we can all aspire to become. Loki was crazily brilliant. His artwork was horrible, but its meaning was one mankind could ponder endlessly or easily mistake for that of a serial killer. Then again you could look at Van Gogh's art and mistake it for that of a child, but the vision, and meaning behind his art is simply brilliant.

Smiling Gabriel looked away from the ART that Loki was so frantic about. Religion, god, art, how does mankind decode it. Then looking down before him was the old tattered book. Etched in the the leather front was the words "Kingdoms of old" dust covered the front as though it had not been opened in centuries. Like it sat in a tomb simply being forgotten. Opening the cover the dust rolled off of the leather front, inside was written: **  
**

**Kingdoms of old  
**

**The Introduction  
**

I, Odin endured nine days of suffering pinned to Yggdrasil. There I obtained the following knowledge, and the ensuring madness. Within these pages are the five kingdoms of old, and their gods. By my hand and their own words this was written. By my suffering, and their triumphs the story's are told. If there is one opinion I have formed from the kingdoms of old it is only this: History has shown us that religion turns to myth, as we gain knowledge. I Odin, must protect my words, because though they show my strengths. They also expose my many flaws, and flaws are something of the old god's and not the new.

Kingdom of Norse

Baldur, God of Norse Light

Son of Odin, and Frigga, I have a twin brother named Hodur. I loved my brother Hodur, but he did not envision Asgard as I do. Though he was born blind and I with vision. He saw everything through darkness, and I through light. I always dreamed of a day when I could show my brother light. But darkness had taken him. So even the prospect of heaven, was darkness on his soul.

Dream I did, and one eve I dreamed of death overtaking me. As did my mother Frigga and she was horrified at the prospect of losing the light of Asgard. So she went to the near, and far reaches of Asgard. Making all thing's vow to not kill me. But one small plant was overlooked, and did not make the vow.

I did love testing my power of impenetrability over the many things in Asgard. The warrior's and other gods would try everything to bring me down, but none were up to the task. Loki, the insane shape shifter knew of the one plant, mistletoe that did not vow to me. Loki always is up to the task and proving others wrong even if chaos arises.

Once he knew proving me wrong was within his reach he entered and insanely frantic trance and was out in the woods for many days, hunting the plant down. I was told by the wolves that he had trouble getting the plants, for each time he found one he would eat it. But after some time Loki made a spear of mistletoe.

Running to my blind brother he said "This...Here...A stick, yes stick. Surely it would not kill Baldur? Why not test, err show him that he is great. My twig, or stick..Is nothing to him." So my brother rushed in to feed my strength. But the spear of mistletoe pierced my heart sending me from Asgard and into the dreaded underworld.

With the news of my death, my father Odin sought vengeance against Hodur. Seeking a giantess named Rindr who convinced my father into pleasuring her foul and grotesque desires. Odin did so, producing a new son, which grew in but one day. The foul creature sought my brother Hodur, and tore him into.

Cast into the underworld me and my brother awaited our release from Loki's trickery but it was not yet over. The goddess Hel of the underworld told my mother if all creatures would weep for me then I would be released. All creatures wept for me, but one. A gaint by the name of pokk, or Loki, shape shifted into a giant to keep me in this prison.

Oh, but my time is coming. The underworld will unleash us and when it does, I come for you...Loki!

Freyja, Norse Goddess of fertility

I can make your kin, like the sands. Your legion's ranks fill with berserkers who have hearts filled with lust. Sworn to protect those they love to be pleasured by. I can guide your seed to the thighs of a bedazzling viking queen. Or I can make you ugly and your flesh swell with foul and disgusting ailments. No queen, or warrior would want to touch you without honoring me.

Shifting into a bird I can do at will, but I have a possession that all of Asgard desire. A polar bear cloak, which allows me to shift into anything I desire. On my neck is a necklace holding a gem taken from the sun itself. When it weeps, gold is created and I know just how to bring a tear to a jewels eye.

You can find me within all sexual desire. You want that man or woman that you sooo desire in your bed. Then come and find me you lovers of lust!

Frigga, Norse Goddess of Prophecy

Frigga is my name, my husbands hand writes these words. I seen it coming and knew he would write these words. As with all things I see before they come. Yet I cannot change them, just see them coming. How I wish I could change his hands, and what you read of our fallen kingdom. My sons are Tyr, Hodur, Baldur, and we adopted Loki.

My only regret is that all of my sons are mortally flawed. I cannot save them from their own destruction. What hope is there for mankind, when us the god's cannot even save man from himself. The only thing I can control is the personality of those who meet around me. Anyone in my presence behaves himself, even Loki.

Heimdall, Protector of Asgard

Protect and serve, it is my duty to the god's and Asgard. Want to make the journey from Midgard to Asgard? Then you come through me. Threaten the Norse in any way and I will protect them until the end. I might not even be able to best you in battle, but I will make you bleed and remember that Heimdall is not one to be intimidated by any god, man, or beast!

**Hel, Norse Godess of the underworld  
**

Daughter of the great Loki, I was raised by the discipline of insanity. When I came of age Odin sent me to the underworld to reign over it. I decide the fate of all the dead devoted to the Norse kingdom. Those who die in battle I place in the great halls of Valhalla. There warriors can battle for all time, honing their skills of combat.

Die a meaningless death and you will sit with me, in Helheim. But honor the god's, and live by our law and you can enter Asgard! See me first.

**Loki, the Trickster  
**

I like mead, sex, what else. It started...not sure when or how. dood...poop. Odin, yes you. I am making your hand write! Now slap yourself! Odin is a fool. Odin likes to drink my piss, it was written with his own hand and so it is. I like to walk, do you walk or like it? Once I turned myself into a milkmaiden. I like milking cows, I did this for eight great years. No one knew where Loki was!

"Hey do you know where Loki is?" "No you?" "Sure don't" "Think he is a milkmaiden milking cows?" "Cant be not Loki!" But there I was, those fools. They drank milk, from the breast I pleasured! My fornicated milk making them fat, blind, and dumb. Eight years they drank my milk and never knew it!

I dislike baby's oh and brothers. Dumb brothers think they are so great. Look at Loki, the adopted bastard. Hah I showed them.....I like making baby's, but no I don't like them. I like making brothers look stupid, but no I don't like brothers very much either. I don't know what else to put here, do you know what to put. I cant think on my own please place a quote from another god here. You using their words makes you great! A word thief you are. Yes you stealer of words, no not preacher. Taking them from my mind and Odin's hand.

If I think hard enough can I make Odin paint all that I have said. Paint odin, Paint my mind!...Odin is not painting. Damnit Odin you always piss me off. You never listen, no I will write what he thinks not paint it. Then I prove you wrong and you go oh, my emotions took over me and you proved me wrong again. So you wont paint, but later why did I not paint!

They say to me, dream big Loki. But Loki's dreams are toxins in disguise. Poisoning what Loki calls real. Nightmares are where Loki's grim reality lies....Yes...Worship us, read the book and believe! its true, Loki is crazy. Loki is evil. Loki's words are that of Helheim. Frigga does not need to see it, you created an opinion that I know of. My words scare you don't they. You who judge me, know it is you I trick! Loki is so stupid, Loki is a peon. Oh but then Loki pulls the sheep out. PAINT POOP.

Njord, Norse God of the Sea

Ruler of ships, and the sea's my wife is named Skadi. She is the mountain goddess, as anyone married would know. Mountains and oceans do not mesh well together. Oh how I hate her Mountain ranges, but I love her deeper than my sea's. Six months I must spend on the top of mountains, I would stay in Helheim though if it means I can be with her. She is a goddess of compromising though and for six amazing months she comes into my sea's. All lovers must sacrifice, and so we do.

Odin, Norse Ruler of God's

Most do not know that my figure is not truly the depiction of oneself. I appear to you as a one eyed old man, but many forms I can be. Wolves, ravens, and wisdom are my weapons of choice. It is true, I sacrificed much to attain my wisdom, and knowledge. But the greatest knowledge of all that I have gained is this. My sons, servants, and slaves can teach me much more than any tree, or spring of wisdom.

**Thor, Norse God of Thunder  
**

Mjolnir, my mighty hammer. I call upon the thunder, and brilliance of lightning. One thunder clap, one bolt, and one swing of Mjolnir and I can bring a god to its knee's! Even I must wear gloves of silver to harness such power. I can bring rain, and protect you from the many evil's of all the realms. But do not fear when you hear me coming, for I come to vanquish evil plague's. Find me in the sky's riding my chariot and smashing Mjolnir into the clouds!

**Tyr, Norse Warrior God  
**

A fair fight is the name of my game. No need to bring number's, or hire men to kill one's enemy. Meet him on thy battle field where you and him can meet one on one as two combatants. Old man weaving words of war, to hide behind them. Come out and meet thy enemy. Too meager and weak to battle you say? Then no need for battle cries, you shall retire to your bed.

Fighting battles with money, you are? I say use thy money for a fortress, to protect one's bed. Do not send hired men out to do thy bidding. Corrupt and power hunger man, this is not shameful if you fight your own battle. Honest man falling victim to a pack of merciless wolves? Do not fear, face the wolves as a man. Though thy is conquered, merciless wolves will bow to you in death.
**Chapter Eighteen  
**

**Kingdom of Celt**

Brighid, Celt Hearth Goddess

Thee, swine do defile in Kildare. Me thee Christian saint? Thee say of it St. Brigid of Kildare. Oh if only I, the goddess Morrighan. Kildare would quake, the world I would shake. Thee speak to me, you are but this!

This meager tongues speak. St. Brigid the daughter of but a Pictish slave, baptised by St. Patrick, and founded by nuns at Kildar. This is not I, GODDESS is me. Magic I have, Healing I do, long before the earth's time. I am no daughter, but thee mother! Soon Kildare, you will see.

Cailleach, Celt Goddess of Winter

The dark mother, that is I. When earth is dieing, and her leaves fallen. I come to take my harvest. I sit with her, in the fallen as she die's. I coddle her in my embrace as she slowly fades into a frozen tundra. Then once dead, I rise from her ashes to preserve her life. I live in the funeral of the earth, the cemetery of earth's caretaker. I dig her hole, and then let my sisters dig her back up from the dead.

Cernunnos, Celt Wild God of the Forest

Sing, singing songs to the dead of my woods as they pass through the timbers and into the after life. I am the last song you shall hear, no fear of the wretched bards song. No his tongue will not lead you from the forests of life, but mine. Lost in my woods, do not struggle, simply listen. Await, wait for the sounds of my songs. No reason to find your way, let my song find you.

Cerridwen, Celt Keeper of the Cauldron

Oh you moon, within your night my cauldron does glow. Three hundred and sixty, six of you shall pass over me and my brewing. From you it gains potent, not bitter, nor sweet. Opening doors in ones mind it will, drink, drink it. Crone they say of me, darkness it entails. Darkness of the moon, my cauldron. Witch they have said, but souls I do take. Within, I make alchemy of clues.

The Daga, Celt Father God

Large, large father they cry. Feed me of infinite resources of ones Cauldron. Its ladle two men can lay. Yes, yes I will feed, take all, all of me. Goodness I have, so take, take it all. Good can have, as can evil, for I provide goodness to all. A feast for all, a free for all, but what is the cost they say, Cerridwen knows. Cernunnos sing's, and Cailleach keeps, for I provide, what you weep.

Lugh, Celt Master of Skills

Wow what a gift, so much talent. I can give, or take. Talent for only you, or for all to amuse. What's the use, with so much abuse. One of many, or just a few. Toil in the sun, or abuse one's fun. Want to be the one, you do. For all to see, creativity, is the key. Toiling will not provide, for that is only I. But what if none could see, such creativity. I do, do see, of what you shall be. No, not this, this century, or for this life to see. But within the echo's of time, they will see, that it is me.

Morrighan, Celt Goddess of War

How the warriors fear, when the crow's shall play. Me, washing one's defense thou will see. You then know I came to say, that Cerridwen will take. Then crows cry, the tears for me, and the battlefield falls, falls asleep.

Rhiannon, Celt Horse Goddess

Ride, ride with me. The most magnificent of god, or beast. Intimidation I can bring, but do not fear and come with me. Lead, to pastures, or new beginnings we seek. Loyalty into any of the deaths I keep. Warning, warning of the coming threats I speak. When all others fail, eternal companionship I reap. So come, and ride with me.

Taliesin, Celt Chief of Bards

Words, we will not find. Sound, will it find the emotion in time. Pull it out on the strings, make a song, but will they smell. Smell the feelings of which words can't speak. Feel it, feel it now, the sound I feel. Can you taste it, the word of empty in me. Plant, the sound, emotion on time.

Finishing reading about the final god in the kingdom of celt's the door burst open. The cool air blew in, blowing the pages of the book. Smoke from the fire retreated to the back of the room where Gabriel was reading. Turning around he could see, Lura, Tiffany, and Odin coming into the longhouse. Lura had a look of shock on her face seeing Gabriel still there. Tiffany on the other hand had no faith lost in Gabriel.

"Gah, here I thought he would be back with his masters!" Lura said.

"Lura hush, he is not going anywhere." Tiffany said.

"Yeah because he wants another glimpse of your bare ass!" Lura said laughing. Gabriel could see a faint blush in Tiffany's pale skin. Maybe he was the flame that might thaw a frozen heart in Asgard.

"So, the kingdoms of old, are you finished?" Odin said sitting down at the table with Lura and Tiffany.

"I have not had the time to read all of it yet." Gabriel said walking over to the table and sitting down as well.

"Time? while you are here we made precautions with time. Loki had a hard task, even for him. You know Loki, if there is a challenge it will consume him to the brink of insanity. Maybe all of his hours of meaningless ventures paid the toll to make time stop for the moment. Just another pelt to wear while you are here. Once you choose to leave it will begin again." Odin said

"So am I not allowed outside of this longhouse, because though it's spacious, the walls are starting to close in."

"Not while you are here in Asgard, you may leave anytime you wish. But you cannot walk freely amongst Asgard. It is far to dangerous, for if he found you we would need to keep him contained. I told you we would protect you, and this is the only way. I hope you can understand."

"Yes I do, the book it's very strange. You would think the god's would have...Well much more to say. It's vague, and the book is huge, yet when I read it I only get a simplified version?"

"You read the version you want to see, each god has an endless amount of pages defining them and their tales of how they came to be. But humans only see as far as their mind allows them to. So it is not the book that is vague, but your mind." Odin said getting up from his seat.

"I see, the Norse I understood for the most part. The Celt kingdom I struggled with. They have a much different culture than the Norse, and myself."Gabriel said rubbing his eye's.

"Yes, Norse literature is straightforward. Well that is if it does not involve Loki, he is very....Complicated. The Celt kingdom are much more poetic and even passionate than we are. I read their tales many times, and with each time they seem to change." Odin said somewhat confused.

"So when this war come's will it be all kingdom's for themselves?"

"I do not know, as of now there is no allegiances. The other kingdoms are not friend, nor foe. The god's are not normally involved with god's outside of their kingdom. But soon when the war comes we will be forced from our underworlds, and heavens. Then we will know where allegiance of all are." Odin said getting up and leaving the room.

"Come, let him finish the kingdoms. I forget the dreadful waiting it takes for man to read. Even longer for them to understand!" Odin said laughing. Lura and Tiffany followed him out of the longhouse. Tiffany was in the back and took a moment to look back at Gabriel as to soak him in. Then she closed the door and left Gabriel to his study.

Kingdom of Rome  
Bacchus, Roman God of Wine, and Fertility

God of wine and Fertility? I am the god of drunken orgies! That party where you drank to much and slept with god only knows who? I am the god who knows who. Do you know how when you drink my wine you loosen up. You can speak freely, and think the same. That is my blessing through the grapes of the harvest. How now you look so much more pleasing to one's eye? Give thanks, to me you children born from a single nights delight.

Bona Dea, Roman Fertility Goddess

Not just of fertility but I to am of chastity. Those who keep their flowers from Bacchus's reach how I adore you. Respectful you are in my eye's, innocent and not yet tortured by the suffering of love and lust. You don't wish to bring harm to other lustful lovers. You don't play in their hurtful games, and so you hold me close. When you do decide to give your guarded treasures. I fill the chest of the womb with the greatest treasure of all.

Cupid, Roman God of Love

I was once dark, and filled with so much lust. But I changed my way's to a matchmaker of lovers. Though sometimes I try to match up the oddest of couples. They fight, tooth and nail, bitter with the love of my arrow. You love another you say, well my arrow can change its course. It can inflict many wounds leading to a life of confusion. Stuck, in love you say, well try to remove my arrow and see what happens.

Diana, Roman Goddess of the Hunt

I am a virgin, not necessarily of love, but lust. None have laid with me in the forests of my home. Some have tried to pull me into their traps or catch gaze of my besoms. Once after a day of hunting I decided to bathe in a stream. In my nudity a young huntsman approached. Rather than turning his gaze and honoring my beauty, he looked on. I felt his gaze sting my innocence. Then the fool came to say that I was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Well of course I was, in the nude. As would any woman nude in a stream would be after a day of hunting. I was very angry. In my fit of rage I turned the young huntsman into a stag. Then I watched as his own hounds came chasing in the hunt. They drug him to the forest floor and slowly devoured him!

I don't just protect the Forrest I can also be a midwife goddess and help you in bearing a child. I too am a lunar goddess, daughter of Jupiter and twin brother of Apollo. Just remember I am not a goddess to be defiled by petty lust. I protect my body, with any shroud of magical power I can. But if it is my heart you come for, then I may drop my guard for the right one.

Janus, Roman God of New Beginnings

Yes a new year has dawn, a fresh start. Wake on this day and start a new journey, or any day. You don't a maker to start a new. Dislike the path you are on? Take my hand and lets make a new one. Doors keeping you out? I will open them for you. A gate stands before you, you can see what's on the other side. But there it stands in your way, keeping you from your vision. I will open it, and let you start over.

Mars, Roman God of War

All able bodied men should take a military path. No man should grow old without the scars of battle. After all how can you call yourself a man, when you have not seen war. War is the path to manhood, and those who fall in battle are the greatest of men. I can also teach the way, and tactics of war. Its not all about the clashing of two swords. But the glory of victory by any means necessary.

Venus, Roman Goddess of Love and Beauty

Youth is me, I have had many lovers in my days. I am not of martial status though. A lover seems lost in love with many. As I have been, even Mars has been loved by me. Young woman do you want to stay beautiful and keep your youth. No need to plaster on man made products or ingest foul things. I can help you remain the envy of all.

Kingdom of Egypt

Anubis, Egyptian God of Funerals

The day has come, the sands have ran out. Be sure to follow the proper burial rituals. Or the jackal will come out and devour. I will weigh your soul and decide its worth. I was the first to make a mummy, when Set killed Osiris. I had to find a way to bring him back from my scales. So I mummified Osiris, and though Set tried to stop me, I brought Osiris back. Many great pharaohs have followed my ritual, and so they still walk the earth today. Be warned you tomb seekers, and gravediggers, my jackal is coming for you!

Bast, Egyptian Cat Goddess

You seek protection, sex, and comfort. A feline is the embodiment of those you seek. Majestic and powerful in magic, a cat is a goddess. Need protection for a newborn, what better way than to have a goddess in your home. Want many suitor's, then the feline goddess will lead them to your bed. Want warm embrace, and good company, why not have your own goddess at your throne?

Geb, Egyptian God of Earth

My twin sister, Nut, and only love. How I miss her pleasuring touch. We made love wildly and without any shame. Then one day our Grandfather Ra found us making love. I believe Ra was jealous of our love and vicious pleasure. Maybe he even wanted Nut for himself. So he went to our father Shu who drove us into.

He threw me into the ground, and nut to the skies. But before he could do so me and Nut had children, Horus, Osiris, Set, Isis, and Nepthys. Our wild and sacred love could not be shaken and so it lives on with our children. I produce all earthly things, and when I laugh the earthquakes.

Hathor, Egyptian Goddess of Women

How they want us, we are of much more value than those men and pharaohs. From us they come, without us there would be but none. They might have strength, honor, talents, and knowledge. But it is us who gave it to them. We must take back what is ours, our rights. They should bow at our feet, and we should rape them. Do not serve your man, but make him serve you. So your man is great, NO I say not without you he is not.

Isis, Egyptian Goddess of Magic

Want to wield the powers of spectral forces. Looking to undo laws of physics, or rewrite them. I am practiced in all forms of magic. Dark and necromancy was but a taste. Fire, air, water, earth, all bend to my will. From your hand's my bolts of destruction can fly. Do not wish to wield magic's of the hands, then I have those of the tongue as well. Want to convince those to do your bidding, then Isis is the one you must seek.

Maat, Egyptian Goddess of Truth, and Balance

Justice must be just, no man should fall victim to lies. But no man can bring justice. Nor civilization, how can your politics and greed decide what is just. I define the laws, and find those who break them. Though if you believe you are a bringer of the just, then I will bring justice upon you. I am the hammer of the just, driving the nail of law into the conscious sands of humanity.

Osiris, Egyptian King of the Gods

I was born from my father Geb, and mother Nut. Just one fruit of their forbidden love. I was the first great pharaoh of man and with a few simple teachings I changed the grains of all mankind. I was once a part of Egypt, not just in paranormal shadows but reality. First I showed them how to fertilize the soil with the dead. Then the revolution of planting seed, before me it was all hunters and gatherers.

I brought man from the endless sands of Egypt to one place, one home, one farm, one kingdom. With one simple grain, I fed the power of greed and rewrote history. Man was no longer a free explorer of the sands of time. But enslaved to the sowing of his greed, in the pastures of consumption. Now all of mankind could consume as the pharaohs, and gods.

Ra, Egyptian Sun God

The father of the heavens, and many unruly gods and man. I bring light to the earth as I ride my chariot through the heavens. I watch down on my children from above in awe in the wonders and chaos they have cause in my name. The many pyramid's, not just of Egypt but all over the world built in my name. The centuries they took, and engineering marvels. Millions of slaves, and free men toiled under me to build their great wonders. Though without my warm embrace, and scorching discipline, no things would be possible.

Thoth, Egyptian God of Magic and Wisdom

The mighty tongue of Ra, who despises the evolution of words that I make from his mind. Though unloved I translated his word into the creating of the heavens and earth. I might not have created what he wanted, but I created regardless. I, like an insane author of all, and he the word of conscious. Looking down on my insanity of words as though to change them. Without a voice though he must accept it, and all of its imperfections.

Ra, is a perfectionist as are the great monuments in his name. I, just an artist of magic who must break laws of perfection to create the illusion of physics. Maybe I am not perfect, or even good, but I am still a conjured force to be reckoned with. If you need me to send a message to, or from the gods. Simply take a deck of cards and we will make messages for all to see.
Kingdom of Greece

Aphrodite, Greek Goddess of Love

Born out from the sea's I came with so much potent potential. Then the mighty Zeus saw of my powers over mortals, and immortals alike. He shunned me to be wedlock to a deformed craftsman. The power of love is greater than any vow's forced, as all would find out. All fell madly in love with me, except one deformed craftsman. Looking into my eye's he would see the mere sea's. Sea's of other lovers that he yearned to sail.

Ares, the god of war loved me with his deep arts of war. One day love and war were frolicking on earth and Helios the sun God caught us in his rays. He captured us in a ray of light, so that all of the gods could come and mock our love, and war. None found it of entertainment though, and we merely laughed at the foolish sun.

Ares, Greek God of War

Artist of war, that is all I am. Many believe my art is amongst mere army's. My art is practiced by all, and some are poets of my art. Clashing and disputing all things since birth, shouting you are wrong and I am right. Oh but you are just practicing, but one day you will be great. So many I have killed, some ignorant to the true art form that they perform.

Artemis, Greek Goddess of the Hunt

With bow and quiver I hunt the creatures of the land. Defending my chastity as I do my vast forests. I am often confused with other gods and goddesses. Those of faith know my true powers. The first idea that would lead to all great feats. We shall go, stalk our prey, take it, and honor it by consuming it all. After the hunt, our minds will be nourished with the thoughts of all things.

Athena, Greek Goddess of War

My mother Metis, merely one lover of the feverish lust of Zeus. Though I know my father loved the sowing of seed, like his father he feared the great harvest. When his lust would be taken into account and overshadow him. With me in the womb, Zeus was horrified at the thought of me. So he swallowed my mother whole.

A slave inside of Zeus, my mother prepared garments of war for her unborn daughter. The clashing of bronze from my mother making armor made Zeus's head throb in pain. Zeus went before his son Hephaestus, the smith and begged for relief. Hephaestus smashed Zeus's skull open to relieve the pressures of his lust. From the opened skull I came, fully grown into my gown of war!

**Demeter, Greek Dark Mother of the Harvest  
**

I am not a mother to be tormented by worry. Those who look to harm my daughters will find that I might be a simple mother. But to the birth of all things I hold in my hands with the harvest. One of my beautiful daughters caught the eye of the despicable god of death. Hades is the name he goes by but it does not define the hate I have for him.

He stole my daughter from me, and drug her down with him. My grief for my daughter caused all crops to wither and die. With it storms of dust and death came from the earth. The underworld was all but filling up and Hades could not handle my great wrath. So he gave my sweet daughter back to me and with her came the crops.

He had defiled her though, she took part in a simple, yet enslaving pleasure. Eating put only six pomegranate seeds from the underworld. The small pleasure of Hades forces my dearest daughter into the underworld for six months. Six wicked months she spends in the violation of Hades. So for six months I spend in grief, causing the world to wither and freeze until she returns.

**Eros, Greek God of Passion, and lust  
**

Erosexual, I am pleasured by all things. Want to gain my knowledge, simply look at your most pleasurable desires.

**Hera, Greek Goddess of Marriage  
**

My husbands ways are well....Wounding, and wondering. How he knowingly hurts, and humiliates me with his passionate ways. Imagine me, the Goddess of Marriage. I cannot even hold our vows together to save my sanity. Here I am struggling to bound down a wild beast. How can anyone be with just one lover.

I know I can, but for all others it's like fighting their nature. They just want to skirmish about life free to take and break hearts. Then once in heaven they can sit next to their god who does the same thing in the afterlife. Then too you can sit next to me, the goddess of humiliation and ghosts unknown.

**Nemesis, Greek Goddess of Revenge  
**

Of course I am of femininity, so is revenge and retribution. I am the one god that you will not hide from. You will get what you have coming to you and I have the will to ensure it. There once was a great sea man who went out to his most favorable ship. In his possession a rare golden ring of priceless value. He threw it out into the sea in retribution to me.

Once back at port he went home with a vast catch of fish. He told his cook to prepare a great feast. The sea man was gloating for himself by having the feast. Rather than truly offering his finest possession to me, he fattened himself with the idea he was great enough to spare it. After cutting open all of the fish, the cook found the great ring in the last fishes belly. The sea man became so afraid and nervous that I did not accept his offering that he could not eat and fell ill, dieing.

**Zeus, Greek God of all  
**

I am the ruler of all things, but I will not share my power with you. From these words on, none will be known of my kingdom from this sacrificial book, or bible!
Chapter Nineteen

Reading the final word's Gabriel closed the book. The longhouse empty, candles burning out and the fire pit turning to a charcoal. The information, though little was to much to completely absorb. Too many name's, too many god's. Though it was just the god's of old and not all the information on all of them. Looking down at the book it had at least two thousand pages. As Odin said, the book was massive, but the mind of the human reader limited.

Getting up and walking through the haze of smoke in the room Gabriel sat down at the table in the center of the room. Limited glow from the charcoal lit the longhouse just enough to see shadows. While sitting down Gabriel could see the shadow of the table on the wall. Though it was just him sitting at it, there was shadow's of others as well as his.

Rubbing his eye's to clear the smoke, and the words of the god's the guests at the table revealed themselves. Across from him was Odin, Loki, and a woman he did not recognize. She wore gray fur's from wolves, and had tightly braided hair. It wrapped from the front of her head down both sides. She was a very voluptuous woman of pale skin. Deep blue eye's distracted from her brawny features.

"Gabriel, I would like you to meet my wife Frigga." Odin said.

"Nice to meet you Frigga." Gabriel said trying to be polite even though he was tired.

"Have you finished the kingdoms of old?" Odin asked interrupting the introductions.

"It is my pleasure to meet you Gabriel, please forgive Odin patience is not his viture. Yes my love, he has read it." Frigga said.

"Good!, I want you to know what you are up against in the coming days." Odin said.

"You have told me the war is coming, I know the kingdoms that will go to war. But what I don't understand is why?" Gabriel said

"Why war? hah, for peace, yes so we can love. Save those who are tormented we will. WAR! is for plunder, power, sex, ART! None of these from war you say? Then do not deny..... You lose!" Loki shouted.

"Well Loki is partially right. No civilization in the history of mankind has been free from war. Man wants wealth and power, and so he goes to war. The gods are no different, we wage war for the same reasons. Any man, or god who convinces his kingdom that he fly's the banner of war for something else is fooling his kingdom." Odin said.

"So the nine kingdoms will wage war for power and wealth?"

"As I have said, we always have. There is one more key reason to the coming battles. Mankind is made up of more bacteria than human cells. There is a link between you and the bacteria you are made of. You are a disease, spreading out of control. The only antibiotic for the disease is self destruction, or divine intervention. The atomic creations you have made will be your end. So the god's will step in, for without man to serve why would there be gods. All of the god's want to be the one who stops the atomic age. The one who does will have the ultimate power over man, their true savior." Odin said.

"Save, bleh I say sex enslave!" Loki said followed by an awkward moment of silence.

"Gabriel, as you must know I am the goddess of prophecy. I came to ask you to join me in my ritual of seeing the coming dawn." Frigga said.

"No...no no no, don't be savior. Gods be fine, let mankind be Atlantis again. Ohhh you so smart, all knows you. Oh no you don't need gods now? Boom, you monkey again...I watch you throw POOP! Loki said laughing frantically.

"Loki, I believe the time has come for us to leave, and not soon enough!" Odin said grabbing Loki by the arm and stepping into the darkness. Just as they did Loki's laugh faded.

"So will you join me?" Frigga said standing up from the table.

"Uh..Okay, what must I do?" Gabriel said worried.

"Do not fear, come" Frigga said guiding Gabriel to where the desk with the book once was. Now it was lit up and the desk, and Loki's art was gone. A Norse spindle, with spun wool and old key's hanging from it. A pure white wool blanket was on the floor at the foot of the spindle. On the blanket below the spindle was a branch from a birch tree. In the middle of the blanket was a pitcher.

"Now, please you must be clean before joining me in prophecy. If you are not, the visions may be blurred or even wrong." Frigga said pointing to a bucket with a wash cloth and water.

"Do I need to clean my clothes too?"

"No, do not clean them, remove them."

"Well that's a subtle way to getting me undressed..." Gabriel said. But Gabriel's humor seemed lost to the Norse. Frigga removed her wolf pelts and laid down on the blanket exposing herself. While doing so she turned to her side, as to see Gabriel. Hesitantly he took off his shirt and laid it on the floor. Feeling very awkward that he was being watch by a nude goddess he left his pants on. Grabbing the washcloth he cleaned his face and chest while turning away from Frigga.

"No, I must see you!" Frigga demanded.

"I am sorry, I don't think I want to be a part of your ritual after all." Gabriel said still turned away and reaching for his shirt.

"Do not be embarrassed, I know the flaws of man and have seen them. I must be sure you are clean, or a nightmare of lies awaits us." Frigga said with her voluptuous smile.

"So once I am nude and clean then what will you do with me...?"

"Show you the prophecy of course!" Frigga said laughing and removing the tight braids from her hair. Watching Frigga, watch him Gabriel went back to cleaning his upper body. Frigga letting her hair down was not exactly helping the strange situation. But after all what rituals are not strange. Frigga's hair was very long, it could wrap around her body and that was no easy task for anything in Asgard. Now with his upper body clean, Gabriel had to bare all before her.

Looking away Gabriel could no longer watch her, watch him clean his private parts. The ritual was becoming more violating than those of a Christian priest. Making sure to clean everywhere so he would not have to do it again, Gabriel dropped the cloth back in the bucket.

"Now come and lay with me!" Frigga said still smiling.

"Are you sure Odin is okay with this?" Gabriel said confused and violated. After the prophecy with Frigga Gabriel was sure not to be a saint. For all he knew the world was exploding that very moment when he laid down next to Frigga.

"We drink" Frigga said holding up the pitcher.

"What is it?"

"Mead, and milk"

"I am not so sure I want the milk of Asgard, after reading about what Loki did for eight years. That and mead and milk do not mix so well." Gabriel said turning away.

"Just lay down, close your eye's and open one's mouth." Frigga said. Laying down with a look of panic Gabriel laid down on the blanket and closed his eye's. Taking a large drink from the flask Frigga chugged down the milk and mead, but saved some within her large cheeks. With eye's closed and mouth open she leaned over Gabriel and let the mead milk run from her lips and into Gabriel's mouth. Feeling it drip into his mouth and run down his throat he went into a deep trance.

Everything went black and then a vision. Looking down on planet earth from outer space. seeing only in vision, No human form, only senses. In the sky over the America's was a nuclear war head. Gabriel could not see where it came from, or tell its destination. Then from continents all over the world warheads took flight. The skies filled with them, all heading for one enemy, mankind.

The antibiotic that Odin had spoken of. The cure for the vile plague of centuries of viruses. The vision, was miraculous to Gabriel's eye's. The savior of Gabriel would be the destroyer of mankind. Just as Gabriel's vision of hope took flight he could see what looked like a super nova exploding from earth. An electric ray shot outward from earth in a circular shield.

Reaching up towards the sky the ray engulfed the war heads. The ray changed their apacolyptic course so that they turned and left earth's atmosphere. Gabriel's last hope left planet earth and floated into outer space. One warhead flew harmlessly past Gabriel's vision. Then a moment of darkness no longer than a blink.

The next prophecy, and looking down Gabriel could see what was a helicopter view over a Californian beach. Mass panic had hit the beach, thousands ran from the water seeking safety from the warheads. Just as the nova burst from the ground, all stopped and looked to the skies. It defied all laws of physics, and could not possibly be man made. As the war heads changed their course the people on the beach cried in joy and hugged one another.

Just as they did the beach shook, and from the beach just at ocean line a crack erupt from it. Possibly the plates giving way, Gabriel assumed. It was something far worse though, from the sand in front of the crack rose a man with his hands held high above his head. It was Apollyon with a massive grin on his face. The people of the beach just looked at him in confusion.

"Please....Allow me to introduce myself!" Apollyon said brushing the sand off his clothes. As he did from the crack in the earth came a legion of hell charging the beach. Demons and foul corrupt dead men and women of all sorts charged the people on the beach. One man with a surf board stood in awe as a young, dead man from the shadow army of old swung a sword slicing off the mans head off. The first blood to spill upon the beach.

All the other beach goers screamed in horror and ran for their lives once more. Some horrific beasts in the legion ran on all fours. Hell rained down on the beach tearing flesh into with hands, teeth, claws, and ancient weapons of war. The California beach turned red as the legion engulfed the beach and began flooding into the city near by.

One cop in the street jumped out of his squad car and fired at the demon horde. Only one demon fell as his clip emptied. Jumping in his squad car the cop tried to flee but it was too late. Thousands swarmed the car shredding through it. Nothing but blood and twisted metal remained. Then the vision went black again.

Within a blink Gabriel was above the arctic coast in the north pole. Giant walls of ice shook and crumbled into the icy sea. One of the walls split in half and a massive viking long ship was splitting it in two. Behind it, an entire fleet coming from the frozen sea's. The leading ship made it out from the walls of ice. On it was hundreds of berserkers rowing. The far side of the sail's hanging over the ocean was a swing made for an insane god.

Loki swung back and fourth over the sea. His feet would skim the top of the waves and he screamed in lunatic glee. An endless fleet continued to pour out from the ice. On a ship behind Loki's Odin stood on the bow looking up at the brewing storms. A somber look was on his face, he was savoring the moment. His kingdom may be out numbered, but as any Viking knows victory comes with death.

Among the fleet of Odin's ships were wolves, giants, and all kinds of Viking warriors. Their days in Asgard were over and their true heaven awaited, war. Over the fleet were thousands of ravens, and crows with more coming in from all directions. Wind and mighty storms pushed their sails. Their ships designed for speed, and they revolutionized the world once more. They were headings straight for the coasts of Norway. Viking's of old would once more set foot on their battle hardened pastures and shores.

Within a blink a new vision, now the view was just above the green fields around Stonehenge. Its purpose all but unknown as tourists stood around it. They were no longer looking at Stonehenge but the chaos in the skies. The unknown stone formations were as good of a protection as any in the area from a nuclear Apocalypse. Unlike the people on the beach, no one ran. After all there was no use in running and the intelligence level was definitely higher at Stonehenge.

Out from the center of Stonehenge a small purple glowing orb appeared. It spun in place getting larger and larger. Until it was big enough to swallow a person and out from the orb came a woman. It was a witch and from her hands strands of electricity danced around. She had pale skin, black makeup and black tribal Tattoo's on her face. She was wearing a dark blue, baggy hooded robe.

Holding her hand's together she raised them to the sky. A weak, and small ray burst from the ground of Stonehenge. Then it died down and quickly retreated back to the ground. For a moment the witch stared at her hands angry. Screaming in agony she raised her hand once more. Electricity surrounded her like a Tesla coil.

The hair of the tourists frizzed into the air from the electricity riding the air. Then not just from Stonehenge but the whole world came a powerful ray that changed the fate of the warheads. After the ray made it to the warheads the witch fell to the ground. The electricity around her died down with her last strength.

From inside Stonehenge many colorful orbs appeared and spun into a portal just as before. From them came the other Celt gods and goddesses. Then their army of Celt warriors. The men and women only wore colorful trousers and no shirts. Their body's riddled with Celt Tribal tattoos. The women looked just as fierce and battle hardened as the men. They poured out from Stonehenge with shields, swords, bows, spears, and twisted wood stave's.

One of the tourists ran to the aid of the fallen witch. She helped her on her feet while the other tourists cheered. They were either happy to be safe from the apocalypse, or cheering the coming age of madness. Luckily for them the kingdom of Celts greeted them with open arms. Their goal seemed clear, win over the hearts of man. While Apollyon preferred horrifying and then eating their hearts.

The quick blink of darkness and a new vision. Over the Egyptian pyramids of Giza now. A bright, golden light shot from places of the galaxy unknown into the center of the pyramid. It made a straight line and went right into the middle, top of the pyramid. The sands surrounding were empty but in the city near by everyone stopped what they were doing to watch the nuclear chaos and ray of gold.

Sandstone blocks burst from the side of the pyramid that Gabriel could see. Leaving a large opening that lead into the sandy desert. Once the stones and sand had settled a golden chariot came riding out from the pyramid. Behind it chariots for all of the gods as well as many more. It was an ancient golden parade.

Pharaohs of old riding chariots, mummies on elephants, and warriors on horseback charged out in a line. They did not head for the city, but the solitude of the desert sands. Small black house cats charged out with lions and tigers. It was a odd combination, but a deadly one since more people have been maimed by domestic house cats than lions and tigers.

Then the vision went black again and now Gabriel could see the town of Axal, then a blink and he could see mount Olympus. Then another blink of disarray and he was sitting at a wedding ceremony. But it was no normal wedding, or wedding chapel. The vision was from a bench seat, but the chapel was at the gates of hell.

Large red flame gates were in front of the congregation. Overhead was a massive chasm of red volcanic rock. Pillars came down and rows of bench seats like in a chapel from hell were on the ground. Sitting in the congregation were demon's and dead monsters of all sorts. Hitler, members of the pope, and even an image of Jesus sat and waited.

A large pipe organ with a crafty demon playing it. His head and tail flung back and fourth as the sound of here comes the bride came out from the pipes with flame. The vision turned down the isle and Tiffany walked down it with a black dress and her abusive father holding her hand. She made the gleefully sickening walk down and at the end stood next to Apollyon who was the priest. The man she was to marry had his head turned and Gabriel could not recognize him.

"Speak now or forever hold your peace" Apollyon said as Tiffany made it down the isles. No formal wedding would be had but quickly forced.

"I object!" Bob the murdered trucker shouted from the crowed. With his objection the soon to be husband turned his head. It was Gabriel who was about to marry Tiffany at the gates of hell. Tiffany turned as well and the vision of her in her black dress was breathtaking to Gabriel. Looking at her in his vision she was as a portrait, A painting of infinite and beautiful possibility's.

"I am a madman god, bent for hell and I cannot stop it" Gabriel tried to say through his vision. The words might have remained unsaid but Gabriel could feel it. Love was after all the greatest power that Apollyon wielded over mankind. Of all the prophecy's Gabriel truly hoped for this one. An impossible love and marriage at the gates of hell with the whole world of sanity objecting.

The marriage bound in hell touched Gabriel's self destructive side. It was an impossible madness that he knew was hopeless. Tiffany would not love him, and hell would not allow it. The vision's were no longer clean and on a hallucinogenic course. The vision of bob turned to Gabriel's dead wife who always loved another. It was clear she too would object from the vows only possible in Gabriel's dreams. She shook her head and her fist, as to claim Gabriel even in unfaithful death.

Within a blink the image changed once more. Now Gabriel could see himself back in his old apartment holding an infant child. In the light of the moon he rocked the child back and fourth. But looking closely the swaddled child was a miniature spawn from Apollyon's legion. Gabriel held the monster tight and rocked it to a demonic sleep.

A blink and a new image, Gabriel as a child hanging from his rainbow shoe lace noose. This was no longer prophecy but a twisted crash course in history. Ever since he was a child there was a prominent self destructive side. It was not only from his mind, or selfish longings for death. It was from his immune system as well.

He was born with multiple auto immune diseases sending his immune system on a destructive path. Multiple sclerosis, Crohn's, and undiagnosed depression. Each disease pleading with his will to die. Looking at himself hanging in the closet he was amazed he made it to see the visions of his adulthood insanity. The feelings of destruction in his mind as uncontrollable as the ones in his body.

Anything could trigger his body, or mind into a fight. His addictive personality was simply fuel to the flames that killed him since birth. The dangling and determined vision of Gabriel's youth was a frightening sight. Within a blink he was still just a boy sitting in his bedroom. Around him a few toys, all but worn out.

The young vision of Gabriel had locked the door to his room. In his hand a butter knife, the only tools of suicide he could reach. He was in one of his fights with himself. Placing the knife to his chest he pushed it as hard as he could trying to pierce his heart. There was no use though, the blunt end would not go through.

Digging it hard into his chest his hands trembled with force. Tears running now his face due to the frustration. Even Gabriel had forgotten about the battles of his youth. If there was ever a time he felt sorry for himself, this was it. How could they not have seen this, he thought. The young vision of him struggled until exhaustion.

Giving up the boy of his past fell to the floor in agony. The boy on the floor, no different from the man he was today. Frustrated with his internal and now eternal fight to die. Now thinking back at all the times he sought destruction. He no longer needed the vision to take him through his dark past. The drugs he had taken, the mushrooms and other forest plants he ate to test their potency. The first time he found a shroom it was by mistake.

Eating a handful of mushroom he found under a dead tree. Laying down in his bed like he did so many times after ingesting a piece of the forest. Then the lights in his room became so much more vibrant than ever before. Like seeing through Van Gough's eye's when he painted starry night from the mental hospital. Even thinking with the brilliant painters mortally entrapped mind of undoing.

Another time while in high school he was high for six days straight. He had not slept in the same amount of time and simply trying to read the books at school made his mind play tricks. The words all meshed into confusion and ran off the pages onto the floor. The kids and teacher knew he was a problem child, but it was doubtful their minds could possibly understand the dark cloud he was on. Shadow's danced on the walls as he came down from the cloud he was ridding on for days.

Out of drugs and luckily out of school, his only thought was how to further intoxicate his mind. He could no longer stay awake, or deal with the missing toxins from his veins. The thoughts of the hermit fiend of the night made his crashing immune system sick. All he had was alcohol, a half gallon of his favorite whiskey.

When he was high, the whiskey had little, to no effect on him. Regardless though he always drank it, and in doing so he could consume massive amounts while high. Now though he had crashed and was no longer high so drinking his normal amount, left him vulnerable to its effects. From his pickup out in the woods he drank down over half of the bottle of whiskey. Just like all that he consumed it was enough to kill him.

In a forgotten, and dark drunken coma Gabriel passed out inside his truck. The truck was not running when he passed out. He would not awake for many hours, and the freezing Axal night was taking over the land. Sometimes, with the right amount of intoxicants, and elements Gabriel's will to live through thoughts of death were astonishing and possibly divine.

That night it was as cold as 20 degree's below zero. Axal in the winter was one of the coldest and most depressing shit holes on the planet. The harsh winters were what fed the towns folks enthusiasm for a rude and asshole filled humanity. The night itself was unknown to Gabriel, but the morning he will never forget.

It was a cold he had never felt before. As though he was put under the knife in a freezer for days. Only to wake up hanging on the farthest edges of life, and near reach of death. Snot was frozen and plastered to his face. His brain felt like it was being crushed by the weight of the cold world. With hardly any strength Gabriel started his truck and sat up.

The heater barley worked, if not at all. It was possibly responsible for him being alive though. Hypothermia had most certainly set in as Gabriel drove the truck home to free himself from the cold. It was a long drive home though and the feelings of humiliation still in Gabriel's mind today. The people who dared look in to see the frozen man driving home. Snot still plastered to his face, and the grim reality of sober existence on his mind.

Now thoughts of his suicidal past passed as he watched the boy of his youth fall asleep on the floor. Remembering the days and vicious nights of withdrawal. No one knowing what was really wrong with him. Years of depression, drugs, alcohol, and disease bared down on him. Trembling in a cold sweat in his bed as the moonlight shined down on him.

Not even the creatures of the night, or his family could understand the intense pain he was going through. They all assumed it was his immune disease, but it was much more. His inside burned and organs jolted and shook against his walls of flesh. Looking down at his midsection he could see what looked like a monster inside of him trying to rip its way out.

The hours spent in the bathroom crying in pain. The blood in his system so thick that his bowl movements were completely uncontrollable. Having to sleep on trash bags with one eye open so that the vile clash of addiction and disease would not spill out on his bed. The one moment society would consider him doing a decent deed.

Fighting the bacteria of addiction and suicide that he was. Society's better judgment of him being the antibiotic to his disaster. All of him wanted to crawl back on hands and knee's to the drugs. Though the thought of disappointment to society weighed heavy on his teenage mind. One thing at that time to keep him alive, the fear of disappointment to society. That feeling of frozen disgust while driving home that morning was enough to light the flames of hope.

The vision of dream filled prophecy and nightmarish history changed and Gabriel was once more back to reality. Or just a new vision of madness in Asgard with Frigga hovering over him in the nude with meadmilk dripping from her lips. War was brewing, maybe the same one of old inside of Gabriel. Or one more easily defined as the divine, and the war of the nine kingdoms.
**Chapter Twenty**

Visions of destruction were gone. Now just the visions of nightmares remained of asgard. nude and with dripping lips Frigga pulled away from Gabriel. She got up from the wool blanket, leaving Gabriel in confusion. While she put her clothes back on, they remained silent. Strange feelings of being violated came over him. At first it was as though he was being used for the pleasure of gods. Frigga did not look the least bit satisfied though. If anything she had the demeanor of a prostitute. She was Emotionless, the job was done and she had other rituals to attend.

"You better put some clothes on, the others will be joining you again soon." Frigga said.

"Oh..okay, the prophecy was it all true?." Gabreil said.

"Some of it was, though the visions were unclean. You did not wash well enough. But I will leave it to you to decide your fate. Goodbye for now Gabriel. " Frigga said just as she finished getting dressed.

"Goodbye frigga.." Gabreil said. He did not want to say any more since it was already a awkward situation. Gabriel could taste the meadmilk in his mouth as he got dressed. It was a disgusting combination but so was the whole ritual. All Gabriel had left to put on was his shirt when the door burst open. Frigga timed it so she was leaving just as the others came in.

"Eww gross put a shirt on!" Lura said as she walked in.

"Gabriel as soon as you are dressed we must leave the village" Odin said in a rush.

"Am I going home?" Gabriel asked now fully dressed.

"If you wish, or if you wish to stay you must leave our village. You have read the book and seen the prophecy. But it is to dangerous to keep you here." Odin said. Thinking about it for a moment Gabriel knew he was not ready to go back home. Asgard was as good of a home as any. He thought of the knowledge he could acquire here. But the real reason was hidden by every excuse he could find. She was standing expressionless just across from him.

Gabriel stared at her staring away from him. When he first set eyes on her it was like the first time man saw Everest. All logic, fear, and ignorance says it's impossible. The heart of man says it's worth trying, even if it kills me. She would devour him, and they both knew it. He could leave Asgard and spend eternity in regret. Or stay and love a woman long dead to the world. Just the thought of it was a ceremony held at the gates of hell by Apollyon. Opening those gates would unleash nothing but eternal suffering. If he walked away now and went back to Apollyon then there might be more hope for him.

"If I were to stay in Asgard where would it be?" Gabriel said.

"At the edges of the forest is a river. There to is a bridge separating Asgard from Midgard. Along the river is a small cabin. It's a dark corner of Asgard. Where one can find complete solitude. It is where many have gone to be free from distractions. A place of imagination and creativity." Odin said.

"So I would be alone there?" Gabriel asked.

"Well if you wanted to be alone you could be. All I can tell you is if you do stay I cannot promise your safety. Time will continue once more and they will know you are gone." Odin said.

"So what happens if I decide to leave?" Gabriel said.

"If you decide to leave now, you will return to the cliff as though you never left. If you stay and want to leave later on then simply cross the bridge." Odin said.

"What happens when I cross the bridge?" Gabriel said.

"You will return home, and whatever time Passed while you were gone you can't gain back." Odin said.

"Do I have time to decide?" Gabriel said.

"Time....he remains defeated no more. Do not waist, tick tock he crys. I kidnapped into a black hole? no who would know. I remain unbeaten....tick...tock" Loki said.

"As loki said....there is no more time. If you go home you must go now." Odin said. Gabriel thought about it for one more moment as the others watched him waiting.

"I....I guess...I will stay in the cabin here in Asgard." Crossing her arms and looking down, Lura tried to hide her anger. Tiffany may have had a slight glimmer in her eyes. Though Gabriel was the only one who could see it. She remained expression less and turned her attention to Odin.

"Very well, Loki and the girls will lead you to the cabin." Odin said motioning them out the door.

"Pins prodding....mind. No more holding on to moments found deep in the darkness of the universe. Time has come, time for WAR! But no we will not poison the wells. We will poison the sun, intoxicate the moon, and rape the stars!" Loki said twitching and leading them out the door. As the cold crisp air hit Gabriel, it felt as though he was captive for years. The light of day hit his eyes. Though it was not too bright like a clear day. Looking up there was no sun. Just bright glowing clouds. The smell of mead and sex was carried with the cool air.

The berserkers moved from the longhouse and formed a square formation around them. They marched alongside of them as the festivals in the street cleared. Now it seemed everyone was on high alert. With his head twitching and moving back and fourth Loki scanned the rooftops. Odin held his staff with both hands ready to smite anyone who might assault. Once they made it to the gates the guards and Odin fell back.

"I will be staying here for now. Loki and the girls should keep you in good company." Odin said. The moment Gabriel made it past the gates they Slammed shut. The sounds of cheers from the village cried out. It as clear that Gabriel was a unwanted guest in Norse heaven. The only heaven that Gabriel had seen, outcast him. Walking through the clearing of buried loot, Lura ventured away from the others. She was not happy that Gabriel wanted to stay. Lura treated him more as a threat and was keeping her distance.

"So how far out is the cabin?" Gabriel asked since he had left his wool coat behind.

"Just there" Loki said pointing in the direction that he was not leading them.

"Well why don't we walk that way?" Gabriel asked just as they stepped into the dark forest.

"Me a mad captain? Oh I know these seas. Please....follow.....follow me! No I say I don't think I know anything at all. Even if I did know of something I would only hope that man would challenge it. I have a feeling, a superstition that knowledge is prison walls for imagination. So you may be intellectual, and I delusional, but who will ever really know? So do we walk the known, or step into imagination and find." Loki said as he pulled grass from the ground and threw it in the air.

Lura was now a good distance from them in the woods. Gabriel could see her Every so often through the trees. On all fours Loki was now crawling in the ground like a dog. Every so often he would stop and eat some dirt or bugs on the forest floor.

"It will be okay, we should be there soon." Tiffany said smiling at Gabriel. Suddenly loki stopped, shadows raced through the forest ahead of them. Gabriel was able to see that they were not just shadows but wolves. One pure black wolf ran right up to them. The others not far behind him.

"Don't move." Tiffany said from just behind Gabriel. The black wolf lurched forward slowly bearing his teeth. Just feet from Gabriel the wolf was closing in on their prey. Loki still on all fours quickly took the form of a sheep.

"Baaah" Loki said in sheep form. The black wolf turned to Loki while the others came charging in. Just before the pack made it to Loki he transformed into a mountain giant. A foul looking creature with a massive gut and puss filled wort's. Only small patches of hair grew on its head. It wore no clothes and had a sever fleshy disease near its genitals.

"Woooarh" it cried out charging the wolves. A few of the wolves turned and ran. While some bit into the giants legs. Grabbing one wolf in one hand and one in the other the giant slung them through the air. They crashed into trees and fell dead to the forest floor. The black wolf ran to its fallen pack members. Turning his head towards Gabriel its eyes glowed yellow, then it turned and ran.

The ground shook as the giant fell to the forest floor. Puss filled blisters and wort's burst as it trembled on the ground. The skin of the giant melted away and transformed back into Loki. Coughing up blood and laughing in the fetal position.

"Oh no..argh...hugh..no help for loki. Look at you a bird of love. Then when wolves come what do you do? Fly birdie...fly Away....arghaha!" Loki said choking on blood.

"I am sorry Loki I would have helped but I did not know what to do!" Gabriel said going over to help Loki up. Loki shrugged him off and got back on all fours.

"Oh it's fine you only immortal. Leave it to me, some awaken from nightmares crying in fear. While I awaken laughing!" Loki said crawling through the forest again.

"Where is Lura?" Gabriel said scanning the woods.

"She can handle her own, she might even be at the cabin already." Tiffany said.

"Okay....so why would wolves attack us in Asgard?" Gabriel said shivering.

"Wolves look for weak. That's why wolf comes to you. Wolf don't like you!" Loki said."

"Well they are looking for those who sneak into Asgard through the forests. They would have devoured you to protect Asgard from those who don't belong." Tiffany said.

"But i cannot die." Gabriel said.

"Yes that is true but being eaten by wolves for eternity would not be much fun!" Tiffany said laughing.

"No I guess not, so will they come back for me?"

"Yes they will keep hunting you. Once the other creatures of the forest know you do not belong. They will hunt you down as well. It's nothing personal, but this is not your heaven." Tiffany said.

"I don't even know where my heaven would be really. The only one I can think of would be up there in endless space. No god's, or known civilization's, eternal nothing. Heh, maybe it's the one heaven I can still achieve. Being blasted into space where the exposure would put me into a deep sleep. I could be frozen in time, until my body was ground to dust." Gabriel said looking through the forest up at the stars.

"No more talk!" Loki said as he walked on two feet again.

Birds dive bombed through the tree's. Taking a look at Gabriel and then retreating to the skies. Gabriel had so much he wanted to say if only the forests of heaven were not attacking him. As they walked, thought's of endless nothing, or eternity with Tiffany filled his mind. Now that he could not speak, it was all he wanted to do.

Though even if he could speak to Tiffany he would not say the words he wanted to say. If only words were echo's of the mind and not its prisoners. Like your first crush, you imprison your feelings thinking some day you will open up to them. Then the time passes by with the feelings. Regret is then all that remains. Years later you look back and wish that you were not a prisoner of your mind.

Gabriel was sure he would never speak the words to her. The ones that he would hold captive and live with. He was not even sure what his true feelings were. Whatever it was, it was keeping him from his heaven, and stuck in hell with the god's.

Buzzing down right in front of him was a humming bird. Gabriel focused in on it just as it jolted back to joust at Gabriel. Just as it did Loki grabbed it from the sky. It buzzed around trying to get free. Looking around Loki searched for a place for the bird. Shrugging at Gabriel he put the bird in his mouth. With full cheeks his eye brows raised. Then he slowly chomped down. After a few chomps he seemed to enjoy eating the humming bird alive. With one big swallow he opened his mouth and let out a single blue feather.

With a disgusted look on her face, Tiffany went past Loki in a rush. Loki and Gabriel quickly followed behind her. The branches of the trees reached out towards Gabriel as he walked past. Even the ground itself started to feel like walking on quick sand. The forest shake and shuttered with sounds of snapping timber.

Now even the tops of the trees started to bend down and close in behind him. Loki and Tiffany gained ground ahead of him as he was being left behind. Now the tree's burst and fell down. They were blocking all sides as the ground sucked Gabriel down. Pulling himself up over the fallen trees Gabriel could no longer see the others.

An owl arose from the wreckage of trees with an angry look. The feathers on his head stood up and he glared his red eyes at Gabriel. The owl started in a sprint towards him and then took flight. With a vicious assault the owl hit Gabriels face talons first. Digging in and then ripping away with a screech. Gabriel tried to cry out for help but just as he did branches smashed into his torn up face. One solid branch knocked him down on the ground.

Screeching, snapping of timber, and wings flapping were all Gabriel could hear. Deep cuts on his face stung in immense pain. All he could do was cover up as heaven assaulted him once more. With eyes tightly shut Gabriel could not even struggle. A sinking feeling overtook him as he lay on the fallen trees. The others most likely did not even know he was gone.

Opening his eyes and turning his head all he could see were edges of earth above him. As though looking up from a sinking grave. Flapping his wings just above the grave the owl hovered ready to place the nail in the coffin. Suddenly the ground shook and with it the arm of a giant swung out slapping the possessed owl from the sky.

Reaching down into the grave, the giant pulled Gabriel from it. Though he was not at all a gentle giant. Feeling his bones crush in the giants palms, Gabriel was not sure if he was being saved or further tormented. Still in the giants crushing and foul smelling hands it ran through the forest. Trees still fell down in their path as the giant hurdled them with Gabriel in his arms.

With a rib cracking squeeze the giant hugged Gabriel tight and tucked his head. Like a football player prepping for a hit he smashed through trees and pieces of wood shattered and fell to the ground. In extreme pain Gabriel could not even look to see what was happening. All he could see now was darkness as the whole forest enveloped them.

"Roooooarghh!" The giant screamed as it jumped head first into the air. For a moment all Gabriel could feel was as though he was flying. That and the timber smashing into them. Crashing into the ground the giant entered a death roll. Like an alligator hanging onto Gabriel, they rolled down a steep slope. Each time the giant rolled over him he could feel the new sensation of a bone breaking or the old ones reminding him they were smashed. No way to see, or even breath Gabriel was simply trapped in his mind and body of suffering.

Finally after what felt like hours the giant let go and they rolled to a stop. Still in too much pain Gabriel could not move his broken limbs. Even his skull felt as though it was crushed and his eyes felt smashed into the sockets. Although his ears rang like trumpets, he could faintly hear the sounds of running water over rocks.

"Gabriel! Are you okay!?" Tiffany's voice echoed through the ringing in his ears and head. Of course not he thought, i cannot even respond. Then again maybe it was better than being buried alive. He could hear the coughing and laughing from Loki transforming back into his normal form.

"Hahahargh tha...that was.....FUN?!" Loki said with a coughing laughter.

"Look he is better now! I like him like this, maybe we will keep him!" Loki said looking at the mangled remains of Gabriel.

"Now Tiff....any? Did I tell you since I first saw you I loved? No not loved at first sight. Too...mushy like mushroom..YUCK....maybe....I am an avalanche, you just jump into me and I will carry you to the grave!" Loki said bursting into laughter.

"Loki you love everything at first sight." Tifanny said shrugging him off. Gabriel could only listen to Loki try to seduce her with his god like powers.

"Come kiss me! I am an avalanche!!" Loki shouted as he leaned in for a kiss. Tiffany turned away just before he could kiss her. Gabriel had no idea what was happening. He could hear the sound of Loki sniffing the air. Loki smelt her hair just as she turned away. Running and jumping into the air Loki danced around shouting

"I am an avalanche!!"

Tiffany sat down next to gabriel and watched as loki danced around. Her rejecting him seemed to amuse his lustful madness more than a kiss. The ringing in Gabriel's ears faded and the weight on his eyes lifted. Pulling himself into a seated position he could see blurry images of Loki jumping and dancing.

Grabbing his arm Tiffany helped him up to his feet. Looking around he could see a small log cabin at the edge of the woods. One door in, and widows on each side of it. Just above the door was two one handed battle axes hanging up and crossing each other. A small chimney was bellowing smoke up into the sky. It was the most welcoming site that Gabriel had seen since being in Asgard. Oddly there was a graveyard just behind the cabin. Mounds of stone, timber, and ruinstones marked the graves. A river ran next to the cabin. It was not very wide but deep and quickly moving.

"Can we go inside?" Gabriel said shivering.

"Yes it should be nice and warm, Lura has a fire going." Tiffany said.

Quickly Gabriel walked to the cabin and went inside. It looked much smaller outside but once inside it was the size of a studio apartment. Fire glowed through a smokey haze filling the room. The walls had Norse weapons lining it. A large bed was in the room right next to the fire place. As well as some wooden chairs, one of which Lura was sitting in.

Rushing to the fire Gabriel sat down in a chair next to it. Tiffany sat down as well and they just stared into the flames for a few moments. The sounds of Loki shouting could still be heard. Though they were distant as he danced through the forest. It was getting darker and the flames glowed brighter.

"I used to use fire to burn away my pain. Or I would even cut my flesh trying to free myself from torment. I always wished i could just melt my skin away to expose the monster the world had made." Lura said with flames glowing off her cheeks.

"We all deal with pain in our own way. Each generation is the same but they all do it. I smoked crystal to make mine go away." Tiffany said.

"I always tried to drink mine away. It never worked though and now I cannot even do that!" Gabriel said.

"I guess pain is just our curse, and resisting it only causes more misery." Tiffany said.

"I wish I could have been like those other girls. Everything seemed so perfect. Good looking, friends, and not rejected for the ones they loved.....Heh fuck them though.....Do I have to stay here with you guys or can I go back to the village. Because heaven is becoming a real drag." Lura said getting up.

"You can go if you want to, but i wish you would stay" Tiffany said looking up at Lura. Lura looked back at Tiffany and then looked over at Gabriel. Giving him a glare she walked out of the cabin. As she opened the door smoke rolled out of the cabin. She paused with the door open.

"It looks like he found you..." Lura said as she closed the door and left.

"Huh what did she mean by that?" Gabriel said.

"I...don't know?" Tiffany said getting up and opening the door. She too paused in silence staring into the sunset.

"You better come look." Tiffany said. Gabriel got up from his chair and walked over to the doorway. As he did Tiffany slipped back inside. First Gabriel could see nothing but the sun setting over Midgard. Then looking across the river he could see a figure standing on the bank. There with a wicked grin and out stretched arm was Apollyon. He was pointing right at Gabriel as to say

"found you!" Looking into his eyes Gabriel was not afraid. He did not know where he was or if he was safe. All he knew is the same line that was always there separated him from Apollyon. On one side was a heaven that he did not understand. The other the world he despised, and there stood Apollyon his only enemy.

Gabriel simply stood there on the moral waters of the middle. The dividing line that kept the worlds from colliding. Gabriel pointed and smiled back at Apollyon. Then Apollyon dropped his hand and had a look not of anger or resentment but of a pleading missionary. For the first time his shoulders dropped and he turned and walked into the forest on the other side. As he did Loki grabbed rocks and threw them at him from the other side.

"No dominion here! Loki mocks souls here not stupid serpent!" Loki shouted throwing rocks at Apollyon. One hit him but it simply bounced off and Apollyon gave no notice to it. Fading into the forest Apollyon disappeared. Though coming out from the forest behind him was demons of all kinds marching to the river. Some mutilated masses of flesh. Others with red muscular skin and twisted horns.

They lined the river banks and marched back and fourth. To Loki though it was just a game, he kept throwing rocks at the demons and laughing. Gabriel just watched on as one cried out in anger and tried to wade out to Loki.

"Come on! Come come all!" Loki yelled and laughed at it grabbing his crotch.

"I will make you mooo and moan. A pretty little cow for me to violate!" Loki said laughing hysterically. The demon made it towards the middle struggling against the current. Then he stepped into a deep hole and sunk under the waters. Looking around the side of the doorway Gabriel did not see the demon come back up. Waters of morality drowned another demon but more waited on the other bank.

Watching on the light of day faded out. The demons paced back and fourth and every so often Loki would hit one with a rock. Their cries of anger ignited Loki's childlike curious laughter. Each time he would jump up and down pointing at the angry demon and laughing. Going back into the cabin Gabriel sat down next to Tiffany at the fire.

"This is...madness" Gabriel said sighing and looking into the fire. Tiffany just remained silent, she knew all too well what madness was.

"I think I am insane, none of this is real!" Gabriel said grabbing his head.

"Well what is reality? We know About our universe or the world around us. Even if you are insane, who would really know. The world does not even know who or what they are." Tiffany said.

"I just know if this is reality then i would rather be insane. If this is insanity, then how do i get back to reality." Gabriel said.

"We all face the reality of insanity. Some people call it the afterlife, but to me it's heaven or.....i guess beautiful insanity?...I don't know Gabriel, Odin is much better at explaining these things than I am." Tiffany said.

"I just don't know what to do now. Sit here in this cabin....and why is there a graveyard back there.....in heaven?" Gabriel said still grabbing his head.

"I asked the same question to Loki, he said even heaven hides its secrets. I am not sure if it means that...or something deeper. You never know when Loki answers a question!" Tiffany said laughing.

"Maybe they can bury me there, sounds better than going back to that hell on the other side of the river."

"You are looking too far into things, lets sleep for now and you can decide things in the morning?" Tiffany said as she got up from her chair.

"Well I guess you are right, the only decision I want to make now is who gets the bed!"

"Is it not big enough for two?" Tiffany said smiling as she started to undress next to the bed. Looking away Gabriel walked over to the bed as well. Knowing all to well how perfect she was physically. But that decision was made as well, and indulging in her would bring only further torment. Crawling into the bed he faced away from Tiffany. Feeling her enter the bed he simply closed himself off and pulled the fur blankets over him. Through the laughter of Loki throwing stones at demons in the night, they fell asleep.
**Chapter Twenty one**

Tossing and turning the night was a restless one. Just at the halfway point of sleep and awake a dream would awaken him. Though laying there he could not tell what the dream was about. Looking over at Tiffany he was not even sure if the dream was there. Maybe when he fell asleep he returned to reality. One that was simply overshadowed by the insanity he was living in. Laying in the bed he could feel Tiffanys leg slide over his. Although the bed was large she was in the middle of it. While Gabriel was almost falling off the edge.

In her sleep she did not show the guards that her mind held up during the day. Looking at her she seemed as though she was approachable. Every part of Gabriel wanted to run, to get away. He knew he had fallen for her. Though he hated everything that it meant. It was a battle against instincts of the heart and logic of the mind. Thinking back to when he followed his heart, he knew he was a fool. A blind fool who was not living in reality. One who assumed his wife loved him and that they had a happy life.

While her heart was torn and the divide with true feelings hidden from him. Getting out of bed he silenced his heart. This time logic would prevail and he would know reality. Even if that was the insanity of living in hell without her. Looking out the window the moon lite up demons in the night. Loki was no longer throwing stones at them. Now he was off digging in the graveyard.

Watching as he dug a grave like a dog Gabriel turned away from the window. Taking one last look at Tiffany in her slumber he walked out of the cabin. Closing the door behind him he gazed on at the countless demons. There was no way past them back to the land of mortals. They waited like huntsman knowing their prey would leave its den. Turning around Gabriel grabbed the battle axes above the door.

He was crossing that bridge, though legions of demons wait for him. Gabriel could not stay in Asgard and wait for his fate. He knew his fate, he was alone and he would decide it. One ax in one hand and another ax in the other, he walked over to the bridge. There was no real plan except to face his demons. Making it to the start of the bridge he could hear a woman's voice shouting from behind him.

"Wait Gabriel! Wait!" Frigga said lightly jogging out of the forest like a penguin in panic. Waiting, Gabriel watched as she ran up to him. Her shouting gained the attention of Loki and he walked over to see what the fuss was about.

"Here Gabriel I have something for you." Frigga said handing him a necklace. The cord was made of leather with a silver pendant. The pendant was round with four gemstones on it. One blue, one red, one yellow, and one green. The gems glowed in Gabriels hand as he examined it.

"And these two" Frigga said handing him two more necklaces. These ones simply had a single pendant. One with a red gem and one with a green.

"What do I do with them?" Gabriel said confused.

"They allow you to see the present time of the ones wearing it. Odin has a blue gem necklace. Tiffany will have the yellow. The other two single gem necklaces can be given to anyone. Once they wear it and you wear the one with four gems. You simply hold your pendant in your hand. Place your index finger on the gem of the person you want to see. So for Tiffany you would use the yellow gem. Call my name and you shall be with the one wearing the gem you choose. Lastly you must not let anyone take these from you. It would endanger all of us if it were in the wrong hands." Frigga said.

"Ummm ok..." Gabriel said placing them in his pocket and grabbing his axes once more.

"He will imprison you Gabriel, I have seen this. But with my gifts you can be anywhere and with anyone you choose.....I almost forgot to leave the spirit world, hold the pendant and say Midgards calling. You will go back to where ever you were." Frigga said as she bowed and walked away. Loki tilted his head and looked at Gabriel holding his axes.

"What were you searching for in the graveyard?" Gabriel asked Loki.

"Cursed with potential I search hollowed ground to bury this gift. Poisoning the cold embrace amongst the stars, for a life of solitude. Though there are many graves to stumble over in the mind. Some unknown and fresh with soil. Just be careful where you dig or live with the monsters you create." Loki said looking around in the sky. Gabriel looked at him for a moment trying to process what Loki had said but Loki broke his concentration.

"My mind's sobriety sure could use some drug's to handle your reality!" Loki said as he turned and ran back to the graveyard.

"Goodbye Loki and Frigga, maybe we will meet again on the other side...." Gabriel said.

"We will meet again, farewell!" Frigga said waving goodbye to Gabriel. Gabriel turned to cross the bridge. On the other side the demons had created a impassable column. The demons could not set foot on the bridge though, sparking an idea. As Gabriel walked across he had only moments to decide how he would get past them.

Standing just feet from the edge of the bridge Gabriel stopped. The demons reached out for him. Eyes filled with lust and rage. One fell over trying to reach him. It fell right through the bridge and into the river. Like the one before him it never came up again. Not giving up any ground though the demons still reached out for him.

Tightly gripping his axes Gabriel swung at their Outstretched arms. Having never fought with one handed battle axes he did not know what to do. It did not matter though, these axes were like none other. Cutting through demons like it was nothing. As though they had no bones even. Each swing severed a limb as blood sprayed out onto Gabriel. Going into a rage he swung sometimes not even directing his swing.

Demons fell to the ground and through the bridge. As did their limbs, and even heads as Gabriel chopped into them. Though they were many, he still had his only advantage. Morality and a building courage in only himself. Still the demons piled up rather than waiting for him. It was clear that they could not think clearly. All they could do was attack like wild beasts.

With arms exhausted Gabriel stepped back. Mounds of limbs and demons lay just across the bridge. They just kept coming though, and it was time for a new plan. Watching as the demons swarmed in he knew there was little hope. Getting up, tired and covered in blood he was ready to give in.

"Always remember the word of your god. And he said man will be created in OUR image. Not just his, but ours. There is some of us in you Gabriel!" Odin shouted. Gabriel turned around to look but Odin was not there. It brought on a small but meaningful revelation. Did the bible really say that? Thinking back to the beginning of the bible. It did say man was created in "our" image and not mine.

So if he was created in the image of the gods. Then he was meant to be imperfect. After all no human is a true saint. Maybe it was Gabriels imperfections that made him in their image. After all if there was one god it would not say our. If man really was created in the image of gods then they too would reflect the image of man.

It would be like Looking into a mirror. From both sides, the images would simply be the same. Maybe the message was to humble Gabriel, or humble his image of a god. Either way he could not forgot the insanity of religion. It can be looked at in any way you like. Unfortunately it can also be bent to the way that power hungry men want it.

Dripping with blood of demons Gabriel starred into their dead eyes. Mankind always easily gave into them. After all how can you resist, when there are so many. You bring one down and ten more spring up. Gabriel was too tired to swing away at them any longer. Looking over the edge of the water below he knew he wouldn't let them take him.

Stepping over the edge he splashed into the waters of morality. If those waters carried him to the banks of hell or heaven it did not matter. The waters were his only option now. Drenching his clothes he sunk clenching onto his battle axes. Looking at the light above he could see hundreds of demons jumping in. Like piranhas boiling the waters for their prey. Above him in the water they tried to fight the current. They could not though and were being washed down river.

It was pure torment for Gabriel drowning as the waters held him captive. Fighting for air he watched as demons disappeared in their wakes. Until finally the waters above him were calm. As they were the waters carried him up from the rivers floor. Without even swimming Gabriel was pushed to the surface. Sunlight filled his vision as he gasped for air. The waters pushed him to the bank and he lay there for a moment in the mud. The blood of the demons, and they themselves were washed clean. Looking around the bridge was gone. So was the cabin and Asgard. Nothing remained but a river with Forests on both sides.

Pulling himself up Gabriel searched for his axes but they were gone. The river faded behind him and the forest looked like those of his home. Walking through them he could make out the path running from his house to the old one. With an uneasy feeling he walked down the path towards his home. Everything now seemed less magical. The forest was not as lively as that of Asgard. Then again they were not attacking him either.

His house came in view through the tree's. Only it looked like it had aged significantly since he had been gone. Though it felt like he was there only yesterday. The old pick up truck was gone, and the driveway was overgrown. Windows were boarded up, some with broken glass in front of them. One of the step's to the porch was broken and graffiti covered the outside.

Symbols of witch craft, demons, and gang signs littered the walls. The front door was boarded up to prevent people from getting in. Walking up on the porch Gabriel searched for a way inside. He was not sure how much time had passed since the house was in poor condition before. Now it just looked as though people vandalized it. All the while he was walking around looking for a way in, he was waiting for hells whores to show their faces.

Gabriel hoped that maybe enough time had passed that they moved on. Maybe hells whores had been exercised by a priest, or demonic pimp. Walking around the house showed even more signs of witch craft. Some type of a voodoo doll hung from one of the up stairs window seals. A noose was around its neck and it blew back and fourth in the wind.

Finally he found a way in through his kitchen window. It was boarded up but someone smashed it up and left it wide open. Inside he could see signs of creatures living in the house. Animal poop was on the tile floor. Walking into the living room he saw his couch still there. It was shred into and looked as though it was used for a den. The TV that never worked was gone though so he would be short on entertainment.

Candle's, condoms, and trash lined the living room floor. It was hard to see everything though since the boarded up windows blocked out the light. Gabriel started walking up the stairs and could see how sever the vandalism was. The railing was all busted up and holes lined the walls. It was as though someone went on a rampage with a sledge hammer.

Once upstairs he looked down the hallway towards his room. One of the back rooms door was knocked down and blocking the hall. Peering into the room with the voodoo doll he saw more trash and candles. Turning around he saw that his bedroom door was shut, and in decent condition. Some how it had survived the destruction. Turning the knob the door squeaked open. His window was not broken, but red paint gave it a stained glass look. The room was empty except for a witch craft circle was lined on the floor in chalk. It was a star with a circle around it and candles lined the outside.

His room was clean of all trash though, and the walls were free of holes, or gang graffiti. Though there was intricate paintings on the wall. One was of a demon dancing, while on the other wall was a giant oak tree. The demonic paintings were like the Sistine chapel, but the faces were grim and horrific. Demons took the place of angles, and the moon and stars were painted on the ceiling.

Sitting down on the floor Gabriel just looked around at the pictures. He could see that his closet door was open and writing lined the walls inside. Getting up, he opened the window to allow light to come in. The rush of fresh air was nice, and removed the stale air in the room. Light revealed more of the bedroom and gave Gabriel a less uneasy feeling. Walking up to the closet he began reading the writing's on the closet walls.

"Mother of night, hide this temple from those who seek to defile. Cloak in shadow's hell's altar so fools stumble past. Barricade these walls in webs so when they stumble they are trapped. Haunt their souls while they beg to see the light. Dispatch their cries through the webs straight to hell. Awaken the destroyer so he may feast in my temple of night." As he was reading a note on the floor of the closet caught Gabriel's eye. Picking it up he could see it was a scroll of sorts written in blood.

"A life for life, a curse for a curse, soul for soul, demon for demon and eye for eye. Five sides to the star, five spells I call for one and all. Bring him back, back from the depths, my love and lust. From an unmarked grave and a unknown corpse. A unexplained disappearance and untold death. From the shadows or the grave I call to bring him back to me. I summon from hell, heaven or earth the one who once walked these halls. His name came from the divine though he is just a man with a name. A man who I have claimed and marked with spells of love and life. This my final spell, the last drop of my blood drips to revive my love." A dragon crest painted in blood was at the bottom of the scroll.

Gabriel rolled it back up and laid it back down where it was. It was clear someone tried bringing him back, but who could it have been and why? Gabriel did not know he had any real admirers or at least not one that loved him. It was creepy yet mysterious and warming to know that someone went that far for him.

Blinking his eye's Gabriel could feel a rough and heavy feeling to his eye lids. The light of day fading with his will to stay awake any longer. Laying down on the floor away from the circle Gabriel closed his eyes. Thunder roared in the distance and the light faded even more with howling winds. Opening his eye's he then saw bright sunlight. Getting up from the floor he walked over to the window. The sky was filled with what could only be defined as war.

Rainbows, clouds, clear sky, patches of fog, rain, snow, hail, and wind all collided in a tangled mess. One spot had tornado like winds, while in another it calmly rained. Then only feet away it snowed. The earth was being battered with every type of weather imaginable. He wondered what the rest of the world was thinking. Could it be that this chaos was only in his woods. Or was the whole world seeing what happened when the gods start a war. If only he could drive into Axal and see its undoing. Redemption had finally came to that little shit hole called civilization.

Looking up into the sky now he could see fireballs like comets. They were flying through the air and then out of a cloud came a funnel. All around the Spiraling funnel was lightning. Until a tornado of lightning bolts formed. It was so bright that Gabriel squinted his eyes. The fireballs were sucked from the sky and exploded into the lightning tornado. The last fireball hit it and with a giant flash of light they were gone. In their place was rainbows radiating in all directions like sun rays.

From the distant horizon came a swarm of ravens. They flew into a storm cloud and they disappeared. The cloud rained down black feathers. All over was a clash of nature and the divine. Every inch of the sky was in a disarray of ever changing elements. Though he could only see what was happening through his window.

Would mankind fight back, or could they even do so. Maybe mankind was just collateral damage and earth the battlefield. If only he could see beyond the window in front of him. Though maybe it was his last shred of sanity. Beyond the window was a world without sanity.

Laying back down on the bed Gabriel felt in his pocket and still had the necklaces. What was the point in knowing what was happening he thought. There was no way to change the outcome. Like a dream he could do nothing in. Or it would just be another nightmare for him to see. The only way out was to trap himself inside his mind.

With his eyes closed in his bed. it could all go away. He could stay in the lands of imagination and daydreaming. Back to when gods were only in imagination. When he was just a drunk mourning his wife and child that he thought was his. Even then he could still sometimes dream of a better day. Now dreams would only be a reminder of what was.

Loki in his delusional rants made a point that now made sense to Gabriel. Dreams are poison, and all you can do is wake up from your nightmares laughing. Agreeing with thoughts of Loki was like stepping into Asgard again. A heaven that doesn't make sense. A heaven for madmen and a god of the insane. Then again chasing dreams can be a nightmare if you don't see that the dream is the chase.

Hours passed as Gabriel did anything to escape his reality. Pretending to be someone he was not, or living a life he did not have. Seeing places he never had or would. He even tried meditation but deep breaths brought in the rank smells of the old house. Thinking about anything but the truth was coming easy after hours of practice. He was becoming the author of his own lies and they were his only escape.

Then one thought had to slip in the defenses his mind was building. As it did the walls came crashing in and the hopeless feeling Returned. The one thought that made him weak. It made him run, and hide from the devastation it would bring. Pushing it away did not help and there was nothing he could do. He hardly knew her except for seeing the blue prints behind the monsters creation. They hardly knew each other but she could so easily creep into his mind.

Thoughts of her could spark any emotion within him. Ones that he killed and buried would rise from the dead. The thoughts brought only questions that were answered by more emotion. The apocalypse was happening and all he could think about was her. His mind was in a tug of war with his ego and her. More hours had passed and he was exhausted with himself. As he drifted to sleep his only thought was why did I not tell her. Why did I not tell her I loved her as I left her.

Of all the demons he faced that day, regret was the only one remaining. Slowly Gabriel drifted to sleep. Dreams of falling woke him from the deep sleep. In a panic he opened his eyes. Flashes of light from fireballs and other magical explosions in the night sky flickered in the room. Closing his eyes again he quickly fell back asleep.

"Gabriel!" Tiffany's voice called in the darkness. It was pitch black all around him. Jolting his vision side to side, did nothing. Then suddenly a light glowed dimly. It slowly got brighter and he realized he was in Tiffany's trailer home. The capsule that held nightmares of so much abuse. Turning around he could see Tiffany in her youth. She held her hands out covered in blood. Cuts on her wrists gushed blood out on the floor.

"I am made of skeletons. Skeletons hidden in this worlds closet, and tonight they Dance!" Tiffany said as she held her wrists up.

"I know.....I need to imprison myself from self harm. Its just these skeletons keep escaping. Can you keep them quite? Will you save me...." Tiffany hit the floor and landed in a pool of blood. Looking up Gabriel saw Odin stepping in from a shadow.

"If only I could find the words that bring color to dark canvases of broken souls. Its just these dark words are all I find..." Odin said with a look of sadness. Gabriel looked back down at Tiffany slowly dieing in a self made pool of blood.

"Death is a beautiful and natural fact of life. Suicide cheats that beauty, leaving pain and questions to a unanswerable problem." Cain said from behind Gabriel. Startled Gabriel turned and looked at Cain who was just behind him. It was as though they were randomly showing up from shadows. Hearing noises behind him Gabriel turned again. Odin was gone and in his place stood Loki.

"You say! Society's the monster? In the dark its just me and you, we can search for monsters. None will be found, only the nightmares that WE created." Loki said walking up to the pool of blood on the floor. Reaching down he touched the pool of blood with a outstretched finger. Once he touched it his whole body turned dark red as blood. Then he poured out on the floor into a larger pool of blood.

The blood turned into a black pool, out from it on all fours was the concubine of Bethlehem. Her flesh still stitched together in a wretched mess. On the floor in front of the concubine was the razor blade that Tiffany used to cut her wrists. Grabbing it the concubine cut away at stitches near her mouth. Once the stitches were cut away she held out her tongue. It too had stitches and was a bloody mess. With blood running and winces of pain she cut her tongue free of stitches.

She tried to speak but only coughed up blood. Then words slowly started to form in a shattered voice.

"Society needs a rebel." She paused in awe of the sound of her voice. Blood continued to spew from her mouth and tongue as she held it open.

"Not a rebel of violence and madness. But a rebel with a heart." She said in a less broken tone as she wiped blood away from her mouth.

"So start a rebellion to love and respect our humanity." As she finished she dropped the razor blade and crawled over to Tiffany. Grabbing her hand she covered her wrists and held her.

The sound of an explosion went off waking Gabriel from the dream. Opening his eyes he saw only darkness, then a flash of light, not from lightning but a comet. Orange light as though from a fire filled the room. Looking on he could see that he was not alone. Five wretched looking hag's with pale scaly flesh were sitting on the edges of the witch circle. Then the light faded as a lump of fear raised from Gabriel's throat. Trying to move was useless, his arms and legs were bound.

"Have you missed us Gabriel?!" A crackly old voice said.

"Who are you!" Gabriel shouted out in fear.

"What you don't recognize my beauty! I am deeply offended by you sir. It is me, Emma!" Emma said.

"Great, I didn't like you when you were pretty. Now you whores look like your souls, wretched!" Gabriel said.

"And we were going to give him a chance!" One of the voices of the women said.

"We have a present for you outside!" Another voice said.

Cold clammy and razor grips clung on to Gabriel. Tormented and twisted faces smiled at him in the moonlight of the room to mock him. Lifting him off the ground they carried him out of the room and down the steps. Once downstairs he could see the door was open and some how night had instantly turned to day. Looking outside Gabriel saw a metal container waiting in the sunlight.

The hags tossed him in though the metal container was almost too small to fit in. The edges hot from the sun and burnt as he struggled against it. Taking one last look at the sky Gabriel could see a white dove. It flew up towards the sun with an olive branch. As it passed the sun it changed into a raven. Black as midnight, in its mouth was a Dark and mangled branch.

With a hard thud on Gabriel's head the container slammed shut. Chains clanged over it as they sealed it shut. Gabriel could see no light as he felt the metal prison lifted up. As he was being carried off, Gabriel knew what was happening.

"We are free, free to our own will, which enslaves us." One of the hags said as the air in the container went stale. Panic set in, an eternity in the dark without air. Thoughts of the grim reality raced through his mind. He thought of how we try to convince our minds we are happy and to stay positive. Faking our reality to cope with madness. Then they call you crazy for accepting the truth and not convincing our minds otherwise

The feeling of falling came over his struggle with positivity. The container crashed into the earth after a brief period of falling. The sounds of dirt being tossed over the container, sealed his fate. Eternity buried alive, no one would even know of his existence. The sound of dirt faded, and then silence. This is it Gabriel thought, eventually there would be no oxygen. He figured at that point he would simply fall asleep. The brain would be deprived of air and would shut down. Maybe it would recover like his wounds. But then it would not be long until the process started over.

He thought about screaming, but who would hear. Then he remembered the pendant around his neck. Though his hands were bound he was able to wiggle one hand free. Holding the pendant in his hand, he tried to remember how to use it. He could not see what color of a gem was what. Running his fingers across them, he picked one.

"Uhhh" he said holding the pendant. Shit what do I do, he thought.

"Frigga!" He shouted. In an instant he went from a cramped metal container to a rocky shore. The sounds of waves crashed behind him. Looking up, he could see grassy hillsides. Turning around to look behind him, he saw the ocean and a heavy fog. A cliff sprang out from the hills in the distance. Waves crashed into them. On the top of the cliff was cars and people pointing off to the sea. Looking in the direction they were pointing, Gabriel could see viking longboats coming out of the fog. People shouted, but he could not understand them.

Looking down at his hand and body. He could see he was still in a physical form, but not sure where he was. The pendant was still on his neck and now he could see the gem he had chosen. It was a deep and dark blue. Like the depths of the ocean, it was Odin's gem. Though looking around did not reveal Odin. Gabriel walked towards the shore so he could see the boats better. The ground was rocky and rugged, trying to walk even a short distance was difficult.

He still had all of his senses and it all seemed perfectly real. Just as though he touched someone to see their sins. Taking in a deep breath, he inhaled the moist air. Holding it in for a moment and then exhaling. It was much much better than the stale air in his hollow ground prison. Gabriel thought about what was happening to his body. Was this like a dream state, was his body suffocating underground. What if I went back, he thought. Would I be in a brain dead state? Most likely not yet, but in a few hours or days. Maybe now he would live as a spirit.

Vicariously spending eternity through the pendant. Now that the worlds collided, he was nothing. The very thing he wanted, was now his next curse. Was he living, dead, dreaming, or was he anything at all. Reaching down, he grabbed a rock. It felt real in his hand, coarse and rugged. The sea had tainted it and gave it a rough crust. A strange white film covered most of it. Slinging the rock, it crashed into a wave. Then suddenly the rock was right back where it came from. Untouched, and completely dry it sat mockingly.

Picking it back up it felt the same. Was it the same rock, Gabriel thought looking at the spot it came from. Throwing it once more, it just missed the white top of a wave. Gabriel looked back at the ground, and there it was again. Cause and effect had vanished in whatever plain of reality or insanity he was in. Sitting down, Gabriel looked at the rock. It was not just a rock, but a symbol. A reminder that he was going insane. Whats the point in nothing, what can you do with it. The rock he picked up was nothing. Grabbing it again and holding it. It had weight, and feeling, but it was not there. He set it down in a different spot. The moment it left his hand, it vanished. Then there it was untouched in its normal spot.

Thunder roared in the fog before him. But this one little rock turned everything he knew upside down. It was clear that he no longer had an impact. Not even a pebble in the sea could change its path by his will. What was the point in being just another bystander? Why not just go back to the hollow ground he thought. Let his body start the vicious cycle. Deaths blessings, then the curse of rebirth. The thoughts ceased as the sounds of longboats crashed into the rock shore. They did not even attempt to slow down. Or avoid their crash landings. Wood split into sending splinters and debris in the air.

The largest of all the ships was heading right for where Gabriel was sitting. Not even flinching, he looked on as it collided with the shore. The front of the ship screeched into the rocks next to him. coming to a halt and narrowly missing him. Looking up Gabriel examined the sail. White as snow and bowing to the wind. From the side of the ship appeared Odin. He looked out on the shore, then stepped out on the bank. A wave swelled up behind him as he stood still on the shore.

His eyes almost locking with Gabriel's. Just before the wave engulfed him Odin turned to face it. For a moment he raised his staff. The wave quaked and the water bubbled and boiled. But Odin lowered his staff and the wave crashed into him. He could have calmed the seas but allowed the wave to hit him. Maybe it was so that he could feel mortally flawed. The wave had passed leaving a soaked, wet and vulnerable god in its quake.

Odin was a absolutely brilliant god, but he wore his weaknesses. One eyed, old, frail, and looking like a god cast out heaven. As though he was a fish out of water. Then Gabriel starting thinking about Apollyon. The angel kicked out of heaven to earth. Had Apollyon worn his weaknesses, then mankind would have devoured him. So he grew into a dragon, that struck mankind where they were weakest. Turning them into the beast that he was and conquering their souls. It was a moment where Gabriel could relate to the destroyer. When all that you love rejects you. When everything you despise engulfs you. That is when you either become a moral devil or god.

Odin walked up on the shore past Gabriel. Getting up Gabriel watched him as he walked by. People were standing around on the hillside. There was cars parked on the hill watching the crash landing of an ancient heaven. Sounds of ships bursting onto the shore continued to ring out. Odin looked up at the gathering crowd of people. He held out his hands, palms up. Water Still dripping from them. His staff fell to his side and bounced on the rocks.

"The time is here, I will rewrite the art of war. With the art of humility. I will devour these egos and crash the fortifications they have built!" Odin said, turning to his ships. Raising his arms in the air as clouds of ravens flew over head. Thunder shook the earth and with it Loki and thousands of berserkers footsteps. They spilled out from longboat debris. Looking up at the hillsides, Gabriel could see everyone getting back in their cars and fleeing.

He figured if he was in their position, then he would do the same. One tall a lanky man stayed and was walking towards the shore. A few others watched him to see what would happen. The sounds of chopper blades battered the air in the distance. It appeared from over the hills and then hovered above. Loki looked up at it with a curious smile. The lanky man had made it just a few hundred yards from them.

Loki stepped out and headed towards the man. Stopping once he was halfway to the man so that he could look at his belt. He pulled out a paintbrush, he Looked at it and then the man. He shook his head and put the paintbrush back. The man was now feet away from Loki. Loki continued to frantically search for something. Jumping backwards the man had startled Loki. The man looked as though he was high or drunk.

"Its ok I'm not going to hurt you!" The man said holding his arms out to hug Loki. Loki stepped back, but the man was too persistent. Loki's eyes got huge as the man hugged him. In one motion he pulled a bone handled dagger from his side. Thrusting it into the man's kidney region. Loki held the man with his other arm as blood welled from the man's lips.

"I will paint this world red, so you can dream black." Loki Whispered in the man's ear. As he let him go, the man fell to the rocky shore. Blood ran over the rocks sending a message to all who witnessed it. Gabriel could not understand why Loki killed the man. After all he was welcoming him with open arms. Though maybe to Loki it was a disgrace and a insult. They were after all a war like culture, wrong or right was only a concept.

Those who witnessed it ran for their cars. The chopper stopped hovering and began to fly off. Suddenly though it just stopped. The rudders halted in mid air. With that it fell from the sky and hit the earth in a explosion of dirt and smoke. Cars that were once speeding away, just died. People tried to start their cars but they would not start. Electricity was sucked out from their batteries. It went up in the sky in strands, and then vanished somewhere in the atmosphere.

Once the batteries were drained The strands of electricity vanished. A power line on the hillside had a much larger strand of electricity coming from it. The Electricity was quickly drained and then it vanished. Miles away was a huge explosion. Gabriel felt the shock wave and the earth tremble. All of the power was drained from the planet. Planes crashed to the earth in explosions. It was a complete black out, and earth returned to an era without electricity.

Gabriel watched as the strands faded from the sky and planes fell to the earth. Some people tried and tried to start their cars. While others got out and ran for their lives. It was mass chaos and confusion, but to the gods it was judgment day. Not just judgment of man, but of the gods themselves. Loki cheered and danced with blood on his hands. Odin simply watched the sky as a dark cloud of ravens covered the sun.

The berezerkers formed a column behind Odin. Looking off at the sea Gabriel could see two more ships making their way to the coast. One was dark, black with a dragon head on the front. From its mouth fire and smoke bellowed. On the ship stood Hel, old and deathly. Her skin was a pale blue and her eyes pure black. With her came Baldur free from the depths of the underworld. He was a massive god, rippled with muscle and scars. In his hand was a mighty two handed battle ax.

Baldur's gaze pierced towards Loki. Loki was still dancing and cheering. Completely unaware that his brother was finally free. The other ship was made of white wood with brown grain. It was nothing of this world. On it was Frigga, and the rest of the Norse gods. Just before the two ships crashed into the shore, Baldur leaped from the ship. He landed on the shore charging right for Loki. Some of the berzerkers did not move in time and were plowed over.

Loki was still completely oblivious to the charging god. Baldur raised his ax above his head. Just as he started to crash it down on Loki, Loki turned. With dagger in hand he thrust it into Baldur's exposed stomach. The dagger sank in all the way to the hilt. The ax came swinging down but Loki jumped to the side. It was just inches away from cleaving his skull.

As soon as Loki hit the ground, his skin trembled in an eruption of puss and protruding muscle. Almost instantly he changed into a mountain troll. Baldur pulled the dagger from his stomach and blood squirted out. Odin started to run towards them.

"Let them settle it as Norse!" Tyr the god of war shouted. With it Odin stopped and fell to his knees. He watched on as his two sons battled on the shores of Midgard.
**Chapter Twenty Two**

Baldur Lifted his ax from the sands and swung it sideways at Loki. The blade cut into a puss filled Wart and it exploded.

"Aaaaarrgh!" Loki cried out in pain. Just as Baldur prepared to swing again Loki unloaded a massive hook. Baldurs whole body shook from it as he wobbled backwards trying to stay on his feet. Stumbling with rolled back eyes, Baldur swung his ax and it missed Loki. Baldur fell to the ground and as he did Loki jumped in the air. While in the air Loki had his fist cocked back. When he landed he let out a vicious punch to Baldurs unconscious head. Loki landed in the sand next to him.

Baldur tried to sit up, rolling over on his side he shook his head. He looked confused and dizzy, as though he did not even know where he was. Loki jumped on his back holding on to Baldur's neck with one hand and punching him with the other. Baldur fell face down in the sand and tried to cover up from Loki's troll punches. They were slow but when they landed Baldur's head bounced off them with violent force. Finally one landed and it refueled his rage for Loki.

Baldur's eye's rolled back and then back again. With a grimace he grabbed onto Loki's leg and pulled with all he had. Baldur took a few hard punches but he was able to pull Loki off his back. Baldur's face was bloody, swelling, and covered in sand. Loki fell to the sand with a shock wave and it blew sand all around him. Looking up at the sun Baldur held his hands up at it. His eye's glowing with pure white radiating light.

From the sun came a ray of light, it landed and swirled around in his hands. The ray of light formed a white streak of brilliant light. It quickly formed into a glowing javelin. As it did Loki rose to his feet and started a tired and slow charge. Loki was sucking as much air as he could through his troll nostrils. But it was as though he could not get enough to fuel his troll blood.

Just before Loki reached him, Baldur threw the radiating javelin. Loki turned sideways so the javelin would not pierce his heart. It tore into his shoulder, and shot out midway through his back. When the javelin hit the sand it vanished into a pile of ash. Loki collapsed into the earth holding his shoulder in pain. Gabriel could see through the hole where the javelin pierced.

Looking through the hole he could see scorched flesh. It barley grazed Loki's darkened troll heart. Gabriel could see the bottom corner of his heart pounding through the hole. Light from the sun peered onto his heart and smoke smoldered from it. Until nothing but smoke filled the hole in his body and his heart glowed with fire.

"ERRGHH!" Loki cried out in pain as he turned his heart from the light of the sun. The light faded from the hole and the fire burned out into a charcoal corner of his heart. Loki no longer sucked for air but took short, quick breaths. Each breath was filled with pain from a scorched heart. Baldur grabbed his ax as Loki withered in pain.

Standing just above his brother, Baldur raised his ax one more time. Pausing with it raised to the sun, the blade glowed in orange flame like his hatred for Loki. Springing up from the ground, Loki lunged for the ax. Baldur swung it down just as he did but Loki caught it before it could smash into him. For a moment they struggled and Loki opened his giant troll mouth.

Teeth rotten, black, and missing bit down on Baldur's throat. Ripping away from his neck, Loki tore flesh away and left broken teeth behind. Baldur released the ax and tried desperately to guard from another bite. It was no use, Loki plummeted back into his neck with so much force that they both fell to the ground. Like a pit bull Loki stayed latched to his jugular.

With each of Baldur's struggles he would rip harder into his throat. Until finally no air would reach the god of lights lung's. As Baldur looked up at the sun a tear fell from Odins blind eye. It crashed into the sand and changed it and the rocks of the shore line black. The darkness spread all around him. The berzerkers in its radius fell to their knees. Their skin turned to black and then they crashed, dead on the ground. The spreading darkness stopped before it got more than twenty yards from Odin. It retracted and slithered back towards him. It shrunk down into a little black tear drop. It was like a solid stone tear drop. Odin picked it up and held it in his hands.

"Stop!" Odin shouted as Loki let go of Baldur's torn throat.

"I shall be the one to finish my son!" Odin said with a sad grimace. Odin walked up to Baldur and Loki backed away. His face was covered in Baldurs blood and he had a crooked troll smirk.

"You were trapped away for so long, my son and my light." Odin said holding Baldurs head in his hand.

"Now I shall free you from your prison!" Odin said as he placed the black tear drop in baldurs mouth. As he did baldurs skin turned from a radiant white to black. Ravens circling in a cloud above swarmed down. They completely engulfed baldur and then they flew to to the sky. Baldur was now gone and no where to be found. Blood was all that remained from where Baldur once was.

"When a god dies, and heavens fall, where do souls go?" Gabriel asked as though someone could hear him. For the first time the kingdom of norse wept. Their heads were held low and tears ran down their faces. Loki just looked up at the sky smirking.

"Baldur! Not my baldur!" Frigga cried out. Odins face turned from sadness to anger. It was all loki's doing and it was him who fueled Baldurs blood lust. Loki condemned Baldur to non exsistance the day he cast him to the underworld. Odin knew this just as well Gabriel did. Loki now starred into Odins enraged eyes.

Instantly loki turned around and started to run for his life. Troll legs plotted along the sand and made the ground shake. As he ran his troll skin exploded and from it ran a coyote. Though no matter what form he took he could not outrun his wounds. The coyote fur was covered in blood, and the hole to his heart was still there. Though he now moved much faster than he did on two legs.

"After him!" Odin yelled to the berserkers. The look on their faces was the same anger as Odins. They ran after him just as fast as they could. Though it was just a light jog since they carried weapons and shields.

"No need to hurry my love." Frigga said to Odin as she walked behind Odin. The other gods followed as well and Gabriel was left on a shore line of broken ships. Gabriel did not see a point in watching gods kill each other. Though it was either that, or play out the life and death cycle over and over. Gabriel got up and followed a short distance behind the gods. He could only hear sounds of their whispers but not words. Why were they whispering Gabriel thought. Maybe they are just as deceitful as mankind. Like any moment they could strike their frail king.

They had only made it a few hundred yards when another fight broke out. This time it was mighty Thor, who pushed Hel to the ground.

"You and your poisonous tongue! You have no reign here old woman!" Thor shouted to Hel who was covering up to defend herself. Thors fuse was just as short as any Norse.

"Must we kill each other!!" Odin shouted throwing down his staff.

"Just strike me down now and spare me the humiliation! " Odin said.

"He is a mad man, plotting against me!" Hel shreiked as she got to her feet.

"I do not plot, I strike!" Thor shouted back as he smashed his hammer into the ground. The earth shook and the air smelt of electricity.

"Should us Norse not unit? Should we be the laughter of gods as they see us self destruct? Or do we take back our rightful homeland...MIDGARD AWAITS! Or the emptiness of death without Asgard. No Valhalla, no loot o plunder, only a void in the hearts of the living. So let us decide here and now. Do not wait for me to fall, bring me down here and now." Odin shouted in anger.

The other gods reluctantly change from their battle stances. It was clear that there was still unfinished business. But for now they had to make peace to wage war. Odin began walking again and so did the others. The berserkers had already made it over the hill. Sounds of gunshots cried out from over the hill. First a few, followed by many. They rang out in a automatic hailstorm. Odin began running to see what was happening.

Gabriel started to run as well and quickly passed Odin. Once over the crest of the hill, he saw where the shots came from. A small city, of maybe five hundred was below him. On the edge of town was military infantry, police, and civilians all armed and firing at the berserkers. Round after round hit the hillside. The berzerkers withstood many gun shot wounds. Some held their shields high as the were torn into by bullets. The berzerkers were not like an average human. Only after many shots would one fall dead. Odin made it to the top of the hill near Gabriel. Bullets buzzed past them though none hit odin.

"Man and their wretched ego! Egos are for those scared of the dark unknown. So they create ghosts rather than face fear. Now they shoot at god's with their ego rather than embrace them....Must war be the only way?" Odin said.

"There can be no other way. Though they go to battle as cowards behind their weapons. They fight, but fear true combat or the glory of being a combatant." Tyr said.

"Valhalla only awaits true warriors, and so we must create it here. We should destroy these cowards so that Valhalla can be reborn among Midgard!" Thor shouted as a bullet grazed his armor.

"Warriors of Asgard may you build the halls of Valhalla with their blood." Odin said. Just as he did the berzerks made it to the edge of town. Some had fallen riddled with bullets. But it was not enough to stop their army. They crashed into men with guns and began tearing them apart. Some humans turned and ran, while others were being sliced through. Slowly the ringing of gunshots ended. While the sounds of cracking skulls and screams were all that remained.

One man dropped his gun and rather than running away he walked into the battle line of the berserkers. With a solid thud a berserker hit him right between the eye's with a one handed battle ax. The blade sunk in and the man dropped dead. A few of the men were able to run away and flee from the skirmish. Those who didn't were slaughtered without mercy.

In the street was a cop who tried to run but was hit in the leg with a throwing ax. With hands held tight he looked up to the sky and began praying. Another throwing ax flew through the air and landed in the police officers chest. The blow knocked him back but he was still moving. A berserker approached him and stood above him watching the man suffer. Almost instantly the police officer pulled his pistol from his holster and shot the berserker multiple times until he fell dead next to him.

Looking up the officer could see the other berserkers coming for him. His comrades were now all brutally killed for choosing war against a warrior divinity. The officer fired two more shots at the berzerkers. Though he failed to kill any of them. Gabriel watched as the officer then turned the gun and fired his last shot. It was to his own head and his misery was over.

Odin and the other gods did nothing but sit and watch in silence. It was as though they were spectators in the opera of savagery. Gabriel knew that mankind would turn on the gods. They did not understand them, and they seek to destroy the unknown. By using the only thing they know of, war. But maybe it was Loki who murdered that man by the same logic. Both the gods and man were corrupt beings. Gabriel wondered what their differences were if any.

His heart ached as he watched those men being killed. It was as though they were cattle for the gods amusement. Looking at Odin he wondered if he felt the same suffering that Gabriel had. Maybe only for his own warriors, though the motives and emotions were unknown. Now the battle was over and the edge of town was left with deaths silence. Mangled and mutilated corpses backed in the sun as swarms of crows flocked above.

The crows circled into a funnel in the sky and suddenly they began their decent. The berserkers stood and watched as crows dived from the sky to begin a feast of flesh. Thousands came down from above landing on the defeated corpses. Beaks tore flesh as they quickly devoured the body's of men. Bones crumbled to their beaks as though they were made of glass.

A young boy stood in the street with a toy truck in his hand. Tears had ran down his face but they no longer fell although the streaks remained. He just watched with a horrified curiosity and the first pains of loss on his face. Gabriel watched the boy as Odin and the other god's strolled through the now devoured corpses. Crows pecked at the ground cleaning up any scraps that might remain.

There was nothing but blood and torn clothing remaining. It was one example of how easily disposable man was to the gods. Fear and disbelief was all that was left for the small town, and the world. It did not make sense to Gabriel since they could have easily disarmed the men and spared them. Maybe the gods had no more lessons for mankind. Mistakes were paid in blood, and blood would build the halls of Valhalla.

Odin approached the child with open arms, though the child stayed frozen. Odin clasped his hands together and as he did a vibrant light glowed in them. Separating his hands he presented a black lizard to the boy. It was as though he was performing a magic trick to impress the child. Though the child simply turned and ran screaming for his life. Odin looked surprised at the child's reaction but the gods had no control over the power of choice.

Gabriel could tell by Odin's face that the Norse were losing the war already. They were warriors who could earn respect only on a ancient battle field. Now they were nothing more than a legion of Apollyon. They did not have the weapons for the war they were facing. Faith in fear could not spread like faith in love. Mankind feared the Norse which is why they faded into mythology. The Norse were now marked as the enemy and blood cannot build a kingdom.

Men, women and children all fled the town with no time to take any belongings. The town was now empty as Odin and the god's walked through the streets. Berserkers broke into building and pillaged through houses. Though it seemed their plunder and loot was man, but none remained.

"We will make our fortification here, Berserkers set watch and make defenses. God's of Asgard, let us meet and decide or course here in Midgard!" Odin said as he walked into the towns courthouse. As the god's walked in they looked around at the set up of the seats. Most of them were confused and just sat down where ever. Hel sat down in the judges seat, while Odin sat in one of the defenses chair.

"This is where man decide what is just? Judging a rivers currents is as though judging man. You will never know until the undertow drags you down to the depths of its soul. " Heimdall the god who protects Asgard said.

"Ha! why not settle it on a battle field? Why here, where there is only seats? These are no warrior's simply children playing with words!" Tyr the warrior god said.

"Silence, we are not here to judge man. We are here to decide the fate of the Norse kingdom.... I do not know why the people of this town all fled. We cannot win this war if they do not worship us. We will fade in the silence of defeat." Odin said.

"We must fight them!" Tyr said.

"As we did today?" Odin said.

"Why are we fighting man, they are our weapons against the other kingdoms?" Freyja the goddess of fertility and abundance said.

"They choose to fight us as the sea choose to guide us to war!" Njord god of the sea said.

"You decide the course of the sea Njord, it too can guide to peace." Frigga goddess of prophecy said.

"Peace! what is our kingdom in peace!" Hel shouted as her eyes turned from black to glowing amber.

"So should we make war with our ax to defeat our enemy?" Odin said standing.

"These people are our axes, and we have many enemy's here in Midgard. Shall we fight them unarmed in blood lust and watch our kingdom fall? Our pride, courage, honor, and culture must not over come our senses. We are a defeated kingdom coming back to claim victory once more. Though we cannot do it without our wisdom of defeat." Odin said walking down the isle.

"We must face many battles, but not all can be won with brute force! Odin shouted.

"So we must give up all we believe in for victory? Then we are already defeated!" Hel shouted jumping from her seat.

"Would you prefer we fight here amongst each other? Or out there against the seven kingdoms? We must come to reason, we cannot fight this war without mankind." Odin said.

"Then let us vote!" Heimdall said.

"Now it is you who sounds like a child of words!" Tyr yelled.

"Then face me without your words!" Heimdall yelled back. Both Heimdall and Tyr sprung to their feet with weapons drawn.

"BE SILENT IGNORANT FOOLS!" Odin screamed as the whole building shook. Paint and dust fell from the ceiling to the floor. Both Tyr and Heimdall sat back down with heads slumped in defeat.

"Yes dearest let us vote for what we shall do with man." Frigga said in a soft voice.

"When you wish to vote simply stand, do not speak!" Odin said.

"Those who wish to wage war with all of Midgard stand now" Odin said. Just as he did Heimdall, Tyr, Hel, Njord, and Thor all stood.

"Now be seated." Odin said.

"Those who wish to face our true enemy and spare mankind stand now." Odin said as he stood. So did Frigga, and Fryja. Then Heimdall, and Thor stood once more.

"What are you fools confused!?" Hel said.

"Its....A draw? I know how to settle an even match." Tyr said drawing his ax. Odin sat back down rubbing his head as though it ached.

"We will not fight amongst ourselves as Loki and Baldur did today. The votes were invalid, we will destroy all who oppose us." Odin said pausing. As he paused Tyr held his weapon in the air cheering.

"But!.....If they do not oppose us, we will welcome them in our kingdom." Odin said.

"Hah! We once welcomed those who fought with courage. Now we welcome cowards?" Hel shrieked.

"So you are suggesting we welcome those who want to destroy us? Then kill those who don't?" Frigga said.

"My words are final, all who disobey me will be banished. Now we must decide the fate of Loki." Odin said.

"You once told me that words are like moments, we can have thousands of them to find one sentence of brilliance. I have heard your word many times, and still no brilliance!" Hel said. The gods looked around the room.

"Baldur picked the fight while Loki's back was turned." Tyr said.

"Yes it was unfortunate that Baldur died, but Loki had no choice." Fryja said.

"Yes but Loki picked that fight when he sent Baldur to the underworld." Odin said.

"Then Loki finished it, even when he was out matched." Tyr said.

"They are right Odin, although my agony and yours has blinded us. Baldur was the light of Asgard but must we lose two children?" Frigga said as a tear ran down her face.

"From this point on, Loki is no longer banished from our kingdom. We will send scouts to track him down and bring him home." Odin said.

"Let us now focus on the war?" Hel said.

"Yes Frigga has located most of the Kingdoms and some of the rebels. Tiffany is with the rebel Cain as he searches for Gabriel. Right now they are just outside of Gabriel's home waiting for him. For now we must build our defenses and prepare to attack." Odin said

"Hel, I want you and some of the berserkers of your choosing to scout the surrounding area. Return to us with any threats, or with Loki." Odin said as Hel rose from her chair and headed out.

"Heimdall you are in charge of our defenses. Make our walls appear weak but as strong as Baldur. Frigga we must map out where our enemy's are and figure out what their plans are. Fryja you will be our diplomat. Find the local Villages and seek to make peace. Tell them that they will be protected here in the Kingdom of Norse. Though you must be a lone diplomat Tyr will shadow you. Do not let the people see you Tyr. Your army will move in stealth behind her. Ready to attack any threat that she might face. The crows will watch over you both, when they swarm so shall you Tyr." Odin said.

"And I?" Thor said.

"You will stay here with me, and Frigga. We must stay together because there are many threats coming our way. We will need your hammer and bolts to fend off the gods." Odin said standing from his chair. The gods began leaving the room with their orders. Gabriel's mind wandered to what Odin had just said. Tiffany and Cain were in Axal searching for him. Though how could they ever find him buried in the ground? It was still a small glimmer of hope. The thought of Tiffany searching for him was more hopeful than the thought of being free from his dirt prison.

It was a intriguing thought to use the pendant to find Tiffany. But he could not help but follow Tyr out of the courthouse. Gabriel was still searching for his kingdom in the war. He had to see if Odin's words were enough to bring some hope for mankind. It was clear though that his kingdom was one divided. So he had to see if they would remain that way.

Once outside Gabriel could see that the town had already changed significantly. The houses were being torn down for wood. Berzerkers worked all around him dismantling things. began gathering a small army of berzerkers outside of the courthouse. They fell in ranks and only the soldiers that were fresh gathered. Those who had been injured were left to work on defenses.

Hel had already gathered her force of only five men. They dropped their gear and took only their axes. The men she choose were the smallest of the berserkers. Fast and agile they made perfect scouts. Gabriel watched as they quickly ran out of the town. Heimdall was standing around a group of berserksers. Gabriel could not hear him but he was pointing as though he was ordering them on what to build where.

As soon as the issues were ordered men started digging and building where he was pointing. The berserkers were void of choice, they just followed orders instantly and without question. Though the other Norse gods could control them as easily as Odin. They were the perfect army but their generals made them seem weak and easily manipulated.

Fryja began walking out of the town alone, but with a swarm of crows above. She truly was a irresistible beauty. Her grace was nothing of the other Norse. She was muscular but still had all the features of femininity. Blond braided hair, blue eyes, and the perfect proportions of power and beauty. It would be hard to resist her as a diplomat.

As she left the town Tyr and his army marched behind her. Gabriel followed them and they stopped just on the edge of town. They let Fryja walk as though she was defenseless and alone. Just as she faded from their site over the hill they quickly marched to the top of the hill. Even Gabriel had to jog to keep up with the men.

Once at the crest of the hill they all laid down and began crawling towards the top. Tyr was in the lead and was also crawling. with one motion of his hand they all stopped. Looking up Gabriel could see the flock of crows getting farther away. Walking to the top of the hill Gabriel could hardly see Fryja who was vanishing once more.

Loud bursts of thunder and lighting came from behind him in the town. Turning around Gabriel looked back at the town. Just in that short amount of time it now looked more like a Norse village. It had a complete wall of scrap wood around it. Watch towers were placed every thirty or so yards on the wall. Lightning lit torches around the town. It looked even weaker than the walls in Asgard. A mesh of colors from different types of timber.

Changing his attention back to Tyr and the men Gabriel turned around again. But they were already gone. He was standing right next to them and now they silently sneaked off. They were already running across another ridge and the crows were no longer visible. At full speed Gabriel ran as fast as he could trying to catch up. His legs and lungs burned running down the hill and then up the other.

Luckily the men crawled to the top of the next ridge and waited laying in the grass. Gabriel ran up to them and they remained perfectly still. Stopping Gabriel tried to catch his breath as he walked to the top of the hill. They had only gone a few miles but another small town was in view. This town even smaller than the previous one.

Men with fire arms lined roof tops and windows. Fryja held her arms in the air to signal that she came in peace. Some of the men watched the cloud of crows while others were mesmerized by her. Gabriel could hear the men shouting orders but could not understand them. It sounded like they wanted her to stop but he was not sure.

A shot rang out that was well off target and landed in the dirt a yard away from Fryja. It was now clear that it was a warning shot and they wanted her to halt. She kept calm walking towards the town as another warning shot rang out. This time it was a little closers to Fryja.

"Charge!" Tyr shouted with a blood red face of anger. The Berserkers once again charged another town. The god's did not understand man and man did not understand the god's. Shots erupted from the town and began bombarding the hill side. On a far away hill Gabriel could see Hel and her five men. They watched for a moment and then ran off over the other side of the hill. They did not get involved with the conflict, but their orders were to report threats.

"Please stop! Please!" Fryja cried out falling to her knees. A bullet ripped through her shoulder and shot blood into the air. Her white gown now turned red over her heart. She fell clenching her shoulder. The crows began plummeting from the sky and attacking the men on rooftops. One man lit a large bundle of wood and kindling on top of a roof. It was a signal fire maybe for other men in the area. The fire started out under control but quickly started burning the building and engulfing the man in flames.

Tyr had made it to Fryja and lifted her from the ground. Bullets zinged past him and a few hit home. But Tyr did not even flinch he simply picked her up and ran from the battle. The berskers were taking heavy loses as automatic rifles tore them down. This was not even one tenth of the force that they took the other town with. Tyr carried Fryja over the hillside and set her down where Gabriel was standing. She was crying though not in pain but sadness.

"Why didn't you wait!" Fryja cried.

"They were going to kill you!" Tyr said.

"I don't think they would have shot a woman!" Fryja shouted.

"They would have shot a goddess and that is what they did, just look at you. We cannot make peace with these people. They do not understand us, or our language. To them we are just invaders looking to destroy them." Tyr said. Gabriel looked back and could see that the Berserkers had suffered defeat. They never even made it into the town before they were shot down. The hail of bullets was even stronger than the first attack.

Crows continued to swarm the town though as the men directed their fire at them. Though the crows could devour flesh in monstrous fashion, they could not withstand a gun shot. Crows and feathers fell from the sky and rained down black. The crows had killed all the men on rooftops but those inside shot them from their window seals. They were now like fish in a barrel and thousand of crows littered the ground dead.

Looking around Gabriel could see Tyr was gone. Over a far hillside he could see him carrying Fryja is his arms as the sun set in the distance. It was their second defeat in a day of many losses. Watching the sunset Gabriel pulled the pendants out from his pocket. The Yellow pendant glowed in his hand. It was his link to forever be with Tiffany. Though the same link he always had with her. Imprisoned with emotions that could never be set free. Gabriel placed the yellow pendant around his neck and held it in his hands.

"Uhhh....Frigga?" Gabriel said. As he did he was sent into darkness.
**Chapter Twenty Three  
**

Gabriel found himself in a dark forest. Looking around Gabriel could not see anything but the forest. The light was dim from over cast, but fire balls and comets would fly by lighting up the forest. The shadows of tree's danced to the glow of light from above. The sky over the forest was much more intense than the Norse were.

"Are you sure this is where he is?" Cain said from behind Gabriel.

"Yes it is where the witches buried him." King Abimelech said. Turning around Gabriel could see Tiffany standing over a hole in the ground. Abimelech and Cain's heads could be seen peering up from the hole.

"They hid the spot well, I watched them cast a spell and then foliage grew where the fresh soil once was." Abimelech said.

"Apparently they made hard rocks form over the spot as well!" Cain said as his shovel rang off a rock. Old and frail Cains arms shook as he tried to lift shovels full of dirt. Tiffany just stood above the hole watching the two men dig. looking down at them she had a worried look on her face. Gabriel could not tell if she was worried that they would find him. Or that she was worried that Cain would be the one to find him.

The shovel rang again, not on rock but on metal. Cain looked up and smiled at Abimelech as he gained a new burst of energy. The two dug more frantically as Tiffany sat down on a fallen log and watched the chaos in the sky.

"I wounder where they are all going?" Tiffany said still looking up.

"Where what is going?" Cain said still digging.

"The comets, and balls of fire?" Tiffany said.

"I think it's just a magic show to horrify mankind. The god's are no longer omnipresent, so they send reminders of their power in the sky." Cain said with a unsure voice as he dug. Then Cain smiled looking down at the metal coffin that Gabriel's body was in.

"Help me up." Cain demanded holding out his hand. Tiffany reached down and pulled him up from the hole. Abimelech lifted one end of the metal box and set it upright.

"Hold on Gabriel we will get you out soon." Cain said. A smile ran across Gabriel's face. If he only knew that he was standing right next to him. But being a ghost was growing tiresome with so much going on.

Abimelech pulled himself from the hole. With one hand he grabbed the chain around the box and pulled it out from the hole. It was impressive but then again Abimelech was a massive being. He began unwinding the chains until they fell off the container and into the dirt. Cain came over and lifted the lid, Gabriel leaned over to see himself in his coffin. It was a surreal moment seeing himself dug up from the grave. His skin was blue and purple as though it was oxygen deprived.

"He.....He is dead?!" Cain shouted in a confused rage. Tiffany rushed closer and grabbed Gabriel's hand to feel his pulse. She turned her head from Cain and Abimelech as she felt for a pulse. Gabriel walked around to see her face in that moment. Tears welled up in her eye's as she felt his wrist. Then a sigh and a smile.

"He is alive." Tiffany said trying to down play the excitement on her face. She got up and walked away into the woods as if she was uninterested. Though it was simply a ploy to hide the tears that ran down her face. Now Gabriel knew without a doubt that she shared the same feelings that he had for her. He wanted to run up and hug her but he was still just a ghost. Even if he wasn't he had to pretend that they were not interested in each other.

Tiffany was still a spy and Cain did not need to know that. If Gabriel showed his feelings for her then Cain would assume that there was more going on. Possibly revealing that Tiffany was a spy for the Norse kingdom. Gabriel hoped that she was just as he was. Tossed in the middle of war where no side was worth fighting for but his own.

"What should we do?" Abimelech said confused.

"I don't know maybe he is under a curse?" Cain said looking at Gabriel.

"Lets take him back to camp and we will go from there." Cain said grabbing one end of the box. Abimelech grabbed the other side and they began carrying it through the woods. Gabriel grabbed the pendants in his hand and tried to remember how to get back to physical form.

"Uhhh Frigga take me back!" Gabriel said but nothing happened.

"Frigga I want to go back to my body.." Still nothing. Gabriel followed behind the men as he started to panic. He thought about all she had said but could not remember how to get back. Searching his mind they walked for what seemed like hours but was only minutes. They approached a camp of wood huts and dug outs.

Men and women sat around fires chewing on bones and scraps. They looked deprived and like a camp of vagabonds from ancient times. Looking around Gabriel saw archers up in the tree's keeping watch. The camp was fairly large and looked to consist of a few hundred people. Cain and Abimelech walked through the camp and carried the container into a large hut guarded by five men with home made spears.

They did not look like warriors or kings but starved men. Gabriel walked into the hut, inside was a fire pit, bedding and some chairs made from branches. Tiffany was sitting on the bedding closing her eye's as she leaned against the wall. The walls of the hut were made of tree's and the insulation was mud and straw. She looked exhausted as she opened her eye's.

"He is cursed!" Cain said.

"Cursed?" Tiffany asked.

"Yes I think the witches placed a curse over him. But his color is coming back and he is now breathing. Its just he wont wake up." Cain said.

"What are we going to do?" Tiffany said trying to act worried. She saw the pendant and must have know what was happening.

"I say we attack those witches and if they don't remove the curse than we burn them!" Abimelech said.

"You really think we can defeat Morrighan one of the oldest known goddesses? Or did you forget that the witch in love with Gabriel summoned her?" Cain said. Abimelech looked down at the ground out of ideas. When Cain mentioned Morrighan you could tell it sent chills up Abimelech's spine.

"We will figure out something, for now he stays here with you Tiffany. You will be his guardian and if anything happens I hold you responsible." Cain said walking out of the hut. Abimelech followed behind as smoke ran out the door behind them. Tiffany looked down at Gabriel and smiled as she laid down in her bed. Gabriel just watched her as she fell asleep.

"What am I going to do!" Gabriel shouted. He was furious with himself for not remembering Frigga's instructions. As the night turned into early morning Gabriel sat in the corner of the hut. He had given up the idea of freeing himself. He would remain a ghost of ignorance. Now his mind drifted to the dreams he had in the house. He thought of one of the quotes in the dream. He could not remember who said it but the words echoed in his mind.

"Society needs a rebel. Not a rebel of violence and madness. But a rebel with a heart. So start a rebellion to love and respect our humanity" The person who said it was unknown but the words were true. Gabriel thought that if he could ever get free from his prison then he would be that rebel. If the gods wanted war then he would be a leader of peace and defy them. He could create a refuge for humanity and end the suffering.

He did not know how he could save people from the war. But he had to try as long as there was still an eternity of blood in his veins. He vowed to bring humanity peace and understanding of the god's. Although he knew little about them, he knew more than most. There was only one god that he knew that would not let them live in peace. Apollyon was the wedge between him and peace, but if they could hide from him then they could find peace. If even for a little while, but then again a piece of Apollyon was in all of us.

Gabriel waited for what seemed like days as him and Tiffany sat silently in the hut. No one disturbed them and Tiffany only ate and drank very little. She was looking drained and the effects of famine where starting to show. The god's and their army were now in the flesh once more. With that came all the consequences of the flesh.

She was begging to looked worried once more. Like maybe Gabriel was in trouble, lost or not coming back. He watched as she sat down next to him and held his hand. She laid her head down on the metal coffin and stoked his hand with her thumb until she fell asleep once more. Gabriel just watched and waited for what might come next. Then Tiffany's head jolted up and she looked at Gabriel once more.

"Gabriel? if you are listening please say these words. Midgard is calling, and so am I!" Tiffany shouted at him. Gabriel jumped to his feet fumbling for his pendant. He tightly grasped it in his hand and smiled.

"Midgards calling, and...." Darkness cut him off before he could finish what he was saying.

"So am I!" Gabriel shouted into the hut. Opening his eye's Tiffany jumped on him hugging him. Then she pulled back and sat down on her bed.

"Soo...sorry.." Tiffany said.

"Its ok Tiffany we don't have to act anymore." Gabriel said but was quickly cut off before he could finish.

"Yes we do, they cannot know about us Gabriel." Tiffany said whispering.

"You are like the atomic bomb in world war two and I am your Hiroshima. They will use me to set you off and bring a destructive end to war." Tiffany whispered.

"They must never know, only we will know and even that is too much." She said still whispering. Gabriel just looked around in anger. He knew she was right and he was faced once again with his age old battle.

"Yes, you are right. If a day ever comes just know I will be here waiting." Gabriel said whispering. A smile lit up across Tiffany's face.

"I know you will, but we all must sacrifice in war. Its unfortunate that love is one of the first things to go." Tiffany whispered.

"Now I must get you to Cain he has a lot to talk about. But mention nothing of Asgard or the seven kingdoms."

"Where will I say I have been all these years?" Gabriel said.

"Tell them Apollyon had you captive. But you escaped and when you came back the witches got you." Tiffany said.

"Yeah about them...Morrighan is in Axal?" Gabriel said confused.

"Yes, but I will let Cain explain that to you." Tiffany said pointing at the door. Gabriel got up and walked out. The guards greeted him and shook his hand smiling. Gabriel was unsure of why they were so happy but he shook their hands anyways.

"Gabriel!" Cain shouted running from a forming crowd.

"Back up fools, back to your posts!" Abimelech shouted pushing people away from Gabriel.

"Back in the hut Gabriel." Abimelech said forcefully pushing him back in.

"Ok Ok! calm down!" Gabriel barked back.

"Sorry it is for your own protection." Abimelech said bowing his head to Gabriel.

"Its been far too long!" Cain said smiling at Gabriel.

"So where have you been all these years?" Cain said sitting down on the bed.

"Well its a long story....But in short Apollyon had me trapped inside a cave. He wanted me imprisoned so he could continue to build his legion. But once the war started his grasp over me faded. I escaped and returned home. Once home I found that room..." Gabriel said.

"Yes a powerful witch in love with you took over the house. It wasn't long before she even captivated the other inhabitants." Cain said.

"Who is she?" Gabriel said.

"Ashley was her name, but she gave her life for you. Through a ritual to bring you back. But you could not be rescued. Somehow the spell in failure summoned the great Morrighan and she has taken over Axal. The town worships her, and she is starting her kingdom of Celts. But that too is a long story.." Cain said.

"Wait Ashley did all of this?" Gabriel said in disbelief.

"I guess she was truly in love with you." Tiffany said.

"But a witch?" Gabriel said.

"Love can make us do many things. She turned to the dark arts believing that you were dead. So she traded her life for yours." Cain said.

"Enough of this, the war?" Abimelech said.

"Gabriel I know this is going to sound outrageous. Their are seven kingdoms, or seven religions who have fallen from heaven. They are here to take over the world and create a utopia. Or at least their version of one. So they all are here and at war, gods now walk in the flesh." Cain said.

"So what about the God? the one that is suppose to be the almighty?" Gabriel said.

"Well god has yet to show, though Apollyon is now free and roaming earth in the flesh. Thee god has yet to show in the flesh. That is why you are so, so important Gabriel." Cain said.

"Really how so?" Gabriel said.

"You are the only one who can bring his wrath to mankind. Remember? as long as there is one he will not destroy the world. You are and have always been the one." Cain said.

"So how do I call upon his wrath?" Gabriel said.

"Sin, the ultimate sin and you will taint the very ground we stand on. We all have committed it either by lineage, or with our own flesh. Not you, you still remain the one person who can call an end to all of this." Cain said. Gabriel pondered for a moment.

"So let me guess you want me to commit the ultimate sin?" Gabriel said.

"Yes, as I always have, I am still cursed as are all of us." Cain said. Gabriel got up and walked over to the door.

"You already know my answer Cain. It remains as it always has. I have no side, this is not my war." Gabriel said walking out.

"It is your war, as long as you allow war!" Cain shouted from inside the hut. The people were still gathered outside. They all reached out to Gabriel smiling and cheering. Gabriel walked through them shaking their hands and embracing them. He walked until he saw a ladder leading up a tree. There on top was a watch tower. Gabriel climbed the ladder and then stood on one of the branches. Looking on he could see hundreds of people. Cain, Abimelech, and Tiffany watched him from outside of the hut.

"You are heavens abominations?!" Gabriel shouted.

"Yeaah!!" The people cheered.

"I don't believe that though!" Gabriel shouted and the people grew silent.

"Look here we are in the flesh once more. Look at Cain, he has been cursed as a wanderer of earth since the dawn of man. Yet there he is once again in the flesh. He can finally live again free of his ghostly ways." Gabriel said pointing at Cain.

"I don't have all the answers, but I know war is not the answer. There is one weapon we yield over any god. That is the power of choice, we can choose peace!" Gabriel shouted with a hoarse voice.

"But what if hell comes and kills us? what choice is that?" A man in the crowd said.

"So let hell come! I have seen hell and I won't be captivated by fear..... Should we fake our love and have faith in our fear?" Gabriel said.

"So what should we have faith in?" A woman asked.

"I wont lie to you and say that I know. I don't know if we will find truth in death. But I do know we find lies in life, pain in honesty, and faith in disbelief. I won't lie to myself or to you to feel better or fake a moment. I am a corruptible and ever changing being who is wrong more often than right. So if you have faith in anything, then let it be in my honesty!" Gabriel shouted.

"So we should what....Follow you?" A man said?

"Yeah what do we do, your honesty wont fend of hells legion!" Another man yelled.

"That is absolutely right sir, my honesty won't fend off hells legion. But it will hold back heavens wrath long enough for us to fight hell and make peace with life." Gabriel said. With that the crowd was silenced, even Gabriel did not expect to find such courage. A man who once wanted only death was now standing up against the gods and giving his faith to humanity. Even Cain's rage was silenced with Gabriel's words. Tiffany's face was lit up with a smile as she watched a coward turn to a saint.

"So who is with me?!" Gabriel shouted and so did the crowd. Gabriel climbed down from the tree and once again embraced the people now with open arms. Their hugs were weak from famine and lack of sleep. Once Gabriel made it through the crowd he walked back to Cain and the hut.

"So are you with me?" Gabriel said looking at Cain, Abimelech and Tiffany.

"Its madness, but I am with you. Some day though you will see things as I do." Cain said. Abimelech simply nodded his head.

"Of course I am!" Tiffany said as she hugged him. Gabriel watched Cains face with her in his arms. He looked surprised but no one expected that speech.

"So what do we do now?" Abimelech said. Gabriel pointed into the hut and they all walked in. Night was once again approaching and the people headed for their huts and warmth of the fires.

"There is lots for us to do, but first we must regain the strength of the people. I know these forests are full of food. The river below the canyon are full of fish. We need to feed the people and worry about their health first and for most. Then we will worry about Axal, the witches, Morrighan, and the other god's. For now though we must sleep and tomorrow is a fresh start for humanity." Gabriel said laying down on the floor of the hut.

"Very well." Cain said with a sigh as he and Abimelech left the hut. Tiffany laid down on the bed and Gabriel and her eye's locked as they fell asleep.
**Chapter Twenty Four**

The sounds of a lighter crackling in the night woke Gabriel from his slumber. A glow of flame illuminated Tiffany's pale face. Her lips grasping the end of a glass pipe. She inhaled the combustion of chemicals into her lungs, as her eyes rolled back in her head. The light of the flame went out and the sounds of her exhale was all that was left in the night.

"I am dreaming, I must be?" Gabriel thought to himself. His heart searched for a nightmare, but reality was sinking in. Even reincarnated in war, Tiffany belonged not to any god. Her heart was not beating for Gabriel in that dark chemical haze. She belonged to a crystal fiend of the night, and she would forever have his bite.

All the hopes, and inspiration of the day before were gone. Sweat ran down Gabriel's back as he struggled to fall back asleep. Once again the frustration of loving someone who had another swept over him. Along with a relentless urge to suck down a bottle of the strongest whiskey left in Axal. Through irritation Gabriel fell back asleep.

"Gabriel!" A familiar voice cried through a dark forest. The tree's outlines were all that was seen in the night sky.

"Where am I." Gabriel asked.

"In a dream." The voice said

"Who are you, your voice....It sounds so familiar?" Gabriel said.

"Forgotten me so soon my love?" Christy said. Just as she did, Gabriel remembered the sweet voice.

"Where are you?" Gabriel asked.

"Has my image already been erased? Look and you will see." Christy said. Looking towards the voice Gabriel could see her. Standing white as snow in her wedding gown. A smile illuminating her face as the moon.

"I am here to warn you Gabriel." Christy said.

"Warn me about what?" Gabriel asked confused.

"About her, her mind is a syringe filled with poison, seeking to inject her addiction into love. Her beauty is a sanctuary, for a sinners soul. Perfect by nature, but her shadow casts death. Do you not see it Gabriel?" Christy said.

"She is simply lost to me, much like you." Gabriel said

"I know I am, I am forever lost in the crossroads of love. But loving the lost leads you into arctic sea's. By day you may find calming waves. But by night you fight ice berg's, and bitter cold." Christy said.

"Yes, I am constantly reminded of that feeling." Gabriel said. As he finished the ground began to tremble and shake. Christy's smile turned into a frown of panic.

"What is happening?" Gabriel shouted. The ground under Christy was blasted into the air like a rocket. Flames and gasses filled the air in the night sky. As quickly as it started it was over and she was gone. All that was left was a massive round crater in the earth. Gabriel closed his eye's ready to wake from the dream.

"Mother nature gave us all we needed. So we raped her and left her naked for dead, and now we wonder why she clothes herself in destruction." A strangers voice yelled out.

"Time counts us out and flesh fades, but death cannot touch the inspiration we leave behind." Another voice yelled. More voices came from the darkness and Gabriel could not make them all out.

"Life is art, though our styles and colors vary we all have a master piece." Another voice said.

"As many artists know, dark beginnings lead to colorful ends." Another said as they all started to erupt in madness. He could no longer make out the voices. Even the ones he could spewed random thoughts into the night sky. The voices rattled as a chain. Echoing sounds into a tornado of congested insanity.

"ENOUGH!" Gabriel shouted as the ground's trembling started once more.

"I want to wake up!" Gabriel said.

"Why?" A curious voice said.

"I do not not understand this attack of words." Gabriel said as his head pounded.

"So you are afraid of what you might find in a dark war of words?" The same voice said.

"I am not afraid of your words. I just don't understand the meaning of this dream." Gabriel said.

"Its unfortunate that the close minded will never free themselves of knowing. Lying to themselves so they don't have to face the unknown." The voice said.

"Was that meant to offend me?" Gabriel said.

"If not will my skin?" As the voice said, a monstrosity stepped into Gabriel's vision. It was a man only the size of a toddler. His skin was a dark pastel of mixed coloration. Gabriel could not understand how such a creature could exist. Or why it was in this crazy dream.

"If skin color offends you than I hope my words run through your veins as a plague to ignorance." The creature said.

"I am not offended by your skin, or your words." Gabriel said.

"Aren't you?" The creature said smiling.

"No, I just want to wake up!" Gabriel shouted.

"I don't think you do, not before I have said what I came to say." The creature said.

"And what is that?" Gabriel said.

"Loving someone comes with a vast array of emotions and not all are pleasant. Just know when the emotions die so does the love." The creature said.

"So that's what you wanted to tell me?...My whole life I have loved those already lost to me. It doesn't matter if the emotion is there or not." Gabriel said. As Gabriel finished speaking the creature smiled and turned away back into the forest.

"The hardest problem in life is realizing you are the problem." The creature said as he walked into the Forrest. From the tree's a cold breeze blew and as he finished speaking Gabriel woke up. Sitting up in the bed sweat drenched his back. No one was inside of the hut, but light glowed through cracks in the walls and ceiling. Looking around Gabriel could see the glass pipe sitting next to the bed. It was stained black and brown on the inside.

Tiffany was not hiding her addiction from him. It was right there on display for all to see. But Gabriel was not equipped to handle her drug addiction. Although emotions were still raging inside of him. As they raged, so did the love for her. Gabriel wanted to get up, but he was hit with a rush of confusion.

Pulling himself to his feet Gabriel wiped the grogginess from his eyes and headed out the door. Stepping out of the hut, Gabriel got a view of the camp. Looking around he could see the people going about their lives trying to survive. Some took on creature comforts such as a few men gazing at some women bathing from clay pots.

"Here they are, resurrected from the damned and what do they do? Same as they always did, I guess that saying is true...What is it? You can take the life from a soul, but once returned the soul wanders the same...Eh whatever don't mind my grumbling, I do not know where it is going." Cain said from a chair outside of the hut.

"Good morning to you too.....Guess I never heard that saying?" Gabriel said still gazing at the people.

"Maybe its just a quote of those cursed to wander this wretched land." Cain said looking out at the people as well.

"What about you Cain, have you returned to the same as before?" Gabriel said. Cain paused and thought about it for a moment as they both watched the men gaze at the naked women.

"Well, yes and no I suppose. I have wandered and waited far too long. Though I still thirst for the end as I always have." Cain said.

"I guess we are one in the same there.." Gabriel said.

"Oh?! have we already forgotten about yesterdays little speech? I assure you it won't be so easily forgotten by the people." Cain said surprised.

"There is just so much uncertainty in what is to come." Gabriel said.

"Yes there is...I guess all we can do now is prepare our selves for all things uncertain." Cain said as Abimelech walked up to them.

"Good morning Abimelech" Gabriel said smiling. The smile was not returned, just a look of urgency.

"The wood's are no longer silent. Shadows danced through the tree's all night and a dense fog surrounded the village. We are not safe here anymore, we must not waste the day." Abimelech said.

"There are always shadows dancing in these forests and fog? Should we run from basic laws of nature?" Gabriel said confused.

"These were not mere shadows Gabriel. The witches were restless in the night. They remained silent but there presence calls out for you. The fog was not as it seemed, one of the men walked into it. With one breath he hit the forest floor dead. It moved around us like a wave of ammonia gas." Abimelech said.

"And is it still there?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, with only one opening out." Abimelech said.

"It is a trap!" Cain shouted.

"Well if we do not go, the people will surely starve." Abimelech said.

"Is there no other way?" Gabriel said.

"No, unless you can move above the forest floor like a monkey." Abimelech said.

"Take me to the opening and have the people pack up only what they need." Gabriel said. With the order a couple of the nearby guards rushed over to tell the people to pack what they need.

"All men able and willing for combat should follow me!" Abimelech shouted out to the people. A few of the men gathered their make shift weapons and began to gather. Abimelech lead Gabriel and Cain through the village as more men fell in ranks behind them. While others packed up the camp with looks of concern. One man that Gabriel walked by was packing half empty and discolored bottles of liquor.

"Leave it!" Gabriel said. The man just looked up at Gabriel confused and angry.

"If I am going to die again, then I will live now as I will!" The man shouted in angry. Abimelech turned around and kicked the man to the ground with a solid push kick. Bottles broke as the man hit the ground.

"No!" Gabriel shouted grabbing onto Abimelech.

"We won't lead these people like the gods. They should not fear our wrath, or suffer with unanswered prayers. If he wants his drinks, then let him have them." Gabriel said letting go of Abimelech. The man looked up at Gabriel half stunned by the kick, and the words.

"Tha...Thank you sir, it is all I have." The man said.

"One day...I have faith that you will have more than just suffering." Gabriel said as the group began walking into the forest. The tree's blew in the wind and leaves fell on the forest floor. As they walked Gabriel tried to figure out how he would handle the witches. Just as his mind began to grasp what he was facing, they approached the wall of fog.

It was not thick like a fog, but clung to the ground like a gas. The man who walked into it was still there dead on the ground. Off to the side of him was the opening in the wall of gas. It was a narrow path way that lead back towards his old house.

"Do you think this is the work of the witches in the house?" Gabriel asked Abimelech

"No..." Abimelech said but Cain cut him off.

"This can only be from Morrighan." Cain said looking around at the gas.

"Let me see what the gas might do.." Gabriel said walking up to it unsure.

"Wait!" Abimelech shouted grabbing Gabriel's arm.

"Let me take your arm, and very slowly walk towards it." Abimelech said. Gabriel walking ahead reaching his arm back so that Abimelech could hang on to it. Gabriel made it right to the edge of the gas and put his fingers into its haze. He moved his hand around in it but nothing happened. Looking back at Abimelech Gabriel gave him a confused look.

"I am going in." Gabriel said as he stepped into the gas. Everything was fine but only for moment. With the inhale of the fumes Gabriel collapsed. The darkness from hells waiting room came back to him.

"Gabriel wake up!" Abimelech shouted while he slapped him in the face. At first Gabriel could feel a slight slap in the darkness. Then a solid sting across his face as he opened his eyes to see Abimelech panicking.

"It's okay stop, stop!" Gabriel yelled just before getting slapped again.

"Oh I....am sorry." Abimelech said pulling Gabriel to his feet.

"What Happened?" Gabriel asked.

"I don't know, you stepped in and then just fell to the ground. I lost my grip and was almost unable to get you out." Abimelech said. Gabriel thought for a moment about what to do. As he was thinking he looked around for guidance. While doing so he could see Tiffany was now there with them. Gabriel wanted to ask where she had been, but did not want to seem needy.

"I guess there is only one way?" Gabriel said looking at the opening.

"No we will not go in there!" Cain said.

"Well then what will we do? We don't have the means to go above." Gabriel said. Just as he did the gas began to slowly move towards them. They all ran back away from it but it was still making its way towards them.

"It's moving in!" Abimelech shouted.

"Run, back to the camp! But keep the opening in sight." Gabriel said as he began running back to the camp. Once at the edge of the camp they stopped.

"Okay so the opening should be just up there." Gabriel said pointing between two huts.

"Yes, I would assume so?" Cain said out of breath.

"Come we must see if it is all around the camp." Gabriel said jogging back through the camp. The people all looked confused as to why the men were running back. It only hastened their speed of packing up camp. Once they made it to the other side Gabriel could see the gas moving its way from the forest to the edge of camp.

"Quickly gather the people, we must head for the opening!" Gabriel shouted as he turned around and ran back. Gabriel, and the others grabbed as many people as they could and began running towards the entrance. Once all the people were gathered they stopped and watched as the gas rested around there camp.

The gas had finally stopped moving in, but the people were horrified. They had no magic to defend against the gas. Only some home made spears, and clubs. How would they defend against Morrighan, and was this even her doing. Gabriel knelt down on the ground to catch his breath and decide what to do.

"If the gas moves any closer then we must go through the opening. We have little choice now, its that or death. If we do go through, then let me go first." Gabriel said.

"No, I will go first." Cain said.

"You cannot, it is me she wants. Right now she could engulf us in the gas. All of you will perish and once the gas has cleared I would remain." Gabriel said.

"So if she was going to kill us she would have." Abimelech said.

"Yes, and I see we have no other choice but to go through." Gabriel said.

"Then why should we wait!" A man shouted.

"Yeah!" The others shouted from around Gabriel in a uproar.

"Silence!" Cain yelled.

"They are right, I will go through." Gabriel said looking at the opening. Then he turned and looked at Tiffany. Her eye's locked onto his, her head tilted sideways. as it did her eyebrows squeezed together tightly. It was as though she was saying not to go. But Gabriel had no other choice, but to go where the gas lead him. Turning away Gabriel began walking towards the opening in the wall of gas. Just before entering in Gabriel paused.

"If I don't come back..." Gabriel said but then choked on the words. Closing his lips tightly he headed into the gas. After taking a few steps in Gabriel took a breath. He expected his lungs to choke with gas, followed by the darkness. Though this time he breathed in crisp forest air. Turning around Gabriel looked for the path behind him. It was gone, nothing but gas was lingering behind him. There was no going back, and now everything he had left was a hostage to the gas.

Looking ahead Gabriel continued on the path. Every so often he would pass a creature of the forest. Even they fell dead, lungs choked with the gas. On the ground in front of him was a rabbit who fell victim. Reaching down Gabriel felt its fluffy coat and studied the beautiful figure. The coat was a light gray and the rabbit was not even in adulthood.

Removing his hand from the fur, Gabriel fought back anger. The rabbit though the smallest of collateral damage, had a significant impact on him. What place did such a wonderful creature have in this biblical war. Maybe it was only to remind Gabriel that his humanity was still at peace with nature. God's, and man used creatures merely as tools. Although they were the only thing perfectly beautiful in the chaos of a war scorn land.

Suddenly Gabriel could hear footsteps in the forest and looked up. Her hair was straight, long, black and like silk. Eye's a shade of blue that was almost white. Her skin, pale and white, as though the sun never kissed her flesh. She wore a thick cloak of black fur, tied around her neck with leather straps. Though no garments were on under the cloak. She was completely nude underneath the cloak.

The woman walked with a stroll of absolute confidence and beauty. She wore her body without a self conscious thought of a flaw. A smile graced her lips as she new that Gabriel was in awe of her. Now Gabriel was just like the men in camp gawking at the women bathing. Thoughts of a witch were long gone, and thought of passion were all that remained.

"I have been calling for you." The woman said as she stood before Gabriel. Gabriel was still kneeling down next to the rabbit. The gas faded from around them. The woman knelt down in front of Gabriel to get a closer look at the rabbit.

"May I?" She said holding out her hands. Gabriel backed away from the rabbit and stood up. The woman picked up the rabbit from the forest floor and held its face up next to hers. With a slight whistle she sucked the fumes from the rabbits lungs. Though she did not place her lips on it. The fumes came out in a green haze from the rabbit mouth and nose. Then a twitch from the rabbit and its blue eye's opened. She set it down on the ground and her and Gabriel watched as it ran off into the forest.

"Did you hear my calls?" The woman said standing up.

"No I did not..." Gabriel said confused. His eye's falling down on her naked body. As they did she gently pulled the cloak around her exposed body.

"I have been searching for you." The woman said smiling.

"So....Who are you?" Gabriel said.

"Well...We have many names. I prefer to be called Morrighan." Morrighan said.

"You are the witch who was about to kill those people in the camp?" Gabriel said with a stern voice.

"As I said Morrighan is my name." Morrighan said bowing in front of Gabriel. As she bowed she exposed some of her breasts.

"Well Morrighan are you going to kill them?" Gabriel said.

"Is there something in this camp that you want?" Morrighan asked confused. Gabriel thought for a moment about Tiffany but fought back the thought. He did not want to expose a weakness so soon.

"I can spare the camp, as long as you come with me." Morrighan said smiling again.

"To where?" Gabriel asked.

"To anyplace that I command you. See I heard story's about you, from the town...And those hags that haunt your home." Morrighan said. Gabriel thought only for moment but was already putting together a plan.

"Those hags buried me in the forest! The people in the camp found me and saved me." Gabriel said, his mind raced trying to play a chess match with a witch goddess.

"Did theyyy." Morrighan said with a slight hiss in her voice. She turned and started walking through the forest.

"Yes! I tried going back to my home. Then I fell asleep and woke up to them. They placed me in a metal container and buried." Gabriel said.

"And whyyy would they do that?" Morrighan hissed in a soft tone.

"I don't know!" Gabriel said trying to act innocent in the fray.

"They told me you belonged to one who goes by the name Apollyon?" Morrighan said. Gabriel thought for a moment, though it was impossible to hide what he was.

"Yes, it is true, he cursed me." Gabriel said.

"Tell me how he curses you?" Morrighan asked as though she already knew.

"With immortality..." Gabriel said pausing before he could say anything more.

"Now why would this Apollyon make you immortal?" Morrighan asked preying.

"Well....I do not even know, now he has simply abandoned me." Gabriel said.

"It is fine, you are with me now. You are no longer this...Apollyon's but Morrighan's." Morrighan said. As she finished Gabriel got an uneasy feeling. They walked for a short distance, when finally Gabriel stopped.

"So what is it you want with me?" Gabriel said. There was a brief silence and then Morrighan stopped.

"I want to free you from your curse." Morrighan said.

"Oh? I wish it was so simple." Gabriel said as they began walking again. Gabriel thought about why she would want to end his curse. Nothing logical came to mind as to why she would. Unless she was as crazy as Cain and wanted to end all existence. There just had to be more that she wanted, something that she was hiding. After all if she wanted to help him then why would should hold the camp hostage.

"You know the camp will starve if we leave them surrounded by gas.." Gabriel said.

"Yes I know this, I have studied them well. I know they are no threat to me....I will provide all they need, but the ammonia will remain." Morrighan said. It was clear she wanted more from Gabriel and that she knew he was some how attached to the town. Somehow he had to convince her that the camp no longer mattered. He had to gain her trust, to free the camp and his only love.

They were now approaching Gabriel's old house. Stopping Gabriel was hesitant to walk on. He knew what creatures live there. Though nothing came out to greet them, he knew somewhere they were watching them. Morrighan stopped as well and looked back at Gabriel.

"It is okay dear, they will not hurt you now." Morrighan said holding out her hand. Gabriel knew what taking her hand might mean, but he was out of options. Walking up he grasped her soft hand in his. A smile glowed across her face as she turned towards the house.

"Girls, please come and greet our guest!" Morrighan said as the smile faded from her lips and her clench tightened.

"No?!" Morrighan shouted as no one came out. She held her other hand up and the ground quaked in front of her. Rocks and dust bounced from the trembling as it slowly made its way towards the house. As it did the wood on the porch splintered and then snapped in two as though a earth quake hit it.

"Wait!" Emma said rushing out of the house in her true, hag form. The other hag's followed behind her and they came out to see Morrighan. Gabriel was relieved that his home was not ripped into.

"So I hear you buried this cursed soul?" Morrighan asked as the hags lined up in front of her.

"For you of course!" Emma said with a wretched smile, exposing black teeth.

"Yet, I knew not of this plan?" Morrighan said.

"Well....We were going to tell you but they stole him!" Tina said.

"Very well girls, you all have done well. I accept your beautiful gift of a cursed man." Morrighan said with a smile. The hags smiled back and Emma sighed with relief.

"We knew you would like him!" Sophea said holding her hand up as to display Gabriel.

"Oooh I do, very much." Morrighan said looking up and down at Gabriel.

"Now for your reward I too bring gifts." Morrighan said pulling a tonic from her cloak.

"The great king Arthur's blood was used in the cauldron of knowledge to make this. It will free you of your binds to the one they call Apollyon. You will return to your stolen youth and live once more!" Morrighan said handing them the tonic. The girls all drank from it and passed it around until the last drop was drank. Morrighan just watched and smiled as they licked up each drop in a frenzy. Old rotten flesh returned to its youth. They now looked as beautiful as they ever had. They looked around at each other smiling and naked.

"Can we leave this horrid place!?" Emma said radiating with joy.

"Of course you can my sweet child." Morrighan said pointing at the road away from the house. The girls did not hesitate, they began walking down the drive way. They laughed as they walked down the road, not even looking back. Morrighan looked on as her smile turned to a dark frown. The girls had not noticed yet but they were rapidly aging right before their eyes.

Even the girls laughs changed to a more mature tone. Gabriel watched puzzled by the transformation he was witnessing. They were not even twenty yards away and they had hit their mid life. Tina hit the ground grasping her side.

"What is it Tinn.....OH MY GOD!" Emma shouted. The women looked at their body's now showing a never before seen age. Tina laid quivering in pain as the other women gathered around her. Emma grabbed her hand and pulled it to her chest crying. Tina's shaking stopped and she now laid motionless on the ground with dead eye's open. Her flesh quickly decayed and she turn to bone, and then dust. As Tina faded the women changed into old wrinkly women.

"What have you done to us?" Emma said still crying.

"I gave you all I said I would. This is the life you all missed!" Morrighan said smiling. The old women continued to age as one by one they fell, dead, decaying, and then dust. Emma was the last to go and she held her hand together in prayer. Frozen and then collapsing to the ground and in an instant she was gone. Nothing remained of the girls that haunted Gabriel's home.
Chapter Twenty Five

Morrighan's smile faded as the sun began to go down over the tree's. Gabriel watched the bright orange and red colors in the sky as the sun was setting over his old home. It was something that happened every day yet he never took the times to enjoy those sunsets. Watching the sunset was bringing to life all of his regrets.

"Come it is time to go." Morrighan said. Gabriel turned away from the colors and followed Morrighan down his driveway towards the road to Axal. They began walking towards town in silence, and there was no one else on the roads. The sunset faded and the dark of night fell over the old highway.

"I missed too many sunsets in my life." Gabriel said breaking the awkward silence and trying to spark a discussion.

"I have let many sunsets pass by me..... Their colors unseen. It is the dark of the night that has taken me. Many years ago it came over me like a plague. At first I thought I was cursed, but it was the heavens around me that were cursed." Morrighan said.

"What happened to you?" Gabriel asked curiously.

"I.... Once thought I knew all there was to know. I had all I ever wanted and then....A great tragedy." Morrighan paused stopping in the road. She looked up at the night sky with a smile.

"I thought I knew pain until someone I loved asked me to let them die... Now I carry deaths memory." Morrighan said still looking up at the night sky.

"I am sorry to hear that, I have lost those I loved too..." Gabriel said unsure of what to say next. A tear ran down past Morrighan's smile. She closed her eye's but never let her smile fall from her face. She turned away from Gabriel and they began walking again.

"You know its a long ways to town?" Gabriel said trying to figure out if that is where they were heading.

"Yes, and it is a long night." Morrighan said. They continued to walk for a few hours. Gabriel thought of what to say but did not want to give Morrighan too much information. The tear he saw fall was her first sign of weakness. Gabriel was begging to find a way to expose her and knew he had to reveal more about her.

"You know I think I can relate to you in many ways. Even though I just met you, but darkness has not taken over me. I guess I am just lost, looking for a place that I belong." Gabriel said.

"Most of us don't need to find ourselves. We just need to find a place that we belong. I found my place, within the night. Then I had to build the foundations of who I am." Morrighan said pausing.

"It takes an architect to find oneself." Morrighan said.

"It seems to me that you built a very brave woman." Gabriel said. Morrighan turned to him, her face showing her disgust in what he had said.

"I am no woman! I am a goddess, a witch, the horrors in this night!" Morrighan said angry.

"I...I am sorry! I guess I was just trying to find the words to express my emotions and it came out wrong." Gabriel said backing up from Morrighan. She turned and began walking again, except now it was much faster. Morrighan began to lose Gabriel and she had to pause to wait for him.

"Sorry but I would have to run to keep up with you." Gabriel said walking up to Morrighan. Gabriel was still thinking about how words express emotions, and trying to find the words to relay what he was feeling.

"Have you heard that saying, words express emotions?" Gabriel asked curious to know if Morrighan knew of worldly thoughts.

"Saying words express emotion is far too vague. It would take digging up the emotions in an insane asylums cemetery to understand what I feel." Morrighan said slowing down from her fast walk.

"That was a very poetic way to express how you feel." Gabriel said. He could see a glow of flames on the horizon. It was Axal coming into view and the glow of flames instead of lights. Morrighan stopped to take in the scene of Axal burning.

"What an awful thing, to be poetic at heart in a spiteful place." Morrighan said with the glow of Axal on her face.

"What has happened!" Gabriel said shocked at the burning town where he was born.

"Retribution, they helped summon me to this retched place with their cruelty. Now we will use them to get us back to my coven." Morrighan said as they began walking again.

"How will you.. Or I mean how will we do that?" Gabriel asked.

"I will show you." Morrighan said.

"Hmm okay...So where is your coven?" Gabriel asked as they got closer to the town.

"You ask too many questions. It's in the silence of the night where we will find our answers." Morrighan said. They walked in silence and Gabriel knew better than push his luck and ask any more questions. The night was very quite and though the flash of a comet, fireball, or lightning would fill the sky, it remained silent. The only thing Gabriel could hear was his foot steps.

They were at the outskirts of town and an amazing sight filled Gabriel's vision. Everyone in the town was in a line standing side by side. Some people clothed, some nude, and they all wore the blood of their sins. It didn't matter, men, women, and children were all in a line. They stood completely still and looked up at the sky.

In their hands were sharp objects of all kinds. Glass, broken bottles, razors, scissors, knives, anything with a sharp edge. Gabriel at first thought they were defending the town. But as they got closer he realized that they were some how possessed. They seemed to make a circle possibly going around the whole town of Axal.

"Whats wrong with them?" Gabriel asked confused.

"They are our summoning circle." Morrighan said. Gabriel didn't even want to ask any more. At first it was a relief to see Axal burning. Now it was clearly a massacre that he had to find a way to stop. He never would have imagined that a reunion with Axal would be this morbid. Morrighan showed some emotion, but it was clear that she used humans as sacrifice.

They walked through a gap in the towns people of Axal. As they did Gabriel examined a child that he walked by. Everything seemed normal except for the fact that the child was completely focused only on the night. He didn't even blink or move as Gabriel passed by him. Once past the child Gabriel turned to look. None of the people moved, and he hoped it wouldn't be the last time he'd seen them alive.

"Gabriel, come!" Morrighan said as though she was talking to a dog. Looking down Gabriel turned from the people of Axal and began following Morrighan again. Looking around he could see the town was boarded up and had been preparing for the war. But now the town was empty and the people just waited around outside of it.

Fire's burned through out the city, and some houses and building were just glowing charcoal. They had walked at least nine blocks and were nearing downtown Axal. Restaurant's, bars, and stores were ransacked. Broken glass lined the sidewalks and the insides of the buildings were cleaned out. It was complete chaos and Gabriel tried to imagine how violent things had gotten.

They walked down main street and had made it to the corner where downtown started. The light on the corner hanging from the stop lights were seven men. They were tied up and hung by their necks. One of the men Gabriel recognized, it was the towns mayor. It was too hard to tell who the other men were. Their faces grimaced in horror and their skin a pale blue.

Turning the corner they began walking downtown. The arcade and shops that he hung out at as a child were now used as some type of defensive barracks. The window's and even most of the doors had wood from the hardware store covering them. Some had cars rolled over on their side's blocking them. Looking up he could see bridges lining the rooftops from one building to the next.

The street of downtown was empty, all except for the corpses of people. Most of them were bloated and radiated a horrific smell. Dried blood ran through the gutters and it looked as though there was some kind of a massacre. Maybe some of the people were protesting how the town was being ran and were gunned down.

The dead were unarmed men and women. They all suffered from multiple gun shot wounds and the scars of bullets even left marks in the asphalt. They all died unarmed and some looked as though they tried to flee but were caught in the open street. Shot down like fish in a barrel.

Gabriel looked away from them. He did not want to see faces that he knew. Although most people in Axal he did not know anyways. Though even a face seen in passing might be too much. It was a sad display of the horror's Axal was capable of. Gabriel tried not to imagine the horrid things that might have happened. But thoughts of rape, murder, greed, and twisted fantasy filled his mind.

"What is wrong?" Morrighan said as she stopped walking and looked at Gabriel.

"Ohhh... Uhhh nothing I am just tired of walking." Gabriel said.

"It won't be long and you can rest." Morrighan said as they began walking again.

"I guess I forgot that human's need rest. To me it's an outrageous idea, there is far too much to do." Morrighan said. Gabriel was now just looking down at the ground in front of him. Watching the cracks in the concrete side walk was better than seeing the nightmares Axal created. Finally after walking for miles Morrighan turned and started walking up the side walk to a house. The house itself was a new one that was just finished being built and was not damaged like all the others.

"I never liked new houses." Gabriel said as they walked in the door.

"Why is that?" Morrighan said.

"They don't have the character of an old home, or the ghosts that old houses have." Gabriel said walking through the dark house.

"Just because a house is new doesn't mean there are no ghosts inside." Morrighan said as she walked up some stairs.

"You can sleep, rest up here." Morrighan said. From what Gabriel could see the house didn't even have any furniture. They made it upstairs and began walking down a hallway. Morrighan reached up and pulled down the attic door. Steps came down with it and Morrighan made a gesture for Gabriel to go up them. Walking up into the attic Gabriel could see nothing. No windows to let in the glow of moon or bright chaos of war.

"Why the attic?" Gabriel asked as he heard the attic door slam shut. No response was given but it was clear why. He was a prisoner, something that he was getting used to. Laying down on the cold, hard floor Gabriel shut his eyes. The new home smell filled the air, which was much better than a dusty old attic. It wasn't long before Gabriel was able to drift off to sleep.

"AHHHH." A scream startled Gabriel from his sleep. Getting up Gabriel looked around but saw nothing but dakrness.

"What was that?" Gabriel asked scared and startled.

"Ghosts." A voice said.

"Then show yourself, ghost." Gabriel said. Gabriel searched the room for a response but none could be found. A chill ran down his spine as he got up and started walking around the attic.

"If you wish to hunt for ghosts, then there is no place to hunt but the mind." The voice said.

"So then are you a ghost in the attic, or a voice in my mind?" Gabriel asked still frightened.

"Does it not matter? You can hear me." The voice said. Gabriel sat down and rested his back against a wall. Gabriel covered his ears and closed his eyes tightly.

"I was like you once....As a child!" The voice said laughing. Gabriel could still clearly hear the voice even though he covered his ears. Chills and sweat ran down Gabriel's back, he was not sure if he was going crazy or if it was a ghost.

"When I was a kid I never understood reality. I was always waiting for someone to pull the curtains. Now I realize that we are holding the strings and we move these curtains at will. I guess that's what we call insanity?" The voice said.

"So am I going insane?" Gabriel asked still clinching his eyes and ears shut.

"You are still trying to hold on to what was normal. Everyone has expectations of normality. I just accepted that madness is my normality and struggling is madness." The voice said, as it seemed as though it got even closer.

"So I accept that you are a voice in my mind? But you seem as though you are here in the attic since you seem to have gotten closer?" Gabriel said.

"For now, just accept me as a friend?" The voice said.

"Very well, what is your name friend?" Gabriel asked as he uncovered his ears.

"May my name be ever forgotten, but my words ever remain." The voice said.

"So what will I call you?" Gabriel asked.

"Inspiration." The voice said.

"I wish I could see you." Gabriel said opening his eye's and looking around.

"You do not need to see me. I want you to feel me, and know that there are forces here that are on your side." The voice said.

"Well that is good to know because right now I feel as though the whole world is against me. I have been on the edge of a mental breakdown and every time I try to take control of my life I fail." Gabriel said.

"Just know this, finding motivation in failure is the hardest part of success." The voice said.

"Well inspiration, I am not so sure you live up to your name. I don't think words of comfort or lying to myself with happy thoughts is going to help me now." Gabriel said.

"Ah but it is all that you have and you don't have to lie to yourself to believe in yourself." The voice said.

"Can't you see these are just words....They are not going to save me, or those people who are about to be massacred." Gabriel said.

"Just words? Speaking to you is like writing in the sand. My words and thoughts just wash away when the tide rises.... You just give up, curl up in a ball and close your mind. I would rather have an undefeated record at never giving up, than letting the madness of reality win." The voice said.

"Why am I getting a pep talk. I just want to go back to sleep and see what the morning brings." Gabriel said laying down.

"Very well, just know I will be there when you dream." The voice said. Gabriel woke up and jumped up from the floor. Looking around he realized it was a dream. Just another one of the crazy dreams he had been having. Laying back down Gabriel slowly fell back asleep while he thought about what the voice had said to him.

Waking up again Gabriel felt as though he had slept for an entire day and night. Though the room was still pitch black. The attic was now hot and muggy though, and the air was stale. Not one crevice of the attic exposed any light. Gabriel got up and started feeling his way around the attic. The walls were at a steep angle from the roof. Walking around Gabriel found nothing of use. He could not even remember where the attic door was, or what direction he was facing.

"Hello, Morrighan?" Gabriel shouted. There was no response though and Gabriel got down and held his ear to the floor.

"Morrighan?! Can you let me out?" Gabriel pleaded to the floor of the attic. There was no answer though, not even a sound. Crawling around on the floor, Gabriel searched for the attic door. Gabriel crawled around for what seemed like hours of frustration. He could not find the door, or even a sign of weakness in the floor.

"Morrighan! Let me out!" Gabriel yelled in frustration. Laying on the floor Gabriel waited for a response but once again found none. Getting up again Gabriel felt for the roof. Once he could feel the wall Gabriel balled his hand up in a fist. Winding back Gabriel punched into the roof. With a loud crack Gabriel could feel the bones in his hand break.

Clinching one hand in the other Gabriel groaned in pain. He could feel that one of the bones in his hand had broken through the flesh. Falling to the floor, Gabriel curled up in a ball waiting for his hand to heal. Within a few moments it had healed but he knew he would not get out until Morrighan let him. His mind raced with thoughts of the anarchy in the town, and of heavens abominations. But mostly his mind drifted to the same thing it always did, Tiffany.

The day passed by, and Gabriel just waited there on the floor. The warm air had changed to the cool air of the night. He thought about using his pendant, but he did not want to risk Morrighan finding out. He had to be ready for when she came for him. Holding the pendant in his hand Gabriel fell asleep wondering what crazy dream or nightmare waited for him.

With a flash of light Gabriel found himself in what looked like an old observatory. It was a huge round room with three large telescopes pointing out into the night sky. At the end of each telescope were old men with large gray beards. They reminded Gabriel of Merlin, or a scientist from the 1600's. The old men were all looking through their telescopes and writing on a parchment.

The old men were not looking at what they were writing. Though their quills were frantically moving as they watched space. Their feet were chained to the telescopes as though they were slaves. Gabriel quickly came to the conclusion that he was once again dreaming. The last the he could recall was falling asleep in the attic, so it had to be a dream. Then again he was holding the pendent when he fell asleep so maybe that was the culprit.

Gabriel felt around on his neck but could not find the pendant. He searched through his pockets and still could not find them. Although he knew he was dreaming, it felt so real. Just like the other ones had been. Or just as it was when he saw Odin and his ships crash into the beech. Except in the dreams he felt even more helpless. He had no pendants as an escape, and they were so vivid that he was now horrified.

"Umm hello?" Gabriel said. The old men did not look away and continued their work. Gabriel walked up to the closest one and place his hand on the mans shoulder. As he did the quill stopped and the man was deathly still.

"Hello...Sir?" Gabriel asked the man. There was no response though. Gabriel looked down to see what the man had been writing. On the top of the parchment was drawings of the universe with many galaxies, with a shooting star. Except in replace of a star was an eyeball with flames coming from it to resemble a shooting star. The shooting eyeball was heading for a black hole. Under the drawing was writing and Gabriel looked closer so he could read it.

"No, I don't want to shoot for the stars. I want to peer into the imagination of the universe, even if it leads to black holes of nothing." After reading it Gabriel thought about it for a moment. Gabriel was not sure what it meant. To him it simply meant that maybe the man wanted to explore the universe. But Gabriel was always poor at interpreting writing, poems, and art. When Gabriel let go of the mans shoulder he went back to writing and looking through the telescope.

Gabriel walked up to the next old man to see what he was writing. There was another drawing, this one was of a human skull. Inside the skull where the brain should be was multiple galaxies. Below was another quote in massive letters.

"You don't need materials when you have an imagination as vast as the universe." After reading it Gabriel realized how true it was. Though he never really took the time to explore his imagination. It was another regret that he had. Now that he could be facing an eternity of immortality, maybe he could silence the irrelevant thoughts that imagine a wonderful world of fiction.

Gabriel walked over to the last man and looked down at his parchment. This man was drawing idea's of how to escape from his prison. Calculations of how long it would take to cut the chains. Contraptions that he could make from the telescope. Though none of them seemed very practical. Some of the calculations were unfinished or scribbled out. Below all the confused drawings and numbers was another saying.

"Everything is made up of negative and positive energy. The universe balances out its energy and is equal to nothing. We are the only being that with enough positive energy, we can equal something greater than the universe itself. Proving that something can come from nothing and positivity can create a big bang of imagination." Gabriel tried to comprehend the collision of science and philosophy. Even after reading it a few times it still confused Gabriel. He never was very good with physics, or positivity for that matter.

"Do not spend to much time in this place." The old man said turning around to Gabriel.

"What do you mean?" Gabriel said.

"You wouldn't want to be chained here in the land of dreamers." The old man said.

"And how do I prevent that?" Gabriel said.

"Don't dream." The old man said smiling. With a huge eruption Gabriel saw a massive explosion. The observatory went up in flames and instantly melted away. Gabriel could see the big bang in outer space and then darkness of space. Looking around Gabriel could see stars and galaxy's all around him. It was so spectacular. Looking down at his body he could see that he was seated on a wooden chair.

A glow of light and the sounds of a sliding door startled Gabriel. Right next to Gabriel through space was a grate the illuminated light. Gabriel could see a man on the other side crying. The view of space turned into a curtain and it was pulled away exposing the inside of a confessional. Gabriel was sitting down on one end and a crying man on the other.

"Please father forgive me!" The man pleaded. Gabriel did not even know what to say, he could only sit there and listen to the man crying.

"I am not a gentleman, I am lustfully flawed by design and unforgivable of lies. I am honestly rebellious in my journey for principle.....My conscience is in rebellion against the wicked in me." The man said weeping.

"I don't know how to help you.." Gabriel said. Just as he did the man began slapping himself and banging his head on grate like a lunatic.

"Why do you feed me to sinners. Then beg me not to eat in sin!" The man screamed punching the wall. Suddenly the man calmed down and looked into Gabriel's side of the confessional.

"Tell me this father! If I fall will god hold me up, or will my faith?" The man said with a twisted smile.

"I guess god gave you free will. So if you fall, it's up to you to get up?" Gabriel said more as a question than an answer.

"You all think you are so smart and holy. You have answers for everything don't you! But not me I won't lie to myself to feel better or fake a moment. I am a corruptible and ever changing being who is wrong more often than right." The man said.

"I think we all are." Gabriel said.

"Why do I even come here!" The man said hitting his head on the grate again.

"I regret the pains I have caused and the scars left behind. They are debts unpaid though I seek forgiveness of it every day." He said hitting his head even harder. Now blood was dripping down his forehead.

"Stop it!" Gabriel demanded.

"Why....Why should I stop, this pain is far too much for me to take." The main said.

"You have to forgive yourself, and I guess just live for love?" Gabriel said searching for words to help this deranged man.

"Hah love? Loving people are becoming extinct due to these poachers of humanity." The man said as he slammed the confessional window shut. Just as he did Gabriel woke up in the attic to the same darkness.
Chapter Twenty Six

The attic door creaked open letting light creep into the darkness that Gabriel had called home for the past two days. Gabriel had only been up for a few moments when the light of the door shined in. Looking away Gabriel covered his eye's. The light was blinding after being in the darkness for so long. Once his eye's adjusted to the light Gabriel looked down the steps from the attic door. Below was Morrighan with an impatient smile on her face, and arms crossed.

"Did you not hear me yelling for you?" Gabriel asked still angry at the fact that he was kept up there in the dark.

"I had to keep you safe. Now is not the time to let our guard down." Morrighan said looking up at Gabriel.

"Safe from who?" Gabriel said.

"You can be used as a weapon, for anyone who knows your secrets." Morrighan said.

"So I am just a weapon? A means to an end?" Gabriel said as he stepped down from the attic.

"No, I believe you are more than that. Although in the wrong hands you are just a weapon.... I think I can bring out the full potential in your curse." Morrighan said as she turned and began walking downstairs.

"Well that is comforting." Gabriel said as he followed Morrighan.

"Enough idle talk, the moon will soon rise and we will be united with my coven." Morrighan said as she walked out the front door. Looking outside Gabriel could see the wasteland of the divine. The sun was going down on one end of town while a bright full moon came up on the other end. Almost instantly it was night time. There was no preparation of a lingering sunset. It was as though someone turned natures clock ahead at an alarming speed.

"We must hurry!" Morrighan said running into the street in front of the house.

"Wait! I have a gift for you!" Gabriel shouted as he ran behind Morrighan.

"Yes?" Morrighan said stopping and turning around to Gabriel.

"Its a pendant that was given to me by a Norse god." Gabriel said pulling one of the extra pendant's Frigga gave him from his pocket. Holding it out the pendant glowed a bright red in the light of the full moon. Morrighan took the pendant and held it in her hand. After carefully inspecting it, she placed it around her neck.

"From an Norse god you say?" Morrighan said now inspecting the pedant in her hand while it is around her neck.

"Yes, it was given to me not long before I escaped from their captivity." Gabriel said looking away from Morrighan at the night sky.

"Tell me more about these Norse, while we walk." Morrighan said, now slowly walking rather than running.

"They were foul beasts, blood thirsty and ravenous." Gabriel said while he walked with Morrighan.

"So if they were so foul, why did they give you such a magnificent necklace?" Morrighan said still holding the pendant in her hand.

"Well.." Gabriel said trying to think of what to say next.

"There was one not like the others, she was very kind to me...Maybe she was infatuated with me...I am not really sure." Gabriel said.

"And what was this woman's name?" Morrighan asked.

"Her name...Oh it was Frigga.." Gabriel said worried that he had given away to much information.

"Frigga? I have heard of this Frigga, tell me more about her." Morrighan said.

"Well, she was a very large woman. Though she was very kind." Gabriel said abruptly cutting himself off.

"Was she a goddess?" Morrighan asked.

"Yes, she can see into the future." Gabriel said.

"Really? she sounds to me like a witch." Morrighan said.

"I don't know what she is, in her land she is known as a goddess." Gabriel said.

"As am I, but I am also a witch." Morrighan said.

"So how did you escape from these Norse?" Morrighan asked.

"Well...There was a cabin they were keeping me in. It was inside a land they called Asgard. Outside of the cabin was a bridge that lead over to what they call Midgard. I sneaked out one night and ran across the bridge. You see these Norse are not very smart gods..." Gabriel said as they approached the center of Axal. There in front of Gabriel was a large cauldron. It was boiling and bubbling out a green liquid. Above the liquid was a green haze that glowed in the moonlight.

"What is this?" Gabriel asked confused.

"There is no time, the moon is finishing the ritual." Morrighan said throwing her hands in the air. Then above the cauldron appeared a purple portal. Inside was the faces of the people of Axal, their mouths open as they screamed for help.

"Come we must hurry!" Morrighan said grabbing Gabriel by the arm. Morrighan ran up to the portal and jumped through. Gabriel knew now was his only chance of escape. He grabbed onto the edge of the cauldron so that Morrighan could not pull him through. His other arm went inside the portal and as it faded it began to burn as though he had stuck his arm in a fryer.

Gabriel pulled away from Morrighan with all his might. Though the pain was excruciating, and even his other hand burned as he clung on to the cauldron. Then finally the portal began to shrink and close in around his arm. He could still feel Morrighan's grip, but it to was fading.

"Nooo!" Morrighan shouted through the portal just and it finally closed. Gabriel had barely escaped and his arm was now nothing but bone. He could see every bone in his finger as though the flesh simply melted away. Sitting down Gabriel regained his energy and inspected his mutilated arm. His other hand had huge puss filled blisters from the hot cauldron.

Getting up to his feet again Gabriel could see the cauldron was now empty. Morrighan was gone and now maybe he could return to the camp outside of town. This was of course if Morrighan had not killed them with ammonia. Just the thought of their fate made Gabriels stomach burn in knots.

Gabriel began running back out of Axal and towards the camp. As he ran the pain in his hand and arm vanished, as pains in his legs and lungs took over. Then just before he reached the edge of town, Gabriel remembered the people of Axal. What was their fate, he wondered as he ran. He was now just a block from the edge of town where he passed the line of people from Axal. Now he would find their purpose in Morrighan's ritual.

Running up, Gabriel saw what their fate was. They were all laying on the ground motionless. He could see blood on them but he had hoped it was merely the blood of their sins. That only Gabriel could see, and was of no harm to them. As he got closer he realized, it was actually their blood. In their hand's and laying next to them were bloody knives, and sharp objects.

It was a mass suicide, and just an ingredient of Morrighans ritual. An entire town wiped out by one witch. They had all slit their own throats, and now lay dead. Gabriel ran along the line of bodies searching for life. But all he could find was death and blood. Off in the forest Gabriel could hear coyotes begin to howl and cry out. They could sense the dead, and were honing in on their next meal.

Gabriel ran only a short distance before he had seen enough. It was too much to bear seeing people he once knew now gone. There was nothing more Gabriel could do. Now he could only hope that the people at the camp were still alive. As Gabriel left the town, creatures of the night moved in to begin their feast of human flesh.

Gabriel ran the whole night, stopping only to briefly catch his breath. As he approached his drive way he could see an alarming site. The glow of dying flames, and the smell of fire. Once he had ran up his driveway he could see that his old house was now a pile of ash. Something or someone had torched the place, but why?

Wasting no time Gabriel ran into the woods and began searching for the camp. It seemed almost impossible since Gabriel could hardly remember the direction that it was in. The sun rose in the sky and Gabriel began to wounder if he was simply running around in circles. There was no sign's of the camp, or the cliff's and now he began to think he was lost.

"Why didn't I just take the path to the cliffs. Then I could have followed them down to the camp!" Gabriel said to himself. In his rush he did not think it would be so hard to find. But the forest was lush and thick. He spent the rest of the morning and into the afternoon searching for the cliff. Until finally he found a meadow. The tree line on the other side of the meadow bellowed back smoke. Gabriel ran through the meadow and towards the direction of the black smoke.

It was the rebel camp of heaven's abominations. The make shift huts were burnt to the ground, and people laid dead around the camp. Gabriel's heart sank as he came up to the camp. Morrighan had not killed them, but something else had. Body's were torn into and blood and gore was all around the village. Heaven's abominations were finally set free.

Running through the camp Gabriel searched for Tiffany. As he ran through the village a woman held her hand up to Gabriel. One of her legs had been torn off, and blood ran down from her lips. She was beyond Gabriel's help. Even a modern medical facility would have a hard time saving the woman. Her skin was pale and stained with bloodshed.

"Heee....Help me." The woman said coughing up blood.

"What happened!" Gabriel said reaching his hand out to grab hers. The moment his hand met hers, Gabriel was thrown into hell's waiting room. Darkness was all Gabriel could see, and he knew all too well what was happening. All Gabriel wanted to do was find Tiffany, but now he was stuck in the woman's sinful past.

"Shit!" Gabriel shouted as he found himself in a bedroom. On the bed was an older woman with needle laying next to her. She had a tourniquet still around her arm. She was pale and foaming from the mouth. On the other side of the bed was the young woman Gabriel touched hands with in the village.

"Momma!" The girl cried as she shook her dead mother back and fourth on the bed. Tears ran down her eyes as she tried to revive her mom. A young boy walked into the room. All he he had on was a diaper, and he was covered in dirt. The boy probably had just started walking. He looked on as the young woman tried to revive her mother.

"KNOCK KNOCK" A loud thud hit the front door. The young woman wiped the tears from her eye's and walked out into the living area. Gabriel followed and there were two young girls laying on mattresses in the living room. There were no furniture or TV's, just dirt, mattresses and dishes on the floor. The young woman cracked open the door and looked out. She did not remove the chain lock, as though it would protect her from an intruder.

"Is your mother here?" A geeky looking man asked.

"No she is not here." The young woman said shutting the door. The man put his foot in the crack though so she could not close it.

"You tell her if rent isn't paid by tomorrow then you guys are out of here! She has not paid a penny in three months!" The man said as he removed his foot from the door. The young woman shut the door, as she did tears ran down her face once more. Turning around she walked back into the bedroom where her mother was. The toddler boy now had the syringe in his hand and was playing with it.

"Charlie NO!" The woman said as she took it from the boys hand.

"Momma?" The boy said pointing at the dead woman on the bed.

"Come on Charlie go play with your sisters." The woman said as she carried Charlie out of the room. She closed the door behind her and walked out to the living room. Gabriel watched as the young woman gave the kids cereal without milk for dinner. Then she tucked the kids in under torn blankets. Before bed they all held their hand's together and said a prayer.

"God? I don't know if you can hear us. I know I haven't been the best....But please god, please don't split my family up. Let me stay here with my brother and sisters. I know I can take care of them with your help god. Please bless us, and welcome our mother to heaven with open arms. I know she was not the best of servants, but she had a big heart. She had her fault's, and her demons to face. Tell her we love her, and that we will be alright. Please god, let us be alright....Amen" The young woman said as tear ran down her face.

"Amen" The other children said.

"Is momma really in heaven?" One of the girls asked crying.

"Yes, she is in a better place. But you can't tell anyone or they will take us away!" The young woman said.

"Amber I am scared!" The little girl said crying. Amber went over and held her sister. The other girl and boy got up from their mattresses and went over to Amber. She held her brother and sisters until they fell asleep from crying. Gabriel's eye's were watery but no tears fell. He had seen so many nightmares locked away in society's closet. This one was heart wrenching, yet all he could think about was Tiffany.

Amber got up and put the children in their beds. Their little heads drooped from her arms. She did not look old enough for the task ahead of her. But she had to grow up fast with a drug addict for a mother. It was clear that she was already raising her family. Once the children were all in their beds she walked over to the door. She took one look back to make sure the children were asleep.

Walking out into the bright lights of the apartments hallway, Gabriel followed Amber. They had not walked but a few doors down and amber knocked on a door. After knocking for a few moments Amber turned to walk away. Then the door cracked open and a tall man in his briefs peered out. He looked as though he had just woke up and squinted his eyes to the light.

"Amber?" The man said.

"Jerome, it's my mom.." Amber said.

"Oh no.... What happened now?" The man said with an irritated look on his face.

"She....She's dead!" Amber shouted as tears started falling again.

"Come on, come inside." Jerome said as he opened the door and turned into the apartment. Amber followed him in and once inside Jerome put his arm around her and hugged her. She buried her head into his chest and she started crying harder. Strangely Gabriel could see a smile on Jerome' face. It made Gabriels stomach turn and he felt nauseous.

"I am so sorry Amber." Jerome said.

"I....I don't wanna lose my family!" Amber said hysterically.

"Did you call the cops?" Jerome asked.

"NO!" Amber shouted.

"Okay, it's going to be okay!" Jerome said with a bigger smile.

"How is it going to be okay? They will put us in a home." Amber said pulling away from Jerome. As she did the smile dropped from his face to a concerned frown.

"Where is she now?" Jerome asked.

"In her room." Amber said.

"Alright I know a place where we can take her." Jerome said as he grabbed his coat and clothes off his couch. Gabriel looked around the apartment. Pictures of nude women lined his walls. He had nice leather couches and a huge entertainment system. It was clear to Gabriel that Jerome was a womanizer and had money. Gabriel did not want to know how Jerome was able to buy leather furniture in a ghetto apartment.

Jerome put his clothes and coat on and headed into his kitchen. Jerome grabbed a box of trash bags and closed the cupboard. More tears ran down Amber's face, she knew what the trash bags were for. She stared blankly at Jerome who was now wide awake. He opened another cupboard and began going through it.

"Is there blood?" Jerome asked.

"No.....I think she overdosed but I am not sure. There was a needle next to the bed and she is very pale." Amber said.

"And you are sure she is dead?" Jerome asked as he closed the cupboard.

"I....I don't know for sure.." Amber said thinking very hard.

"Alright..." Jerome said with a sigh.

"Lets go kid." Jerome said as he put his arm around Amber.

"Wait let me go pull the car up to the entrance. We are going to have to put her in the trunk." Jerome said walking out the door.

"Just be ready to move fast." Jerome said in a hurry.

"Okay but we have to be quite, the kids are asleep." Amber said. Jerome just nodded his head as he walked down the hallway. Gabriel followed Amber as she walked back to her apartment. She walked in the door and could see the children were still sleeping. She quietly walked into the back room and opened the door. Her mom was still in the same spot and changing colors.

It wasn't long before Jerome came in the room. He walked over to the bed and checked for a pulse. Jerome just shook his head and laid her hand back down on the bed. Jerome wrapped the blanket on the bed around the woman. Then he pulled out the trash bags and placed one over her head. Then one over her legs. Jerome scooped the woman up in his arms. His face instantly turned red and his back stiffened up. He nodded his head towards the door and walked out of the room.

"Okay you have to scout and make sure no one is in the hall." He whispered to Amber. It was clear that he was struggling with the body. But Amber did as he asked and she peered into the hallway. A couple of drunks stumbled past her.

"Hey honey!" One of the men said winking at her. It did not phase her though, and she just watched as they walked into an apartment.

"K it's clear." Amber said, just as she did Jerome quickly walked out with the woman. Amber took one last look at the kids and then locked the door as she followed Jerome. Amber ran ahead to open the door for Jerome. Once it was open Jerome ran for the open trunk and dumped the woman inside.

"Get in." Jerome said as he slammed the trunk shut. Amber ran around and jumped in the passenger seat. Gabriel quickly followed and got in the back. He knew what would happen if he did not stick close to Amber. Jerome jumped in and started driving. At first there was minutes of an awkward silence.

"I am soo sorry Amber." Jerome said.

"It's okay, it was her choice and she always chose the drugs over us. I love her, but I hate her!" Amber said smacking the glove box with her hand.

"Thank you so much for helping me Jerome, I don't know how I will ever repay you." Amber said as they drove through the ghetto. They passed bum's and drunks who walked through the streets like zombies.

"Its no problem, I couldn't sleep anyways."Jerome said.

"So where are we going?" Amber asked as she looked out the window.

"I know a place where they won't find her. But it's gonna be a long night." Jerome said as he turned down a dark street. They were still in the city and Gabriel could see the light of sky scrapers over some tree's. They had pulled into an empty parking lot near a park with a big lake. Next to the parking lot were paddle boats with chains around them so no one could steal them. A sign read, "Boat rentals, four hours for ten dollars. Or twenty for the whole day." Next to the sign was a wooden booth to collect the money.

Jerome got out of the car and popped open the trunk. He grabbed a pair of bolt cutters and headed over to the boats. It seemed as though he had done this before. Gabriel and Amber got out and followed him. He cut the pad lock that chained all the boats together. He then threw the large chain in the back of one of the boats.

"Ever been on a paddle boat?" Jerome asked.

"No." Amber said shaking her head.

"It's really simple, I will show you. But first we need to get your mother on the boat." Jerome said as he pulled the boat down near the water.

"Hey find me some large rocks while I get your mother." Jerome said as he walked towards the car. Amber went along the shore line rounding up rocks. She was shivering and had no coat. The cool lake air was even too much for Gabriel. Gabriel rubbed his hands together and crossed his arms. The lights from the sky scrapers shined on the dark waters of the lake. The lake was massive, and a risky place to dump a body.

It was right in the middle of the city, and someone had to have been watching. But then again everyone knows what happens to people who talk. They end up in the lake as well so its for their own good to look away. Gabriel wanted to since he could already see how this would end. This was much like Ashley's, and Tiffany's story. They start out young and with nothing to lose. So humanity takes everything from their poor souls.

Along the beach were little gum ball machines. But instead of gumballs there was fish feed. With sign's that read "Feed the catfish!" It was an eerie thing to read. Since that would be what happened to her mother. She was about to be fish food. By the time Amber came back with the last rocks she could find, Jerome had her mother on the ground. He had removed the trash bags and was filling them with rocks.

Grabbing the rocks from Amber he stuffed the last bag with rocks. Then he wrapped the chain around Amber's mother. After that he quickly tied the trash bags of rocks to the chain. It didn't look like it would stay on her. But it most likely did not matter, as long as it held her down for long enough for the fish to have their feast.

"Okay help me get her on the boat." Jerome said as he grabbed the woman's upper portion. Amber grabbed her mothers legs and with a huge strain they got her in the boat. A vein rippled out of Amber's neck as she struggled to get her in the boat. Amber was by no means a big woman, she was maybe 5'2 and 110 pounds. Just a frail little thing finding herself in a cobweb of life. They got in the boat which had only two seats. The back had an area for coolers though. Which is where Amber's mother now was, and Gabriel had to sit back there as well. Jerome pushed the the boat into the water and got in as well.

"I am sorry! How rude of me, are you cold?" Jerome asked.

"Its okay I'm fine." Amber said shivering.

"Here take my coat." Jerome said as he wrapped his coat around Amber. It was shortly followed by his arm.

"Okay so what you do is just peddle like a bike. When we want to turn one way, we peddle on the opposite side." Jerome said as he started peddling.

"Easy enough." Amber said as she too paddled. They had only made it a short distance and it was clear Jerome was peddling harder. The boat was starting to turn around.

"You have to peddle harder, we don't have all night to mess around!" Jerome said frustrated.

"Okay I am sorry, I am peddling as hard as I can!" Amber said. Jerome retracted his arm as he looked angry, but just bit down on his lip.

"Now we need to get to the middle of the lake. Out there is the deepest and at this rate it will be morning by the time we get there." Jerome said, but Amber just remained silent and peddled as hard as she could. As they moved towards the middle Jerome seemed to grow even more impatient, until finally he stopped peddling.

"Okay we will just have to throw her out here." Jerome said in a non sensitive manner.

"Ohh...okay.." Amber said as tears came down again.

"Come on no time for tears right now. You can cry later, right now we need to finish what you started." Jerome said. Gabriel cringed when he heard him say what "You" started.

"Now be very careful we can easily tip this thing over and I cannot swim." Jerome said as he crawled over the seat and into the back. Amber slowly followed him and took one last look at her mother.

"On three...One...Two...Three." Jerome said as they pushed her into the lake. It wasn't the normal funeral speech. But it was no more than she deserved for abandoning her children for poison. She splashed into the lake and then vanished into the depths below. Amber just looked over the edge and watched her mom vanish.

They turned around and started the journey back to the shore. It was clear that Amber was tired of paddling and was completely emotionally drained. She looked off at the sky scrapers with a numb look in her eyes. In one day her whole world had been turned upside down. In Gabriel's eye's she looked like wounded prey. Now the predators would circle in and devourer her, like they did so many others. This world was not for the weak, or innocent, you are either predator or prey.

The city around her was simply a swarm of piranha's. Her tears were blood, and now they were coming in for the kill. The watery grave of her mother was just the start to the nightmares ahead. Gabriel sat in the back, knowing what came next. Feelings of empathy came over him, but he knew it would be crushed by sadness.

They made it back to the shore and got back in the vehicle. The ride back through the dark streets was a silent one. The piranhas of bums, drunks, and drug dealers looked inside at her. It was as though they could see into her soul. Theirs was black and corrupted and hers was bleeding out into the night. Jerome once again put his arm around Amber.

"I don't know what I am going to do now.." Amber said. Jerome remained silent and just looked at the road ahead of him.

"If I don't have rent, they are going to evict us." Amber said looking at Jerome.

"Heh, well I can spot you some money. How far behind are you?" Jerome asked still looking at the road.

"Three months.." Amber said.

"Holy shit girl, three months?!" Jerome said frustrated.

"I know I don't know what we are going to do." Amber said as they pulled into the parking lot of the apartments. Jerome pulled out a wad of cash and started counting hundred dollar bills.

"Here this will buy you time, stop by my house tomorrow afternoon and we will figure out a job for you." Jerome said. Amber took the cash and then latched onto Jerome and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you sooo much, I owe you my life!" Amber said as she let go and got out of the car. In the blink of an eye Gabriel was in hells waiting room of darkness. He took the moment to prepare his mind for what was to come. He tried to detach himself from emotions so that whatever he might see would not be as painful to watch. Gabriel found himself sitting on Jerome's leather couch. Amber and Jerome were both sitting down as well.

"So you know how I gave you that money for rent?" Jerome said.

"Yeah?" Amber said.

"Well, nothing in life is free you know that right?" Jerome said looking at Amber.

"I know..." Amber said looking down at the floor.

"Here come over here." Jerome said holding out his arms. Amber got up and walked over and sat down on Jerome's lap. Jerome began caressing her body and kissing her neck. At first Amber pulled away but Jerome gave her a stern look. Jerome was looking to collect on his debt. Amber did not look like she was into what was happening but she stopped resisting.

Jerome undressed Amber and began having sex with her. Gabriel looked away and could only hear the disgust in the room. Trying to be any place but there Gabriel's mind drifted back to Tiffany. Was she alive, captive, or dead? The worst thoughts began running through his mind. There was no place for Gabriel to hide. He could either face the fact that Tiffany could be dead, or give in to his curse. Accepting the horrifying thing that was happening in the room.

Amber's face was expressionless, she numbly looked up at the ceiling. Jerome continued to ravish her as she looked up at the white ceiling. She was doing the same thing Gabriel was. Trying to be any place but right there, with him. Sex had become not a pleasure, but a commodity to be sold. It was all that Amber had to give, and Jerome knew it.

"You on the pill?" Jerome called out.

"Na....No" Amber said looking to the side. Finally Jerome stopped and got up. Leaving Amber naked and exposed on the bed. Jerome turned and walked into a back room. As he did tears started running down Amber's face. It had sunk in what just happened to her. She was paid to be raped, and Jerome was a rapist.

"Here take one of these every day, starting now." Jerome said throwing a bottle of pills at her. Amber grabbed them and took one without water.

"None of that crying shit, it's time to grow up." Jerome said as he grabbed her clothes and threw them at her. Amber began getting dressed and Jerome sat down and watched.

"Now on to business, you got a cell phone?" Jerome asked.

"Nope, we don't have any phone." Amber said as she put on her bra. Jerome opened up his coffee table and pulled out a cell phone.

"Here take this one." Jerome said handing it to her.

"Whats it for?" Amber asked with a frown.

"Well you know how I said I would get you a job?" Jerome said.

"Yes?" Amber said putting the phone in her pocket.

"Alright, sit down I will explain how it works." Jerome said. Amber hesitated for a second and looked at the door.

"Go out it!" Gabriel shouted, but it was no use. Amber sat down and looked at the wall in front of her.

"Now look at me when I talk to you!" Jerome demanded.

"Okay I am sorry! It's just that....That was my first.." Amber said as tears welled in her eye's.

"I know it was.." Jerome said without remorse. Amber looked at him and wiped the tears from her eye's.

"Alright now, you work for me got it?" Jerome said pointing at her. Amber just numbly shook her head.

"Other people will promise you many things, but at the end of the day only I can protect you. Not the cops, not your friends, or the people I send you to. You don't do anything with the money but bring it right back to me. Now if you decide to fuck with me, I will have them put you and your brother, and your sisters in a home. Got it?" Jerome said in a stern voice.

"Yes I got it, but I don't know what you want me to do." Amber said confused.

"I will get to that but first you gotta know the rules of this game. I make the rules, and you follow them. If I say jump you better say how fucking high Jerome. K!? Jerome shouted.

"Okay!" Amber shouted back with rolled eye's.

"Now I am serious here. This business I am in is a deadly one. Without me you will end up dead. No girl can make it out there on here own. The streets are a nasty place for the weak. But I'm gonna toughen you up and make a woman out of you. I will make your dreams come true and you will be able to take care of your family." Jerome said pausing.

"I know I am being hard on you. But I am doing this so you can survive. So that your brother and sisters can stick together." Jerome said.

"I...I know, I should be more grateful." Amber said looking down at the floor.

"You're damn right you should be. But know I am not a person to be fucked with....Now how this works is when I call you, your ass better be ready. We get really busy at night and even during the day. I got three girls working for me and I am a busy man. So don't keep me waiting, or our customers waiting. So what do you do when I call?" Jerome said

"Be ready?" Amber said.

"Be mother fuckin ready..We will get you some sexy clothes and underwear. Cause that shit you are wearing now is the same shit my grandma wore. You will wear what I buy you all the time. So that when I come you are in the parking lot waiting." Jerome said.

"So what is it I gotta do after you pick me up?" Amber said.

"I will get to that, just hear me out here. Now you will keep clean, wear make up, do your hair, and I don't want no marks on your face or body. If I find out you are doing drugs or abusing your body then you will pay for it. Now most of the time you will be working in a hotel. I will wait until you are done then you will give me everything that our customer gives you. You treat our customers like they are a fucking king. We want them to come back for more, and in this business customer service is king." Jerome said as he opened the coffee table again. Jerome pulled out a bag of assorted condoms and threw them over to Amber.

"Now you let them choose one of those. I don't care if you are sucking dick, or being fucked in the ass. You make them put one of those on. I can't afford to have you getting knocked up by some john. Once they got that thing on you give them anything they want. I don't want to hear no bullshit about you not wanting to do what our customers want." Jerome said.

"So I am going to be a prostitute?" Amber asked with a disgusted look.

"No bitch, you are going to be a sex worker. There is nothing wrong with it and it's a billion dollar industry. Or you can get the fuck out and figure out your own shit!?" Jerome said pointing at the door.

"No, I will do it. I am sorry this is just all new to me you know?" Amber said.

"Yes I know but you can't look at it as filthy. This is a luxurious career, and I have helped out many women. If you play by my rules and follow my instruction you will be fine. The guys won't hurt you and I will make sure of it." Jerome said.

"So how do I do it?" Amber asked.

"Well it ain't rocket science, just let them fuck you and act like you enjoy it. Do just as you did with me but show some passion. Moan and groan, beg them to fuck you, make them believe that you want them. That's really all you gotta do, it's really simple." Jerome said.

"Alright I think I got it." Amber said unsure of herself.

"Good now lets get you some clothes." Jerome said getting up from the couch. Just as he got up Gabriel found himself back in darkness.
Chapter Twenty Seven

Gabriel now found himself sitting on the curb in the parking lot. The sun was going down over the buildings in front of him. Looking around Gabriel could see Amber sitting next to him on the curb. She was transformed into a beacon of sexuality. She had on a red, low cut dress, with long black stockings. Her hair was in pig tails, and thick makeup plastered her face. Perfume radiated off of her in the evenings breeze.

Jerome quickly pulled up and Amber got in the car. Gabriel quickly jumped in and Jerome was pulling away before Gabriel was even in the car. Luckily he had just enough time to get in though. Jerome was blaring some rap music and driving very fast. Jerome turned the music down and looked over at Amber.

"You ready for your first john?" Jerome asked.

"John?" Amber asked confused.

"John is the code word we use for our customers. The men that you will be fucking." Jerome said.

"Ohh, yeah I guess so.." Amber said looking out the passenger window.

"You will be alright, the first week will be rough. But then you will be a professional sex worker." Jerome said.

"So do I get the money before or after?" Amber asked.

"After.... This guy knows the rates. It's sixty bucks every thirty minutes for everything. If they only want a blow job it's thirty bucks. Any weird fetish shit is an extra twenty. Oh and I almost forgot don't let them kiss you on the lips." Jerome said. Amber just remained silent and looked out the window. Gabriel wondered why kissing on the lips was taboo. Yet giving up everything else was perfectly fine. It seemed absurd. Jerome pulled up into a run down motel in the ghetto.

"Room 15" Jerome said as he put the car in park.

"Okay..." Amber said sighing.

"Don't worry I will be right here, and this John knows you are new to the business." Jerome said as Amber got out. Gabriel followed her as she searched for room 15. Amber gently knocked on the door and a man peeked through the curtains. After the sounds of the locks turning, the door opened. The man was in a suit and tie. He looked to be in his sixty's and had gray hair that was balding.

"Come on in." The man said. Amber and Gabriel walked in the motel room. The walls had holes and scratch marks on them. It was a strange place for a business man but a high end hotel might raise more alarms.

"What's your name dear?" The man asked.

"Am....Amanda." Amber said.

"Well Amanda, I am John." The man said smiling.

"So John what do you want?" Amber asked.

"Well lets just start on the bed...Go ahead and take off your clothes." John said. Amber began striping down as the man watched.

"Slower." John said. Amber slowed down and turned to face John. She did not look him in the eye's though and just looked at the ground. John began undoing his belt and threw it on the floor. Once Amber was undressed John grabbed her and threw her on the bed. John held her hand above her head with one hand and pulled down his pants with the other. He started kissing her neck and then moved to the lips. Once he did Amber quickly turned away. Johns face turned red and it was clear that he was hoping for a kiss on the lips.

"Wait, here pick a condom." Amber said pointing at her purse. John went over and pulled one out and put it on.

Gabriel turned away and looked at the door as John began screwing Amber. Every once and awhile she would make a unconvincing moan. There was pain in the moan though rather than pleasure. Luckily it was all over very fast and Amber put her clothes on. John handed her a hand full of bills.

"Thanks Amber you did well." The man said smiling.

"I thought I told you it was Amanda?" Amber said counting the bills.

"Oh right Amanda." The man said still smiling. Once Amber was dressed she left the room. Gabriel followed her out and once outside she searched for Jerome's car. It was no where to be found though so Amber went and sat down on a stairwell. She just looked up at the night sky and waited. Time passed as people came and went, but Jerome was still no place to be found. The man could have raped and killed her and he would not have been there. Finally after a few hours Jerome pulled up and they walked over and got in the car.

"The money?" Jerome said holding out his hand. Amber gave him all the money the man gave her.

"Dammit only thirty minutes?" Jerome said counting the money.

"Yeah...Where were you?" Amber said frowning.

"Sorry had to drop off another girl. But I knew you would be alright with him. He is a regular customer of mine and I take all the new girls to him." Jerome said.

"So whats my cut?" Amber asked.

"Bitch I paid your rent, or did you forget?" Jerome said as he speed out of the motel parking lot. Amber just looked out the window off into space.

"The way I see it is this. You owe me for the clothes, perfume, condoms, hair product, and the rent. But if you want I can buy you grocery's for the kids. Other than that you got a debt to pay." Jerome said as he drove to another place to drop Amber off at. Things went black and Gabriel found himself waiting for the next glimpse of horror from Amber's life.

Now he found himself in Jerome's car once again. Another prostitute was sitting next to him and Amber sat in the front. Amber looked different though, older and more torn. The car smelled like an old brothel and cigarettes. The prostitute next to Gabriel was much older than Amber. Most likely in her late thirty's and she puffed on a cigarette.

"So this guy paid for the whole night. He said he is having a bachelor party for his friend so you girls are going to have a busy night." Jerome said as he pulled into the same cheap motel. The girls got out and Amber looked back at Jerome.

"Room?" Amber asked.

"Oh 15." Jerome said smiling. Amber turned and followed the other woman to the room.

"I will pick you up in the morning!" Jerome shouted as he drove away. The other woman knocked on the door and a middle aged man in a wife beater opened the door.

"Well howdy, come on in!" The man said. They walked into the room and there were two other men inside. They looked like they came off some farm in the swamp. The room stunk and their clothes were tattered. They all were in their late forty's with full beards and rotten teeth. One man had a huge wad of chew hanging in his lip.

"Well lets get to it!" One man said getting up with a rope in his hand.

"Hands behind your backs lady's!" The man who opened the door said. Amber and the other woman reluctantly turned around and put their hands behind their backs. The man tied their hands and feet up and then pushed them onto the bed. Then two men quickly muffled both of the women.

"Heymmmph" Amber tried to scream at the men but couldn't.

"Oh we got ourselves a fighter!" One man said as he back handed Amber in the face. Amber just closed her eyes as a tear ran down her red cheek. The men blind folded the women and another man looked outside.

"Alright I will get the van." Another man said as he walked out the door. A white work van pulled up in the parking spot in front of the Motel.

"Lets do this quick!" One man said as he grabbed Amber by the hair and dragged her out to the van. Gabriel followed behind in disgust. His heart ached for Amber and all that lead up to this horrible point in her life. The man dragged her into the van, while the other man dragged the other woman. The van door slid shut and the man driving sped off.

The other two men stayed in the back and beat the women whenever they would move. One man poured a beer all over Amber's face.

"Aww don't be wasting my beer on that cunt!" The driver said. Gabriel had seen enough and moved to the front seat. They were driving outside of the city and turned down a dirt road. The city lights faded out of view behind massive willow tree's. After driving down the road awhile they came up to a beat up trailer home. There were massive pig barns off to the side of the mobile home. It looked as though the pigs were living better than the people in the house.

The men drug the women into the mobile home. Gabriel followed behind and looked up at the stars. The whole drive the men beat on the women and it was starting to show. The smell of pigs tainted the night air in more ways than one. Once inside they pulled the women into a bedroom and started stripping them down.

Gabriel sat in the hallway as he listened to the men beat and rape the women. It went on almost forever and the beatings were endless. Anger brewed in Gabriel but he knew it had already been done. Nothing he could do would change the corruption of the past. The more he seen the cruelty of sex ravenous men, the more he despised being a man.

"Alright guy's well have a good night, I will drop them off in an alley like usual." One man said as the other two walked out of the room. They left the house and Gabriel could hear their vehicles roar to life. Their headlights shined through the windows and then vanished. Gabriel dared to look in the room to see the carnage that was done.

Amber was bloody and beaten. Bruises covered her skin and blood covered the mattress on the floor. The man watched the window as his so called friends drove off into the night. Once they were gone he turned to the women and smiled. He removed the gag from the one woman's mouth. As soon as he did she spit blood and teeth out at him.

"Fuck you pig!" The woman yelled. The man remained silent and went over to an old dresser. Gabriel stepped into the room to see what he was doing. Inside the dresser was an assortment of sex toys and he shuffled through them. He opened another drawer and there was an assortment of knifes. Mostly kitchen knifes stained with blood.

Turning around Gabriel went for the door. But it was now shut and locked, he was trapped in the room. Forced to see what the sick and twisted man was about to do. As he grabbed a skinning knife Gabriel started to throw up. He curled up on the dirt floor and started puking.

"Go ahead asshole do the world a favor!" The woman courageously shouted at the man.

"AHHHMMMHH" Amber cried into her muffle but no words came out. Laying on the floor Gabriel could hear the cries of the other woman as he began cutting into her. It was a slow and agonizing death. The man made small cuts down to the bone all over her body. Until finally she had bled to death. The man turned to Amber and started making the same cuts all over her arms and then he stopped.

"I think I will keep you for awhile." The man said laughing. Gabriel wanted to grab the man and slit his throat with his own knife. But all he could do was curl up on the floor and try to drown the suffering out. The man turned and left the room and then came back with a meat hook in his hand. With a sudden thrust he drove it into the dead woman's back.

"The pigs are going to eat good tonight!" The man said laughing at Amber. Dragging the woman out of the room the man shut the door. Leaving Amber in the silence of a murder scene. Gabriel got up and looked at Amber.

"I am so sorry, I wish I could save you." Gabriel said crying. Amber's arms were all sliced up from the knife. The man made a mistake though and the knife was still on the bed. Amber tried to get it in her hands but the were tied too tightly. Wincing in pain she tried to rub the ropes over the knife. She could hardly move though after the beating she had taken.

Gabriel was worried about how much blood she had already lost. She needed immediate medical attention and even if she could escape she had a long ways to town. After many hours though she finally cut her hands free. With the knife in her hand she painstakingly cut herself free. Getting up from the bed she tried to walk but just stumbled over into the wall.

Gabriel could not believe she even made it that far in her condition. With her last bit of energy she slid the window open and knocked out the screen. The night was one of the darkest Gabriel had ever seen. Somehow though Amber pulled herself out the window and fell to the ground below. Gabriel climbed out the window behind her. Amber was a smart girl and hung on to the knife with a death grip.

Amber slowly climbed to her feet and began stumbling away from the trailer. She tried to run but only fell down. So slowly and painstakingly she walked through the forest. Gabriel followed behind her, waiting for her to collapse and fall to her death. To his surprise she kept going until finally she made it to a highway. Then walked a short distance until headlights appeared from behind them.

Gabriel's heart sank as he and Amber turned around. Amber waved her hand at the car but it sped past them. Then the brake lights came on and an older couple jumped out of the car and ran over to help Amber.

"Ohhh my god what happened!" The old woman shouted. Amber dropped the skinning knife and they carried her over to the car. Amber tried to speak but the words came out in incoherent mumbles. Darkness came over Gabriel and now he found himself in the middle of a court room. Amber now healed from her assault and was on one end of the room. While the man who tried to kill her sat at the other end. The jury were being shown pictures of the murder weapon and Amber's wounds.

That appeared to be the only evidence that could be found of the attack. The jury and people in the court room looked at Amber. Not as one would look at a woman, but as a lying piece of trash. Gabriel could not believe the way they were looking at her. The man who attacked her got up and went over to testify. Amber's lawyer got up and walked over to ask him questions about what happened.

"Scott, can you tell me and the court what happened that night." The lawyer said.

"I don't know how she came to be the way she was in the pictures. We had a huge bachelor party going that night and we hired her to be a stripper. We all had been drinking.." Scott said.

"Who is we can you tell us who all was there?" The lawyer asked.

"Well it was my brothers bachelor party, I know it was him and my friend Billy. Other than that it was a lot of people that I didn't even know. Friend's of friend's and that sort of thing." Scott said.

"Okay so you don't really know who was at the bachelor party?" The lawyer said.

"Ehhh no I don't recall, I was very drunk that night." Scott said.

"So you wouldn't recall if you had raped and murdered Lesly Ashton, or raped and attempted to murder ms Amber Archelleta?" The lawyer asked.

"I object!" Scott's lawyer said jumping from his seat. Suddenly Gabriel found himself in darkness and then right back in the court room standing in front of the jury.

"We the jury find Scott Anthony Billunions not guilty." One of the jurors said as he sat back down in his seat. Gabriel could not believe how fucked up the legal system was. Sex workers had absolutely no protection from predators. While laws enabled them to beat, rape, and rob woman. They knew that if they went to the police then the sex worker would be arrested rather than the predator.

Darkness fell back over and things began to flash before Gabriel's eyes. He could not believe that sick man got away with murder. The people in the court room were treating Amber like she was the criminal. Now Gabriel found himself in some type of law office. Amber was sitting in a chair next to him with tears in her eye's.

"Hello Amber." A man said walking in the room. Amber remained silent and slouched down in her chair. The man opened up a large file and began flipping through it.

"So it says here you do not know what happened to your mother?" The man asked.

"No." Amber said.

"What did she just disappear?" The man said sitting back in his chair.

"One night she was there, the next she was gone. Everyone knew she had a drug problem." Amber said.

"How long has she been missing?" The man asked.

"I don't know only about a week." Amber said.

"Well....That's not what your sisters said. They said she has been in heaven for a long time now." The man said frowning.

"They are just confused little girls." Amber said looking away from the man.

"You know if you cooperate with me I can help you." The man said.

"Yeah that's what all men want to do, help me heh." Amber said sighing. The man flipped through some more files.

"You know you are looking at going to jail for prostitution. I think we can keep you out of jail if you testify against Jerome." The man said.

"What about my brother and sisters?" Amber said looking back at the man.

"Well they will be placed in the foster system." The man said looking down at the file. Amber started to cry and weep as Gabriel's vision filled with darkness. Now Gabriel was sitting in a jail cell with Amber. Sounds of footsteps on the concrete floor came up behind him. It was a prison guard and he removed his hat.

"Amber I am sorry to inform you. But the tests came back and you are HIV positive." The guard said as Gabriel's vision turned to darkness again. Now he was sitting in a hospital and Amber was in the hospital bed. She looked as though she was maybe eighty pounds and beads of sweat rolled down her face. The heart monitor rang out Amber's freedom. Doctors and nurses ran in the room, they tried to revive her but nothing could be done.

Gabriel looked at one of her arms hanging off the hospital bed. He thought about all that had happened to her and all the other abused women in his life. He thought about how man's rage should never fall on a woman's skin. Her scars are from a primitive coward who understands nothing of love. Just as Gabriel was thinking about how sick this world and men are, Cain walked into the room smiling. She was now one more victim of heavens abominations.

Darkness came back over Gabriel and he found himself back in the forest holding Amber's hand. She was pleading for his help and her eye's begged him for mercy.

"Kill me!" Amber pleaded as tears fell from Gabriel's eyes. How could he do it, he was not a murderer like them. But then how could he possibly turn his back and leave her there to suffer.

"Amber.....I am going to set you free okay?" Gabriel said wanting more confirmation from Amber.

"Kill....Me." Amber said again with a fading voice. Turning around Gabriel could see a spear from one of the men in the village. Gabriel picked it up with trembling hands and turned around to amber. Looking down at her he could see that she was dead again.

"Amber? Amber?" Gabriel cried out as he dropped the spear.

"Well I hope you are finally free of this hell. I hope that even heaven does not take you. Heaven and god is not good enough for you. They left you here to suffer and you didn't deserve any of this." Gabriel said as he turned and walked away. Gabriel had not walked very far when he saw what he had been dreading. It was Tiffany with Albemlech by her side.

They both lay dead in the village. Gabriel's cries turned to sobbing as he held Tiffany's cold hand in his. She too was free of all of her suffering, while Gabriel's seemed to only continue on. After weeping next to Tiffany's corpse Gabriel looked around. Her pendant was missing from her neck and he knew whoever killed her had it. The sounds of an army running erupted from behind him. The ground shook as he turned around to see what was coming for him. It was a trap, a way to lure Gabriel back into Apollyon's webs of misery.

Foul abominations of Apollyon's legion were charging after him from the other end of the village. For a moment Gabriel felt like just laying down next to Tiffany and letting the demons take him. Though his hatred for them was now beyond his will to give in or die. Gabriel wanted to see Apollyon destroyed more now than ever.

Bursting to his feet Gabriel started to run away from the demons. He knew there was no place to go but why give up without a fight. Just as he reached the cliff side Gabriel stopped and turned to face the legion. They were only feet away from him and Gabriel took one fatal step back. Falling from the cliff side Gabriel looked up and a smile cracked through his tear filled face.

Most of the foul creatures followed him over the edge of the cliff and they were falling to their graves. Though some of them stopped at the edge of the cliff. But Gabriel had another small victory over Apollyon and it was enough to keep going. Gabriel waited to feel the impact of the river below and closed his eyes. Instead he felt the sudden jolt of claws rip into him. Could it be one of the demon's he thought opening his eye's.

It wasn't the demons but a familiar sight. The angel of death, or at least that's what Gabriel assumed it was. She carried him just as she had before when he refused to see the sins. Now she carried him from the demon's that had made their way to Axal. Gabriel was relieved that he did not crash into the river and jagged rocks below.

Although now he was just confused. Who was this angel of death's allegiance to and why did she take him. Could she be taking him to Apollyon, or maybe one of the kingdoms. Or did death have her own agenda for Gabriel. Her huge black wings sprawled out over the forest below. Her shadow hovered through the tops of tree's.

They flew over desolate forest for miles, going deeper and deeper into the unknown. Then finally she started to fly towards the forest below. She had carried him to an open meadow and dropped him near a old gate. There was nothing there and they were in the middle of no where. But here in the meadow was this strange gate.

"What is this place?" Gabriel asked turning around. The angel of death was flying away in the distance. Could this be....Heaven Gabriel thought turning around and taking in the beautiful sight.
**Chapter Twenty Eight**

Walking through the field Gabriel's mind began creating painful friction. His mind filled with the thought of Tiffany, and what happened to her. Tears were still running down his face as he collapsed to the ground. His fingers clinched to the dirt as he tried to squeeze out his pain. Weather it was lust or love did not matter, now it all translated to pain.

Gabriel laid there in the dirt for hours just letting go of his emotions. He no longer cared about where he now was, or what would happen next. All he wanted was to see her again, but would he ever? Where do the dead go when the heavens and hells are on earth. She had a life, an after life, and now she was once again dead. So where was she, and how could he be with her.

Those thoughts filled his head until finally they reached a breaking point. Someone or something took her pendant when they killed her. Now it was time for Gabriel to use his gifts from Frigga once more. Although Gabriel had a good idea of who it was, he still had to see. Grasping the pendant in his hand he placed his fingers on the yellow jewel.

"I don't remember what to say.....Frigga?" Gabriel said pushing his fingers hard on the Yellow jewel. Nothing happened as Gabriel's face turned from sorrow to anger.

"Frigga!" Gabriel shouted and somehow he got a response. Gabriel now found himself tumbling through the sky. Spinning around and around, one moment he would see the ground far below and then the sky. The wind was blowing like crazy and he struggled to control his tumbling through the sky. At first he thought he was falling but then he realized he was flying through the air.

Below him was a massive city with huge sky scrapers that were burning. Black smoke floated through the sky from all over the city. It was nothing but rubble, ruins, and chaos. One huge sky scraper suddenly collapsed and spewed ash into the sky. On the main interstate below were thousands of abandoned cars.

On one of the roads below Gabriel could see movement. It was about ten demons herding a line of thousands of humans. They were all tied together, naked and miserable. Some had war wounds and others were being dragged by those in front of them. It looked like the demons were taking slaves. All along the other streets and open area's were corpses of people. This wasn't like the anarchy in Axal. This was organized madness.

Flying next to Gabriel was the orchestrator of madness himself. Riding on a giant two headed lion with red bat like wings sprawled out. Apollyon sat on it back looking down on his creations. Around his neck was the yellow pendant glowing in the sun and flames. A smile was across his face and he was glowing like a child on his birthday. All the destruction he ever wanted was finally coming to pass.

They flew across the landscape for miles. Gabriel watched as they passed burning towns and city's. Forests, fields, and even rivers had flames spewing from them. There was so much smoke in the air that the sun looked gray. The only signs of life were slaves or demons and the dead littered the ground. Two demons were in a parking lot playing with corpses. They tossed around body parts and cheered as severed limbs splattered into the asphalt.

Another demon was lining up corpses of men and leaving them face down. The line went on for block after block. At the end of the conveyor of dead was a massive demon. His belly hung out to the point that it was inches from the ground. He was pushing a steam roller over the top of the line. Bones crushed under the weight of the roller. The demon struggled to push the roller but continued on with laughter.

Just down the line from the roller was a pack of demons having a feast of smashed flesh. They picked away at the corpses eating on the parts with fat and leaving the rest for the birds. The demons had ate so much that they were throwing up. It was a disgusting site. It was as though they only wanted the taste. Then once full of flesh they threw it up to make room for more. It was a vomit filled feast of flesh that seemed to amuse Apollyon as he looked down laughing.

There were so many corpses, and demons that they searched for ways to amuse themselves. Outside of a library was a massive world globe. Next to it was one demon chopping up corpses while another tied body parts to the globe. He was using strands of human flesh as rope. Gabriel couldn't believe what was happening below him.

The sickest and foulest of all beings had been released from their once eternal cage. Now their twisted minds were free to devise all sorts of chaos. Apollyon seen it as a masterpiece, like an art teacher looking down at his students twisted designs. What would happen once they had destroyed everything though?

What was the point in this madness, when eventually there would be no more pain to cause. No one would be left to worship Apollyon in their agony. The demons would run out of corpses to mutilate, and city's to burn. Maybe that was why they were taking slaves. It was all to spread fear, and force mankind to worship Apollyon. But as long as Gabriel was immortal he vowed to kill Apollyon. Gabriel had seen enough, clinching the pendant he cried out.

"Midgards calling!" Instantly he found himself laying in the field. It was nice to see a place that had not yet come to ruin. Gabriel looked up at the sky and thought about all he had seen. Why would Apollyon want to kill Tiffany, and why wasn't Cain there? Gabriel found the corpses of all of heavens abominations except Cain. So was he dead, alive, or one of Apollyons slaves.

The only chance Gabriel had against Apollyon was with the help of the other gods. But how could he get to them from the field. Sure he could use the pendant but he couldn't do anything in physical form while with them. Nothing he could think of would work, and the chances of finally killing Apollyon was far fetched. Revenge was once again the only thing driving Gabriel's existence.

Night fell over the field as Gabriel tried to figure out his next move. An old fence surrounded the field and would be of no use against predators or demons. Wolves howled off in the distance as the moon shot up into the sky. Slowly and painfully Gabriel drifted to sleep under the night sky. A cool breeze gently blew over him, providing enough comfort to finally give in to sleep.

"Hail Gabriel!" A voice said in the darkness. Somehow Gabriel now found himself standing in the middle of the field.

"Who is there?" Gabriel asked.

"Me!" The little monster from Gabriel's dreams said as he appeared in front of him.

"Yes, this is I.....Many things, tonight the gate keeper of nightmares." The monster said.

"So I am back in dream land..." Gabriel said with a sigh.

"For now, right now someone is coming to meet you. Not in your dreams but in the land of those awake. I really don't know why you would want to leave this place though. You could stay here with me and we could create beautiful things in a dream." The man said.

"How do you know someone is coming to meet me?" Gabriel asked.

"I can hear him...Walking through the woods and looking to interrupt dreams. Don't you hear him just there?" The man said pointing. Gabriel could hear someone walking up to him but could not see him. Then a gentle touch and a flash of darkness.

Sitting in a kitchen Gabriel began looking around. A boy was doing the dishes while his father was sitting at a table reading a magazine. They boy slowly and quietly drained the water and started drying the dishes. He looked as though he was only seven or eight years old. Thick glasses rested on his nose, and his hair was a tattered mess.

"Dad...." The boy said.

"Yes Jack what is it?" The man said looking up from his magazine.

"I have a question...Do you ever, hear like a voice?" The boy said.

"What do you mean?" The man said laying down his magazine.

"Like a voice inside your head, that says things?" The boy said looking down at the floor.

"Hahaha! Jack you mean your thoughts? Yes that is nothing but your mind thinking." The man said still laughing and picking the magazine back up. The boy just turned away and began putting away the dishes.

"That is not what I meant...I mean an actual voice that tells you things." The boy said. There was no response from the father though and Gabriel moved in closer to see if the boy was speaking.

"He always just ignores me, never listens to the things I have to say. I don't like hearing these voices and I do not know if it is even normal. Maybe other people can hear voices too. Asking them to do things or giving them strange ideas. Keeping me awake at night when I am trying to sleep. I wish I knew what was wrong with me. I am so strange, even my dad thinks I am crazy." The boy was not speaking. Though Gabriel could hear his mind, as he watched his lips in confusion.

With a flash they were now sitting in a school bathroom. Jack was using one of the urinals and leaning in towards it. Three boys walked in the bathroom and one of them signaled to the others. The boy nodded his head and kicked jack into the urinal. Jack tried to turn around but one of the other kids pushed his head into the wall.

"Haha look the queer pissed himself!" One of the boys said while the others joined in the laughter. Jack just stayed quite and looked down at his drenched blue jeans with holes in them. His glasses fell off and landed in the urinal when one of the kids pushed his head into the wall.

"Come on lets go or we will be late!" One of the boys said as they ran out from the bathroom. The boys had a conscious sense of time, but no morals of humanity. Jack pulled up his pants and grabbed his glasses from the urinal. Holding them by one end he stumbled over to the sink and began washing them off. Once the glasses were clean he looked down at his soaked pants. Pacing around the bathroom Jack decided his next move. Instead of facing the kids in the hallway he went into one of the bathroom stalls to hide.

Gabriel could hear weeping from inside the stall. It reminded him of the days when he faced bullies. It was disgusting how cruel some kids could be. They thought it was cool to torment other kids. Though they could not see the damage it was causing to both the bullied and the bully. One day the bullied will look back at how miserable they made his life. He would have to find a place to fit in with society. But the damage would build up social defenses turning the bullied into a social recluse. Maybe one day he would be scared just to walk into a store, or watch a movie in the theaters.

From such a young age it would forever twist his view of mankind. Everyone would look like a threat, and once that happens we no longer become humans but predators. Causing pain would become a normal part of life. Turning him into a bully and possibly the next vicious killer that we all fear. That fear we feel when we hear a killer is in the area, is the same fear he walks to school with every day.

The bully, if he one day forms a conscious would have his own battles to face. Laying in bed worried about the things his children would have to see in school. Or looking back at all the pain he had caused a child. In the bullies head those he hurt would remain as children in his mind. How could he be so mean to someone so defenseless. Now how could he live a normal and happy life with the memories of the evil things he had done. There was no way to say oops sorry. I didn't mean to turn you into a social outcast who see's humanity as a monster.

Gabriel's thought's continued to race as he listened to jack weep. The school bell rang and jack too did not even flinch. After a few minutes Jack opened he stall door and walked out of the bathroom. Jack peered into the hallway before going out. Gabriel looked as well and could see the coast was clear. Jack sprinted down the hallway and Gabriel had no time to keep up. Jack burst out of the school doors at the end of the hallway and was gone.

Instantly Gabriel found himself sitting in a bedroom. On the walls were pictures of super hero's and villain's. Sitting at a desk next to the bed was Jack with a pencil in his hand. A notebook laid on the desk in front of him and the pencil was hovering over the page. Jack's face was red and his other hand was squeezing his hair.

"Why.....They keep on being mean to me. I wish I could just be like a ghost. Then they would not be able to even see me. They could just walk right past me and not know I am even there. Instead I have to wear these stupid glasses that they all hate. Why can't I just see like everyone else. Why can't I just look like them and be a normal kid...with friends." Jack thought and Gabriel could hear him. Jack placed the pencil to the page.

"You are pushing someone who doesn't push back. But don't for a moment expect me to stay down. Look at you waiting for the tragedy of weakness so that you can prey on the humble. Have your feast but in the night when you sleep my shadows on the wall." The pencil stopped moving as the thoughts finished. Oddly though the voice of his thoughts were not Jack. It was a different voice and it startled Gabriel. Walking over Gabriel looked down at the page to see what Jack had written. It was the thought that was in a voice not of his own. Jack clinched his pencil tightly and was shaking.

"Stop it, just get out of my head!" Jack's mind shouted from off the page. Looking down Gabriel could see Jack had written the thought in much larger letters than the other thoughts.

"I am crazy, I really think I am crazy. These thoughts are not normal, I don't even think they are my own! What is wrong with my mind, no wonder why I won't be accepted." Jack thought but he did not write it down. Then the pencil began moving once again.

"Trying to work my mind through this snake digestion we call civilization. I fear there is no place here for me." Jack wrote down the thought, but once again it was in a voice not of his own. Jack looked up from the page and at a painting of superman above his desk.

"That's it..." Jack thought in a voice not of his own.

"Art never asks for acceptance, it demands it!" Jack wrote the thought down on the page. This time the thought was of his own design.

"Maybe I am crazy, but so were all the greatest minds. If only I could find a use for my insanity." Jack thought clinching his head once again.

"Sanity was stolen from me, before I could remember a life of the sane. Now madness pounds in my heart, healing wounds of the insane. But my madness will not disillusion me of creativity. Although the world might try to rob me of it." Jack thought, as he wrote it down on the page. Just as he finished his bedroom door flew open. His dad stood in the doorway with a disgusted look on his face. He had on a pair of coveralls covered in grease.

"Why were you not in class today!" His dad shouted. Jack just looked down at the page he had been writing.

"So you're not going to answer me! That's fine but you aren't playing video games, or leaving this room for a month! and if you ever pull this shit again you will never leave this room!" His dad said as he slammed the door shut. Gabriel found himself being tossed around from a school bus. Jack was sitting alone looking out the window.

"Hey faggot!" A kid shouted from the seat behind him as he smacked Jack on top of his head.

"What?" Jack asked turning around to look at the boy.

"I will fucking stab you in the heart with my pencil and shit on your face you little fucker! Don't ever talk to me again!" The kid said as he held the tip of a pencil to Jacks face. Jack turned around and slouched down in the seat.

"I don't want to be here, this is just a bad dream that I need to escape!" Jack thought. Jack looked out the window at the hillsides. Gabriel looked out as well and strangely they began to roll and tremble. Gabriel sat down next to Jack and continued to look out confused. Then the hills steadied and a massive castle appeared outside of the bus. It erupted from the earth and grew larger and larger. Jack just laid his head on the window looking up. It was clear to Gabriel what was happening, jack was using his imagination to escape.

"It's too bad that I have to fake my life to escape the truth." Jack thought as he pulled out his notebook. Jack also pulled out a pencil and looked at it for a moment.

"Hah stab me in the heart with a pencil, stupid kid." Jack thought as he placed the pencil to the page.

"Imagination is my meditation." Jack struggled to write the thought on the page as the bus hit bumps.

"I don't even know why I try to write this stuff down. No one will ever read it, plus it's kinda stupid." Jack thought but did not write. Then the pencil struggled against the page once more.

" A touch of genius and a ton of stupid." Jack wrote the thought down and then stopped. He read it over once more.

"Yup that's what I got." Jack smiled as he put his notebook back in his backpack. Gabriel followed Jack off the bus and into class. Jack sat in the back and remained there unnoticed by even the teachers. The whole time Jack was in school he did nothing but write. Other kid's were drawing, studying, or talking to their friends. Not jack, he was lost in a land of confused literature. Word's from school mates or teachers would provoke bizarre thoughts that he would write down.

Gabriel was sitting down on the floor in one class room. The kids all looked like grade school students. Then suddenly he looked up and it was all high school kids. Instantly though he knew which one was Jack. Acne now covered his face, but as usual he was lost in his own world. Writing, and imagining anything but reality.

"So what did everyone think of the author?" A teacher asked the classroom.

"I think he was too afraid to dig deep enough into his mind to create anything meaningful." Jack thought, but he did not speak. He placed his pencil to his open notebook and began writing again.

"Lost in my mind, instead of trying to get out I just dig deeper. I know where these catacombs lead where walls of stone turn padded." The voice was one from within jacks mind, but not his own. He wrote it down and then smiled as he read it over. Gabriel did not even hear the conversation going on in the classroom around him. One girl sitting in front of Gabriel raised her hand.

"Wait shhh....Yes Amber?" The teacher asked

"I think the author has a very beautiful mind..." Amber said but her voice was cut off by jacks thoughts.

"Ha! a beautiful mind? I think a beautiful mind is a imaginative one. Free of social pollutions or boring restrictions of thought." Jack wrote it down on his notebook as he thought it out loud.

"Jack!" The teacher said as the classroom turned around to look at him. He stopped writing and looked up at the teacher.

"Would you like to share with us what you are writing?" The teacher asked.

"No you dumb cunt I would hate to share literature of any value in an English class." A voice from jacks mind said. Jack paused and then opened his lips to speak.

"I am sorry, I was just drawing." Jack said as he looked down at his notebook.

"So what did you think of the book?" The teacher asked as her eyebrows raised.

"Eh....I mean it was alright." Jack said.

"Would you like to elaborate for us?" The teacher said as to mock Jack. The class chuckled and then hushed for his response.

"Well, it wasn't very well thought out. I was always predicting what came next, and it provoked no new thoughts in my mind." Jack said.

"You know the book has been a bestseller for years?" The teacher said smiling and still mocking Jack.

"Well that says a lot about our society, what do you know about literature bitch." A voice in Jacks mind said.

"Yeah I know....I guess I just didn't like it." Jack said looking down at his notebook with dread.

"Well if you are an expert why don't you try writing a book?" The teacher asked and the class chuckled again. Jack just remained silent and went back into his own world.

"What a bitch mocking me like that in front of everyone. I never said I was an expert, I just don't like that stupid book she made us read." Jack thought.

"There are very few authors who really go deep enough into their mind to intrigue me. It doesn't mean that they are not good by popular demand." Jack still thought as his face turned red and he looked around the room.

"Shit this class is a good example of the landscape of literature. It's all about rules, grammar....Bullshit." Jack thought as he placed his pencil on the page again.

"Stay on your comfy trails in the land of literature. I'm coming in with a match and hoping the winds of fate turn the land to ash." Jack wrote down the thought. Jack looked up from his notebook to tune into what the classroom was talking about. It was a vague discussion of plagiarism by an author. Jack seemed frustrated by the idea of plagiarism. Then it provoked a new voice from inside of him.

"Fear of plagiarism should not alter the spread of inspiration. I don't want to patent my words, I hope they are felt by others. So that maybe then I will know I am not alone." The voice within jack's mind said as he wrote it down. It was hard for Gabriel to comprehend all that was going on with jack. He had multiple thoughts that he could hear. Though most of them were in strange voices. It was as though he was hearing Jacks mind, and even seeing through the eye's of Jack. It was scary, and potentially brilliant.
Chapter Twenty Nine

The classroom went black and then Gabriel found himself in Jacks bedroom. The comic super hero's were now gone. Dark and depressing pictures hung on the walls. Things seen only in nightmares and horror movies. Jack was sitting at his desk writing in his notebook.

"He said bleed on the page my son. So my heart spilled with ink and that is when I realized my soul is as black as these words." A voice in Jack's mind said as he wrote it down. Jack threw down the pencil very hard and it bounced off the page. He got up from the chair and walked into his bathroom. Gabriel followed him to see what was wrong.

When jack looked into the mirror he saw an image worse than what he was. Gabriel looked at him as he stood there and he had some acne, and problems that most kids face. But then when Gabriel looked into the mirror Jack had massive zits oozing with puss. The bones in his face looked pointed and jagged. But it was not a real reflection of how Jack looked, only how he saw himself.

"Look at you....A monster, with monsters inside. Maybe I am the greatest writer of all time. But no one will ever know that. They will only see this monster that I am looking at." Jack thought as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"I have been the bully and the bullied. The judged and the judge. Now when I look into a mirror I see the shadow of a man. Kidnapped by the engineer's of monstrosity's." A voice from within Jacks mind thought.

"Maybe I should write it down...But who cares? These voices have potential? Sure, but potential is the ugly truth that we all must face." Jack thought as the bathroom went dark.

Now Gabriel was standing inside a run down motel room. It looked as though Jack was living from the motel, and he looked older. Acne still showed on his face but he was becoming a man. Jack and Gabriel both looked around the trashed motel room lined with clothes, plates, bowels, and trash.

"Man what a mess I live in.." Jack thought.

"Why do you have to be so poor. It's like I cannot escape this horrible curse that my family has. We are born poor, then we die poor. So much for land of the free and all that bullshit....You know what should never come with a cost? Art, Nature, and Life should never come with a cost." Jack thought as he looked around the room.

"Oh well fuck it! You don't need materials when you have an imagination of the universe." A voice from within Jack thought as he sat down on the bed. Suddenly Gabriel saw Jack walking down the street and holding hands with a nerdy looking dark haired girl. Then he was instantly back in the motel standing behind Jack as he wrote.

"The flesh is just a disguise made to fool the lustful. But true love is a furnace that smelts the flesh of lust to expose ones heart." Jack wrote down the thought as he smiled.

"She is a true beauty!" Jack thought looking up from the notebook. Gabriel laughed at the thought, it was clear he was falling for the nerdy looking girl. Jack was now stuck in the confusion of first love. Then a new vision filled Gabriel's sight, it was the same girl except she was with a different guy. Then once again Gabriel was back in the motel room standing behind Jack.

"There once was a place for you in my dreams, now you are my nightmare!" Jack thought as tears ran down his face and he wrote. He was feeling the sting of that first love lost. Gabriel was still smiling though, he knew all too well what that was like. Seeing it from an outsider made it comical though. Jack started writing again as a new voice in his mind spoke.

"Addiction is in my soul and so I have withdrawn from love. Now loneliness is my only drug." The pencil snapped from the pressure against the page. Jack walked away from the motel rooms desk and grabbed a bottle of pain killer. Grabbing one handful at a time he stuffed his mouth with the pills. After swallowing most of the bottle he began throwing up onto the floor.

"Jack don't you do this to us!" A voice said.

"Call 911 Jack before it's too late!" Another voice said.

"Think of all the people who will be robbed of your words!" Another voice said. Jack crawled across the floor and pulled the phone off the desk. Gabriel watched as he pounded the numbers into the phone. Just as he did the room went dark and Gabriel found himself in the motel room but Jack was back at the desk writing.

"I rolled one last time before walking away. The angel of death sighed as old snake eye's glanced back. For once I was addicted to a chance at life." Jack wrote the thought down and leaned back in the chair. Gabriel was relieved to see that Jack was not dead. More thoughts filled Jacks mind at random as he wrote them down.

"Have you found happiness in sorrow? Enjoyed your pain? Found peace in the madness? know this you will never find love in hate." Jack's pencil quickly moved across the page.

"That was a good one....Maybe one day it will inspire someone? I doubt it though..." Jack thought as he placed the pencil back down to the page.

"I hope that I can one day inspire you. Though there are not enough words in this book to inspire myself." Jack finished writing then he laid down the pencil.

"Wouldn't it be cool to write something, but remain anonymous?" Jack thought picking the pencil back up.

"Writing anonymously melts away the flesh, exposing the monster within." Jack smiled as he finished writing it the room went black. Jack and Gabriel were now standing outside of a run down church. Next to it was a liquor store and large billboards. Jack and Gabriel both looked at the church in its strange place.

"The holiest of places are the most deceitful." A voice inside of Jacks mind said.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Jack thought as he ran into the church. Gabriel followed behind, and the church was empty.

"You commit treason against god by trespassing into hell?" Another voice from Jacks mind said as he tried to ignore it and find help. Jack fell to the floor in front of the altar.

"Please help me god, I know I am not a good person. But make them stop, they scaring me. Asking me to do things...Please god!" Jack thought. Jack stayed there curled up for awhile weeping. Gabriel sat on one of the bench seats feeling sorry for Jack. God was not coming, and the voices were not stopping. Finally Jack got up from the floor and walked out of the church as he wiped away his tears. The sky went dark and now Gabriel found himself in a bar. Jack was sitting at a table alone and looking at a pretty blonde woman.

"Look at her don't you want her?" A voice said.

"No stop it!" Jack said back.

"You could have her you know. No one would ever know what you did with her." Another voice said as Jack looked away from the woman.

"Come on Jack, most murders remain unsolved. No one could link you to it....She probably would have made fun of you as a child too!" The voice shouted.

"Her flesh....You could taste it! LOOK AT HER SHE IS YOURS!" The voice shouted as Jack kept looking away. He got up and ran out of the bar. Gabriel chased after him and they stopped at a beat up old car. Jack opened the door and got in. Gabriel jumped in the passenger seat and Jack fired up the old car. Jack cranked the radio up as loud as he could as they drove down the road.

The music was so loud that it was hurting Gabriel's ears. They drove down a highway at alarming speeds. Gabriel clenched the door as the car screeched around curves. Jack pulled a bottle of whiskey from the glove box and chugged it down as he pushed the gas peddle to the floor. One of Jacks notebooks was on the dashboard and he briefly looked at it, then turned away.

"Writing is my cold dead soul, so I take my words to the grave and bury my curse!" Jack shouted as the car reached top speeds. The headlight's shined on some chevrons showing a sharp curve. Gabriel clinched his eye's shut as he felt the car take flight. Then pain cried out all over his body as he could feel himself being thrown from the car. Then the crippling impact of the ground as he tried to fight the turbulence. It was no use though, as his body rag dolled through the night.

Gabriel's body came to a halt but he could still hear the twisting metal of the car. Now he could not open his eye's or even move. His body was tattered and broken as it had been so many times before. He could only hear Jacks fate. But he knew without a doubt what those sounds meant, death. The sounds stopped and all that could be heard were crickets in the night.

Gabriel laid there unable to move until finally his body began to heal from the wounds. The pain washed away with the night breeze and Gabriel crawled to his feet. Headlights from another car shined down revealing the chaos. Then the sound of sirens echoed from a distance. Looking around Gabriel could see a ball of twisted metal hundreds of yards off the road.

In the path that the car had went were torn pages blowing away into the night. Gabriel ran down to the car and saw what remained of Jack. Pieces of brain matter and hair lined the dashboard. His limp and twisted body rested inside his metal coffin. He freed himself of the voices, and the flesh that he so hated. To Gabriel it was a clear suicide, but to others it would be a freak drunk driving accident. The red and blue lights shined down and Gabriel turned to them. The lights made the pages flash as they fluttered around, then darkness.

The darkness of hells waiting room filled Gabriel's vision. The familiar blackness that separated one nightmare from the next. Opening his eye's from his sleep Gabriel jolted up from the ground. Jack was in the field with him and had grabbed Gabriel's arm in his sleep. Gabriel realized that Jack was real and not just a dream. His curse allowed Gabriel to see a crash course of jacks sin when he touched Gabriel.

"Shhh it's ok I am not going to hurt you." Jack said as he let go of Gabriel.

"What....What are you doing here?" Gabriel asked confused as he rubbed the sleep from his eye's.

"Well, my name is Jack and this is...Johnn..." Jack said as a man interrupted him.

"Just call me the jester of showman's rest." The man said looking down at Gabriel. He had a strong muscular face and was built thick with muscle. Oddly the man had on a jesters outfit that was one piece including a hood. The hood had three points hanging down with fluffy balls on the end. The suit was worn and dirty and the red coloring was fading into a pink.

"Alright....So why are you guys here?" Gabriel asked confused and rubbing his face.

"Shrouded in darkness you secretly search for light. Yet death has a message for us all." A voice from Jack's mind said. But instead of hearing Jacks thought's, Jack's lips actually moved. He spoke the words but it still was not his voice.

"Sorry, I have this....Problem, I tried to get rid of it but its only grown stronger..... As to your question, we don't really know why we are here. I know how we got here, but that's about it." Jack said looking around.

"So how did you get here?" Gabriel said getting to his feet.

"Well we all are a part of Cain's Abominations, or that's what he calls us. When this war started for some reason we came back to life. I guess its because we do not belong to heaven, or hell. Just cursed to the earth, and so we came back. Not all the people who died came back. Only the ones who still wandered the earth. Well one day I was outside of our camp in the forest and then she came for me.." Jack said looking off into the night.

"Who did?" Gabriel said looking in the direction that Jack was.

"Her." Jack said pointing at the creature that had carried Gabriel from the cliff. She was walking around the field in the moonlight as though a bird would. Although she looked like a woman with wings and black feathers, and bird legs. Nothing about her seemed human, it was as though she was bound by nature. Just an emotionless animal, who's only understanding was of survival.

"What is she?" Gabriel asked.

"Beautiful." A voice from Jack said.

"I think she is death!" The jester said watching her.

"So what does she want with us?" Gabriel said.

"I don't know, maybe she is lost or confused. She grabbed us up from the forest and is holding us captive. We tried to leave but she came for us and brought us back. She treats us as though we were her chicks or something. Protective of our every move and she brings us raw meat. We eat it since it is all we have to eat here and we drink from the stream over there." Jack said pointing off in the darkness.

"How long have you guys been here?" Gabriel asked.

"Who knows." The jester said.

"We have lost track of time here in the nest of death. Or at least that's what we have named it." Jack said.

"I think she has no place in this war. So she is just following her instincts and carrying the dead to this meadow." The jester said.

"But I am not dead?" Gabriel said as Jack and the jester burst into laughter.

"Were all dead here!" A voice from Jack shouted.

"So who are you?" The jester asked.

"Oh....I am sorry, my name is Gabriel." Gabriel said as he looked down at the ground. The jester held his hand out to Gabriel so they could shake. Gabriel tried to pretend as though he did not see it.

"When a man offers his hand, you shake it." The jester said irritated.

"Sorry I didn't see it..." Gabriel said cringing as he reached his hand towards the jester. His hand touched the Jesters and then everything went black. Damn it, Gabriel thought as the light shined through his eye lids. Gabriel found himself on an old street in what looked like a ghetto from the 1920's.

Kid's were playing in the street outside of one of the run down houses. The street was made of brick but was a dirty black color. The boys were all covered in dirt and soot and were wearing tattered cloths. Some of them did not even have on shoes and their feet were black. They were kicking around an old broken bucket that they most likely found in the street.

"Johnny!" A woman shouted from one of the windows. All the boys stopped and looked up as though they were paralyzed.

"Yes miss?" One of the boys said.

"Get in here, a relative has come to meet you." The woman said. She looked just as shocked as Johnny did. Johnny hesitated for a moment and just looked at the lady. The woman gave Johnny a stern look and it lit a fire under Johhny's feet. He quickly ran inside the house and Gabriel followed behind. Once inside Gabriel looked around in the rooms next to a stairwell. Each room had bunk beds lining the walls. Johnny ran and the stair well and Gabriel followed behind. The stairs winded up four story's and they ran all the way to the top.

"He is in here." The woman said opening the door to a room. Inside was a man sitting at a visitation table. Once again Johhny hesitated and froze in place in front of the room.

"Ah it's ok boy, I am your uncle Charles!" The man said with a grin that went ear to ear. He had on a worn and holey clown costume but was wearing no makeup.

"Johnny, don't be rude!" The woman said with the same stern look. Johnny ran inside and stood in front of a chair.

"I will leave you two at it." The woman said as she shut the door. Gabriel sat down at one of the chair's but Johnny was still hesitant.

"Well don't you know me boy?" Charles said winking. Johnny just shook his head with a look of fear.

"Come here boy its your uncle." Charles said as he motioned the boy to come closer. Johnny went for the chair in front of him.

"No boy, here come sit on uncle Charles lap." Charles said opening his arms. Johnny's eye's went huge as he looked terrified at the man. Johnny looked to old to be sitting on laps he was at least ten years old. Johnny looked down at the floor and walked over to the man. Gabriel's heart sank watching the boy walk up to the creepy looking man. Just as Johnny got close the man grabbed him by the shoulders and leaned in for a kiss. Or so Gabriel thought as he winced, but the man began whispering in Johnny's ear.

"They are listening to us, I am not your uncle but I know your mom and dad. I used to perform with them and I know what happened to them. If you want to know more come and find me at woodlawn cemetery. It's just a few blocks away, look for an elephant statue. The place is called showman's rest and that is where I will show you your parents." Charles whispered into Johnny's ear as he placed his finger up to Johnny's lips to silence him. Charles got up and walked passed Johnny and to the door.

"We are done here, this is not my nephew!" Charles said in an irate voice as he opened the door quickly. The woman walked into the room shocked as Charles stormed out past her. Charles looked at the woman confused.

"I....I am sorry Johnny, go play with the other boys." The woman said. Just as she did everything went black once again. Gabriel was now standing in a graveyard. Looking around he could tell that it was a very large one. Narrow grave stones crowded his vision as far as he could see. Next to him was Johnny walking along a stone path. Gabriel followed behind the boy as they walked through the cemetery. They walked around lost, almost going around in circles. But it did not bother Gabriel as the graveyard was such a place of peace to him. Finally they found and elephant statue. Its trunk down as though it was weeping, and its front foot rested on a ball.

"Welcome one! Welcome all!" A voice shouted from behind them. Turning around they could see it was Charles.

"Hell....Hello." Johnny said startled. Charles was on a bicycle from the early 1900s. Its frame was dinged and dented and covered in scratches.

"Lady's and Gentlemen! Welcome to the showman's rest circus of unspeakable joys!" Charles said with a huge grin.

"I....I didn't come to see the show. I just wanted to learn about my moms and pops?" Johnny said.

"Before thee encore we must indulge in a performance!" Charles said smiling. Charles was in the same clown suit, and still without makeup.

"For today's show we will begin with the hilarious clown known as dopey! After which we will see a performance by smiley our very own jester, and his beautiful wife flexoria the worlds most flexible woman!" Charles said as he began riding the bike in a small circle in front of Johnny. Charles let go of the handle bars and began wobbling his hands next to his side as he still rode in a circle.

Charles pulled out some balls from his pocket and began juggling. It was nothing spectacular to Gabriel but Johnny's eyes lit up and a small smile crept over his face. As Charles rode the bike it began to wobble out of control and the balls fell to the ground. The front tire turned hard and Charles was launched over the handle bars and into a grave stone. Charles quickly jumped to his feet and bowed before Johhny.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Johnny clapped his hands and was laughing.

"Ah our only reward here at showman's rest, the applause and laughter. It is what they have lived for, and even died for..." Charles said as a look of sorrow washed over his face. Johnny's laughter stopped as the seriousness of Charles words hit him.

"Once you find what you came from, there will be no turning back." Charles said as he held his arm out pointing to a field of memorials.

"I have to know..." Johnny said.

"Very well, follow me and I will show you your family and mine." Charles said walking into an area of the cemetery that was some kind of a memorial.

"There are no circus tents, or smiles found beyond this point." Charles said as they passed the elephant and walked towards a burial site.

"Here lies 61 of our friends and family. They were placed into a mass grave after a horrific tragedy in 1918....Now I can sugar coat this for you kid, and paint my face to hide the truth. But it would not do our family any justice." Charles said stopping at a marker that said two unidentified baby's.

"My son and my daughter..." Charles said pointing at the marker. Turning from the marker they walked on towards more markers.

"Most were unidentified and burnt so there is no telling....Your mother was never identified." Charles said as they walked passed more memorials. They stopped at another memorial that simply said the name smiley.

"He was a great jester, not a clown. He did not need to hid behind face paint or lie to the audience. All he did was expose who he really was. One of the hardest things for any performer to do. Smiley was a master performer and a shinning star for a dieing art." Charles said and stopped to think.

"So who is he?" Johnny asked.

"This is your father." Charles said as he spun around with his hands up and out to his sides.

"You are finally home Johnny, this is our circus!" Charles said laughing as tears ran down his face.

"We must perform for them." Charles said wiping the tears from his face.

"I have watched you grow in the orphanage. Waiting for when the time was right to show you. You see they are calling me home..." Charles said holding his stomach.

"I am not sure how much longer I have left but I could not go without showing you where you belong." Charles said kneeling down next to Johnny.

"So what happened to them?" Johnny asked.

"We were becoming one of the greatest circuses in the world. Always traveling to the next show, we never had a moment to stop. We would perform and then the train would call to us. We lived on that railroad in the train. It was a magical life and the best time in my life. You had just been born a few months before. I had a wife and two baby's as well and we all lived in box cars." Charles said and then paused as he choked on words.

"It was a dark night, I remember looking out and seeing nothing but fog. The performers were all in the rear box carts. Most sound asleep for the night and resting after non stop shows. Behind us was another train that was going much faster than we were. They say the conductor fell asleep and our conductor tried to get him to stop since he knew a train was coming up quickly. There was nothing he could do though. The train behind us quickly caught up to us and smashed into the back of us. Where we were all sleeping. I remember waking to a violent impact and being thrown. The baby's screamed and my wife left my arms..." Charles stopped to wipe tears from his face.

"That was all I can remember, and the box cars were made of wood. They quickly ignited and scorched everything I loved. You were like me, we woke up in the hospital with our family dead. I did not get to attend the mass burial. By the time I made it here they were already buried. They said there was not enough money to give them individual graves. So they packed them into one massive grave and buried them. They didn't even take the time to find their names or family. I had nothing left on earth, and then I heard about you." Charles said looking at Johnny.

"I couldn't let your family remain an unmarked grave. So I waited for this moment for many years. I come here everyday and perform with them. Just to pass the time until today, now I will leave the final act to you." Charles said as he stood back up and walked away.

"Wait charles!" Johnny said, but Charles continued to walk and leave him behind at his fathers grave.
Chapter Thirty

The cemetery went black and now Gabriel was riding in the back of an old 1930's car. The back seat was hard and uncomfortable. In the front was Johnny driving the car. He looked like he was in his early twenty's and the little boy had grown into a muscular man.

In the passenger seat next to Johnny was a beautiful blond woman who held Johnny's hand in hers. They were driving through a city street much like the one Johnny grew up on. Looking out the window ahead of them Gabriel could see a cop car with lights flashing. It was a road block of sorts and two officers were outside of the car motioning them to stop.

"I wonder whats going on?" The woman asked.

"I don't know, just stay calm sweetheart." Johnny said as he let go of her hand and stopped the car. One officer walked up on one side and the other on the other side of the car. The one next to the drivers side tapped a night stick on the window and Johnny rolled it down.

"Hello sir." Johnny said looking at the officer.

"Well, well what do we have here? You seeing what I am Steve?" The one officer said to the other. Steve began chuckling as he eyeballed the woman.

"Have we done something wrong?" Johnny asked uneasy.

"I don't know anything you wanna confess to?" Steve said looking right at the woman's breasts.

"No sir, we were just heading home after a movie." Johnny said.

"Oh is that so?" The officer next to Johnny said.

"Why don't you two get out of the car." Steve said opening the door for the woman.

"Are we under arrest?" Johnny asked getting out of the car.

"You look like a suspect that we are looking for." Steve said still looking at the woman.

"Hand's behind your back, both of you." The one officer said. The woman began crying and would not turn around.

"Do as they say." Johnny said putting his hands behind his back.

"Better listen to him." Steve said as he forcefully turned the woman around and placed handcuffs on her. The other officer placed hand cuffs on Johnny and they lead them over to the police car. Gabriel followed behind and got in the back of the car before the other two. Steve opened the door for the woman and placed her in the back.

"In you go." Steve said smiling as he shut the door. Steve walked around the back of the car and pulled out his night stick. The other officer placed Johnny in the back seat. Just as he went to shut the door Steve smashed johnny in the head with the nightstick. The sound was a hard bone crushing crack and Johnny fell over limp onto Gabriel's lap as blood tinkled down his head.

"Oh my god!" The woman screamed as tears poured down her face.

"Listen here, you keep your mouth shut or you will be next!" Steve said pointing the nightstick at her. The officers got in the car and began driving. Gabriel tried to moved to get Johnny out from under him but he couldn't move. Johnny was still limp and Gabriel was not sure if he was dead or just badly injured. The woman tried to muffle her whimpering but it got worse as they began leaving the city. They turned onto a dirt road and started heading into a wooded area.

"Where are you taking us!" The woman screamed. Just as she did the car came to a halt. Steve got out and drug the woman by her hair out of the car and then slammed the door. Gabriel looked out the window as they lead the woman into the woods. For a moment there was a peaceful silence and Johnny began to wake up. Johnny tried to get up but just rolled off onto the floor board of the back seat. The silence turned to blood curdling screams from the woman.

"Hey you son's of bitches!" Johnny screamed as tears ran down his face. The woman's screams filled the night for what seemed like forever and johnny could do nothing. Then a deathly silence and Gabriel watched out the window as the two officers came back to the car. One of them was still buttoning up his pants. But the woman was not with them, she was gone.

"Where is she you mother fuckers?" Johnny yelled as the officers got in the car.

"Shut him up." The one officer said as Steve pulled out his nightstick and began beating Johnny repeatedly. Everything went dark to the sound of Johnny's head cracking again. Gabriel found himself laying next to Johnny in a holding cell. Johnny was slowly coming to once again and was looking around the room with blood shot eyes. Vomit lined the floor of the cell along with passed out drunks.

Men of all shapes and sizes were crammed into the little cell. Just as Gabriel got up guards came up to the cell holding a fire hose. They aimed it at the floor and turned it on. The pressure sent vomit and water spraying all over the cell and the men inside. Most of the men ran for cover with Johnny and Gabriel.

"Hey man what the fuck!" One man yelled out soaked in water.

"We have to clean up the puke some how!" One of the guards said as they washed the vomit down the drain. As a blast of water hit Gabriel he suddenly found himself in an office. His clothes were still dripping wet and next to him was Johnny. On the other side of a desk was an officer in a nice suit. On his wall were awards and medals.

"I want to know what your men did with my girl!" Johnny shouted.

"I am sorry for your loss sir but did you fill out a missing persons report?" The officer said.

"I don't need to, I told you already when I was wrongfully arrested by two of your men took her into the woods. That was the last time I saw her!" Johnny said as he banged on the desk.

"I find this all hard to believe....You haven't filled out any reports yet you say this happened two weeks ago?" The officer said leaning back in his chair.

"Yes, it was two weeks ago and its taken me two weeks just to get in here and speak with you. The lady's at the front desk were no help and they said no other officers could help me find her." Johnny said as his face was beat red with frustration.

"We are very busy, people come up missing all the time. Next thing you know they show up at a relatives house or just needed a break. Maybe you guys were having relationship problems so she left town for awhile?" The officer said.

"How many times do I have to tell you, she is missing because of your twisted cops!" Johnny yelled as he got out of his chair. The officer pulled a revolver from his desk and pointed it at Johnny.

"Now you sit down!" The officer said waving the revoler at Johnny.

"You listen, and listen good. We didn't do anything with your girlfriend. If you keep pushing this I will throw the irons on you right now and throw away the key. Now either your are confessing to her murder or you are leaving my office and never coming back!" The officer said as Johnny sat in his chair speachless. His hands trembled and Gabriel could tell that he wanted to jump from his chair and strangle the man.

"Well son which is it gonna be?" The officer said as Johnny got up from his chair and started to walk out of the room.

"Smart boy." The officer said. Johnny stopped just before walking out the door. He clenched his fist for a moment and then just grabbed the door and walked out. In the blink of an eye Gabriel found himself in the cemetery just outside of showman's rest. Johnny was walking on the pathway and the elephant memorial was in site. Gabriel began walking with him and just as they passed the memorial Gabriel could see a man in a suit with a nice hat. His head was down so the rim of the hat covered his face.

The man looked up and Gabriel could see that it was Apollyon with a grin on his face. He tipped his hat to Johnny and walked by without saying a word. Johnny did not return the greeting and just kept walking. He seemed dead inside and completely emotionless. They walked through showman's rest slowly stopping at each marker as if to say farewell.

Johnny walked up to his fathers grave and next to it was a wad of clothing. Johnny picked up the clothing and underneath was a tommy gun. Johnny picked up the gun with a look of shock as he inspected it. Then Johnny held out the clothing to see what it was. It was a jester suit brand new with colors that shined in the sunlight.

"Thank you father! I won't forget you all!" Johnny said as tears ran down his face. Johnny quickly covered the tommy gun in the jester outfit so that no one would see it and began walking out of showman's rest. Gabriel quickly went from walking to sitting in an old truck's passenger seat. It was pitch black out and Johnny was driving. Next to him was the tommy gun and he was now wearing the jester outfit.

Looking out the passenger side mirror Gabriel could see the truck was a large flat bed with wooden barrels in the back. Almost like ones used to haul alcohol or other liquid goods. Johnny pulled the truck over and it stalled out and died right in front of a bank. The streets were empty and there was very little light. Johnny got out of the truck and Gabriel followed behind him.

Johnny rolled one of the barrels off the truck and popped a hole in the side of it with the sharp end of a hammer. Johnny repeatedly knocked holes all over on the side of the barrel and he began rolling it a long the sidewalk in front of the bank. Gabriel could see a gray powder coming out from the holes all over in the barrel. When the powder blew in the breeze Gabriel could smell that it was Black powder.

Gabriel sat down on the running board of the truck as Johnny dumped out black powder all over around the bank. It filled the gutters, sidewalk and street. After emptying about twenty of the barrels Johnny began placing full barrels with wicks hanging out the bottom around the bank. They looked to be large sized pipe bombs. Or barrel bombs Gabriel supposed, but why all of this?

Johnny began placing barrels even around the building near by the bank. Until finally after a few hours Johnny was out of barrels and he had loaded up the empty ones. It looked some what unusual with so many barrels around and the streets covered in a powder. Johnny got in the truck and started it up before Gabriel could even get inside.

Gabriel grabbed a hold of the mirror and stood up on the running board as Johnny sped off around a corner in the truck. He circled around the block and then parked the truck a short distance away from the bank. They could still see the entrance though, and the bombs surrounding the bank and other buildings. Gabriel was amazed that not one person came by. But he could tell it was very late at night in the early 1930's in Chicago.

Getting inside the truck Gabriel sat and waited with Johnny. In one hand he was clinching the Tommy gun and in the other he held a flaming cocktail. Gabriel could smell the potent liquid in the bottle and the rag that was soaked and hanging out from it. It was clear to Gabriel that this would be no robbery. Gabriel had just hoped that someone would notice the barrels before anyone got hurt.

The sun raised up and lit up the streets, the powder now began to blend in with the dirt. It would be hard to tell anything was up except for the barrels and maybe the gutters that were filled with piles of black powder. People began showing up and a man unlocked the door to the bank as three women walked in. Other people began opening up their businesses all around the bank.

None of them seemed to notice the barrels or that anything was off. As a woman went to the front of the bank and flipped over an open sign Johnny opened the door to the truck. The sound was like an alarm to Gabriel's heart and it jumped and raced. He could feel the adrenaline race through his body and an explosion of emotion rush over his face.

While Johnny looked calm and collected as he placed the cocktail in a pocket in the jester costume. The Tommy gun stayed in his hand though. Gabriel walked behind him and watched it hanging at his side. A woman across the street from the bank saw him and dropped a stack of papers on the sidewalk.

"Ahhhh he's got a gun!" The woman yelled as she fled for a store door. Johnny simply picked up his pace to almost a run. The door to the bank flung open and Johnny raised his gun. There were only two customers and two lady's at the front desk.

"Everybody's hands in the air now!" Johnny yelled. A man and woman customer turned to look at Johnny while the two women clerks raised their hands in the air. A look of horror was on their faces and they wanted to scream but could not. As the two customers turned they too raised their hands in the air.

"This is a robbery and if you all want to go home to your family's then listen closely." Johnny said pointing the Tommy gun at them.

"Now you yell for your boss." Johnny said pointing the gun at one of the women.

"What....Its....Just us!" The woman shouted.

"I am not stupid, I seen him come in!" Johnny said looking down the sites of the Tommy gun.

"Freddy can you please come up here!" The other woman clerk yelled.

"What is it!" a males voice shouted from a back office.

"We....Have an issue with a customer!" The woman yelled. Freddy opened the door to the office and seen what was happening. He immediately raised his hands in the air.

"Freddy come here!" Johhny said pointing the gun at him. Freddy slowly walked over to him with his hands in the air.

"Now if no one wants to see Freddy die, then you will do as I say!" Johnny said.

"You two start getting money out of the vault and setting it on the counter." Johnny said looking at the woman. They quickly went in the vault and began stacking piles of cash on the counter.

"That's good enough, leave the vault door open and come up front." Johnny said and the woman came around the front of the counter.

"Very good, now I want you to pick up that phone and call the police." Johnny said very calmly. The woman picked up the phone.

"Yes...Operator I need the police please." The woman said as the phone was shaking in her hand.

"What should I tell them?" The woman whispered.

"Tell them where you are and that a man is robbing the bank." Johnny said and the woman's eyes got big.

"You want me to tell them that!" The woman said surprised.

"Yes of course!" Johnny said chuckling.

"Hello, I would like to report a bank robbery." The woman said.

"Its at 506 west rose street, the Gilman bank." The woman said.

"Well of course I am sure!" The woman said hanging up the phone.

"Very good, now each of you split the money up four ways." Johnny said and he waited as they began splitting up the money.

"Now take your share of the money and get out of here. Go home and if your home is within two blocks of here then go to a relatives. Get far away and don't look back, this is a second chance at life!" Johnny said as they all looked surprised. The male customers face lit up and he began stuffing his pockets with the stacks of money. The other three were hesitant and just looked at the money. The man quickly turned and ran passed Johnny and out of the bank.

Once the woman customer had seen the man get out she too stuffed her purse with money and walked out. Shortly followed by the two clerks who rushed out as well. There was no money left and Johnny walked around behind Freddy. He pushed the tip of the barrel up against his back and then began walking towards the doorway.

"Are you going to kill me!?" Freddy said with a trembling voice.

"We will get out of this alive if you do exactly as I say." Johnny said as he pulled a lighter from a pocket and held it so Freddy could see it.

"Here take this." Johnny said and Freddy grabbed it.

"What should I do with it?" Freddy said still trembling.

"When the time comes I will hold out a bottle with a rag. When I do you will light the rag on fire and then open the door. Once the bottle has been thrown, you will shut the door and we will both run for the vault. If you don't do exactly that then you will die." Johnny said.

"Please I have a daughter and a wife." Freddy said.

"Well if you want to see them again just follow my instructions. Otherwise they won't even be able to identify your body. Then most likely you will be buried in a mass grave called scumbags rest!" Johnny said laughing.

"So what do we do now?" Freddy said after a few moments of silence.

"We just wait....For them." Johnny said as the first police car pulled up in front of the bank. Two officers jumped out and drawed their pistols.

"You better not shoot I have hostages in here!" Johnny shouted.

"Please don't kill me!" Freddy yelled as tears ran down his face. The officers kept their guns drawn as more and more police cars began pulling in. Johnny just stood there watching and holding the gun to Freddy's back. Finally an officer began walking towards the bank unarmed.

"Sir I have no weapons, I just want to talk." The officer said as he stopped just before the sidewalk.

"Is that ok with you?" The officer said holding his hands in the air. Johnny remained silent though and just tilted his head at the officer.

"You know I can get you out of this, but you have to work with me." The officer said. Johnny still didn't respond to him.

"Please, we have the building surrounded. There is no escape so lets figure out what we are going to do." The officer said. Johnny smiled as he said the building is surrounded.

"This one's for my girl!" Johnny said as he held out the flaming cocktail. Freddy fumbled with the lighter until finally the fuse ignited. Freddy opened the door but ran out to the officers. Just as he did the flaming cocktail busted at his feet. The door closed and Johnny started running for the vault. Bullets began flying in through the now inferno outside.

A bullet crashed into Gabriel's leg and he collapsed to the floor. Johnny made it to the vault and quickly shut the door. Gabriel was left out in the open though but the hail of bullets had stopped. Looking out he could see the streets were on fire and sizzling from the black powder. Boom! One of the bombs went off shaking the whole building. Boom, Boom, Boom....They all began going off as shrapnel and debris flew all around.

Everything went black and all Gabriel was left with were the sounds of explosions and pain. No matter how much his body endured he never got used to the pain. It was as though his body would not even go into shock. All he had was a cocktail of pain throughout his whole body. Slowly he could hear the final bombs go off and then nothing but the silence of flames.

Gabriel could feel his body trying to heal but then flames would reignite his pain. It went on like this for at least fifteen minutes until finally the flames around him had burned out. He began to heal again and could open his eyes. Most of the building was in shambles and the streets were filled with twisted metal from police cars.

The vault door came open and Johnny was covering his face with a towel. He barley was able to get it open enough so he could get out since debris had fallen around the door. Johnny ran out and passed the flames as fast as he could. Gabriel sprung to his feet and followed him through a haze of smoke. Cheech cheech cheech cheech cheech. Gabriel could hear the Tommy gun going off. Looking ahead of him he could see Johnny shooting at the few officers who survived the chaos.

One of them was smoldering and half burnt but some how he clung to life. Only to be chewed up by Johnny's bullets. After a brief look at all the carnage he had caused Johnny started running back towards the truck. But instead of getting in he went under the back of the truck where the flat bed was. He grabbed a crow bar and lifted a man hole cover.

Once inside he closed the lid and vanished from Gabriel's site. The air changed from smoke and ash filled to the fresh air outside of the police station. There were no cop cars parked near it as they had all responded to the bank robbery. In the street in front of the station a man hole cover started to move. It slide out of the way and Johnny's jester hood popped up from it.

Johnny came up from the man hole, with the Tommy gun still in his hand. He was now covered in muck and slime. The jester suit was tattered and stained in all sorts of foul sludge. Johnny headed towards the police stations with a calm and smooth sort of stroll. Gabriel followed behind but as he got close to Johnny he could smell the foulness on him.

Backing away Gabriel walked a good distance behind Johnny. Feeling the pressure of something pushing him towards Johnny, Gabriel realized it was better to deal with the smell than be drugged. They walked into the police station, all the people behind the counter were paying no attention to the door. They answered phone calls and went through piles of paper work.

Johnny walked right through them and not a single person even noticed. Walking down a hallway Johnny stopped in front of an office and gently knocked on the door. It was the same door of the officer who would not help Johnny bring justice to his girlfriend. There was no answer so Johnny knocked even harder on the office door.

"Who is it?" A voice called out from inside.

"An old friend" Johnny said.

"Did you check in up front?" The man said.

"Sure did." Johnny said as he raised the Tommy gun from his side. Johnny grabbed a hold of the door knob and slowly turned it. The officer inside was the same one Johnny had talked to before. As soon as he saw Johnny he jumped under his desk. Johnny walked inside and closed the door.

"Remember me?" Johnny said smiling. The officer was still under the desk and they could not see him. With a cracking sound the officer popped up from under the desk. He had a small revolver in his hand and it was making the cracking sound. It was shortly followed by a defening cheeeech cheeech sound of the Tommy gun going off.

Papers and debris flew around the room. The sound was so loud inside the little office that Gabriel's ears were ringing. Both the officer and Johnny fell to the floor. As quickly as it had started it was now over. Both guns were silenced, and Gabriel looked over at Johnny. He had two distinct bullet holes in his head. One on his forehead and the other on his cheek. His eye's were open but the rage was stilled. Smoke rolled out from the end of the Tommy gun and Gabriel could smell the powder and flesh.

It was a strange combination, almost like that of burning hair. Looking around the other side of the desk, Gabriel could see Johnny had finished the job. The officer was riddled with a spray pattern of bullets. Slivers of wood and paper laid next to him and the revolver was in a death clutch. Looking out the window behind the officer Gabriel could see people walking around in the street like nothing had happened.

Inside the room it was like a bomb had went off. Yet on the other side of the wall people were going about their day like nothing had happened. The light of the room went to dark, and the strange smell faded. Gabriel was back in the field shaking Johnny's hand. Gabriel jolted a little as he changed from one moment to the next.
Chapter Thirty One

"You ok?" Johnny asked giving Gabriel a strange look.

"Yeah, I'm fine....Had one of those brain farts for a moment." Gabriel said letting go of Johnny's hand.

"So what's your story?" Jack asked looking at Gabriel.

"Well I was born in a small town called Axal..." Gabriel said stopping with a smile.

"Well I guess you could start there.." Johnny said laughing.

"Take a seat, I think we will be here awhile." Jack said as he sat down in the field. Gabriel sat down as well and just as he did he could hear footsteps behind him.

"Oh? Not going to introduce him to me?" A mellow voice said from behind Gabriel.

"Why would we want to introduce him to a serial killer?" Johnny said.

"Say's the mass murderer, sooo boring. Maybe you could tell him how you killed for fame. Isn't that what Mass murderers kill for? Because they would never really amount to anything in their entire boring life. So they go out and kill to make their life have a purpose." The man said behind Gabriel. Gabriel turned around and saw a dark hard man who looked to be in his late 30's. He was a handsome man who held an almost permanent smile on his face.

"It was for revenge, not fame you imbecile." Johnny said.

"Oh right, this is from the man dressed as a clown...Heh, revenge what a childish emotion. The average person would have grown out of such a weak emotion. It's ok though you hang on to your purpose in death." The man said as he walked around in front of Gabriel.

"The name is Alexander, nice to meet you." Alexander said sitting down next to Gabriel.

"My name is Gabriel, nice to meet you as well..That is if you are not really a serial killer." Gabriel said smiling but knowing not to offer the man his hand.

"People kill for many reason really. I guess since we have a writer amongst us then that is the best analogy I could use. For instance there are many types of writers, much like murderers. Some people write for a number count, to reach as many people as possible. They don't care the content of their writing, they just want to get as many readers as they can. All for fame, much like Johnny here." Alexander said holding his cunning smile the entire time.

"And you killed just to get your jolly's off you sick fuck!" Johnny said getting up.

"Our lives are as delicate as dynamite if they are stored in the wrong condition then the collateral damage can be catastrophic." A voice from within Jack said.

"Excuse me, I cannot sit with this disgrace of a man." Johnny said walking away from them.

"Well that was rude....As I was saying murder is much like writing. Some people write to really be intimate with their reader. They don't care about who reads their work. Just as long as they can really touch a few people. They put passion into their work and never force what they write. Then there are others who were just born to write. It's in their very nature, and sometimes its even hard for them to do. Yet they have no choice since it is what defines them.....Then there are others, like Jack here who just murders words!" Alexander said laughing. There was a bit of a pause

"Writing is the easy part. Having lived the nightmares in the words is the hard part. Now if only I could write my way out of my skin." A voice from Jack said. Turning their strange conversation even darker.

"So then what type of a killer are you Alexander?" Gabriel said.

"Well, maybe I should start from the beginning?" Alexander said.

"I don't think we are going anywhere..." Gabriel said looking up at the sky.

"See I was born on a street with murderers and theive's. They told me at a young age to either join them or become a victim. I told them I have nothing to steal and murdering me would only do the streets a favor." Alexander said.

"Would you say you are a product of those streets?" Jack said in his normal voice.

"No I did not let them create me, as most wanted to believe. I got no pleasure out of anything in life. Even sex seemed so boring and at times unnatural. My pleasure had to come from a fantasy land. It started out as simply dominating someone. Until eventually the fantasy was of killing them. Then that fantasy was not enough. I had to turn their body into an expression, my expression. The fantasy's went on for years and then one day I had to act upon them." Alexander said with that same permanent smile.

"So the only way you could find pleasure was to kill?" Gabriel asked.

"Eventually yes, then even that faded. It was like I was always hungry and had a massive appetite to fill. People became my canvas, and killing them was my art." Alexander said.

"Murder is not art, victims are not a canvas to communicate with the world." Jack said in his own voice.

"Well if murder is not art then neither is writing. Murder gave me a way to express myself, and find passion, and finally pleasure in life." Alexander said.

"But what about the victims, the family's you tore apart?" Gabriel said with a sigh.

"Art should not be so destructive." Gabriel said before Alexander could respond.

"Hmmm maybe you are right. I have yet to hear your story Gabriel. But I can say out of the four of us there is only one person here who should be feared for all eternity. It is the writer, see Jack might not realize it but he can play on any emotion. I could only play on a few and even I cannot get into the minds of people like Jack can. He could be writing a recipe for killing spree's of the century's. His victims could start out innocently reading, and wind up with him planting a seed of death in their minds. For instance look at all the damage the bible has caused. Just a simple book, yet it has killed more than I could ever imagine." Alexander said.

"If only god can judge me then who can find me guilty!" An angry voice from inside of Jack shouted. Both Jack and Gabriel looked at him puzzled and confused.

"Well I can say I worried about Jack but its not his writing that frightens me." Gabriel said.

"But can you see what I am saying, the power of art and influence can kill as easy as pleasure. So who gets to decide what is art?" Alexander said.

"I do not fear what is inside of me. I already dug up my monsters, all I fear is what monsters they will invoke in you." Jack said looking away from Alexander and Gabriel. It was as if he was having his own conversation.

"Do you feel any guilt for what you have done?" Gabriel asked.

"Does a lion feel guilty for eating his prey? Do you feel guilty for what brings you pleasure? And most importantly should you feel guilty for it?" Alexander said.

"But people are not to be preyed upon. You could have found other ways to define who you are.." Gabriel said frustrated with the conversation.

"We comfort ourselves with lies because the truth is too horrific." A voice from Jack said.

"I like it when I can agree with you Jack." Alexander said.

"But.....If reality is the truth then honesty is a lie." Another voice from Jack said. The three men just sat under the night sky digesting what all had been said. It was clear to Gabriel that he was amongst psychopaths and could not trust anyone.

"Gabriel I guess we will just agree to disagree. You cannot see beyond what you have been told is right and wrong. I just realized that there is no such thing and everyone wants to live in the gray area. I say stick to your evil ways or get out of the melting pot." Alexander said.

"I doubt I will ever understand you, your pleasure came at the cost of others." Gabriel said.

"As is often the case with pleasure." Alexander said. The men stopped talking for a moment and watched as the creature who brought them there walked about in the field looking for worms.

"Her beauty is as cunning as a serial killers smile. Though its just a nightmare and in the morning she will be gone with your dreams." A voice from Jack said as his eye's glistened as he looked at her.

"Well that is one way to describe death." Gabriel said looking at her as well.

"It might not be death that he is describing. Jack, or however many people speak for Jack are normally out of context. He is hard to talk to since he is here one moment and then gone the next. Then he just starts rambling off strange sayings. I hope to find him some paper to write on since then maybe he will stop all of his rambling." Alexander said.

"I had a dream like that once, sayings just kept coming out of no where. Like voices that crowded my mind until they almost blinded my thoughts." Gabriel said.

"Well maybe you got just a glimpse of what insanity might be like." Alexander said.

"It's strange having voices come out of your mind like that." Gabriel said and cut his sentence off short.

"Oh? Do tell?" Alexander said with a larger smile than usual.

"I guess, now that I am thinking about it...That dream was not the first time I had a voice inside my mind. As a child I would first hear them. It was an almost emotionless voice, when it spoke I felt nothing really. In the strangest moments, maybe happy or sad. It would speak up and say just end it." Gabriel said.

"End what? Your life or others?" Alexander said.

"My life." Gabriel said.

"So how did that voice make you feel when it would say that?" Alexander said.

"Eventually nothing I guess, at first I agreed with it. Then there was a time I tried to fight it back. Now when I hear it I feel nothing." Gabriel said.

"You really are no different from me." Alexander said with eye's widening. Gabriel got ready to respond but a voice within Jack cut him off.

"When at war with yourself, healing only wounds and scars could kill. Though once enough battles are lost you will lose yourself and see who you really are." As Jack finished Gabriel waited a moment then spoke.

"No I am nothing like you, I would never hurt another person." Gabriel said.

"It is instinctual to hurt, and to hurt others. You cannot go through life without hurting." Alexander said.

"Well I could never kill another person is what I meant to say." Gabriel said, he could feel Alexander trying to slip in the cracks of his mind.

"You are like me Gabriel, maybe you don't see it because you have never killed. Most people haven't but I can say once they have they would have to try very hard to stop. See you said the voice came up during the good times and the bad. That tells me that even when you were in the best of moments you could not enjoy it. The normal pleasures were of no interest to you and so you simply miss interpreted the voice. I too had a voice, but it did not tell me to end it, it told me to end them." Alexander said. Gabriel's mind was starting to ache Alexander was trying to convince him that he was a killer.

"I.....I hear voices too." Jack said in a nervous voice. As though he was afraid what they might say.

"Hahaha, well maybe that is why we are here. They wanted to round up all the loonies in one spot. Maybe its so god knows where to start when he cleans up this sinking ship." Alexander said still laughing.

"You know what I miss?" Jack said in his own voice.

"What is that?" Alexander said.

"I miss drinking see my life is like looking through the bottom of a liquor bottle. Just a haze of poisons that I have drank away." Jack said.

"Well Jack, I would not trust a writer that doesn't drink away their insanity." Alexander said.

"So was there anyone you ever loved or were you simply a monster like they make most serial killers out to be?" Gabriel asked to break a moment of silence.

"They try to make serial killers look so far out there. The media, and even the writers try to make them into the insane psycho path. I actually lived a normal life, I had a wife for awhile and two children with her. Ted Bundy said a serial killer is you father, husband, son, guy next door. He was right, and when most serial killers are caught they try to plead insanity. It's almost like it's an excuse for what they did. But they rarely get off with an insanity plea. Their crimes are far out their from the norm and taboo. Though almost all of them knew exactly what they were doing. I knew what I was doing and I made no excuses for myself. So to answer your question I have loved, and still love my children." Alexander said.

Gabriel seemed somewhat shocked to the answer. How could such a destructive person actually create life rather than just consume it. Alexander did not make sense to Gabriel. He seemed like a very dangerous person and not someone to be tested. Then on the other hand he seemed like a charming father, and member of society.

"I too have loved! Then she decided to love someone else..." Jack said in his normal voice and then his voice changed.

"I thought my broken heart was useless, so I buried it in a shallow hole of regret. Who knew the vultures of lust would use it for a feast." Jack said in a different voice.

"Alexander you so easily talk about killing and then your family. It seems to me that you are missing morals, or even a conscience. I don't know how you can be alright with what you have done." Gabriel said.

"I realized that I am human, and I wasn't perfect. Though I do think perfection is possible, all you have to do is accept yourself. So I became perfection when I accepted what I was. I stopped trying to hide it or feel any guilt. Then there was no longer a need for remorse or repentance. I also had to unlearn some of the thing's society had taught me. Their boundaries were all that made up my conscience. Maybe through religion, laws, or for some moral purpose. If you get down to the basic's of what we are, you will find a repressed predator." Alexander said.

"Well how many people did you kill....That is if you don't mind me picking your brain?" Gabriel said.

"Not at all, I actually thought for a moment about killing you. It was a brief fantasy that I did not devote much time to. Although the thought did give me some pleasure.....Well let me see....How many people did you think about killing? Then I will answer you of course." Alexander said.

"If you kill me then all you will have left is the jester, the writer, and death. I did think about killing something once." Gabriel said.

"Oh really? So you had to see it as a something instead of someone in order to imagine this?" Alexander said.

"No, it goes by many names, Apollyon is what I call it." Gabriel said.

"So the devil.....What are you some kind of religious nut job?" Alexander asked.

"Well I guess that sums me up fairly well. If I told you the truth you would not believe it. Maybe that's how he want's me to feel. I am not sure all I know is he has taken everything I love from me." Gabriel said looking up at the stars.

"I would find most things hard to believe when I was still alive. Now I have to accept many unbelievable reality's. How would you do it? If he were here now how would you kill him?" Alexander said gesturing with his hands.

"Ahh but you have not answered my question. If you want to have a morbid therapy session then you cannot divert from my questions." Gabriel said.

"Very well, hmmmm I do not know how many I have killed. It was not like as if I was keeping count. The number never mattered to me as each one was an intimate moment in my life. They convicted me of 87 though they claimed it was well over 100. It didn't matter to me though, they would have given me the death penalty even if it were 4." Alexander said. Gabriel tried to hide the disgust in his face.

"I was not expecting that..That only bring about more questions but I will answer yours first. If Apollyon were here now and not just his spawn..." Gabriel said looking right into Alexander's eyes.

"I would most likely.....Well forgive him. Attempting to kill him, or even killing him would only fuel his ego. I once wanted to kill him, but now I just want to forget him." Gabriel said rubbing his hands together.

"Then he told Satan these words. I will never be yours! I already slept with death, walked down the isles with destruction, and married the darkness in my heart." Jack said in a different voice while standing up and raising his hands to the sky.

"What about you Jack have you ever wanted to kill someone?"Alexander said looking at Jack. But it was as though Jack was someplace else inside of his own mind. Jack sat back down after a moment or two but he remained silent.

"How did you kill your victims? I assume it wasn't with forgiveness.." Gabriel said.

"Well now that is a story in itself. I will use Jack as an example again. Like an author I had to test the waters. The book was my victim, and it took me awhile to find out what it was I got the most pleasure from. The first few years was trial and error, killing people because they lived within a few hours from me. One thing I never did was kill someone I had known. As with most serial killers, since they know that if others know that you and the victim knew each other before their death then you would become a suspect. So I chose at random to begin with. After awhile though I was no longer getting pleasure from the random person who crossed my path. It became too easy, I would lure them to my car and then knock them unconscious. I started out doing this only at night, but after awhile I was bored. So I had to start taking killing more seriously. I started picking my victim's and studying their behaviors..." Alexander stopped for a moment to catch his breath.

"Yes, I almost forgot I also would pick the location as well. I would pick towns that never had a dark history. A place where people felt comfortable. I would rent a home for cash only and make up a name. I would only stay for a month, just long enough to pick a victim. Then I varied how I killed them and even what I did with the body. It was like an experiment each time I had killed the person. Then eventually I had perfected it, and I knew what I wanted..." Alexander stopped.

"You seem to be able to talk about it so openly." Gabriel said.

"Yes I have always been a talker, I could most likely talk all night long if you let me." Alexander said.

"I just don't understand how you got pleasure from it." Gabriel said.

"I am not sure if even I could answer that. I know I almost felt nothing in life until I started killing. I was never rude to my victims though. I would even give them a final meal, let them listen to their favorite song one last time, or even write a note to their loved ones. It must have been freeing for them, to know they got a chance to say goodbye. Of course some took my generosity and tried to turn it into a weakness. They would try to convince me not to kill them. Yet none would really fight back, it was like they felt so comfortable with me. Just when they started to think I would let them go, that is when I would do it. It was like a surge of adrenaline, a high that no drug could give you. You knew that you got to play god and you were no longer the prey of mankind, but the predator." Alexander said as he laid down in the grass.

Gabriel laid back as well and remained silent. He had heard more than enough for one night. Alexander reminded him so much of Apollyon. They both got some sort of pleasure from the destruction of mankind. They looked upon them like a plague. Maybe it was just how they were wired and there was no changing it. Gabriel laid there waiting for Alexander to try and murder him. Every time a piece of grass brushed his skin he would flinch.

"Do not be afraid Gabriel, my pleasures were woman and children." Alexander said laughing. The words sent chills down Gabriel's spine. Not of fear but of rage, Gabriel did not want to be in the same time zone as Alexander. The fact that he of all people came back had disgusted him. It was such a waste for a man like him to be alive. Then he realized that the thoughts he was having were similar to those that Alexander wanted him to have. He wanted him to want to kill, to prove a point. To show Gabriel that he was no better than he was.

"I was never afraid of the dark, it was always creatures of the light that haunted me." Jack said as he too was laying down. Although Gabriel had slept he was still tired and shut his eye's. A part of Gabriel was hoping that Alexander would try to attack him. That way he could justify the second execution of Alexander.

Maybe Alexander needed a second chance though. Maybe he had already served his sentence. After all he was sentenced to death, and he was executed. Gabriel was unsure if that was enough to wipe his slate clean though. He said it himself that a serial killer would not stop killing once started. Alexander might just be waiting for his moment to kill again.

Gabriel started to think that maybe death was keeping them there for a reason. None of them should be a part of the world once again. Even though now it was just complete divine anarchy. Alexander might have to still serve his sentence with death. The jester seemed to have rage issues and he could snap at any moment. Jack had a major identity crisis, as though a whole group of people was living inside of him.

But what did death want with Gabriel. Maybe she knew that she was the only thing who could save him from the world, the divine, and himself. But Apollyon would surely find them, there was no place that they could hide. He had already taken over what appeared to be a large portion of the united states. From the coast all the way to the small mountain town of Axal.

"Trying to sleep is a chess match. Except the pieces are emotion and the game is strategic madness." A voice from Jack said as he tossed and turned on the ground. Gabriel got up and looked, he could see that Alexander was already asleep. Gabriel could see a shadow creeping up to them in the darkness. He could not make the figure out until he was right above Alexander. Gabriel could see it was the jester hovering just above Alexander.

"The jester placed one finger up to his lips to make a shush gesture to Gabriel. Gabriel knew what he was about to do. Part of him wanted to stop it but then he thought about all the lives Alexander had taken. Gabriel just laid back down in the grass and clinched his eye's shut. Gabriel would not decide the fate of Alexander and left it in the hands of the jester.

"Hey!" Alexander yelled in a muffled voice. Gabriel could only hear what was happening. It sounded like the jester was strangling Alexander.

"Stop it!" Jack shouted in his own voice. Now that Jack was involved Gabriel had no choice but to get up. Even though all he wanted to do was lay there and listen to them kill one another. But Gabriel knew whoever was left standing might come for him next. Yet more importantly Gabriel knew he might need them to get away from death herself. Looking up Gabriel could see the jester on top of Alexander choking the life out of him. While Jack stood over the jester kicking him in the side. Jack was just a small man and could not get the much larger jester off of Alexander. Quickly getting to his feet Gabriel ran over and started trying to pry the jester off.

"Once this is all over I will let you two kill each other. Right now we need to figure out how to evade death long enough to escape!" Gabriel said as he put all of his strength into pulling the jester off. Finally the jester just went limp in Gabriel's hands and his hands let go of the grip they had around Alexanders neck. He went so limp that Gabriel could not hold him up and the jester fell to the ground next to Alexander.

That is when Gabriel saw what had happened. Somehow Alexander had a knife and stabbed it into the jester during the attack. The knife blade shined in the moonlight. That is the part that was not covered in blood. Dropping to the ground Gabriel rolled the jester over. His eye's as still as they were in the office of the cop after he had been shot. It was all over and maybe the jester was finally free of his anger and hate.

"Why did you kill him!" Gabriel shouted as him and Alexander both got to their feet.

"Well.....Maybe you didn't get the memo but I am after all a killer! Not to mention the fact that he was about to kill me!" Alexander said. The words confirmed what Gabriel had feared. Alexander was still as much of a killer as he ever was.

"Lets get one thing straight, you kill another person and I will put you in a gift basket for her!" Gabriel said pointing at the creature in the field with them. She looked over at them with cold eye's and hovered just above the ground over to the jester. Her approach was enough to silence them. She landed just above the jesters head and looked down on him. With one of her talons she prodded at the jester and looked down at him.

"Caww Ghahh" She shouted as she launched onto the corpse of the jester with both talons. With one powerful flap of her wings she entered the sky. The wind was so violent that it kicked dirt up into their faces. Gabriel looked up into the sky as the Jesters limp body dangled in the talons of death.

"Was that a threat?" Alexander whispered.

"I can tell you one thing Alexander, you have met your match. You have finally met someone that you will never be able to kill, or get any pleasure from." Gabriel said pulling the knife from Alexanders hand. He gave it up without much resistance.

"Oh but you are wrong I am already getting pleasure just of the thought of killing you." Alexander said with his permanent smile. Gabriel walked away and started heading down towards the creek running through the field. The blood on the blade was now on Gabriel's hands as well. It was already starting to dry onto his hands. The feeling was making his skin crawl. Once down to the creek Gabriel put his hands and the blade into the cold water. As the blood was washed away from his skin Gabriel tucked the blade into his pocket and laid down next to the creek.

The air along the creek was much cooler than it was in the field. Reaching up to his neck Gabriel fumbled around for the pendant. Gabriel looked into the colors, it was almost like trying to choose a TV channel of insanity. Blue was his gateway to Odin, Morrighan was red, and then the destroyer, Apollyon was yellow.

"Firgga?" Gabriel said pressing his fingers to the Yellow pendant. It wasn't the correct way to use the pendant but Gabriel was instantly thrust into the land of Apollyon. Apollyon was still on his flying creature and Gabriel was flying along next to him. The earth below was covered in flames. Gabriel tried to figure out where they were but it was useless. All he could see was a burning port, and a part of Apollyon's legion loading onto a ship.

Just off the shore from the port was other cruise ships that were leaving. One was completely on fire on the back end. Demons tossed corpses into the flames completely unaware that they were on a sinking ship. There was no way that the flames could be controlled yet the demons just added fuel to the fire.

Apollyon's beast swooped down and sharply turned towards the earth. Gabriel could see a small congregation of demons waiting in the parking lot of the port. Gabriel gently touched down to earth though his body tensed up expecting the normal crash landing. Apollyon jumped down off the flying beast and walked over to the demons.

"Well where is he?" Apollyon asked walking around behind the demons.

"Why...." Apollyon shouted.

"Have you NOT found him?" Apollyon said as his face turned red in the flicker of flames.

"She....Came and took him!" One large demon with twisted horns said looking down at the ground.

"Then WHY are you not out searching for him?" Apollyon said.

"We.....We will find HIM!" Another demon said turning and running off with a group of other demons.

"This is just unacceptable, we should already have over half of the world under my command. Yet all we have is this corrupted country. I already had this land taken over before the legion even got here. Yet it took us way too long to set up our operations. Now you find him, and get these floating machines across the sea!" Apollyon said with anger seething from his lips.

"Don't worry my lord, we will find him and then make quick work of those heathen gods!" The demon with twisted horns said.

"You better hope so, because those ancient god's should be little match for us. Then again we can't even float away from the shore without burning down our transportation! Now he could not have gotten far, burn down all the forests, towns....Turn this land into a scorched hell and then he will show his face!" Apollyon said as he walked back over to the flying creature. The demons turned and started running away from him in all directions.

Gabriel knew that Apollyon was talking about him. But what more did he have for Gabriel, he built his legion and has all he ever wanted. What more could he do with Gabriel? Just as Gabriel's feet left the ground he grabbed a hold of the pendant and clinched it in his hands. Closing his eyes he opened his mouth and thought for a moment of what to say.

"Midgards calling!" Gabriel shouted into the darkness.
Chapter Thirty Two

The sun was starting to come up over the field. Gabriel let go of the pendant and looked around for cover. Apollyon was searching for him and he was a sitting duck in the field. Walking up from the creek bank Gabriel scanned each corner of the field. Jack and Alexander were sitting in front of each other talking. Gabriel could not hear what they were saying but Alexander was laughing very loud.

"I gatta get out of here" Gabriel whispered under his breath. Jack and Alexander were still occupied in conversation so Gabriel crept back down the bank. Death or whatever she was, was no where around. Gently stepping Gabriel crept along the creek and followed it out of the field and into some thick tree's. Looking back Gabriel could only see a little bit of the field from the tree's. An urge to run swept over him and his feet began kicking under him.

Branches and twigs snapped as he ran through the trees. Trying to navigate them was very difficult for how quickly he was moving. Gabriel was running down stream of the creek on a slight slant down hill. He didn't know where he was going, he just knew he could not stay there. Though he was now a good distance from the field he felt as though he was being watched. Or maybe it was just the fact that he knew he was being hunted by Apollyon that made him uneasy.

Coming to another clearing and meadow Gabriel stopped and hid behind a tree. He knew better than to run out in the open but going around might cost him valuable time. The urge to run hit him again and Gabriel started running into the open meadow. About halfway through Gabriel could see a shadow pass over from above. Fear was now the only thing driving his legs and he didn't want to look up.

Voices of reason tried to tell him it was only a bird. Then the shadow passed by him once more and he knew it was no bird. What ever it was it was hovering just above his head. The shadow was keeping up with his pace no matter how fast he tried to run. Gabriel was huffing for air and could no longer run. Stopping he turned to look up and just as he did he could see her coming down with talons open.

For a moment he knew what it was like to be prey, to death. She latched onto him with a ripping pain and Gabriel let his body dangle in her grasp. It was no use fighting her, at least not on his own. Gabriel for once was the prey to death but now he knew he had to be the predator. Or maybe that was the disease of suicide that he had since birth talking.

Shutting his eye's Gabriel prepared himself for the landing. The image of Jack and Alexander waiting in the field below was stained into his eye lid's as they inched towards the field. Jack and Alexander with both smiling as if to say we told you so. Her talons unclenched and Gabriel gently fell into the grass.

"Welcome back!" Alexander said as Gabriel opened his eyes. Alexander was standing above him holding out his hand to help Gabriel up.

"No thanks." Gabriel said getting up to his feet. Alexander withdrew his hand with a look of confusion.

"You are going to need our help if you expect to get out of here." Alexander said.

"Well the way I see it is we only have one way out. Kill death herself so that she can let go of whatever is left of our lives." Gabriel said.

"Oh? Only hours ago you were telling me about how horrible killing was. Now you want us to kill an angle? The only angle that I ever really liked....The angle of death?" Alexander asked with a crooked smile.

"Kill the angle of death? I had an angle once, a guardian angle but I must have killed her too..... My guardian angel must have sold her wings in hell, and pawned her halo to death, just to save me from myself." a voice from Jack said.

"Yes Jack I know the feeling. My mind is like a noose just waiting to snap my neck." Gabriel said looking at the angle of death hovering above them.

"So pathetic you two are with your dreams of death. What a waist it was giving you two an afterlife." Alexander said.

"I guess we carried our disease over in death?" Gabriel said.

"I know where I seen her!" Jack said in his own voice looking at the angel of death.

"Death came to me in a dream. She said when she would come again and I woke up with an urgency to start a legacy to die for." Jack said in a different voice.

"Did she say how to get away from her?" Alexander said smiling.

"No, she told me an age of when I would die. I think it was thirty two but I decided to end it before she could." Jack said in his own voice as he looked away from the angle.

"Lets just figure out how to get out of here." Gabriel said as he sat down in the field.

"Really we only have two options. Kill her or escape, I guess we could trap her but with what resources.." Gabriel said looking around.

"No, there is only one way, kill her." Alexander said.

"Then we will need weapons and all we have is a knife." Gabriel said laying the knife down in front of him.

"We can make spears!" Jack said.

"Spears? You want to kill death with spears? Maybe we can throw rocks at her as well? Or maybe we can do it my way..." Alexanders said.

"We will figure something out.." Gabriel said laying back and thinking.

"You told me yourself that you never killed someone. What would you know about it? We can't just run up to her with spears and start jabbing them at her. I told you this before killing is an art, and it takes a special kind of artist to finish the job." Alexander said. Gabriel was just about to speak but Jack cut him off.

"I like making plots of death! I like to twist up my mind like one of those toy cars. Cranking the hears until it snaps then I let it fly into a wall." Jack said in a voice not his own. Gabriel rubbed his head trying to think of what he was going to say.

"Fine Alexander we do it your way. Just know that I would not have killed her. I just don't have the time to sit here and argue with madness." Gabriel said as he sat up and handed Alexander the knife.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself Gabriel." Alexander said smiling as he took the knife. Alexander looked at the blade and studied his reflection in the knife.

"I have been watching her for awhile now. Her every move, just searching for her weakness. It wasn't clear to me until now when she dropped you. I thought maybe when she brought us food but she never gets close enough." Alexander said still watching his reflection in the knife.

"Just before she set you down here deadly talons were occupied. She brought you right in front of us and her neck almost shined at me. Her neck is like any woman's, fragile and innocent." Alexander said. Jack jumped up to his feet with an angry look on his face.

"I will eat the spirit of innocence so that you will finally see that we are all abused!" Jack said in a strange and angry voice.

"Jack calm down now I think you are....Confused?" Alexander said looking away from the knife. His almost permanent smile faded and he now had a serious look. The knife was no longer loose in his hand but being held tightly.

"Arghhh I can't take it anymore!" Jack shouted in his own voice as he turned and started to walk away.

"There was a door in my mind. I touched the knob and could hear a beast growling. That is when I realized the door was society and the beast is me." Jack mumbled over and over as he walked away.

"A man of many issues, I am still waiting for him to just snap." Alexander said.

"I am not sure who the bigger problem is. Death, you, or jack and his many voices..." Gabriel said.

"Lets just handle one problem at a time. Jack is unstably predictable, I know that some words trigger his mind. Such as the word innocent, I knew he would get upset. Now we just sit back and wait." Alexander said. Gabriel could see that Jack was running and yelling the same line over and over. Jack jumped over the fence and started to run through the woods. After a few moments Gabriel could no longer see Jack and he faded into the trees.

Jack's voice still echoed around them though. It was as though there were many voices shouting it now and not just Jack. Giant black wings spread out over the sky above Jack and she circled the tree's just waiting.

"Are you sure you want to do this now?" Gabriel said as he watched her fly.

"I have been waiting for this kill my whole life. Maybe all the others were just preparing me for her?" Alexander said clinching the knife still. Gabriel watched death fly maybe for her last time in silence. As she flew Gabriel thought of all the people who prayed that she would take them. What would happen once she was gone he wondered. Then again it seemed like now she had no place and was just lost.

"She will be back any moment now, so be ready." Alexander said.

"Ready to do what, you have the knife!" Gabriel said as death swooped down and grabbed a hold of Jack. She rose back into the sky with Jack in her grasp. He was struggling against her but it didn't matter he was stuck in her grasp and there was no way out. After a few moments she was slowly flying back down to earth to drop Jack off with them.

"Be ready to accept that you are a killer." Alexander said looking up at death. She gracefully flew down to release Jack who was still fighting for his life.

"Let go of me!" Jack shouted as he swung his one free arm hitting her in the talon.

"Now!" Alexander said as he lunged at her throat with the knife. Gabriel just watched, as his hopes of getting away faded. Alexander grabbed her by the waste but he was not high enough up to cut her throat.

"Gabriel!" Alexander shouted. No Gabriel thought, I am not a killer. She let go of Jack but just as she did he grabbed onto her legs and dragged her down to earth with Alexander. As she fell to the ground Alexander quickly and cleanly made a single cut across her throat. The wings of death fell silent on the field. The cold eye's closed and she went without much of a fight.

The three men stood next too her and just stared at her as deaths blood soaked the ground. Alexander had a huge smile on his face while jack had tears running down his. Gabriel was still in shock from everything that had happened. Her wings were outstretched on the ground and she looked like just another of Alexanders innocent victims. Or maybe she was just another of Apollyon's victims since it seemed to be his blood flowing through Alexander.

"Should we bury her?" Gabriel said.

"With what?" Alexander asked.

"Well I don't know.....This just seems wrong to leave her here." Gabriel said.

"Why don't you two start heading out, I will take care of her." Alexander said with a possessed look.

"Not a chance, we leave here together." Gabriel said knowing all too well what Alexander wanted to do with her corpse.

"Any last words?" Gabriel said.

"If I wanted to hide from the devil then hell would be the best place since he is here on earth. If I wanted to hide from god then I would stay here on earth because he still hasn't found me." Jack said in his own voice.

"Alexander?" Gabriel said.

"No need for words in this moment." Alexander said.

"I don't really know what to say, I hope she finally finds peace." Gabriel said turning away from her.

"Let's get moving its already getting dark and the sky seems to be at war again." Gabriel said walking towards the woods. Above them the sky was filled with color, all the colors of the rainbow and a brilliant sunset. Comets flew over, and storm clouds crashed into each other at high speed. As they crashed light and colors shot out in all directions. Almost as though rainbows were exploding.

Alexander stood still with the bloody knife still in his hand. He was almost mesmerized by the corpse of death. Gabriel and Jack were already almost to the woods but Gabriel had a feeling that Alexander might not be following them out. Turning around Gabriel could see Alexander kneeling over the corpse of death.

"LETS GO!" Gabriel yelled in a forceful voice.

"I can't leave here, you said it yourself she is my kill. You didn't help me take her so she is mine." Alexander said as Gabriel struggled to hear him from the distance. Alexander started to plunge the knife into one of her outstretched wings. Slowly he began cutting it back and fourth, his eye's were almost still in deep concentration.

"Stop!" Gabriel shouted as he ran back towards Alexander. Alexander quickly turned around with the bloody knife. Some of the black feathers were stuck to it from the bloody mess he was creating.

"I will leave with her before you take me away from her!" Alexander shouted as his smile faded.

"I won't let you do this Alexander, she doesn't deserve to be mutilated by a monster!" Gabriel said as he stopped just feet from Alexander.

"I just want her wings!" Alexander said as he turned and started cutting again. Gabriel waited for a moment not wanting to touch Alexander. He didn't know what was worse, letting him cut the wings of death or seeing into his twisted past. Over the horizon flew what seemed like hundreds of demons on flying beasts. They were still far enough away for Gabriel to try and escape but he would have to leave Alexander.

Crouching down Gabriel started quickly moving through the grass and back towards Jack who was now in the trees. Fear rushed over him knowing that Apollyon's legion was passing over, and most likely searching for him. Even Jack could see them flying in the sky and was motioning Gabriel to hurry. Slipping into the tree's next to Jack, Gabriel pulled Jack down under a fallen log.

"Shhh." Gabriel said holding Jack down tightly. He knew he could not run, and hiding was going to be their only option.

Gabriel could see through a hole in the tree most likely made by a wood pecker. Straining his eye he tried to see what was going on in the sky above Alexander. The demons were circling around above him but he didn't even notice as he sliced away at deaths wings. They circled for a few moments and then one of them landed just in front of Alexander. Then another smaller looking demon landed just behind the other.

"Shouldn't we take him?" The smaller demon asked.

"He is already ours." The one in front said.

"Go I will speak with this.....Artist." The demon in the front said as the others started to fly off just above Gabriel and Jack.

"You there!" The demon said breaking Alexander from his concentration. It wasn't as though he didn't know they were there. It seemed like he was almost acting or trying to fool the demons. All the while he was acting on his pleasures of mutilating corpses.

"Huh?" Alexander said looking up as he wiped his face with blood and feathers.

"Have you seen anyone else around in these woods?" The demon asked.

"Ohhhhh yes they are all around us!" Alexander said trying to twist his voice.

"Who!" The demon shouted.

"People don't you see them all!" Alexander said pointing around him.

"There is no one here, you must have gone crazy!" The demon said pulling on the reins of the flying creature.

"I didn't GO crazy, I was born this way!" Alexander said as he started cutting back into death. The demon shook his head as he flew off into the sky.

Gabriel helplessly watched as Alexander cut off the wings of death. Alexander looked at the incisions he made and studied the bones in the wings. Almost like a scientist would do to study a creature. Demons were still flying around in the distance so Gabriel and Jack just laid there waiting. After cutting away the wings Alexander began cutting at the abdominal section of death.

Just as blood started to pool around her belly Alexander dipped his head down and tasted her blood. As he did Gabriel turned away and looked to the sky. Hoping that maybe the demons were gone so he could save whatever was left of death. It was too no avail though, the hours passed and the demons searched. While Alexander continued to dissect another of his victims. Finally he was done and just stood above here looking down at his creation.

Her insides were all out laying next to her, while the wings he tried to put back on. He had made large holes in her back and stuffed the wings in them. Alexander looked almost disappointed in what he had done. Not morally but like a painter who smudged his painting. He walked down to the creek and washed the feathers and blood off of his face.

As he was washing the demon's started to gather up in a large group again. Before they were all separate and searching but now they gathered above death. Some of them laughed as they looked down on her. Others had big smiles and hovered in to get a closer look. Then as their leader motioned forward they quickly flew off over one of the ridges.

"Alright Jack lets get out of here." Gabriel whispered as he slowly got up.

"Looking back on my past is like taking the hand of a killer and walking through the forest at night. The only evidence of my death are these memories." Jack said in a new voice as he got up from under the log.

"Shhhh, lets try to move quietly, so we don't have to walk with the killer through the forest tonight." Gabriel whispered as they tried to navigate through the forest that was going dark. They walked until it was too dark to see any longer and then Gabriel crawled under a large pine tree and motioned for Jack.

"Here lets sleep while we have some darkness. Who knows when daylight will come, could be any moment with how quickly things change." Gabriel said as he laid down under the large tree's canopy/

"I don't just need sleep, but I need food and water..." Jack said with parched lips.

"For now lets just sleep, can't find food or water tonight." Gabriel said as Jack laid down next to him under the tree.

"I wish I could dream as I once did. Corruption fills my sleep and society has stolen my dreams." Jack said in a strange and tired voice.

"I wish I could sleep as I used too. Now it seems I only sleep when I am completely exhausted. Then its only for a few hours if that." Gabriel said as he rolled over on his side. Gabriel tossed and turned for a few moments as flashes of light shined through the pine tree.

"So were you ever like an author of a book or did you just write those sayings that you always spew?" Gabriel asked. There was a brief moment of silence and then Jack spoke.

"I will never consider myself to be an author. The word "Author" sounds kind of conceded since we are the author of nothing. Most of us are just plagiarists and our thoughts are influenced by society. I would say at best I could have a shot at an unmarked grave in the dead poets society. Then again that is even a little conceded of me." Jack said in his own voice.

"Heh, I guess thats true..I was just trying to make small talk to pass the time. Can't really get to sleep with everything going on in the sky above us." Gabriel said rolling over again.

"I don't want to be an author. I want to conjure my words into soldiers that attack these pages and cause enough madness that I ignite a war of emotion." Jack said in a different voice.

"It's hard to hold a normal conversation with you. Its almost like talking to a crowd of people. So uh why did you decide to start writing" Gabriel said although he already knew the answer since he seen Jack writing as a child to escape reality.

"I had finally surrendered to myself. Ending this life long war, I accepted my repressed madness. Then I harnessed it into the art of words." Jack said in his own voice as he too rolled over.

"Well Jack, although the things you say are insane and mostly depressing, I still think its unfortunate that no one got to read your work. I think anyone who dedicates their life to something creative deserve to have some recognition." Gabriel said.

"I never wanted to be seen. Talent is not enough for fame. Now you must be a social prostitute on the corner of marketing avenue and publicity stunt lane. Then again what good is fame amongst clowns? I would rather stay awake, before I accept society's narcissistic dream as my own." Jack said in his own voice.

"It's just too bad, oh well though like you said who needs fame. I am sure the money of being a famous author would have helped you though. Then again most famous authors I know of have the same problems you did. Poverty, drugs, abuse, alcohol and many mental issues waiting to come out in their work." Gabriel said.

"I know every gift comes with a price, I only wish I could return mine." Jack said in his own voice. He paused for a moment then started speaking in a different voice.

"I am glad they didn't see me. I just hope the footprints I leave behind are smaller than my feet.."

"Heh, yeah I just left behind mostly a mess. I guess I am not dead yet though....Neither are you really since here you are." Gabriel said.

"What do you want to leave behind?" Jack asked in his own voice.

"Hmm I never really thought about it...Nothing at all I guess. What do you want to leave behind besides small footprints?" Gabriel said laughing.

"I know we can't take anything with us when we go. But I want too make sure it was love that I left behind." Jack said in a different voice.

"You are very confusing to talk to, was that your thoughts or someone else?" Gabriel said raising his eyebrows in confusion.

"Wait why do you know so much about me!" Jack asked in his own agitated voice.

"I don't..." Gabriel said still confused.

"You said many writers are like me. How do you know what I am like?!" Jack shouted still angry.

"I am sorry Jack calm down I was just assuming I guess." Gabriel said trying to keep his secrets of seeing into Jack's past hidden. Jack rolled over away from Gabriel and closed his eye's.

"Have you ever loved someone?" Jack asked once he had calmed down.

"Yes I have and I lost them all. One was recent although I still have yet to figure out if I loved her. I guess it doesn't really matter now. But yes I have loved, and lost." Gabriel said.

"If I could say something to the one I loved I would say this. If I wanted to abuse my mind, I would look back and remember you." Jack said first in his voice and then in another.

"Yes, some loved ones are not worth remembering. If they are then maybe only for a lesson. Or just to remember how much love can hurt." Gabriel said.

"In a secluded room inside of my mind rests an abused Ouija board. I often go there when I want to speak to the ghost of your memory." A voice from within Jack said. Jack paused for a moment then his voice changed again.

"So in lust for those padded walls. Wearing that straight jacket as though a wedding ring. Tell death do we part the asylum of love." Jack said in another voice

"Sounds like a man with a broken heart." Gabriel said not sure of who he was really speaking to.

"Hearts are a keyhole, if the lock becomes broken, then no key will fit." Another of Jack's voices said. Gabriel sat up since he was struggling to get any sleep.

"Well I don't think that is true....Sometimes the heart just needs time." Gabriel said.

"You said it was only bad timing. Though my time line is short, and I have more time to leave than to stay." Jack said in another voice.

"Well, Jack? Lets get moving I don't think we can sleep right now." Gabriel said getting out from under the tree. Jack shortly followed him and Gabriel began walking through the forest once more. It was still too dark to navigate but it didn't matter. Gabriel figured they would be safer moving in the cover of night than during the day. Although he didn't want to tell Jack that.

"Where are we going?" Jack asked in his own voice.

"I thought I seen a town this way." Gabriel said trying to convince Jack that he knew where he was going.

"How do you know........" Jack said but then he was interrupted by another one of his voices.

"So I stepped into the shadows, telling myself not to be afraid. Yet I knew I would either find something worth living for or I would stay dead." The voice from Jack said.

"I don't know for sure Jack but we will just keep looking." Gabriel said though he could hardly see ahead of him. After walking for awhile they stopped just before a clearing. Gabriel looked around the field and into the sky looking for any signs of the demons searching for him. As he was looking a shooting star blazed through the sky just above them and radiated light through the sky. It was as though glowing dust fell off of it as it shot through the sky.

"I wished on shooting stars and when I turned from the night she shined her brilliance down on me. But her light died with my wishes. So here I am haunted by the sky and alone in the endless night." Jack said as the light from the star shined down on his face.

"We should probably go around." Gabriel said.

"Why what are we trying to hide from?" Jack said smiling.

"I don't know I just know that there is a war going on. I would prefer not to be a casualty of this war so I am being extra cautious." Gabriel said.

"I am not afraid of death..." Jack said as he walked out into the field.

"It's not death that I am afraid of..." Gabriel said as he walked behind Jack through the field.

"There is something worse than death though, an after life. If there's an afterlife then this conflict inside of me won't be silenced even in death. Now that's a hell I cannot take." Jack said in his own voice.

"I think we are in the afterlife Jack, but then again people are still dying. Guess the only way I can explain this is the life after the afterlife? Who knows where we go from here." Gabriel said looking up at the comets, fireballs, and chaos in the sky. Over one of the ridges the sun was already starting to rise.

"Lets get back in the tree's and look for a place to sleep. I thought I could keep on going but I don't think I can." Gabriel said watching the sun that was quickly rising.

"Yes, I am tired as well. Hungry and thirsty too.." Jack said as they walked into the forest again. Gabriel found another large pine tree and crawled up under it. Without a word Gabriel laid down and closed his eye's. He was not even sure if Jack had followed him but before he knew it he was asleep underneath the tree.
Chapter Thirty Three

Voices from people filled an unknown darkness startling Gabriel. A spotlight focused in on a stage and Gabriel realized he was in some kind of theater. From the darkness to the right of the stage, the creature from his dreams stepped into the spot light. The small multicolored creature flipped through cards that were in his hand, trying to find the right one.

"Oh....Right..." The creature said stopping on one card.

"Act one, Why are we drawn to the mind of the killer and not the heart of the victim? In this act the hero sleeps under a tree while the killer stalks him in his slumber." The creature flipped through a few more cards before walking off the stage. The curtains slowly opened revealing a large pine tree with a creature sleeping under the tree.

"Hehehe die!" Another creature said walking out from stage right. In his hand was a wooden sword with Apollyon carved in the wooden blade. The creature with the sword walked up and stabbed the one sleeping. The spot light turned to a red light shining down on them while another light shined on Gabriel.

"Look he is not immortal!" The creature with the sword said in a different voice. The curtains slowly closed as the creature with the sword ran towards them.

"He will kill you." The normal creature from Gabriels dreams said from a seat behind him.

"Yes I know Alexander wants to kill me." Gabriel said turning around to see the creature.

"No, not the killer....The writer of death, he is plotting yours." The creature said just as Gabriel woke up. Gabriel opened his eye's and could see Jack sitting in front of him just watching him sleep.

"The demon of my conscious has angle wings, while the angle wears her demonic horns. So good or bad, I'm just here in the middle." Jack said in a different voice. There was a strange moment of silence while Gabriel tried to wake up.

"I couldn't sleep." Jack said in his own voice, while staring at Gabriel with an intense look in his eye's.

"Oh?" Gabriel said sitting up and letting his eye's adjust to the light.

"I was just thinking about how much better off mankind would be without the god's. We could finally take responsibility for our own actions. We would actually have to handle our own problems rather than waiting for the gods to solve them. How perfect the world would be free from the chains of religion?" Jack said.

"So you are suggesting we kill all the gods?" Gabriel said rubbing his eyes.

"Yes, kind of like we did with the angle of death." Jack said.

"Alexander killed her, not us." Gabriel said.

"Well he could not have done it without us.....Oh I forgot to mention, he found us already...Brought me some food and now he is in the valley by the creek. Maybe we should head down and wash up before heading into the city?" Jack said looking at his dirty hands that clinched onto fish bones and torn meat.

"I am not sure that's a good idea..." Gabriel said feeling a lump rise in his voice.

"Alexander is not going to kill you, he would have done it while you were sleeping if he did." Jack said.

"Yeah I meant the city is not a good idea." Gabriel said.

"Alexander said it was a ghost town and much of it was already burnt." Jack said.

"Why don't you guys go ahead and I will....Catch up?" Gabriel said. He knew there was no reason for him to head to the town.

"You don't want to kill the god's with us?" Alexander said from behind the tree startling Gabriel for a moment.

"No...Well only one." Gabriel said turning around.

"Face it Gabriel we are all you've got right now." Alexander said.

"There's...Things you don't understand about me." Gabriel said as his mind yelled at him for almost revealing his secrets.

"So why don't you tell us." Jack said in a different voice. Gabriel thought for a moment looking for any excuse to tell them.

"Well telling you guys would put you in too much danger. You see those demons that flew above Alexander are searching for me." Gabriel said, still kicking himself for revealing too much information. Alexanders eyebrows raised after Gabriel finished talking.

"Well now you have to tell us!" Alexander said. Gabriel knew that if he told them the truth that they might use him to bargain with Apollyon.

"Long story short....The devil killed two people I loved." Gabriel paused for a moment thinking of what to say next.

"With the devil was a human, a person he considered his Jesus or saint. First I shot the devil but it didn't hurt him. So I shot the human with him since it was the only thing I could do to get my revenge. After shooting the human I started running and jumped off a nearby cliff which is where death got me and brought me here." Gabriel said in a unsure voice.

"You said you never killed anyone?" Alexander said as his smile dropped and his knife rose up from his side.

"Its not like I am going to tell someone I just met about that....Telling that to the wrong person could get me killed." Gabriel said knowing that his lie might be something Alexander could use against him.

"Hmmm so let me get this straight, you kill the devil's saint and now he wants you dead?" Alexander said.

"Yeah pretty much.." Gabriel said getting up from under the tree. Jack moved out of his way as he got up.

"Wow, that is quite the story....I am going to believe it but if you lied to us then I will kill you myself..... I do want to help you kill the devil though, see me and Jack talked about killing the gods before were ever met you. Its nice to see someone else has our same beliefs." Alexander said.

"We are only human's....We can't even touch the god's." Gabriel said.

"You wished on shooting stars all your life. You don't see that we are shooting stars and the night won't wait for us to turn the world ablaze!" Jack said in a different voice while coughing. Jack was struggling to let his own voice speak and was coughing as if he had a hairball.

"Well you touched one of the god's" Jack said in his own voice after he finished coughing up whatever it was preventing him from speaking.

"We will go to the city and search for resources. But we must stay hidden because I don't think those demons will let us off so easy next time. Plus we got you with us which makes things more risky. Then again you got close to the devil once, so we will do it again." Alexander said. Gabriel didn't have much choice, but go with them and then escape at his first opportunity. He was once again a captive, which seemed to be a reoccurring thing in this life after the afterlife.

"Alright lets go to the city." Gabriel said reluctantly as he started following Alexander. They walked silently for awhile until suddenly Jack started screaming while they walked through the woods.

"No one hears these ghosts screaming at me. Just let go, stop fighting your disease, close your eyes and enter the big sleep!" Jack shouted in his own voice.

"Jack shut up!" Alexander shouted in a hushed voice.

"I don't think stealth is going to be possible....Maybe I should just go my own way?" Gabriel said.

"I won't tell you again, you are with us. You won't make it on your own, plus you haven't ate or drank in days!" Alexander said. Gabriel had forgotten that he doesn't need to eat or drink since Apollyon cursed him. But Alexander and Jack did not know that. Eating or drinking just makes Gabriel throw up, but that was one more thing he had to hide from them,

Gabriel did not even answer Alexander, since he didn't have an answer anyways. He thought of ways that he could fake eating and drink but all he could do was hide it from them the best he could. If all else failed he would just have to eat and drink and appear to be sick. They walked in silence for a few hours before they came to another creek after climbing a ridge.

"Here lets drink, the city is just on the other side of this hill." Alexander said as he dipped his hands in the water and brought it to his mouth. Gabriel knelt down next to the creek and cupped the water in his hands. It was a murky oily color and smelt like gasoline. He brought it to his lips and let it run out of his fingers and over his face. Making sure not to get any in his mouth. Grabbing more Gabriel tried to make his best gulping sound to appear really thirsty.

"This water is awful!" Gabriel said, the smell alone was enough to make him feel sick.

"It's better than the stuff in the field with death!" Alexander said as he took one last scoop of water. Jack just stuck his whole face down in the creek and slurped up the water. Gabriel could see the oily streaks in the water being slurped away.

"Well they should die just from the water." Gabriel thought to himself as he watched Jack drink.

"Drink up it might be awhile before we have more." Alexander said as he stood up from the creek. Alexander looked around for big enough pools to hold fish but there were none. Gabriel pretended to drink some more water before he got up was well.

"Lets go, first we will scout the outskirts of the city, then when everything seems clear we will move in. No talking though, I will use hand signals when I went us to move or stop. Once inside the first building and we clear it then we can speak. But not anytime before or we could have problems." Alexander said motioning forward.

"Ok no talking." Gabriel said looking at Jack. Jack just nodded his head as they walked towards the city.

After walking over the ridge Gabriel could see the city. Sky scrapers smoldered in the distance and a layer of smoke filled the sky above the city. Gabriel had never seen anything like it before. Nothing was moving in the city except for flames. Cars and corpses lined the streets, and an erie silence hung over the city with the smoke.

Alexander motioned for them to stop and he knelt down next to a tree and scanned the area of the city that they were able to see. The wind carried the smell of burnt rubble and trash. It wasn't like that of a forest fire, this smelt horrible. Gabriel fought back the urge to cough from ash and smoke filling his lungs. It was crazy how just below in the valley behind them, they could barley smell the chaos.

Now from on the ridge they were getting the full view of what they would be dealing with. Just the fumes from the burning city could be enough to kill them. Not to mention whatever or whoever burnt it down. Gabriel searched around looking for people but all he found was the dead. He couldn't help but to wounder where they all hand gone and if they were all dead.

Alexander moved his hand forward and slowly started walking down the ridge. Just at the bottom of the ridge was the start of houses, or what was left of them. One of the houses looked like it was hit by a comet, while others were just burnt. Gabriel wondered if all the city's looked like this now. It was like war torn pictures he had seen of world war two but the craters were much larger than bombs.

The smell of fumes got much worse as they got closer. Slowly they made their way down onto a street. Walking over to the first house Gabriel could not believe his eye's. It was half torn apart like a tornado hit one side of it. While the other have looked perfectly fine. Alexander pointed at the door and walked up to it. The knob creaked but the door came right open.

Walking inside everything looked rather normal. Except it seemed like rodents had been shitting all over the floor since the carpet was lined with poop. Alexander pointed at Gabriel and motioned him to go towards the kitchen. Then he pointed at himself and pointed upstairs. Before going up the steps he pointed at Jack and made the halt motion. Gabriel stepped into the kitchen and a bird was fluttering around.

One of the birds wings appeared to be broken. Once Gabriel had a closer look he could see half of the birds face was smashed, Its eyeball dangled out of the socked as it flopped around on the counters. Slowly Gabriel walked up to the bird and placed its hand over the top of it. He could almost feel the birds pain as he fought against Gabriel. Quickly he smashed the bird down on the counter, instantly squeezing the life out of it.

It laid dead on the counter as Gabriel started walked away and back out into the living area. The by time he made it over there Jack was already making himself at home on a couch. Alexander clunked his way down the steps and paused about halfway down.

"All clear, but I did see what looks to be a pack of demons. They were running on a nearby hillside, looks like they were chasing someone but it was hard to see." Alexander said, and with the words Jack jumped up from the couch. On the coffee table in front of him was a pipe with some resin still in the bowl. A lighter was laying next to it and Jack picked up the pipe and placed it to his lips. Flickering the lighter he lit the resin and inhaled the smoke.

"If I had an ounce of creativity I would burn it in a diamond pipe. Only to inhale the fumes of creativity and exhale its pollution on the world.. Savoring the high only for myself.....I guess its a good thing I am not creative." Jack said as he exhaled the smoke. It smelt dirty as Jack coughed it out of his lungs. The smoke in the room had a stale aroma to it.

"Could you still see the demons when you left?" Gabriel asked as he walked farther away from Jack and the smoke.

"No, I lost them over the hillside." Alexander said.

"Well I don't see anything of any use, and I think we would be better off in a a secluded area. This city has been destroyed and rummaged through. No point in going in any deeper." Gabriel said walking out of the living room.

"We will have a better chance finding clean food and water here though. Plus there were only five or six demons and I think with some weapons we could have brought them down." Alexander said as he set a backpack he found on the floor.

"Lets fill up this with whatever food and water we can find, then we will get moving. We need to try to find a gun store, or any place that might have weapons. I think if we use stealth, and eliminate threats at range then we will be safe. We just need fire arms and a good base of operation." Alexander said.

"Yes but think of all the people who have tried that before us. As we can tell the place was already looted before. So others have tried and I haven't heard any shots fired since we came into town. You said it yourself there was six demons chasing someone. That must mean that they are in control of the city." Gabriel said.

"Well maybe its time this city had new leadership?" Alexander said as he walked for the front door. Jack looked at the pipe then looked away and started following Alexander. Just before he got to the door he looked back at the pipe one last time and then walked out. Gabriel slowly followed behind as he thought about the odds that they would be facing. He knew what kind of an army Apollyon had, while Alexander was ignorant to it.

They quickly ran from house to house trying to stay behind cover. Gabriel was always keeping watch to the sky. Knowing that the demons on land they could run or hide from. But the ones in the air would surely capture them. They went in the houses that were not left to ruin. Searching for food and water, but they found mostly scraps here and there. It was as though the war had been raging on for years.

In little time all of the united states had been turned into an apocalyptic landscape. Gabriel knew they would have found more food and water in the forest than they could inside of the city. But they marched on deeper and deeper into the city. The skyscrapers came closer and closer as the sun went down over them. They searched through every building that they could but found almost nothing. Stores, houses, offices, hospitals, all were empty or destroyed.

No words were said as they walked and tirelessly searched. Until finally they could walk no longer as they went through a school's playground. Alexander pointed at the door and they slowly went over to it. They did not even have the energy to run from one cover to the next. Even if they did they did not see any signs of life. The double doors to the school creaked open and they walked inside. It was pitch dark in the hallway, and they felt along walls as they walked.

Every once and awhile Gabriel could feel himself almost tripping over something. Maybe it was a bad or just some debris. Yet it felt almost soft, and the smell inside the school was rancid. Once they saw some light shining through a door they walked to it. It was a classroom with windows boarded up. Though some light shined through showing them the source of the horrible smells.

Corpses of students, and adults were lined up in rows. As though they had been mass executed like the people of Axal. Their necks were twisted and broken, some heads laid ripped clean off. It looked like they had been living in the school but demons came and killed them. They were completely defenseless against them. Empty sleeping bags were in one corner of the room. Surrounded by a barricade of desks and chairs.

Gabriel turned from the room and started running back to where he came from. Tripping over something Gabriel fell to the ground. His one hand was touching a face of a corpse but he could not see it. All he could do was feel the ridges of the nose and the eye sockets. Ripping his hand away he jumped up to his feet and stumbled his way through the corpses in the darkness.

Gabriel could see the light of the moon shining through the open doors at the end of the hallway. As he focused on it he realized something was standing in the door way. Stumbling over a corpse he went down to his knees and held the wall. Looking at the doorway he could see more figures appearing. A group of demons were standing in the doorway and began walking into the hallway.

Quietly Gabriel slumped over one of the corpses and laid still. His mind raced with fear, could the demons see in the darkness? He thought as he played dead in the hallway. Footsteps slowly and steadily approach him as he thought about what Jack and Alexander were doing. He hoped that they got out or were hidden and knew of the demons in the hallway.

A light breeze blew through the open door making the stench even worse inside. The smell was either from the demons or from the corpses but Gabriel was not sure. Although now he knew that so far they had not seen him since one had already walked past him. More followed going through one at a time, he could even hear them breathing. One was making almost a snoring sound as he walked past.

"Where are they!" One of them shouted.

"Shut up you moron!" One of them walking past Gabriel shouted back.

"I know they came in here!" Another of them said.

The demons element of surprise was blown as they began kicking through doors and rummaging through the school. Gabriel could hear them smashing doors and windows as more light shined into the hallway. A ray of the moon shined right in front of him. The moon revealed the face of the corpse that he was slumped over. It was a woman with a look of torment frozen on her face. Her neck was twisted around and her mouth was dropped open as though she screamed into eternity.

Straining his ears, Gabriel tried to hear if they had found Jack, and Alexander. Maybe they had gotten away or they were hiding in the corpses from the demons as well. Gabriel was breathing so slowly and quietly that he was suffocating himself with fear. With the banging from a demon he took in one deep breath. Then he exhaled as another one threw something into the wall.

"They aren't here!" One shouted down the hall in a brutish voice.

"Lets go." Another shouted as demons ran from each of the rooms and back into the hallway. They stormed past Gabriel once again and began running out the door. They were so close that he could feel the air from their legs as they past. Even once the last of the demons were gone, Gabriel was still too petrified to move. Laying there on the corpse he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block out the horrible smell.

"Psst!" A voice from down the hall said.

"Gabriel!" Jack whispered from down the hall.

"Yeah." Gabriel said getting up off the corpse.

"Lets get out of here." Jack said walking by Gabriel.

"Alright!" Gabriel said as he followed behind.

"Where is Alexander?" Gabriel said.

"Right here." Alexander said as he stepping into the moonlight in front of him. Slowly they walked to the doorway watching to see if the demons might return. Alexander made a halting motion just before they reached the doorway. Peaking his head out the door, Alexander looked both ways and then motioned for them to come out. Moving along the wall of the outside of the school they moved from one shadowy spot to the next.

Alexander pointed to a house that was just across the street from the school. Turning around Alexander motioned for them to stop and then he ran out in the open and over to the house. Once he was there he signaled for them to follow. Gabriel was so exhausted from the day that his legs burned as he ran across the asphalt. Catching his breath he leaned against the house for only a moment.

He didn't have much time before Alexander moved into the house and starting pointing for where they should search. Gabriel painstakingly cleared the house and then Alexander pointed up at the attic. Pulling the attic steps down released stale and dusty air. It was almost a moldy and murky smell, like a crypt had just been opened. Gabriel went up the steps first. He couldn't even see where he was but he laid down on the dirty ground an closed his eyes. Jack and Alexander did as well and there was not a word said between them as they quickly fell asleep

"Invitation please!" The small multicolored creature from Gabriels dreams said. Gabriel was standing in line in front of a conference room.

"What? Where am I?" Gabriel said confused.

"Invitation? Are you a writer or a member of the press?" The creature said holding out his hand.

"Oh you are the guest of honor, please sir right this way!" The creature said pointing in the door. Gabriel walked inside and the room had many round dinner tables. Most of the seats were filled with people but they were all dead. Holes in their heads, bruised and snapped necks, or coughing out carbon monoxide. Gabriel sat down at an empty seat and looked around at the horror of the room. The creature walked up to a small pedestal and cleared his throat.

"Eghuhhm." The creature said.

"Welcome all to the 2018th anniversary of the suicidal writers society! Now I would like to present the new chairman of the board Jack!" The creature said pointing to Jack. Jack stood up from his chair and started walking up to the stage where a larger pedestal was sitting. The crowed stood to their feet clapping and applauding Jack. On the wall next to Gabriel was an alumni.

A picture of Jack was on the top, with darts sticking in it. Below him were the names of all the writers who committed suicide. Gabriel read through some of them while Jack walked up to the stage. There were authors, poets, song writers, and anyone who dabbled in literature who later killed themselves. The list was massive and filled up the wall. Gabriel glanced down to the end of the list, since it would take forever to read them all. As he was looking at the end a new name appeared on the wall.

Everyone sat down in their seats and as they did a young man walked in the room. Standing in the door way he looked around confused. As if he were lost or did not belong there. Jack looked at him as he prepared his speech but said nothing. The people in the room turned around to look at the young man standing in the doorway. It was an uncomfortable few seconds until the man spoke.

"Uhmmm hello...I am new here, but I'm not sure if this is the right place for me?" The young man said.

"Well if your name is on the wall then this is the place for you!" The creature said as he greeted the man. The creature walked up and extended his hand that barley made it to the upper thigh of the man. Kneeling down the man took the creatures hand and shook it. The creature turned and pointed at the wall that Gabriel was reading. The man walked over and began reading it as well.

"The bottom sir." The creature said. The man found his name and a woman pulled him out a chair and he sat down.

"Good evening everyone." Jack said getting the attention of the audience.

"Be normal, is what they said in a strange voice. So I made masks and stole words. Be strange, I said in a normal voice." Jack's voice changed throughout the saying. Jack began coughing and trying trying to clear his voice and mind. He pressed his finger tips to his temples and closed his eyes trying to control his thoughts.

"Please allow me to speak?" Jack said in his own voice, as his eyes scanned the room of the dead.

"My greatest inspirations came from a pen, a page, and a twisted mind." Jack said in his own voice.

"Yet are we all doomed from our own design? Its a terrible price we have paid to give inspiration to so many. Some of us were never even known for what we did in our own lifetime." Jack said but was interrupted as an unknown writer stood up coughing up blood and wheezing. Pointing his finger at Jack as Jack grabbed his throat in agony.

"Its sad that many artists are ignored in life. Then in death their legacy blooms and we see they are too beautiful for the worlds abuse." Jack said in the mans voice. The man moved his lips as well but the sound of his voice came out through Jack. The man sat back down and released his grips over Jacks vocal cords. Another man stood up, his eyes a clear white and foam pouring from his lips.

"Few people find their purpose in life. Yet the real tragedy is finding your purpose but not a lifestyle that can project it to the world." The man said using Jack to speak for him. Jack struggled to motion for the man to sit back down.

"Eghreem!" Blood and foam rolled out from Jack lips. Wiping away the blood Jack started speaking again in his own voice.

"Yes, but as I was saying....Its not just the ones of us who died as an unknown man who later became a literature legend. Even fame has brought about the destruction of us. It then placed a heavy burden on our own legacy's. Like you sir Hemingway, your family had to live in the shadow of a legend who took his own life. Then there are those of us who our very own creativity brought about our doom." Jack said as he pointed all around the room. Hemingway got up and pointed at jack with a fierce look in his eyes.

"I showed time the exclamation point I had made. Time showed me it was just a comma and I only had a few words left to finish the sentence of my life." Hemingway said taking over Jacks voice and using him to get the words out.

"Time wanted me to sell all that I had left. Yet time had already taken all that I could give. There are secrets about me that I will sell to no one. Thoughts that I cannot trust, and emotions held hostage from those I loved the most." Hemingway said. The back of his head was a bloody mess from his self inflicted bullet hole.

"Eghreem, yes but why must we hide our affliction and only show the world our beautiful art? Why do we force our creativity to the very limit. Once we give the world our masterpiece, what is there left for us? We cannot hope to do better than our greatest work of all..... Time. Yet we fight to the brink of self destruction to give the world one more masterpiece." Jack said pausing and looking at the people in the room.

"But enough is enough, I cannot hold the weight of all of you. I cant hope to achieve what you have. I can no longer be your voice!" Jack shouted.

"I thought my words were golden but I constantly destroyed them. Now I see they are nothing more than cold steel with no thought or emotion." Jack said looking down at the pedestal.

"I will never even be in the same alumni as all of you, but here I am your maddening chairman. So with that said I will be stepping down." Jack said as he started to walk away from the pedestal. Another writer with bruises from a noose stood up. Just as he did Jack stopped walking away.

"The insecure seek a weakness in life to fill their void. The strong seek to achieve the impossible by proving the insecure doubts wrong. So Jack, are you the insecure, or the strong!" The man said using Jack's voice. Many of the voices Gabriel was able to recognize from the many voices Jack used before. But Gabriel never understood what it was he just assumed it was a personality disorder. A woman in a silk dress stood up, her wrists were cut.

"I think most people fear what they don't understand, I fear my understanding. As I think you do Jack, and many of us do. We dig so deep into our souls that we cannot come back from that. It does not matter if you were a great writer or not. You went to the same depth of destruction as we all did. You are not chairman based on your writing, but your understanding of us." The woman said using Jacks voice. It was the first time Gabriel seen Jack use a woman's voice.

"Wait everyone lets take a short recess to eat and let the band play." The creature said running down the middle of the room. Jack walked off the stage and sat down on the side of it with his head still down. The curtains opened and Gabriel new who the band members were. One was Sid Vicious from the sex pistols who killed himself. The other was Kurt Cobain.

They played the Nirvana song come as you are. In the background of the band on the stage were three children hanging from nooses. They swung back and fourth with large smiles on their faces. The children swung back and fourth like kids playing on a swing set. Just as they finished the song Gabriel woke up frightened from his dream in the dark attic.
Chapter Thirty Four

Gabriel sat up quickly realizing it was all just a dream. Though the dream seemed very real especially since Jack had many voices, some of which showed up in the dream. What if he really was possessed by this suicidal writers society? They might have been using him all of his life. Forcing him to think as they do, and then write for them from the grave. Jack had many issues but the chairman of a dead society? A puppet for them to play with and torment.

"Jack....Alexander?" Gabriel said.

"Shh, they are all over the place." Alexander said.

"Who?" Gabriel said, unable to see anything in the dark.

"The demons, I went down to get some food and water and they are everywhere. In the streets and clearing houses.....I don't think we can even get away until they are gone." Alexander said.

"Then they know we are here..." Gabriel said with a whisper.

"Yes, they might just be waiting us out. Or putting up a show of force. Either way we have only two sodas, some cereal, and a half eaten bag of chips. We won't last long, so I guess we wait until we have no choice but to come out. Maybe they will even leave once they have searched..." Alexander said cutting his words short.

Gabriel knew what he was about to say, They are searching for him and Alexander bit his tongue. Gabriel had the feeling that they would most likely use him as bait to get out of there. Searching his neck with his hand Gabriel found the pendant and held it in his hand. Feeling it with his fingers he searched for the yellow pendant, the gem that Apollyon now had. He had to find out if their motive in the city was to find him.

"Well I guess it's best that we don't speak....Does Jack know?" Gabriel whispered.

"Yes." Alexander said.

"Frigga." Gabriel whispered under his breath while pressing his finger tips on the yellow jewel. He could never remember what to say. But regardless of the words used, Gabriel now found himself looking down from a top window of a sky scraper. Looking out Gabriel now had a birds eye view of the city where they were hiding. The wind blew into his face and his fear of heights took over. The window was broken and he was standing right on the edge.

Stepping back Gabriel felt for something to grab but found nothing. His feet crunched down on the broken glass at his feet. The smog from all the smoke and pollution from the city was just above where Gabriel was standing. Looking down at the street below Gabriel could see Apollyon's legion marching around the streets like little ants. Out of the smog flew demons on their flying monsters.

"Although I am no longer omnipresent, I know he is here in the city. We must not let him out of our reach!" Apollyon shouted from behind Gabriel. Turning around Gabriel could see that they were in a executive office. Sitting at the desk was Apollyon with his two headed lion with wings kneeling beside him. Just above his head was a golden statue of Apollyon's head. Or at least our traditional idea of what he looked like. With his devil horn and smirk, the head was mounted like a hunting trophy.

"Here this is the one who seen him!" One of the demons said throwing a smaller demon towards the desk. The demon knelt down instead of getting up and bowed his head.

"I was....Looking for something to eat my lord....Near a school when I seen three human run across the field and into the school. The one is the one you seek. His image has been seared into my mind and when me and the other demons sleep, it is all we see. I know it is him, so I ran to the appointed region commander, Vladmir. I told him all I had seen and he took more demons and searched the school." The small demon said pointing at Vladmir. He was wearing Nazi badges and a Nazi uniform. His face was filled with puss sacks and his eyes looked frozen.

"So......Vladmir?" Apollyon said as his eyebrows grimaced.

"We were unable to retrieve them." Vladmir said with no emotion. Apollyon got up from the desk and walked over to Vladmir. He gently grabbed him by the back of the neck and they walked over to the window. Apollyon held onto the back of his neck the whole time.

"Look out there Vladmir, here we are on the world where you were born...." Apollyon said pointing out over the city with his other hand.

"You see....It's not god that I hate, it's his creation!" Apollyon said as he threw Vladmir out the window by the back of his neck. Apollyon calmly strolled back over to the desk and sat down leaning back in the chair. His gaze looked around over the frightened demons, until it stopped on the small one that had seen Gabriel.

"What do they call you?" Apollyon asked the small demon.

"Steward..." The small demon said looking back down at the floor and still kneeling.

"Well Steward you are the new region commander of the legion. What is the first thing you will do as my new commander?" Apollyon said.

"The one....He cannot die?" Steward said looking up at Apollyon.

"Yes." Apollyon said.

"You only need the one, not the others?" Steward said.

"Yes." Apollyon said with a slight smirk.

"Burn it all! The whole city, turn it to ashes. Then like the phoenix the one will rise!" Steward said rising to his feet. A huge smile came across Apollyon's face.

"BURN IT!" Apolllyon shouted so loud that Gabriel's ears hurt.

"Now anything else?" Apollyon said as the smile retracted from his face.

"Well....The one who threw me at the desk?" Steward said turning to look at the demon that tossed him in. The other demons around the room grabbed a hold of the demon.

"Wait no!" The demon pleaded, Steward made a slit throat motion and the other demons tossed him out the window.

"Now Steward when I return I expect that you will have him?" Apollyon said getting on his flying creature.

"Of course I will!" Steward said. Apollyon nodded, and pulled on the reins to take off.

"I will be across the sea, where the war with the old kingdoms finally begins!" Apollyon said as the creature flew out the window.

"Midgards calling!" Gabriel shouted holding the pendant. Gabriel was back in the attic trying to reorienting himself, he thought of how they could escape. Though he knew there was no escape, unless he never came up from the ashes. Just like when he was buried alive, he could stay still inside of something that would not burn. The only thing he could think of was the trunk of a car. He remembered there was a car with its trunk open in front of the school.

So how could he get from the attic to the trunk of the car. Then it came to him, what if he told Jack and Alexander that he would surrender himself. Giving them a chance to escape? Although he wouldn't actually surrender and so he would betray them. The only allies he truly had besides the Norse. But it was his only option since he knew the flames were coming. Reaching in his pocket he pulled out the final jeweled pendant that he had. The green one was all that was left and he held it in his hand.

"Psst Jack?" Gabriel whispered.

"What?" Jack said right next to him.

"I have a gift for you, it will help protect you from the gods." Gabriel said handing him the pendant.

"What? You keep it you need it more than me." Jack said pushing Gabriel's hand away.

"No take it, I'm turning myself in. I am the one they want and I don't have any fight left. You two will go on though, and kill these gods." Gabriel said. Jack pulled the pendant from Gabriel's hand and placed it around his neck.

"You can't give up now!" Alexander said.

"I have no choice, they will burn this city down until we come out. If I go with them then you two will have a chance." Gabriel said.

"No, we will wait them out." Alexander said.

"For how long? Our food and water will be gone and we will be forced out by either flames, or famine. I was never much of a fight, and even less so now. There has always been this feeling of dread when ever I face struggle. My whole life I really just wanted to be....A corpse." Gabriel said,

"Some people think I am unstable, but I would never give them the privilege of seeing me fall down." Jack said in a different voice.

"I am sorry Jack, as you know there is an end to every great story, this is mine." Gabriel said releasing the steps to the attic. Alexander tried to hold the door closed but then moved his hand away and let Gabriel go.

"We all have a time limit, but there is no limit to what we do with it." Jack said in his own voice as Gabriel walked down from the attic.

"Farewell my friends, and I hope you do kill the gods!" Gabriel said as he raised the attic down back up, sealing Alexander and Jack inside. Walking down to the ground floor Gabriel realized he would miss them. In a strange way he had bonded with Jack. Even though his dreams warned him that the writer would kill him. Maybe the dream meant one day when Jack wrote about the war of the gods, he would not have Gabriel in it, Or maybe he would kill the spirit of Gabriel through his writing. It didn't matter now though, now he had to get inside that trunk.

Walking room to room Gabriel looked out each of the windows. In the front window he watched as a group of demons ran past the house. Once they were past he cracked the door open and stuck his head out. Looking both ways he made sure the street was clear. Swinging the door open he ran as fast as he could right for the school. As he ran he looked up at the sky and could see the demons flying up near the smog. He hoped they would not see him but all he could do was run.

With a hard crash Gabriel ran right into a small chain link fence just before the school. He had been watching the sky and all around, but did not pay attention to what was in front of him. There was a painful pop in his shoulder when he nailed the fence. He was certain that he must have torn a tendon or something because he couldn't even pivot his arm from his shoulder. Bending it at the elbow was all he could do. Though there was no time to recover from the crash.

Pulling himself up with the fence with his one good arm he then pulled himself over it. Once on the other side he began running again. This time watching what was in front of him instead of all around. The open trunk was in view but he fell to the ground. Just as he was only a few yards from the trunk some demons came running out of the school. Laying still Gabriel watched as they ran past him. When they went by Gabriel crawled up to his feet and bolted for the trunk.

Taking one last look at the demons running the other way, he closed the trunk. Once again sealing his fate inside of a prison. It no longer mattered to him though, his own flesh was like iron bars. Trapped inside of himself, with all the emotions and pain he was forced to feel. If his flesh was the prison then his emotions were his punishment. He allowed himself to care about people who were mortally doomed. They would all die and he would live on.

Laying in the closed trunk for hours Gabriel waited for the flames to begin. Passing the time by thinking about what Tiffany looked like. How she held herself and how she was so quickly taken from him. His life never went like most story's, no happy ending or precious time with those he cared about. Even when he did have the time he never really allowed himself to enjoy it. So moments with her were just a blur in his never ending time line.

Imagining himself staying in the cabin in Asgard. Maybe they would still be there now in that forest that wanted to kill him. Now he could only go to her in his thoughts. They almost repeated themselves, along with the emotions. Maybe that's why we use a ring as a symbol for our love. An endless loop of emotion that never seems to stop. Gabriel could hear the sound of fluids dumping over the car. There was a small hole on the side the allowed some light in.

Looking out the hole he could see demons running around with cans of fuel and torches made of all different things. Smoke covered the field like fog. One of the demons was splashing fuel all over himself as he tried to run with a bucket of fuel. Tripping the demon lit himself on fire and jumped up from the ground screaming. A demon from above flew down and dumped even more fuel on him catching the field on fire as well.

Flames started to crackle around the car and smoke filled the trunk. Gabriel could feel his lungs starting to choke with the fumes as he tried to stop from coughing. It was almost no use though as he made muffled hacking sounds. He had to do something and fast otherwise the sounds from the trunk would signal the demons. Grabbing for the pendant he touched the first jewel he could.

"Frigga." He let out with a cough. Gabriel found himself standing next to Morrighan. He knew that in his haste he had picked the red jewel. They were standing in front of a small, unknown grave. Its core was made of wood while it had an iron frame around the wood. The grave had no markings. No names, nothing just an unknown grave. Morrighan knelt down and placed a black rose in front of the grave. Gabriel could hear the sound of the wind, and felt snow blowing on his face even though it was a warm and sunny day. Turning around he saw the rest of the kingdom of the Celts.

They were all preparing for battle, Cailleach the goddess of winter was brewing a snow storm from out of her hands. Cerridwen was drinking one of her mighty brews, and her eyes glowed red as she chugged it down. Lugh unsheathed a sword from his side that glowed red as if it was placed in burning coals. Rhiannon calmed a mighty stallion petting its face and whispering in its ear. While Taliesin played a battle song on his lute. All the Celt kingdom was there in that field in front of an unknown grave.

"Here rests an unknown warrior. But he is not unknown to me, as all warriors are known by me. Today we will all be unknown warriors to our enemy. Just unmarked graves in their dreams of victory. But they do not know warriors as we do! They are mere beasts summoned by their dark master. So now is the time that I wash the armor of these beasts in the seas. Signaling their death with the high tide. So now my brethren, lets put our names on the grave stones of time. So that all will know that we are not merely an unknown warrior, but the rulers of this land!" Morrighan said as she walked away from the unknown grave.

Gabriel looked up and could see some of Apollon's legion in the sky above them. They weren't flying as sporadic as they had been while searching for Gabriel. This time they are in battle formation but flying very high. The Celt gods began going down a path and Gabriel followed behind Morrighan. The path lead down to a coast line where hundreds of Celt warriors were waiting. They were in columns with archers in the front and warriors with swords and clubs in the rear.

As they approached they all drank some form of a potion. Its content was a dark red almost black liquid. It sent them in an almost savage frenzy as they yelled at the demons in the sky. Each god moved towards their own regiment. Rhiannon had horse woman on a hillside. They were clothed in fur and held spears in their hands. They did not drink any potion and kept their grace and elegance. Lugh went into a group of brutish men with scars from burns on their arms. Most likely from crafting swords and other iron weapons.

Taliesin went into a group of bards, playing lutes and drums. Herne went up to some thick trees and shrubs where he had men and women painted like the forest. They wore nothing except their paint and were extremely difficult for Gabriel to see. He only noticed them when Herne walked up into the trees. His warriors had bows the color of the bark and daggers made of a dark steal so that it would not shine in the light.

The other Celt gods circled around Morrighan where they waited for the enemy. After only moment Apollyon's ships appeared through blizzard like snow. It was storming so bad that sheets of ice formed along the coast. While the Celts stood in the warmth of the sun. Cailleach was next to Morrighan conjuring the impressive storm. She was shivering and looked exhausted from her attack on the sea. More Celts quickly ran into formation from the forest but still it did not seem like nearly enough to Gabriel.

Apollyon had an entire legion reaching into the millions. While this looked like around five thousand warriors, which was impressive by ancient standards. But did they stand a chance against hells army? Feelings of doubt grew as more ships came out of the storm. The ships appeared to be fueled from some sort of a burning molten engine mounted on the rear of the ships. There were all types of ships from modern destroyers to millionaire yachts but they all had the inferno of an engine.

Out from just above the ships came a diving attack from the flying demons. They dropped from the sky like dive bombers and whistled through the air as they landed on top of the archers. As fast as a blink of the eye then dove and grabbed archers and pulled them into the sky. Only to drop them to their fellow archers moments later. The demons swung sledge hammers and an blunt or sharp object that they could find. So as the fly creature grabbed an archer the demon on its back delivered fatal bludgeon blows.

"Fire!" Morrighan cried as the archer unleashed their arrows on the the flying creatures.

"Cailleach! We need more time!" Morrighan shouted as Cailleach gave the storm all she could. The wind started to blow next to them and small flakes fell. While the sea turn into a white blanket of snow. Icebergs shot out from the waters smashing into ships. The shore line started to turn into one large solid block of ice. Demons and creatures fell from the sky riddled with arrows. The archers on the shore shot as fast as they could.

It was an inaccurate volume volley of arrows. While the stealth archers in the forest shot precise arrows. They soared straight and fast through the air with impressive range. Gabriel tried to focus on single arrows to see where they hit. One came out from the forest and was leading onto a creature that just picked up an archer. The creature flew through the air as fast as it could but they arrow caught up to it. Catching it right in the eyeball and instantly dropping it from the sky. It still was not enough though the creatures kept coming from the sky and there were not enough arrows to bring them down.

"Archers need to fall back to the cover of the tree's. Send in the infantry to cut down the creatures when they land!" Morrighan shouted through the battlefield. Her words echoed back all around. The archers on the shore ran up to the trees as fast as they could as the warriors with swords charged forward. Four or five men and women would jump on each creature as it landed. Slashing and bashing them until they came back down.

The blood and gore was very intense. The creatures were hardy and would get a few hundred yards in the sky before being brought down. It was a suicide mission for the warriors who jumped on their backs as they too fell to their doom. They crashed into the ground as blood and body's bounced from the impact. Morrighan sighed in frustration, and grabbed a hold of her head with both hands. Ships crashed into the icy shore and Cailleach fell to the ground. She looked like a woman who froze to death and laid motionless next to Morrighan.

"Farewell my sister, you fought hard." Morrighan said kneeling down next to Cailleach. Sounds of crashing and twisting iron filled the air. Ships tipped over and capsized as demons jumped off to their frozen death. Though Cailleach was gone she planted a mine field of ice bergs for the demons to try and get through. Some ships sank while others made it to the shore. It was nothing like Gabriel had ever seen before and the sight gave him goosebumps.

Cailleach took her final breath and let out a small frozen puff of air. Looking away Gabriel drew his attention back to the battle. Demons were running onto the shore, which was not very smart. They trickled into the fray a few at a time. Those not picked off by the archers were quickly cut down by the warriors that formed a tight wall. Eventually after a few of the ships inhabitants were massacred the demons caught on and the ships crashed into the shore and the demons waited on board.

"Send in the alchemists flames!" Cerridwen shouted. From behind Gabriel a line of men and women carrying large vials of a blue liquid ran in to the front of the line. One of them was picked up by a flying creature. Once they were just off the ground she smashed the vial into the head of the creature. They erupted into a ball of blue flames and quickly incinerated. Nothing but charcoal and ash fell to the ground below. The warriors with vials made it to the front of the line and waited.

Finally the air attacks had ended and the sky was quite and calm. Snow no longer fell on the seas and the icebergs floated back in forth in the sun along with the carnage of ships. All the remanding ships rested quietly on the icy shores and both sides waited for movement. The archers prepared arrows that instead of arrow heads had small vials of the blue flaming potion. They cocked their deadly arrows and took deep breaths in and out.

"NOW!" Morrighan yelled as the demons poured out from the ships. The arrows flew through the sky and hit the ships and demons turning them into an inferno of blue flame. Gabriel though hundreds of yards away could feel the heat from the flames. Though once all the arrows hit and the flames died more demons came in through the ash. Before the wall of demons smashed into the wall of Celt warriors the alchemy vials were thrown through the air.

They crashed down only feet in front of the Celts incinerating both demons and Celts. Although it looked as though the demons took the most causalities. After the blue flames turned to ash the Celts charged crashing into the demon force. A glimmer of hope glowed inside of Gabriel as he could see the numbers were in the Celts favor. Though the demons brutishly ripped the men and women apart. For every three or four Celts deaths one demon died.

The battle started to become very close as both Celts and demons numbers faded. Gabriel cringed as he watched Celts torn limb by limb. Wounded Celts were crawling out of the fray with missing limbs. After a short bloody fight a few demons were all that was left standing. While all of the Celt warriors on the shore laid dead. The archers cocked another round of arrows with the blue vials. Sending out a volley that finished off all that was left of the demons and their fallen warriors. The battlefield was nothing but a blue flame that traveled over the corpses of demons and Celts. All that remained in the end was ash, blowing in the wind and around the battlefield.

"Yeah!" The Celt archers and horse warriors cried out. But their cheers quickly vanished as another wave of ships showed up in the distance.
Chapter Thirty Five

Storm clouds drifted away as they could see ships all over the frigid sea drifting to shore. All it would take was just a few of the ships to defeat what was left of the Celts. Morrighan looked on with a scowl at the oncoming ships. It was clear that in her heaven, or afterlife she never accepted defeat or faced retreat. Now it was the only logical move yet she was holding her ground and her warriors looked on in horror. Ships were just a few hundred yards away, yet she would not make the call.

"Eraaah! Fall back, we have no other choice..." Morrighan shouted as her and the other gods quickly began riding away. Gabriel was left behind in their dust cloud. As the Celt warriors were running in every direction. Gabriel was not pulled along with Morrighan. The power of the pendant was nothing like his curse of seeing the past. Gabriel just watched as the Celt kingdom crumbled apart to Apollyon's army. It was the first time he could see how vast and powerful it had become.

In a single battle the Celts were turned into a fleeing band of gods. Warriors were in such a hurry that they even left behind most of their weapons. Crashing into the shore, demons poured out of ships. Some were so eager that they jumped from the ships before reaching the shore. Though the waters were still frigid. They swam with all their might, but after moments they would slow down until they were just drifting in the sea.

Demons ran across the shore and into the forests. They would move quickly at first but lacked endurance. After long they were wandering the forest like the demons just drifting at sea. So many ships had built up that there was no longer any room for more ships. So many had to turn around and head for a clear section of the coast. Still as far as Gabriel could see were ships and demon swarms. It was an army meant to not only destroy mankind, but the gods.

"Midgards calling." Gabriel said pressing down tightly on the green jewel. He had to see if Jack and Alexander had made it out of the city and into safety. In the the blink of an eye he was standing amongst a pack of demons. With them in chains was Alexander while Jack was bound with rope. Thick smoke was all around and Gabriel could only tell that they were walking in the city streets, somewhere. Jack's face was covered in black soot. While Alexander was not looking quite as rough he still wore some of the soot.

Gabriel could tell just by looking at them that their fight had ended. Jack fell to the ground with exhaustion from walking. A large demon grabbed him by the hair and pulled him to his feet. The demon pulled his other hand back as if he wanted to hit Jack.

"Wait, they must be able to speak!" One of the demons shouted. The one holding just made a slight shrug and then hit Jack across the face. Jack went limp for a moment and the demon let go of his hair dropping him back to the ground.

"Walk!" The demon shouted. Jack did not even open his eyes or attempt to move. Gabriel was not sure if he was just exhausted or unconscious. Lifting him up the demon threw jack over his shoulder and the began walking again. They walked for hours through smoke and past burning buildings. It was hard just to breath let alone walk in the dense smoke and fumes. Shadows from over head started flying by, and swarming all around them.

Demons on their fly creatures flew down and landed all around them. Steward jumped off the back of one of the creatures. He was so small that he needed another demon to hold the reins of the beast. Taking a moment Steward stretched out bending and twisting from side to side. With a slight grin he walked up to look at the two captives. Tilting his head he first examined Alexander, then walked around to get a glimpse at Jack.

"This one is dead!" Steward shouted as his eyes bulged. The demon holding Jack set Jack down on the ground very gently.

"Look it breaths!" The demon holding Jack said.

"Kill him." Steward said pointing at the demon who had been holding Jack. Two demons on flying creatures dropped in from the smoke and ripped the demon up into the air. He was gone in a flash as the other demons looked up into the smoke and watched him vanish.

"Get this one on my Stermbak." Steward said pointing at his flying creature. Demons gently carried Jack over to the Stermbak and place him on its back.

"Him too." Steward said pointing at Alexander. Alexander took it upon himself to walk over to the Stermbak but with his chains he could not climb onto its back. Running over Gabriel waited for the demons to place Alexander on its back. As soon as Alexander was on Gabriel had just enough room on the back of the Stermbak near its tail. The tail was a single tail but at the end it split into two tails. It resembled that of a two headed snake that Gabriel had once seen. Except instead of scales and snake heads it was just fur much like a double ended lions tail.

"The one is not here?" Steward said looking around at the other demons on the ground.

"No, sire.." One of them said. Steward motioned for the Stermbak to take to the sky. The acceleration of the take off made Gabriel's head quickly jerk back. Losing his balance he fell back but reached out and was able to barely hang onto Alexander.

"Kill them all." Gabriel could hear Steward say just as they left the ground. Flying above the smoke Gabriel could see more demons on Stermbak's flying down to the ground.

"ARGHHH!" Gabriel could hear cries from the demons fade into the distance as they flew very quickly over the city. Until finally the city had vanished and it was just them flying over an open mass of water. Gabriel looked around to see how many Demons were with them and there were only about a half dozen. Not enough to repel an attack but then again what would be able to attack them up there in the sky. All mechanized machines had no power unless the gods rigged them with some sort of power. Much like the ships that Apollyon had used to attack Europe's coast.

After flying for almost the whole day, a small island came into view below them. The Stermbak stopped flapping its wings and glided down onto the island paradise. Gabriel was relieved to get off the Stermbak's back. It was a very uncomfortable ride and a balancing act so close to the back end of the beast. Looking around Gabriel could see that the island was almost untouched by the war. All except all the carcases of fish that had washed up on the shore.

It was so beautiful and peaceful that Gabriel walked away from the demons and tried to forget that they were even there. He had never been on an island like this and laying down on the warm sand and listening to the waves crash on the shore was heaven. Looking up in the sky he could still see some resemblance of the war. A few comets and fire balls flew by but nothing like the chaos back on main land. Gabriel closed his eyes and just took in the sun.

"I could stay like this forever!" Gabriel said as waves crashing silenced the demons. Gabriel drifted off into a light sleep and paid no attention to what was happening to Jack or Alexander. It only lasted a few minutes but it was the most refreshing thing he had done since the war started. Everything had been moving so fast that little moments like this were not happening. It was all pain and suffering, but now he felt a slight moment of peace.

Commotion from the demons woke Gabriel up before he could sleep deep enough to dream. Opening his eye's he sat up and looked around and could see Stermbak's diving into the ocean and coming up with fish. The Stermbak's flew to shore and let go of the live fish just above the demons. They were having a feast of fish and even Jack and Alexander tried their best to eat the raw fish. Every other fish the Stermbak's would instantly devour in the air.

As Gabriel was watching the Stermbak's he could see something flying far off in the distance. As it got closer he could tell it was Apollyon on his giant flying creature. It was twice the size of the Stermbak's and had two heads rather than just one. Its wings sent sand flying across the beach as it landed. The Stermbak's stopped fishing and flew back into shore and the demons rushed over to help Apollyon off the giant beast. Apollyon first approached Alexander and gave him a smirk and held out his hand to greet him.

"Hello sir!" Apollyon said shaking Alexanders hand. Right after shaking Apollyons hand, Alexander sat back down under a palm tree with Jack. Apollyon stared at Jack for a moment, his eyes in a trance on the green pendant around Jacks neck. With a smile his trance broke and he held out his hand towards Jack. Jack held his hand out from his seated position and refused to get up and greet Apollyon.

"Forgive me, I am too far beyond any forms of formality." Jack said and Apollyon lowered his hand.

"Why do you seek forgiveness? Without your sins you would be nothing, since that is all mankind is." Apollyon said looking back over at Alexander.

"Well now that we know each other....." Apollyon paused to see if he could get a laugh but none came.

"I am looking for a man by the name of Gabriel and I believe that you may have been in contact with this man?" Apollyon said still looking at Alexander.

"No....Name doesn't ring a bell." Alexander said with a painful grin.

"Hmmm what a shame I thought you might be of use." Apollyon said walking over to Alexander. Apollyon spread out his fingers and placed his palm over the top of Alexanders head. At first it was just enough pressure to hold Alexander down but then Apollyon began to squeeze digging his finger tips into the back of his scalp.

"Ahhh!" Alexander cried as blood began running down his head.

"Pop!" A loud cracking sound rang out as Alexanders skull snapped in two. It was almost like an egg being squashed and bone split through the skin on Alexanders head. When Apollyon let go Alexander smashed into the sand. Blood ran from his open skull and Gabriel thought he was dead but his eyes were still blinking.

"Now we may have skipped the introductions but I have been the tormentor for centuries now. I can either show you a lifeline of pain, or of bliss. See I will still hold a place for all of gods foul creatures once he is gone. So what will it be? Pain or bliss?" Apollyon said holding out his hands to Jack.

"Pain for punishment brews hatred not remorse." Jack said in a different voice.

"I have punished your kind since the first one of you. Though I never wanted your remorse.....It was your hatred that has fueled me." Apollyon said pausing.

"Well very well." Apollyon said placing his hand on Jacks head.

"I know who you seek." Jack said in a different voice. Apollyon left his hand on his head but did not squeeze.

"Gabriel?" Apollyon said.

"Yes." Jack replied.

"Well why didn't you just say so?" Apollyon said removing his hand and walking away.

"Take me to him." Apollyon said walking back towards his creature.

"I did not say I knew where he was." Jack said stopping Apollyon in his tracks.

"The devil gave me a tour of his home the day I was born. Ever since I have walked its halls and rooms searching for the way out." Jack said in a different voice.

"How many of them are you?!" Apollyon said turning around fiercely and with a scowl.

"I am a freak show, not with deformed flesh but a deformed mind. Where side shows run nightly with performers of memory and crowds of emotion." Jack said in another voice.

"Well the show is about to end!" Apollyon said storming towards Jack.

"Is it in my nature to sin or in my desire? If it is in my nature then will you forgive me for existing?" Jack said just as Apollyon was feet away from him. Apollyon stopped and thought for a moment.

"Now you mock me?" Apollyon said with a much larger scowl than before.

"I would kill you but I think that would only end your suffering. Maybe I will find a use for your mockery!" Apollyon said looking at the pendant on Jack's neck.

"I will leave this world overdosed on creativity. My heart will stop with an explosion of imagination. Leaving my soul to endlessly chase my shadows into the oblivious night." Jack said in yet another voice. Apollyon sat down in front of Jack and just stared at him.

"When did you last see Gabriel?" Apollyon asked looking Jack in the eye's.

"Who are you talking to? Me or them?" Jack said in his own voice.

"All of you! When did you last see him?" Apollyon said trying his best to keep his composure.

"The city that burned." Jack said.

"Where did he go?" Apollyon said.

"He said he was turning himself in to you to save us.." Jack said looking down at Alexander who was now dead.

"So that makes us all allies." Apollyon said extending his arm to Jack. Jack shook his hand and nodded.

"I never thought about what's on someone's mind. I have been so entertained by my own madness that I didn't stop to think about yours." Jack said in a different voice. Apollyon let go of Jacks hand.

"I will take good care of you! Here drink!" Apollyon said tossing a small bottle of whiskey at Jack. It was like Apollyon had planned for this moment and had a bottle just waiting in his tunic. Jack popped off the top and with one chug downed the whiskey. Shaking his head, Jack wiped his lips and threw the bottle down.

"Whooooow!" Jack shouted still shacking his head.

"I poured fuel of the finest whiskey on this monster, thinking that the chains of sanity could hold it down." Jack said in a strange slurred voice.

"Lets let the monster out shall we?" Apollyon said holding out his hand in the direction of a Stermbak without a demon on it.

"Come with me, an entire kingdom of gods should be being buried by my legion as we speak. Then you and I shall go and find Gabriel!" Apollyon said getting up from the sand.

"See I have been in need of some good entertainment." Apollyon said getting on his flying creature. Jack stumbled behind and got on the back of the Stermbak slouching over in a drunken stupor. Gabriel just laid back down in the sand and watched them fly away.

"So what if they find my body in that trunk. I will just stay on this beach, after all its the nicest place I have found in this hell." Gabriel said tucking his arms behind his head and closing his eyes once more. The waves tuned out the last of the demons who eventually left, leaving behind Alexanders body. Gabriel thought they would eat Alexander as they did with most corpses. Yet it was poetic justice, the serial killers body left to waste away in the sand.

Alexander felt as though he had to honor the corpse of those he killed. Now there he was dead and dishonored by the devil himself. Gabriel could not even find an ounce of sadness for Alexander. He felt sad that Jack was in Apollyons clutches but he most likely always was anyways. Now Gabriel could be free of them and anyone else from his past. Though he wondered what might happen to the other kingdoms, it still did not matter enough to leave the beach.

Gabriel stayed on the beach all day taking cat naps and enjoying the sun. When night came he laid under the stars just watching the sky. The night revealed the battle of the universe, stars crashed into each other. Gabriel could even see what appeared to be mars orbiting a black hole. It seemed so close yet so far, the red planet was as bright and close as the moon. It spun around in a circle orbiting the slowly moving black hole.

The light of stars would vanish into the black hole. Studying it, Gabriel could see it was darker than the space in the sky. Watching it he hoped that it would come and swallow the earth. That would be enough to end it all, then he remembered his talks with Apollyon and Cain. About how he did have the power to end everything. The only reason why he didn't then was the hope for mankind. Now it was clear there was no hope for them when it came to the divine.

Thinking ahead after the war, depending on who won. Man would simply be the entrainment for the gods. Then again maybe they always were. If one of the old kingdoms won the war then they would not understand the modern world. It was clear they already did not understand it anyways. Apollyon would most likely just make slaves of everyone and everything. But what about god? The christian god that Gabriel had yet to see.

Was he just waiting on the benches to come in once the game was over. The bible spoke of the revelations but was this what it all meant? Maybe the savior would come but what would be left to save? Sinners and old gods that were his enemy. He didn't save Sodom or Gomorrah so why would he save the world now. None of the thoughts were anything new to Gabriel yet he still did not understand when and where god would fit in.

Focusing his attention back on the sky Gabriel watched as the black hole devoured mars. It went in slowly, and slowly it was torn apart. As the slowly lowering an apple into a powerful blender. Piece by piece it vanished into the massive hole until there was nothing left. The hole then began shrinking down smaller and smaller. Then it was just a speck in the night sky that turned from darkness into the light of a star. It now looked like any other star in the sky.

While watching the meteor shower war, Gabriel drifted to sleep. Opening his eyes he could see it was still dark, and he found the star that once was just a black hole. Now it was glowing brightly and almost twinkling. It reminded him of the song twinkle twinkle little star. It even seemed as though it were getting closer. Until finally Gabriel was certain that it was and it was coming straight for earth. Sitting up Gabriel braced for impact it seemed like it was coming right for him.

But it couldn't be a star he thought. It was still way too small to be a star and still shining bright. Now it looked like a street light getting closer rather than a star about to hit the earth. It came right for Gabriel and the light landed somewhere on the beach near him. Getting up Gabriel ran around looking for the where the light had landed. Running up the beach Gabriel could see a figure standing just at the edge of the water.

It was the small multicolored creature from his dreams. On his head was a crown of thorns and a thick beard like Jesus. In his hand was a staff and he held it up to part the sea. Dropping the staff to his side the sea went back down to normal. Where the sea had split a white whale came up and blew water out of its air hole. Just behind it was a small boat with more little creatures throwing harpoons at the white whale. They just bounced off and floated next to the whale. Gabriel now knew that he was dreaming again.

"What was real, if Moby Dick was written before the bible would we worship a white whale?" The creature said walking out across the water. He walked across the rolling water as though it were ice.

"Or would we still worship the man who could do this?" The creature said holding out his arms and bowing.

"So are you saying Jesus was fiction?" Gabriel asked.

"Are you saying there is not a white whale?" The creature said back walking back to shore.

"No I am sure there is an albino humpback but his story does not make him a god." Gabriel said.

"I am sure there was a Jesus but does a story make him the son of god?" The creature said.

"I don't know, I didn't know there were gods before all of this. Now I know, what I don't know is if there is the christian god." Gabriel said.

"It doesn't matter now does it? I do not know if there is anything divine. I do know it will take divine intervention to save mankind." The creature said pointing at the creatures in the boat who were now jumping in the ocean after the white whale. After all the creatures had left their boat it drifted off to sea. Gabriel watched as they desperately swam for the whale while their boat vanished from their reach. Just as one got close to the whale it went under and they were left fighting a strong current. They tried swimming back to their boat but eventually they had to give up the struggle and let the sea take them away.

"You jumped in the sea to see something no one else has. Just because you are on this island doesn't mean you can just forget the white whale. He is out there waiting for you to finish what you started." The creature said as Gabriel woke up to the sound of whales clearing their air holes. The light of day was shining down on his skin once more. Gabriel sat up and watched the waves crash for awhile. He knew he could not just stay on that island.

There was nothing he could do to stop Apollyon though. Unless he could somehow get god to join in on the fight. Or warn the old kingdoms of what was coming although the Celts now knew what they would be up against. Gabriel walked up and down the beach throughout the morning thinking of how he could play his part in stopping Apollyon. The pendant was somewhat useless since he could not interact with the world he was seeing.

The knowledge was useless since he was inside of a trunk halfway across the world from the other gods. He tried thinking of ways to get to them but he couldn't think of a way without getting caught. The second he left the trunk it would just be a matter of time before Apollyon found him again. All strategy's were failing him and things seemed hopeless. Schemes of hiding on ships or stealing a flying creature or device seemed far fetched.

Making a raft would only make him stranded at sea. So really all he had was the pendant and his curse of being immortal. All hope was quickly lost as Gabriel sat down on the beach under a palm tree. Holding the pendant he looked at each of the gems trying to decide where to go. It really was the only option if he did not want to end up Apollyon's slave. Which brought up a new thought in Gabriel's mind. Had Morrighan and the Celts been captured or killed yet? Taking one last breath of the sweet island air Gabriel pressed his finger to the red jewel.

"Frigga?" Gabriel said in a muffled voice. Now Gabriel was on the back of Morrighans horse ridding at full sprint. What was left of the other gods were also with her but Gabriel could not see what was left of her kingdom.

"We must stop the horses are suffering!" Rhiannon the horse goddess shouted from behind Morrighan. Morrighan did not listen and continued to push on at full sprint. They were riding down an old dirt road Gabriel could see a few pastures off to the side but there was not much else out there.

"Morrighan! The horses!" Rhiannon screamed as load as she could as she brought her horse to a halt. Morrighan's horse crawled to a stop as well and fell down under her weight. Gabriel crashed into a ditch next to the dirt road. It wasn't a hard fall but enough to scare the hell out of him. The horse laid on its side still alive but panting for air. As Gabriel got to his feet he could see a demon on his Stermbak flying in to attack them. Morrighan held out her hand and a black flame came up from the palm.

At first it was flickered and rose up like a flame from a candle. Moving her fingers with slight twitches Morrighan fashioned the flame into a ball. It swirled around faster as she twitched her fingers more rapidly. The Stermbak started to dive in for an attack and as he did Morrighan tossed the fireball at it. Smashing into it the Stermbak was engulfed in a black flame. The demon tried to jump off but he too was covered in the flame. They struggled for only moments as they crashed into the ground and then their bodies smoldered motionless.

"The time has come, to the north is the Nords, to the south the Greeks, to the west is the demon legion, and to the south east is the Egyptians. We must go to the other kingdoms to find help against the one they call Apollyon." Morrighan said.

"Then we go on foot." Rhiannon said pointing at the panting horse.

"The closest kingdom is the Nords, though they are warriors like us, they won't seek any allies. The Egyptians are much too far away and the Greeks sit between us and them. So first we will speak with Zues though he may refuse our allegiance. He is an arrogant god, but maybe he will see that we must combine our might. Then after Apollyon is gone we can fight amongst ourselves." Morrighan said as she started walking into the field and leaving the horse behind.
Chapter Thirty Six

The Celt god's were walking behind Morrighan through a forest. Their eye's were watching the skies above them. Gabriel looked up seeing a tangled mess of branches and tree's. They had been walking for hours and Gabriel assumed they were heading towards Mount Olympus to the Greek Kingdom.

Though he was not sure since no words had been spoken since Morrighan gave her orders to the other gods. It seemed as though they had lost Apollyon's legion. Gabriel had not seen any demons since the one Morrighan had killed in the field. The god's would not stop even for a moment to rest and Gabriel could no longer keep up with their pace.

Leaning up against a tree Gabriel slid down it to the ground. His legs were jelly and could not keep him upright any longer. He watched as the Celt god's and what was left of their warriors vanished from his view. There was no point in him trying to keep pace with the gods. The pendant would bring him within range anytime he wanted to use it.

Looking up he could see that the tops of the tree's where he was had been seared. Like a fireball had just grazed the tops leaving the forest below untouched. Mother nature and the universe was just as much of a kingdom as any other. Their warriors are the undeniable laws of physics and what happens when the gods try to bend them.

The god's and man messed with her so much that she finally hit her breaking point. As if she was an untamed animal who would fight against anyone who tried to capture her power and beauty. It's something mankind already knew but the gods didn't like their power being questioned by even physics.

The ground had crispy leaves that had fallen from the tops. Seeing them just made Gabriel's head hurt. Reality had become insanity and he did not even know where he was. Was he really in a trunk, in visioning what was around him. When he slept in this vision, were the dreams just a new line of reality or insanity.

Thoughts about what was real and what was not ran through his head as he tried to fall asleep. He had this same struggle with reality in the past but now it was getting harder and harder to believe in what he saw. It was as if he read an unrealistic story but then had to accept it as the truth. Because he was now living in the unreal story and the author went insane.

Like a tangled web of dreams, lies, visions, and feelings. Maybe it was all Apollyon's plan and he had become the author. Even though Gabriel sometimes felt free of him, he still felt like one of his snares lay ahead every corner. Giving up the struggle with reality, Gabriel let himself fall back asleep and accepting anything as reality was as if going to sleep in a dream.

It wasn't long before Gabriel found himself in complete darkness. He knew it was another dream and looked around for the creature. Yet he was no where to be found and Gabriel could feel the effects of exhaustion even though he knew he was dreaming. Things had not become so distorted until he started using the pendant. It seemed like another gift from a god was just a curse.

Pages flew around in front of him, they were lit up. Though nothing else was and they almost glowed and they blew around. Gabriel could not even see himself, nothing but the pages. At first he just watched them and waited. The pages jumped out at him but he did not reach out for them. They had writings on them, but he made no attempts to read what they said.

The pages tempted him to reach out and read them but Gabriel did not. All he wanted was sleep and to be left alone from his thoughts, or dreams. Except there was no escaping them and the pages blew around faster and faster. Their light flashing in front of him. They were spinning so fast that the pages themselves disappeared and they were now just words floating around.

Words started to slow down in front of him. Gabriel tried to close his eyes but they glowed so bright that they were etched even on his eyelids. So with his eyes open or closed the words were still there right in front of him. It was even more annoying than Jack and all of his jumbling of words. Always out of context though they had a deeper meaning, they did not need to be thrown in his face.

"Go away!" Gabriel yelled into the darkness. The words just danced around in front of him.

"You don't see the writing?" The creature from his dreams said.

"I see it, but go bother Jack with you words! Not me!" Gabriel said swinging at the words in frustration.

"What if I told you that it is not Jack who is crazy and possessed. But it is you, maybe you are the author of his madness?" The creature said.

"That's not true.." Gabriel said.

"What if you were only hearing him say those things? It was us speaking to you, and he was not really speaking." A different voice said.

"You are just trying to confuse me..." Gabriel said.

"No....We want you to see what you are." The creature said.

"Well what am I?" Gabriel said.

"You don't see it yet?" The creature said.

"No I don't, I see I am dreaming and want to sleep." Gabriel said.

"Denial is the first stage, we will help you through the rest just read." Another voice said. Gabriel was tired of their games and read the words. They were just a jumbled mess of words that could not be placed in any structure that made sense. The words moved around in front of him but still they made no sense.

"Here let me show you." A voice said and a man stepped out from the darkness. Gabriel had seen the man at the suicidal writers society. He was the one who walked in unsure if he was a member or not. Organizing the words, the man stopped and then stepped back into the darkness again.

So many lives lost in these streets.

Stories of kids who never grew up buried under the sidewalks.

They walk over them every day but we still see them playing in the streetlights.

We try to forget and say they are just mirages of memory.

We heard the gunshots shatter dreams.

The cries of the ambulance echoing in our hearts.

Spread their ashes on the curb hoping its the last.

Still the urn is never empty for those who survive, we're the undertakers of the streets.

"What does this have to do with anything?" Gabriel said confused after reading the words.

"You are the one trying to figure out the context of dreams." The creature said as another man stepped out from the shadows and began moving the words around.

"Will you be our chairman?" The man said as he moved the words around.

"What? I am no writer, and I don't want anything to do with your society." Gabriel said looking away from the man. The man had finished organizing words and walked away. They were glowing even brighter, like an intense neon light.

"They advised me to just write. I would have said just find your deepest insecurity's and express them in a way that leaves you the most vulnerable." Is what was written in the darkness. Gabriel read it but it only added more to his confusion.

"Why do they want me to be their chairman?" Gabriel said looking at the creature.

"Their old chairman is possessed with a new master. You lead Jack right to Apollyon and so now they want you Gabriel." The creature said pointing at a woman who stepped out from the shadows. The words changed from a golden color to a bright pink. But the woman simply swiped them away with her hand. They vanished like smoke in the wind as her hand swept by. The woman began to write with her finger tips and the words looked like glow sticks moving very fast.

"She was a bird born in a blizzard, a scarecrow to love, with an overdose of intelligence and depression." The woman finished writing and then shouted the words.

"She was a bird born in a blizzard, a scarecrow to love, with an overdose of intelligence and depression!" The woman moved away and the words vanished with her.

"This is all just a dream, the society is not real!" Gabriel shouted as the woman vanished.

"No? Did we not come for you before you ever met Jack?" The creature said.

"No!" Gabriel said.

"You do not remember the dreams? When we came for you?" The creature said.

"I have had many dreams....Nightmares ever since I put on this pendant!" Gabriel said.

"Hmmm so you doubt that we exist?" The creature said.

"You exist only in nightmares creature!" Gabriel shouted.

"We just want someone to hear us again!" The creature yelled as another man came out from the shadows. He was in a tuxedo but the sleeves were cut off. The man held out his arms so Gabriel could see. He had marks from needles all over his arms. In the front pocket of the tuxedo was a spoon and needle sticking out. On the arm with torn sleeves was a rubber tube tied tightly to expose veins. The tube just dangled down from his arm.

"Look what is under the sleeves of fame Gabriel. This is what they have done to me!" The man said as liquid oozed out from the marks on his arms.

"Before you judge me for the needle tracks of my past. Know this is not blood of a fiend, but blood of a condemned youth, and forgiving future." The man said.

"My faith is a corpse, though if you try digging it up you will find nothing but ashes and dust." Another man said stepping out from the shadows.

"Everyone GO AWAY!" Gabriel shouted and the men stood their staring at him.

"I don't care about any of this. There is much more important shit going on right now. I don't have time to deal with your fucked up society. You all had your chance at life, but this is my time now!" Gabriel said as he got up and started chasing the creature through the darkness. Running as fast as he could, Gabriel still could not catch the creature. Members of the society began to appear all along the sides of Gabriel as he ran past them. Gabriel was having difficulties running and looked down and saw he was running on a train track.

"When this train wreck checks in at the station, just play me some sweet music and know I was not the only engineer of sins." A man said standing on the side of Gabriel in an old train station. Everything went dark again and then a red rose was glowing on the ground in front of Gabriel. It's thorns had droplets of blood on them.

"My red rose left me saying somewhere in your darkness you will find a new flower to destroy." A man's voice said as the red rose slowly died. From the dried up flakes of the rose came a new flower. It sprung up with a brilliant color of purple and the head of the flower bent down towards the ground.

"Nightshade came and went with my last sprout of humanity." The man said as the nightshade died and crumbled to the ground. A white rose came up and caught Gabriel's eyes. In the foreground a massive full moon came up behind the rose.

"So I wept in the moonlight when I saw white pedals shinning. Untouched by the darkness all around her, my white rose came. Saying somewhere in our light we will find the seed to plant eternal love." The man said as the moon shrunk down into a small seed under the white rose.

"My red rose left me saying somewhere in your darkness you will find a new flower to destroy. Nightshade came and went with my last sprout of humanity. So I wept in the moonlight when I saw white pedals shinning. Untouched by the darkness all around her, my white rose came. Saying somewhere in our light we will find the seed to plant eternal love." A woman's voice said as everything went black once more.

"Boom, boom, boom." Gabriel woke up from his dream and was in the forest again.

"Crack, crack, crack." Gabriel could hear the sounds of gunshots all around him. Though looking around Gabriel could see no one. Even after waiting for a little while he could still hear the gun shots but could not figure out where they could be coming from. The shots got closer and closer but as Gabriel walked around the forest he could find no one. It was as though the shots came from another dimension and that is when Gabriel decided to go back to the trunk in the city.

"Frigga Midgards calling!" Gabriel yelled holding the pendant. Now he was back in the trunk but the inside of the car was completely burnt. The seat that once helped seal him in was now just a metal frame.

"Crack, crack." Gabriel heard in a quick burst. The city sounded like a battle ground and as Gabriel crawled out from the trunk he could see the scorched earth. Though many areas had not been burnt, maybe because the demons did not have time. Or it was almost impossible to burn a city to the ground one match at a time.

Most of the flammable buildings and wooded area's were burnt but much of the city remained. Gabriel could tell that the fighting had to be close and he used his ears to guide him. The shots sounded like they were coming from a forest area on the other side of the school. Shots continued to fill the air and Gabriel looked around for demons to see if it was safe to move.

Gabriel did not think there would even be any signs of humanity left. But the gunshots were a clear sign that somewhere someone was left and they were fighting. It could not just be one person either since each shot had a different sound and location. It reminded Gabriel of the sounds in the holes in Vietnam.

Looking around Gabriel could see no demons, so he cautiously walked along the side of the school. He was not sure where the shots were coming from but he walked towards the sounds. After walking past burnt homes Gabriel found a main street. Stores and gas stations lined the street all of them were burnt. Some were just ruins and others slightly scared.

The shots were getting louder and louder as Gabriel walked. Hiding behind a burnt bank, Gabriel watched a pack of demons running in the direction of the shots. Then more came running behind them, they were reinforcing the demons that were being shot. Once the last pack ran by Gabriel followed behind them.

Gabriel ran out in the open no longer scared of the demons. This was a chance to become a part of humanity once again and he was going to take it. Looking inside a car Gabriel saw a metal baseball bat in the back seat. The car and everything was burnt and only metal remained. Gabriel tried to open the door but the metal was warped from the heat. Reaching through the broken window Gabriel grabbed the bat.

Running once again, Gabriel found where the shots were coming from. It was a large grocery store with people lining the windows. Gabriel watched from behind the safety of a brick building. The people were shooting down the waves of demons coming in from around the city. The demons did not even have a chance to get close enough to attack. The demon's numbers seemed weak with all of them attacking over sea's. The packs came in five or six at a time and were quickly dispatched.

Gabriel watched and waited for a moment when he could approach the people. It was intimidating seeing them with all their automatic rifles hanging out the window. He knew that he could not wait very long though or the demons would find him hiding next the the building. Gabriel thought about the best way to approach them as he dropped the bat on the ground. He figured it was best to just go out in the open with his hands up.

Slowly Gabriel stepped around the corner with his hands up. As he rounded the corner a pack of demons ran out from a building in front of him. His chance was blown but he had no choice but to run towards the store and hope they accepted him. The demons were brought down just in front of him. Bullets bounced off the asphalt and corpses of demons right in front of Gabriel.

With arms in the air Gabriel felt a burning sensation just above his knee. His leg locked up and he fell face first into the asphalt. His mind processed what was happening and he knew he had been shot. Bullets ripped into his back and he could feel them penetrate through the bones. One ripped into his spine and his body went numb.

Unable to move Gabriel just let his senses take over. Blood soaked his back and pants and the sounds of shots stopped. With his mind racing Gabriel realized that these people were not friendly. They wanted him dead along with the demons and maybe it was for the best. Except Gabriel's curse was slowly taking over.

The wounds healed and all that was left was blood soaked clothing. He thought about his next move trying to stay completely still. His only chance was to get up and run but he had to wait for more demons to distract the shooters. Taking slow and shallow breaths Gabriel waited for his moment to run. Gunshots rang out and signaled Gabriel's chance to run.

Getting to his feet Gabriel tried to run but was almost instantly shot down. Bullets tore into his chest and once again he was on the ground. Only feet from where he was shot down before. Unable to breath Gabriel struggled for air as his body went into spasms. His mangled body twitched as bullets silenced the spasms. Pain was the only thing Gabriel had left that he could depend on.

Again the wounds healed and his only hope was to escape what was left of humanity. Without waiting Gabriel got up to his feet and was gunned down again. He was not even able to get up from the ground all the way. The shots didn't stop though, they seared flesh and mangled his body. Everything went black and Gabriel was momentary free from his body. It was one of the most peaceful moments in Gabriel's life.

Nothing but darkness, void of emotion or feeling. It wasn't long though and he was back to his body as it healed from the attacks once again. Gabriel turned his head and looked at the people in the windows. They looked down at Gabriel in horror. It was impossible for anyone to take that many shots and survive. The blood loss alone would have killed a small village. Shots were fired again but it was only one to the chest. Not enough to drop Gabriel.

"Hold your fire!" A man shouted and the shots stopped. Gabriel could hear them whispering as he clenched his chest n pain. Turning Gabriel tried walking away but he felt another bullet hit him in the calf and he went down. Again it was just one shot, leaving Gabriel imprisoned in pain.

"Don't move or we will shoot!" A man said, Gabriel laid motionless on the ground. A group of men came out of the store and walked up to Gabriel with guns at the ready. They walked over corpses of demons and came right up to Gabriel. Gabriel's wounds healed but he did not want to be shot again. The pain was just to much to handle over and over again.

"Cuff him." One of the men said as two others placed shackles over his hands and feet. As soon the men touched his skin, Gabriel went into hell's waiting room. Everything was dark, and then Gabriel could feel cold water rushing past his waste. He was now standing on a large river, and men were wading out in the water in a large line. At the end of the line was a priest who was baptizing the men.

One at a time the priest baptized each man. Turning around Gabriel looked at the line and could see hundreds of men waiting. Men that had already been baptized were being given clothing, and weapons. It looked more like a draft for a war than a religious ceremony. One of the men that had been grabbing Gabriel was dunked under the waters. Everything went black and Gabriel was back in the city. The men pulled Gabriel up off the ground and started leading them over to the store.

"What do you want with me? I came in peace!" Gabriel said struggling to keep up in the chains.

"You are not a human, I don't know what you are but I will let the priest decide what to do with you." The man said.

"Priest?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, we are Templar's on a crusade against all enemy's of the one true god. Sent by the pope himself to rid the earth of this plague of false gods and demons." The man said. Gabriel could not believe that they would be so hostile to an unarmed man. They lead Gabriel into the store and sat him down next to a check out line. Some of the people were looting the store while others guarded the windows.

"Stay here with him." One of the men said to another as he pointed down at Gabriel. The man sat down in front of Gabriel with his gun at the ready.

"I am not going anywhere its ok..." Gabriel said holding his cuffed hand up. The man said nothing and kept his gun up ready to fire. The man had on camouflage and body armor, the only thing he was missing was a helmet. Instead of dog tags he wore a necklace with a cross and his name was written on it. Gabriel tried to read it but it was too far away.

"CRACK CRACK!" Gabriel's ears started ringing as the store erupted in gun fire. The shots were amplified by the walls and Gabriel clenched his eyes shut. Sounds rang out from all around him and his chest was trembling to the shots being fired.

"Reloading!" One of the women shouted out. Gabriel opened his eyes, the man guarding him had a look of horror on his face. The end of his barrel let out a strand of smoke. The gun was shaking in his hands. Looking down at his chest, Gabriel realized he had been shot in the commotion.

"We need help over here!" The man said setting his gun down. The man rushed over to Gabriel and held his hand over Gabriel's chest to stop the blood. As soon as he did Gabriel was jolted back into the river. He watched as the man was baptized, then the darkness came and he was instantly back in the store.

"Its..... Ok..." Gabriel said coughing up blood. He tried clearing his throat but more blood filled his lungs and throat. Gabriel gave up on trying to speak and laid back with his eyes shut. The blood was choking his lung and he stopped breathing.

"Help!! I think I killed him!" The man yelled, but the gunfire masked his cry for help. The blood stopped pouring into Gabriel's chest and the wound was healed. Gabriel took a deep breath just to be sure that his throat was clear of blood.

"Its ok....Look!" Gabriel said pointing at his chest. The man stepped back and picked his gun up again.

"What are you?" The man asked raising his gun to a ready position.

"They are going to break through!" A man yelled as he opened fire out the window. A demon jumped in the window right in front of him. The man who was guarding Gabriel turned his attention to the demon and opened fire. Blood and flesh flew of from the demon and it took three gunmen just to bring him down.

"We need to get out of here before we get over run!" A man said pulling away from the window.

"Lets fall back!" A man shouted as he ran past Gabriel and into the store. Gabriel struggled to get on his feet in the shackles.

"Someone uncuff my feet!" Gabriel yelled as more demon's broke through the line. One of the demons lifted the man up who was guarding Gabriel and spiked him into the floor. The mans neck snapped and his cold dead eyes stared at Gabriel. The other men in the windows were being over ran as well. Gabriel finally got up to his feet and started running away from the demons.

Gabriel could not run at full speed though due to the chains on his feet. With each step forward the chain pulled and dug into his ankles. Gabriel made it to the other end of the store where men and women were running out the back. They were pushing shopping carts full of food and drinks. The man holding the door pointed his gun at Gabriel.

"You are coming with me!" The man said as Gabriel ran out of the store. Gabriel felt the barrel of the gun press up against the back of his head.

"Follow them and you better keep up!" The man said. Gabriel struggled to run down the streets. In front of him a man was trying to push a shopping cart but one of the wheels kept spinning around. Finally the man dumped the cart and started running faster.

"No one shoot or we will scare off the horses!" The man behind Gabriel shouted. Just a few blocks down from the store were horses tied up. Some of them even had makeshift wagons that they were pulling. People were loading them as fast as they could.

"There is no time throw the whole carts in and lets go!" The man shouted. People gathered together and put entire carts full of loot in the wagons. It still wasn't fast enough though, people were already jumping on horses and whipping the reins of the wagons. The man behind Gabriel pushed him into one of the empty wagons. The wagon vanished and Gabriel fell head first into the river. He struggled in the light current for a moment and then pulled his head out of the water. Again he was back in the line of men being baptized. The man who pushed him was dunked under and things went dark. Suddenly Gabriel was inside the back of the wagon that he had been pushed into.

"GO!" The man shouted to the guy driving the wagon. Their wagon was the last one to leave and the wheels clanged and wobbled on the street. It was one of the bumpiest rides that Gabriel had ever been on. Gabriel looked out the back and could see hundreds of demons running behind them. He scanned the sky to look for the flying demons but there were none.

The man who pushed Gabriel into the wagon was aiming his gun out the back ready to fire. But the demons faded in the distance as the wagon bounced down the street at an almost uncontrollable speed. Horse hooves clanked into the asphalt in a mad dash out of the city. Gabriel laid back and tried to get comfortable. It was no use though, these wagons were not built for comfort.

The city faded in the distance and they were riding down an old highway. They had to weave around broken down and abandoned cars. The man in the back with Gabriel just kept watch out the back as their pace slowed. Horses were now lightly trotting and the wagon was not shaking so violently as it had been.

"Where are we going?" Gabriel asked, but got no reply.

"I said where are we going?" Gabriel said a little louder.

"You are going to see the bishop and then most likely a cage." The man said without turning away from the back of the wagon.

"Well that's nothing new..." Gabriel said smirking. They rode on in silence for the rest of the day. Although they were not moving very fast, they still had made it a long ways. Gabriel counted as they passed through two small towns. He tried to read the sign's but he could only see the back side of them. Nightfall came fast as they rode into another town.

This town had a wall made of debris and a gate rattled open. Gabriel could smell burning rubber in the air and there was dense smoke in the town. The horses and wagon's came to a halt outside of a brick town center. An uneasy feeling came over Gabriel as his wagon went on past the others. Templar's with guns lined roof tops and they seemed to be on high alert. Another gate opened, this time a chain link gate.

"Try anything and we will shoot!" The man in the wagon with Gabriel said as it came to a halt.

"Lets go." The man said as he got out of the wagon. Gabriel followed behind him and could see more Templar's with guns waiting for him.

"Move it!" One of the Templar's said just as Gabriel got out of the wagon.

"Alright!" Gabriel shouted in frustration. The Templar's almost pushed him to the ground trying to get him to walk faster. This time when he was touched, things just went dark for a moment. He could feel the water but he didn't go back to the line of baptism. Everything went back to normal and they were taking Gabriel inside of an old city jail. Gabriel looked at the barred windows now covered in towels so no one could see out. Once inside it was very dark, water dripped from the ceiling and the smell of mold and mildew filled the air.

"Should we take him downstairs?" A Templar said stopping.

"The bishop might want him on the next ship out." The man who was in the wagon with Gabriel said.

"But we are all full upstairs." A guard said.

"Fuck it put him down there, doubt he will go to the Vatican." The man from the wagon said. They opened a door and lead Gabriel inside. It was a dark stairwell and Gabriel tried to find each step. Missing a step Gabriel started to fall but the guards held him up. They opened another door downstairs and Gabriel walked inside. Going down a hallway he passed by cells. Inside the cells were women all sitting around naked. They had bruises on their flesh and some had busted up faces. Candle light exposed their horror and abuse.

Some of the women were pregnant and others motionless on the floor. They passed cell after cell and it was all the same. There were a few men who were also down there stripped nude of their clothes. It was clear that downstairs was where they kept sex slaves. It was disgusting what the desires of sick men could conjure. They finally stopped at a cell at the very end, where there was a man inside.

"Get back!" A guard said pointing his gun at the man. The guard opened the door and they threw Gabriel inside. Gabriel tried to stay on his feet but tripped over a blanket and fell to the cement floor. His head smashed into the ground and everything went black.
Chapter Thirty Seven

"Red rover, red rover, send Gabriel right over!" A crowd chanted. Gabriel looked around and he was standing in a grass field. Much like those at playgrounds, on one side of the field were people from the suicidal writers society. On the other was the creature from Gabriel's dreams.

"What side are you on Gabriel?" The creature said pointing towards the other side. Gabriel was standing right in the middle. Looking over at the other side he could see people from his past. Tiffany, Christy, people from Axal, all of them had died. Holding hands they all chanted red rover red rover send Gabriel right over.

"See life is just a game, on one side you have the living. On the other is the dead, but you can choose what side you are on." The creature said. Gabriel tried to walk over to the side of the dead but could not move his feet.

"I can't choose I'm stuck." Gabriel said looking down at his feet. They looked fine but would not move,

"You can't move, but you can listen to them." The creature said as they all chanted red rover. A boy stopped chanting and walked out from the line and in front of Gabriel.

"Most children hid under their covers at night. When I was a child I could not hide. Darkness found me and the night was my playground." The young boy said with purple lips and pale skin. The boy grabbed Gabriel's hand started pulling on him.

"Come with me!" The boy shouted pulling on Gabriel's arm, but Gabriel could not move.

"Where?" Gabriel asked still unable to move.

"Up there!" The boy shouted pointing up to the sky. The field was bright like it was a sunny day but the sky was black, with stars all over as though it were night.

"Look!" The boy said pointing up at the stars.

"Yes....I see." Gabriel said.

"I am not a star, I am the space between the stars. I am the darkness overlooked by all but with infinite possibilities." The boy let go of Gabriel's hand and ran back over to the side of the dead. The child ran right up to where death herself was standing. Wing's cut off and bowls hanging out from an incision on her belly. A man ran past Gabriel from the side where the creature was. He had bullet wounds all over his body.

"Deaths been keeping a tab since birth. I always thought I would settle the debt, but with each new enemy I know she is coming to collect!" The man shouted as he ran into deaths arms and broke through to the other side.

"I'm just a lost soul looking for a gypsy's heaven while stuck in a civilized hell." A woman said as she walked passed Gabriel towards the side of death. She was very beautiful with long blonde hair and a slender body. She was in pajamas holding onto a razor blade, and blood drained from her arms onto her hands.

"Her razor blade was a blood fiend, it knows no love. Her mirror didn't see the beauty that eyes seen. Her death is a pain that we can't cut free." A man said following behind the woman to the side of death. Tears ran down his face as he walked right behind the woman. With trembling hands he clinched a revolver, and the back of his head was blown off. Suddenly the man stopped and turned to Gabriel. Opening his mouth to speak he exposed a hole the went out the back of his mouth. Daylight shined through and Gabriel could right through it.

"My life has always been a big game of Russian roulette. Except its the ones I love that are pulling the trigger." The man said with blood running down his lips. The woman stopped and waited for the man with the revolver.

"You came banging on the asylum door searching for love. Then you wonder why we fell in madness?" The woman said holding her hand out to take the man's hand. The man dropped the revolver and grabbed the woman's hand. Hand in hand they walked over to the side of death, as death herself smiled at the young lovers.

"When I write I am always looking over my shoulder. Paranoid that one day these memory's will catch up to me." A member of the suicidal writers society said walking passed Gabriel.

"Most people fear what they don't understand, I fear my understanding." The man said turning to Gabriel with foam spewing from his mouth. Gabriel quickly looked away, closing his eye's.

"Look at them!" The creature shouted as Gabriel was forced to see. A woman walked past in a blue and yellow dress. Her hair was short and black and Gabriel could only see her backside as she walked past.

"There are no fairy tales here, as snow whites kiss fails on deaths lips. While ever after is a grave of regrets." The woman said turning around. Her face was pale and lips red as snow whites. While her eye's were as still as the dead. Tilting her head up Gabriel could see the bruises from a noose. Turning away she walked to the side of death. Gabriel was afraid of them as they came past him with destruction in their eyes.

Another man came by, in a prisoner's outfit. Coming right up to Gabriel he held out his hand. In it was a triangular piece of paper with a long string on it. Tossing it in the air the man held onto the string. For a moment it blew in the wind and then fell back down. It hit the ground and the prisoner just stared at it for a moment.

"My souls locked in prison writing kites to heaven. Yet at birth the jury knew the verdict and the judge knows hell won't wait." The prisoner said staring Gabriel in the eye's.

"Terminally born, I was diseased with the knowledge of how I will die. Plagued with love in my heart and destruction on my mind." The prisoner said turning away. Gabriel could see the back of his head was crushed, most likely from a long fall. Cringing Gabriel turned away and looked at the creature.

"This is just a nightmare!" Gabriel yelled as he tried to move. Now he could not even breath or move, he was stuck in a panic. It was as though he was struggling against being paralyzed. Thing's went dark and Gabriel heard someone speaking to him from the other side.

"I can't dream, when I sleep demons come out and play. Tempting me with games of fate and poisoning sweet nightmares." A voice said from the side of death.

"ARAAA!" Gabriel shouted as he woke up shaking on the floor.

"Its ok!" The man in the cell with him said coming to help Gabriel up. Gabriel held out his hands to keep the man away.

"What happened.." Gabriel said holding his head.

"Well at first you hit your head....Then you fell asleep for a couple of hours." The man said as Gabriel sat up from the filthy floor.

"These nightmares....They seem so real, I can't even tell the difference from whats a nightmare and whats reality." Gabriel said looking up at the man.

"Well I would say you are in the right place then.....I guess I will just say I can help you with this if you let me....." The man said as an uneasy feeling washed over Gabriel and he scooted away from the man.

"I watched you sleep and tremble on the floor for hours. Most people would assume you are crazy, but not me." The man said coming closer so Gabriel could see his face. It was bruised from beatings but the man was a native American. With long dark hair and a large nose, he tried to smile but his lips were cracked and bleeding.

"They call me wingless crow, or just crow." The man said holding out his hand.

"Nice to meet you." Gabriel said motioning the man's hand away and scooting back to the wall.

"And you are?" The man said retracting his hand.

"Oh my name is Gabriel..." Gabriel said pausing trying to think of what to say next. Nothing came to mind so he just smiled.

"Do you know where we are?" Gabriel asked as wingless crow sat down across the cell from him.

"Not even sure what state we are in, but this place is full of evil spirits." crow said.

"Yeah.....I'm not sure what state we are in either." Gabriel said trying to think. In the silence Gabriel could hear a woman softly weeping in the cell across from him. Gabriel could only see bare feet, the rest of her was covered by darkness.

"What are they doing with the people down here?" Gabriel asked although he already had an idea.

"They put me down here because they said I believe in false idols. We had a tribe of sorts for a little while when the gods went to war. I am a shaman, so naturally I lead the tribe. That is until they came and killed all but me and a few women. The women they use for their sexual desires, me they just like to beat on now and again." Crow said looking down ashamed.

"Heh and they call themselves Templar's. Figures, most men of the cloth have repulsing desires." Gabriel said.

"That's just the wolf howling inside of them. Its just a howl in their mind until they form a pack. Then they unleash the beast inside and this happens." Crow said looking at Gabriel's pendant.

"If you wish to keep your idols then I would hide them." Crow said pointing at the pendant. Gabriel took it off and put it in his pocket. Crow tilted his head and gave Gabriel's clothes a strange look. They were blood stained, torn, and had bullet holes in them.

"What happened to you?" Crow said confused while looking at Gabriel's clothes.

"I am cursed, with life...." Gabriel said.

"What do you mean by that?" Crow said.

"I cannot die, I guess I'm immortal." Gabriel said as Crow's eyes widened.

"I believe we are all immortal, when this life ends the white horse comes and takes us to the next." Crow said.

"Well the horse never comes for me, mortal wounds heal within minutes." Gabriel said.

"Hmmm so that is why they placed you here?" Crow said.

"I guess so." Gabriel said as he laid back and shut his eye's. Throughout the cell block Gabriel could hear women weeping. With each cry out he could hear their agony, and their pain became his.

"So much pain can be heard in the silence of these cells." Gabriel said.

"Yes, here the nights are not for sleeping. After the raping stops, everyone has nothing but time to let the pain sink in." Crow said and then went silent. Gabriel tried sleeping but kept waking up just as he drifted off. He was scared of Templar's, but of his nightmares. Each time he woke he jumped upright.

"Why won't you let yourself sleep?" Crow broke the silence while he was laying down shadowed by darkness.

"Too afraid to sleep, or stay awake." Gabriel said sitting up.

"Why are you afraid to sleep?" Crow said.

"I am just slowly losing my mind. I met this writer, who was possessed by spirits of the dead. Now they keep coming for me in my dreams." Gabriel said.

"I have seen this happen many times here in America. A mental health epidemic that they decided to treat with medication. They detached themselves from the spirit world and treat mental illness like a curse." Crow said.

"Well I wish I had some medication to make these nightmares go away." Gabriel said.

"I once went to a mental hospital to see how they treated people. It was sad to watch them remove all thought and dull the senses of people. So that the spirits could no longer contact the gifted. Before the white people came we saw mental health problems as a gift. Those that you would consider ill, we considered them spiritual healers." Crow said.

"So you let madmen be healers?" Gabriel said.

"They are not mad, they only become madmen when they reject the spirit world. Which is something modern society is taught to do. We taught our people the crows not to reject the spirits. We showed them how to accept them and how to find out what they wanted." Crow said.

"So you are suggesting that I just let them run rampant with my thoughts?" Gabriel said.

"Do you know of another way?" Crow said.

"No I never had this problem until I met the writer." Gabriel said.

"Something happened when you met this man. Somehow he reject the spirits, maybe a more powerful one moved in? So the spirits that he was struggling with had to find a new home. Something familiar, so they decided to come to you." Crow said.

"That would make sense, since Jack is now possessed by Apollyon." Gabriel said.

"I seen this happen at the mental hospital. I could see the spirits in one room floating around. They could not come in contact with the one they choose. Since she was highly medicated, but the nurse was open to the spirits. They went to her and after a few weeks she was a patient at the hospital. The spirits are not to be rejected, or to be ignored." Crow said.

"But what would they want from me?" Gabriel said.

"They choose people for many reasons, maybe they are warning you. Maybe they just want someone to listen to them. But those in contact with the spirit world are valued by the tribes. I once took a child out of the mental hospital. He was fighting with his personality and those of the spirits. I took him back the the tribe. He had to unlearn all that he knew before he could let the spirits in. After four years the child grew into a teen, and accepted the spirits. But we did not heal him, he healed us by proving that we do not need modern medicine to heal the mentally ill." Crow said.

"So what happened to the boy?" Gabriel asked.

"After four years he went back to his family and they were amazed by his transformation. He was a completely different person and ended up going to Harvard. Before the war he was one of the leading psychiatrists in America. Healing those who were like him and teaching people how to accept the spirits and not reject them." Crow said.

"But it took him four years to come to terms with them. I don't have that kind of time and I want to sleep now.." Gabriel said.

"I thought you said you were immortal?" Crow said laughing.

"Creeeack!" A door to the cell block opened and then slammed shut. Crow held a finger up to his lips and laid back down. Gabriel laid down as well and closed his eyes pretending to be asleep. The whole cell block was now silent and no one was weeping.

"She is too far along now." A man said as he banged on a cell door with a club.

"Yeah, we will take her to the bishop. Too bad though she sure is pretty," Another man said as he opened her cell door.

"Please.....No!" The woman cried out.

"Its ok we are going to take you someplace safe so you can have the baby." One of the men said in a calm voice as he slapped her on the ass.

"Cuff her." The other man said. Gabriel could hear the cuffs make a cracking sound as they tightened.

"Hold still!" The man said.

"Get against the wall!" A man shouted as they pushed her against the wall.

"Please don't!" The woman cried.

"Shut your mouth and bend over slut!" A man said. Gabriel could hear the woman start to weep.

"You like that?" The man said.

"Ughh please..." The woman whimpered.

"I said do you like it!" The man shouted.

"Yeee Yes I do." The woman said but Gabriel could hear the pain in her voice.

"Hey pigs!" Gabriel shouted as he jumped up from his fake slumber.

"Lay down!" The man who was raping the woman said. Gabriel could hear the footsteps of the two men heading his way.

"Who the fuck said that!" A man shouted.

"I DID!" Gabriel shouted as he held his hand out through the bars. Gabriel stepped back from the bars and looked down at crow. He was still pretending to be asleep, and it was clear that Gabriel was on his own. The footsteps drew closer and Gabriel could hear a club bouncing off the bars.

"A new guy huh?" A man said zipping up his pants. One of the men was very scrawny and held a AK47. The man who zipped up his pants had a belly hanging over his belt. His shirt was snug tight around his obese belly. They had the Templar dog tags like the others did. The obese man held his club up while he unlocked the cell door.

"Better stay back!" The man with the AK47 said. Gabriel stepped back and balled up his fist. The cell door slid open and Gabriel charged the man with the club. Unleashing a heavy hook Gabriel staggered the man with the club. Swing his club the obese missed and Gabriel rushed forward in a flurry of punches.

"CHEEECH CHEECH CHEECH" The AK47 rang out and pieces of concrete flew into the air. Gabriel tried to keep swinging but his body was quickly riddled with bullets. The gun started going off towards Gabriel legs and the kickback made it raise up very quickly. Both of his legs, his mid section, and his neck was hit as he fell to the floor. He didn't feel the pain at first but now it was surging through him.

"He's done.....I wasn't done with her yet though." The man said shutting the cell door.

"Come on!" The man shouted at the other as he spit blood on the floor. Gabriel could hear the footsteps go back down the hall. Crow rushed over to Gabriel to try and help. Shaking his head Gabriel motioned the crow back and waited. His anger was dulling the pain and he waited for his wounds to heal.

"On your knee's bitch." The obese man said. Gabriel could hear her weeping again.

"Come on hurry up." Gabriel thought, wishing that his body would heal faster.

"Open that pretty little mouth of yours." The obese man said as the whimpering was muffled.

"Hey! Fucking pigs!" Gabriel shouted as he got to his feet and banged on the bars.

"What the fuck!" The obese man said. There was a moment of silence.

"Get the one with the gun, I got the other." The crow whispered in Gabriel's ear. Gabriel nodded and the crow laid back down on the floor and shut his eyes. Gabriel could hear the footsteps again and the man pulling up his zipper. Gabriel held his neck and blood still soaked his clothes.

"How the fuck are you still alive!" The obese man said as he slid the door open again.

"I got this!" He said calling off the man with the AK47. Gabriel charged forward again blasting the man in the face with an elbow. He didn't stop though, Gabriel ran out of the cell and past the obese man. Gabriel went right for the man with the gun and grabbed a hold of the end of the AK47.

"CHEEECH" The gun went off hitting Gabriel in the shoulder. Gabriel tried to knock the end of the gun into the air but was not fast enough. Clenching the hot barrel in one hand Gabriel swung with the other dropping the scrawny man to the floor. Quickly he pulled the gun out of the unconscious man's hand and turned back toward the cell. Crow was on top of the large man pounding on his face that was now a mess of blood.

"HELP!!!" The scrawny man cried out as he staggered down the hallway. Gabriel took aim and was locked on him with the iron sights. Finger trembling and closing down on the trigger. His shoulder burned with the weight of the gun.

"Shoot him!" The naked woman in the cell across from them yelled. The weight of the gun was too much for his gunshot shoulder. Gabriel lowered the gun and the man opened the door up and disappeared. Turning around Gabriel saw Crow bashing the other mans head into the ground.

"Stop....He is dead." Gabriel said walking over to crow. Crow looked up with a blood covered face. Crow got up and walked over to the corner of the cell and sat down.

"They will kill us." Crow said.

"No they won't...I will say I killed him while the other guy was running." Gabriel said as he picked an old blanket up off the floor

"Here clean up your hands and face." Gabriel said throwing the blanket at crow. Crow cleaned the blood off on the blanket and set it back on the floor.

"Alright stay here, remember you did nothing." Gabriel said.

"Give me that! I will shoot them!" The naked woman said in the cell across from them. Her small hand reached out from the cell. Dark brown eye's glared out at Gabriel.

"No you didn't see anything!" Gabriel said as he went over to the obese man and covered his hands in his blood. Gabriel kept the gun in his lap and when he was done he held the gun in one hand. With the other hand he grabbed the dead mans leg and dragged him out of the cell. The limp body was too heavy so Gabriel set the gun back down and dragged him out with both hands.

Gabriel dragged him into the hall and let his legs go. They thumped into the concrete. Looking around Gabriel could feel the eyes of the woman on him. They were all up against the bars looking to see what was happening. All but the woman who was being raped. Her cell door remained open but Gabriel could not see inside.

"Let us out!" A woman yelled out as Gabriel picked up the gun. Gabriel walked back out into the hallway.

"You are safer in here, we won't win this fight they have too many. They would kill every one of us!" Gabriel shouted and it echoed down the hall.

"I would rather die than let another one of them rape me!" A woman said with tears running down her face. Gabriel stood there clenching the gun in silence.

"Me too!" Another woman yelled out.

"I can't do it I'm sorry." Gabriel said as he slid the cell door shut, closing in crow.

"Please just kill me now!" The woman across from Gabriel shouted. Gabriel looked in at her, arms open exposing her naked body. Long dark brown hair ran down to her beasts and she had bruises all over.

"I'm so sorry.." Gabriel said as he walked away.

"You are just as bad as them!" The woman yelled from behind him. Gabriel paused again, the words burning in his ears.

"If I let you out you will all die." Gabriel said.

"If you don't we will all die anyways." The woman said stepping out from her open cell door and blocked the hallway. She looked like she was at least seven months along. Her tiny body was engulfed by her pregnant belly. Her cheeks had a slight hint of freckles and she had light blue eyes and plump red lips that were cracked. Blonde hair curled down to her shoulders.

"Are you going to let us out." The woman said glaring at Gabriel.

"How do you expect to stop them?" Gabriel said looking on at the woman.

"We don't have to stop them, we just have to fight back." The woman said.

"You don't have to die....Maybe you will all survive this.....And the child." Gabriel said.

"You know what they were about to do?" The woman said and Gabriel shook his head.

"After they fucked me for the last time they were going to take me out and put a bullet in my head. That's what happens to pregnant women down here." The woman said.

"How do you know this?" Gabriel said still shaking his head.

"One of them told me after he ejaculated in me. They say it every time after they rape us." The woman who was in the cell behind Gabriel said.

"They say all we are good for is busting a nut and then shooting in the head." Another woman in a cell said. Gabriel moved to the side and leaned up against the wall.

"Get his keys and let them out." Gabriel said trying to think of a plan.

"Crow are you in or out?" Gabriel said still leaning against the wall. Crow reached his arm through the bars with the club in his hand.

"I'm in." Crow said shaking the club.

"Alright get them out I will guard the door." Gabriel said as he walked by the cells of naked women.

"Stay in the cells until I say come out." Gabriel shouted as the pregnant woman was rushing to unlock each cell.

"If we are going to do this then I want to get you out of here alive." Gabriel said as he propped open the door to the stairwell. He couldn't see anyone but the stairwell was dark.

"Careful." A woman said from a cell behind Gabriel. Gabriel gently shut the door and got up against the wall next to the door. His shoulder had healed and he held the gun at the ready. Looking through the sites ready for anyone to bust through. Women started walking out of there cells.

"Get back in your cells!" Gabriel shouted.

"GIVE UP AND WE WILL LET YOU LIVE!" A man shouted down the stairwell. The women were not listening and were heading towards the door. Gabriel turned the gun towards them and motioned over to the cells with the barrel.

"Get back!" Gabriel yelled. They stopped for a moment then started walking towards him again.

"Fuck!" Gabriel shouted as he opened the door to the stairs.

"Crack, Crack." Two shots from a pistol hit the door as he opened it. The flash of the gun shined on a young man's face.

"Cheech, Cheech, Cheech." Gabriel opened fire before even thinking. Bullets tore into the young man and he dropped in the stairwell dead. Gabriel saw the horror on his face as bullets ripped into him. The look was frozen in Gabriel's head and the stairwell went dark again. Slowly Gabriel started going up the steps.

"PSHHHHH" A canister clanged down the steps and went off. Holding his breath Gabriel ran up the stairs. As he turned the corner he could see women pulling the dead body of the young man through the door. Gabriel stopped confused by what they were doing.

"Crack, Pop, Pssst, Crack." Shots bounced throughout the stair well. Just as they did Gabriel could see the women taking the gun and items the young man had. Then they vanished in a cloud of smoke.

"Cheech, Cheech." Gabriel squeezed the trigger and shot into the darkness. Taking a deep breath in he collapsed to his knees. Bullets fell down on him from above his head. Then darkness, it was over a bullet hit him on the top of his skull. His body crashed into the steps and he couldn't hear or see. By the time Gabriel came too he was being drug up the steps. Looking up he could see two men dragging him.

"AHHHH" A woman screamed from the cell block below.

"Crack, Crack." Shots went off.

"GET IN YOUR CELL BITCH!" A man yelled followed by more shots. Gabriel's heart sunk, he had failed them and now they were meeting their fate.

"I doomed them" He thought to himself in silence with eyes shut. His legs thumped past the last step and he was drug into a hallway.

"Cuff him he is the one that can't die." A man said as other men held him down and cuffed him.

"Pop." One of the men kicked Gabriel in the face and everything went black once again.
Chapter Thirty Eight

"Wake up!" A man shouted as he slapped Gabriel in the face. Gabriel's ears were ringing and he slowly opened his eyes. The room was blurry, and he was cuffed and sitting in a chair. Gabriel focused his eyes and could see a man in the cloth of a priest. It was the same man that he saw freeing all of the Templar's of their sin's

"What is your name?" The priest asked. Gabriel's head was pounding and he was still trying to get his bearings.

"Ummmm..Oh I am Gabriel." Gabriel said as the room came into focus.

"My name is bishop Clark." Clark said.

"Why is a place of god abusing and murdering women." Gabriel said as his blood started boiling again.

"Well Gabriel it seems you have much to learn about Christianity." Clark said leaning back in his chair.

"This is a place of god's army, and god's army has needs. The men here are fighting for god but that doesn't mean they don't have their desires and sins. In fact the pope has declared the Templar's immune to the sin's of man. These men have already been forgiven and since they are in gods army they will go to heaven." Clark said.

"And the women they abuse!" Gabriel snarled back. A hand came into view for a moment and then Gabriel's face stung. He had been back handed from behind.

"It's ok please." Clark said holding his hand up to stop more beatings.

"The women have been declared whores and harlots." Clark said.

"By who's judgment?!" Gabriel said, his eyes burned with hate.

"Mine." Clark said.

"Enough of this talk though, what about you. How did you get immortality?" Clark said leaning forward.

"From your devil who you are sure to meet you piece of shit!" Gabriel tried jumping out of the chair at Clark. Clark nodded his head, and it was followed by a beating. One man held Gabriel's head while another punched him in the face. Blood ran from Gabriel's nose and into his mouth.

"Enough." Clark said and the men stopped. Gabriel's face stung from being punched.

"Who are you to judge me?" Clark said to Gabriel.

"Anyone who allows women to be raped and forgives pigs for abusing and killing women is not a man of god." Gabriel said as he spit blood on the ground.

"You...... Killed a 17 year old boy in that stairwell. To save whores and harlot's who god says to stone to death. But I wouldn't let them be stoned, I let god decide their fate. If they get pregnant and reach a later term then god decided their death. Not me, I showed mercy." Clark said. Gabriel was boiling over with rage, his lips trembled ready to scream. He held back though and remained silent.

"I don't need to know anything else, its clear that you are a servant of Satan." Clark said as he banged his hand on the desk.

"He is immortal so he must be a high ranking servant of Satan. Load him on the next ship to the Vatican, they can decide what to do with this vile creature." Clark said.

"You think you are serving god? One day soon you will see who you serve." Gabriel said as they pulled him up on his feet. Two men held onto Gabriel as they lead him out the building. Gunshots could be heard from inside the building on the way out. Outside the air was filled with smoke, and a foul burning smell.

Looking to the flames Gabriel could see the body's of the dead being burnt. Next to the flames was the women from the cells who were lined up. One by one they were shooting them in the head and throwing the body's on the flames for the others to see. Tears ran down Gabriel's face as they lead him down to a river where a large sail boat was waiting.

It was a large ship with three masts sticking out of it. It looked very old as well and not very sea worthy. Gabriel just looked at the ship as the flames flickered in his peripheral vision. Tears blurred his vision and his eye's stung from the smoke. One last shot went off and the final woman was dead. Gabriel was not sure what happened to Crow but he figured he suffered the same fate.

The last straw of caring for mankind broke when the last shot was fired. Gabriel now knew who man was sworn to. Who man was always sworn to, Apollyon. Had Gabriel sinned by killing the boy in the stairwell then god was already on his way. But Gabriel doubted it since he should have came many years ago. Gabriel had good morals, but he was no saint of god, or Apollyon.

Gabriel walked over a walkway and was lead onto the ship. Templar's were loading the ship with goods and Gabriel was taken below deck. The ship had three levels and Gabriel was taken down to the bottom. Down below he had to tilt his head while standing in order to not hit the ceiling. A cast iron cage the size of a two car garage was down there.

Looking inside Gabriel saw two women chained to the sides of the cage. One had a nice blue dress and the other red. The dresses went down to their feet and they were sitting. On their heads were black bags covering their whole head. The woman in the red dress had tattoos all over her body. From her feet to her hands.

All of the skin that the dress showed was tattooed. Just above her cleavage was a tattoo of a woman holding two swords above her head. The swords were crossed over and the tips reached out to her neck. The other woman had pale skin and no tattoos. Red locks of hair dangled down near her cleavage. The other woman with the tattoos had blonde hair that barley hung down past the bag.

A boy sat by the woman with red hair who was in the red dress. He had chains on but he was only about eight years old. The boy had black hair in a bowl cut with brown eyes. He was holding the hand of the woman in the red dress. The boy didn't even look up at Gabriel as he was lead into the cage.

"Sit!" A man demanded. Gabriel sat down and they ran a chain from his cuffs on his legs and feet. The chain was then locked to the cage with a pad lock. One of the men looked at the woman and smiled. He was missing teeth and smelled like shit. Gabriel was happy to see him leave the cage. A lantern was in one of their hands and when they left it was pitch black in the lower section.

"Who's there?" One of the women asked.

"Mam, my name is Gabriel." Gabriel said looking in the darkness.

"We are the Crathage sisters, I'm Qwella, the one in the red dress." Qwella said.

"I am Twella, the one in the blue dress." Twella said chuckling.

"This is my boy Charlie, he's a mute though." Qwella said.

"Well it's nice to meet you Qwella, Twella, and Charlie. I wish we had met under different terms." Gabriel said shutting his eyes and resting his head on the cage.

"He sounds handsome!" Twella said.

"Oh Twella stop it. Nice to meet you Gabriel and the circumstances will get better. We just have to have faith in the positive." Qwella said. There was a moment of silence since Gabriel did not know what to say.

"What do you look like?" Twella asked.

"Uhmm I have an average build, brown hair, a beard.." Gabriel said, but was cut off by Qwella.

"Oh don't mind her, she is just being a perv." Qwella said.

"I am not!" Twella said back laughing.

"How old are you?" Twella asked.

"Uh not even sure anymore, don't know what year it is even." Gabriel said trying to think.

"Well I'm twenty, and Qwella here is an old hag she is twenty six." Twella said.

"Oh please Twella lets not bore the poor man. It's bad enough we are stuck on this old ship. It's doubtful that its even sea worthy and we all will be at the bottom of the sea. So lets not waste Gabriel's last few days." Qwella said.

"No it's ok I don't mind at all." Gabriel said.

"See he likes my advances!" Twella said.

"So Gabriel what landed you down here with us?" Qwella asked.

"Heh well a long story one I had to tell too many times now." Gabriel said.

"See Qwella he doesn't like your questions but he likes mine!" Twella said laughing.

"Oh no its not that....See I can't die, I was cursed by the devil and now I am immortal....I know how this all must sound kinda crazy huh?" Gabriel said unsure of how they would take it.

"Sweety its not weird at all!" Twella said in a seductive tone.

"My sister and I are witches and my son can see ghosts and speak to them. Though he cannot speak to us but he signs to me. Sometimes he doesn't even have to, I know what is on his mind." Qwella said.

"Hmmmm witches under what deity?" Gabriel tried to be knowledgeable on the subject.

"Well we practice different types of magic. Twella is into the dark arts, and Celtic rituals. I am more of what you would call..." Qwella said but Twella cut her off.

"She is more of a satanist whore!" Twella shouted in laughter.

"Twella STOP IT! I use hell fire, and I am not a whore. Twella you need to watch your mouth around Charlie." Qwella said.

"Please those ghosts say all kinds of horrid things to the poor child." Twella said. Gabriel felt oddly comfortable around Twella, and Qwella. They did not seem fake or deceitful which Gabriel had been around deceitful people for too long. He wasn't afraid to speak openly with the women.

"Well...I was kidnapped by Morrighan and cursed by Apollyon." Gabriel said, he tried to make it a joke but they did not laugh.

"Why do you call him Apollyon?" Qwella asked.

"That's what he told me to call him." Gabriel said.

"You know him well?" Qwella said.

"I have spent some time with him. Though I wouldn't say I know him, I don't think anyone does." Gabriel said as he moved his head off the cage.

"How did you meet the dark mother?" Twella asked.

"She wanted to use me against Apollyon I suppose. I don't really know but she came for me because a witch had summoned her." Gabriel said.

"Must have been a very powerful witch to summon the dark mother." Twella said.

"Why did the devil grant you immortality?...Sorry for so many questions I just want to see whos side you are on." Qwella said.

"I am on no one's side, not anymore. Not god or man, I am not even on my own side. I have come to a point where I am just going through motions.....Oh and he made me immortal to keep god from destroying mankind. Or so he said, he called me the last saint. Apollyon told me that if I sinned or died then god would destroy the world. Since there would no longer be a man free from sin.....I don't know now that I think about it, it all sounds stupid. Maybe he just wanted to show me what hell was like?" Gabriel said.

"Well sweety you can be on our side!" Twella said.

"Yeah, how about you stick with us. We could make hell seem like heaven." Qwella said.

"Thanks, you two are very nice lady's. But I doubt you wont the baggage that comes with me." Gabriel said.

"Don't worry we can take it." Twella said.

"Thank you Twella, by the way you two seem like very beautiful women. If we weren't chained up I would go with you." Gabriel said, after thinking about what he said he felt somewhat corny.

"I don't think these chains will stop us. They are sending us to the Vatican, I guess so the pope can get his willy wet with some proper lady's. But that's not going to happen, we have better plans." Twella said.

"Well I sure hope it all works out for you." Gabriel said laying his head back and shutting his eyes.

"So do you know when we set sail?" Gabriel asked.

"I think we leave in the morning. Then again I don't really know what time it is." Qwella said.

"Well then lady's if you will excuse me, I am going to try to get some sleep. Been having enough troubles without being on the rough sea. Can't imagine what it will be like once we get going." Gabriel said.

"Sweet dreams!" Twella said.

"Goodnight Gabriel, hey maybe in the morning this will all be over?" Qwella said.

"We can only hope." Gabriel said as he prepared his mind for sleep.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite!" Twella said.

"Twella, let the poor man sleep sheesh!" Qwella said.

"It's alright, night." Gabriel said. It didn't take long and Gabriel fell into a deep sleep. He was completely exhausted and the moment he closed his eye's he was out.

"Welcome aboard matey!" The creature said. Gabriel was standing in the middle of an old pirate ship that was sailing off the coast of a tropical island. Little creatures swung from the mast while others were cleaning the deck. A man and a young boy walked up to Gabriel.

"They say when you are a parent you become an authority. I guess they were wrong because now there are two flying the black flag." The man said pointing up at the pirate flag flying above them. Gabriel watched as they man and child walked by.

"Some people build walls, but I put up a circus tent around my mind. I walked inside and was finally free to be myself." Another man said who was swinging just above Gabriel. They were all from the dead writers society. With pale skin and wounds of suicide on their body.

"Follow me Gabriel!" The creature said as he walked in front of Gabriel. Gabriel followed him along the ship. Someone who was moping up the deck grabbed Gabriel's arm. With dead eye's he stared at Gabriel.

"With god I can explain anything. With an imagination I can understand anything. With knowledge I can imagine a world without god." The man said, then he looked back down and started moping the deck again. Gabriel started following the creature once again. Crow had told him not to struggle and to find out what the spirits wanted. Before they seemed hostile but now they all seemed relaxed on the ship. Gabriel looked over and a man was balancing on one foot on the ships plank. He wobbled back and fourth trying to stay steady.

"My heart is in mutiny of the things I have done. So now every time I walk on the plank of destruction." The man said, and then fell off the plank into the sea.

"Hahaha!" Gabriel laughed at the man as he ran over to the edge. Blood filled the water below and the man was being devoured by sharks. Gabriel's laughter stopped and there was nothing left of the man but a bloody mess.

"Hurry!" The creature shouted. Gabriel looked back up on deck and the creature was walking below deck. Gabriel followed him down, the ship rocked back and fourth and it was difficult to walk. Below was a table with two pirates and two prostitutes. They were also from the suicidal writers society but were dressed up. The woman had on old 18th century dresses and the men wore tunics and pirate caps.

"Love is fatal and life is a game. So I guess I have a dead mans hand at the table of cheats." One of the pirates said looking back at Gabriel and then looking around the table. The other pirate leaned towards Gabriel showing him his cards. It was all aces and he smiled revealing gold and silver teeth.

"The hardest part about holding a winning hand is the waiting. You know you're going to change the game but no one else does." The pirate holding his cards to Gabriel said.

"Some women need makeup to look classy, some women just are classy." One of the prostitutes said. She had no makeup on but the other one had it plastered on.

"Washing yourself in drama will not clean you of your boredom." The prostitute with makeup said back to the other.

"We gamble with words, and smiles. Now if only we could so easily let go of our emotions." The other prostitute said looking Gabriel in the eye's. The man with the aces laid his hand down on the table laughing. The others laid down their hand's but it was clear that he won. The losing pirate pushed over the pot to the other and slid a chip over to his side. Smiling he tilted his head at the pirate who won. Holding his hand out the winning pirate motioned the other to give the chip back.

"If I can't remember you during the bad times, why would I remember you now?" The winning pirate said. With a sigh the other pirate slid the chip back over.

"There is a place in my heart for all women. This does not make me lustful, but a man disarmed by nature and all her beauty." The winning pirate said as he pushed some chips back over to the prostitutes . With big grins and overbearing cleavage they batted their eyes at the pirate. Walking over to the table was an old woman in rags holding a small cup. Shaking the cup, she showed the winning pirate that it was empty. Flinging his hand in the air he shooed the old woman away.

"Its not that I don't understand why people are homeless and starving. I don't understand why we live in a world that allows it." The losing pirate said as the old woman walked up to Gabriel.

"I wasn't born, I was brewed in a witches cauldron and came out with good taste, too many side effects and without a cure." The old woman said holding her cup up to Gabriel. Squeezing his hand, Gabriel could feel something round in it. Opening his hand he saw that it was a chip. Throwing it in the cup it clanged around. With a smile the old woman walked away and vanished into darkness.

"I wounder if my words will one day be like stars, and my book like a night sky. Seen by all but written by only one." A voice said from behind Gabriel. Turning around he saw a man at a desk trying to write. But the restless sea's kept on disturbing him and all he had was blotches of ink.

"Ewaaaah" Gabriel could hear a muffled crying but could not see where it was coming from. The creature was gone, and so was everyone else but the winning pirate who was now right in front of Gabriel.

"Wait." The pirate said.

"What?" Gabriel asked.

"Ewaaaah" Gabriel could hear the muffled crying again and the floor was filling with water.

"Sometimes you have to wake up from your dreams and be happy with where you sleep." The pirate said. He started to speak again but Gabriel couldn't make it out. Waking up Gabriel could see Charlie crying, but it was a broken cry.

"Shhhh its ok sweety, mommy's right here. Hold my hand and close your eyes." Qwella said. Charlie calmed down and the ship was silent.

"Is he ok?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, you must have been dreaming because I could hear you thumping around." Qwella said.

"Yeah, I keep having dreams about this dead group of writers." Gabriel said.

"Sounds more like a nightmare to me....Wait Charlie got scared right when the dreams started." Qwella said pausing.

"Charlie did you see the writers?" Qwella said, Gabriel strained his ears to try and hear the boy.

"He said yes..Sounds like these spirits are coming to you in your sleep." Qwella said.

"Heh yeah, I met an Indian man who said the same thing." Gabriel said.

"The dead are not to be taken lightly." Qwella said.

"Well I don't know what they want." Gabriel said. Gabriel could hear someone rustling around.

"Could you guys be quite." Twella said in a soft and sleepy tone. They remained silent and Gabriel tried to get back to sleep but he couldn't. He tried to figure out what it was they wanted. But their messages were not making any sense. After trying to figure out the spirits for the later half of the night a loud bell rang on the ship. Gabriel could feel the boat moving under him and they were leaving America. The waters of the river was calm, and the ship was silent. Gabriel could hear the water but could not hear the men above them. His muscles went tense to stabilize against the rocking of the ship.

"Morning." Qwella said.

"Ehh are you sure its morning....I want to sleep." Twella said still tired.

"Good morning, I guess it is anyways. The bell sounded and now we are off." Gabriel said.

"Twella is not much of a morning person, more of a night owl." Qwella said.

"I am going back to sleep, wake me when we get there." Twella said still groggy.

"She is such a goof when she is tired. We won't see land again for many days." Qwella said. A sick feeling came over Gabriel and he reached in his pocket. He was afraid that he might have lost the pendant but it was still there.

"I think the ghost's of the writers are leading you somewhere." Qwella said.

"Why can't they just rest in peace and leave me alone. I am tormented enough without them, but now they are driving me mad." Gabriel said.

"That's generally how they work, just remember that they wouldn't haunt you without good reason." Qwella said.

"Would you stop..." Twella said drifting back to sleep.

"Guess we better give her, her beauty sleep." Qwella said laughing.

"Haha, Guess so." Gabriel said. His mind drifted back to the dreams. Though he figured it was better not to dwell on it. He just had to let everything reveal itself in time. They sat in silence for a couple of hours and then the door to the lower deck came open. Light shined in the room and two men walked in.

One was holding a lantern and the other had three buckets in his hand. Holding them by the handle the man walked to the cage door. Shining his lantern towards the witches, the man opened the door. Without missing a beat the other man walked in and set the buckets in front of the women and child.

"You get no food." The man said pointing at Gabriel.

"Take the cuffs off the child's hand, he can feed himself." The man with the lantern said shining it at the boy. Charlie scooped the slop into his mouth. With a grimace on his face he slowly chewed the slop. It looked like rice and whatever scraps the crew had. Pulling up the cloth sack, the man revealed Twella's lips.

They were plump and a light pink tone. With a long wooden spoon the man fed Twella. Each time he made a mess on her face she would slowly lick her lips. It was very seductive even though the sack covered her face except her lips. After the man was done feeding her he fed Qwella and then covered their mouths back up.

"Have a wonderful day honey." Twella said as the cage door shut. Shinning the lantern back at Twella the two men gave her elevator eyes. Beads of sweat ran down the face of the man who had been feeding them. They just stood their like two lions looking at fresh meat. The men were both a little overweight and in their fifty's.

"Come on lets go." The man with the lantern said while moving the light away from the women. This routine happened every day, they fed the women and child. The days passed and with each passing day the men watch the women more and more. Gabriel got little to no sleep and didn't even have the energy to hold his head up.

Twella did all she could to seduce the two men that fed them. They seemed more and more sexually frustrated with each day at sea. Gabriel quickly opened up to the women and told them his story. They seemed amused by all of his ventures and wanted to learn more. Gabriel was doing most of the talking though.

The women revealed little about themselves and Twella flirted with Gabriel all that she could. Every hour or so the men would come down and see if they needed to use the bathroom. Anytime they did they led them over to a bathroom that was next to the cage. One day the men finished feeding the woman and just sat and down outside of the cage and watched them.

"I can't take this anymore!" The man who fed the women said.

"We can't, they gave us orders!" The man with the lantern said.

"How will anyone know?" The other man said.

"We won't tell, we promise!" Twella said in a very seductive tone. As she spoke her body gyrated showing her curves.

"See they won't tell!" The man with the bucket said.

"You better not say a word either!" The lantern man said shinning the light at Gabriel.

"Don't mind me." Gabriel said closing his eye's. Gabriel could tell it was a trap but wasn't sure. Twella had been flirting with him the same way.

"Close your eyes and cover your ears dear." Qwella said to Charlie. Charlie covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Qwella said spreading her legs. The dress was so big that it only revealed the bottom of her calf. Looking at each other the two men smiled and opened the cage. Setting the lantern down the men looked and both women.

"What one do you want?" One man said to the other.

"Her, who do you want?" The other man said pointing at Twella.

"I want her too!" The man said.

"No need to argue boys, Why not take turns and have both of us." Twella said still gyrating her body around. She moved methodically and extremely seductive. Even Gabriel was being mesmerized by her.

"Fine I will fuck this one first." The man who had the lantern said as he dove on Qwella. Rushing over to Twella the other man began rubbing her breasts.

"You sexy little cunt." The man on Twella said. Twella started rubbing her knee on his crotch.

"Fuck it!" The man on Twella said as he started ripping her dress off.

"Wait what will they wear?" The other man said.

"Who fucking cares!" The other man said as he finished ripping Twella's dress off. Gabriel tried not to look but could see he in his peripheral vision. With a slight glance he looked over her body. Then he quickly looked away like a school boy who was caught looking up a girls dress. Her body was covered in tattoo's all expect her panty area. Some how she stayed perfectly groomed in her privates.

Grabbing Twella's breasts the man's eye's went large. Her breasts were a perfect hand full and her body was very tone. She had a slight four pack and she kept in excellent shape. Which Gabriel found odd since they had been on the ship for at least a week. They had little food, and her muscles should have been cannibalizing.

With a vicious rip, the other man split Qwella's dress right in half. Again Gabriel could not help but take a glance. She had larger breasts than her sister and was not muscular. Her body was curvy, and also well groomed. Her skin was pale and she had freckles just above her breasts. Gabriel never noticed it before until now. In a rush the man on Twella pulled his pants down. As he did Gabriel quickly looked away.

"Ughhh, Yes! Yes! Harder!" Twella cried out. Many feeling's started to come over Gabriel. Twella made him feel important, and someone she liked. Now she was moaning while another man had sex with her. Gabriel had formed an attachment to both women and felt that attachment was now violated. Qwella was not loud like her sister, she made not even a chirp.

"You like that slut?" The man on Twella said as he ravished her.

"Ooooh yes..I feel you, but I want to see you." Twella said. The man having sex with Qwella looked over and shook his head at the other man.

"Ahhh yeah!" The man on Twella said as he stopped on laid his head on her shoulder.

"Come on take off the mask honey. Don't you wanna go again and see my face?" Twella asked.

"Why not?" The man with Twella said looking at the other. Shrugging the other man pulled the mask off Qwella. Gabriel did not look but could see her beauty in his peripheral vision. She had dark natural red hair, light green eyes and freckles dotted her cheeks. Her lips were not as plump as Twella's or as seductive.

"I wanna see your face this time!" The man with Twella said as he pulled her mask off. Gabriel strained even harder to see her face in his peripheral vision. She had light blue eyes, beautiful blonde hair that some how looked like she came from a salon. In her eye's was the girl next door, but her body was that of a blonde bombshell. While her tattoo's drew away the innocence, and youth of her face.

"Oh yeah baby, grab my neck!" Twella said as the man started going again. This time he clenched her neck with both hands.

"Yes! YES!" Now Twella shouted louder. Gabriel could feel her eye's locked on him as she moaned. It was as though she was trying to get his attention, rather than the man on her. Gabriel struggled not to look but the moans got louder. Finally he turned his eye's to her, and they both locked eyes.

"Ohhh!" Twella cried out looking right at Gabriel and not turning away. A huge smile came across her face and she gave Gabriel a wink. The tattoo just above her breasts started to ripple. Gabriel wasn't sure at first but then he was certain. Two small swords came out from the tattoo of the woman on her chest. Leaning out of her chest the woman tattoo drew her swords. In a quick slash she slit both of the mans wrists and then took her place back on Twella's skin.

"What the fuck!" The man shouted as blood sprayed down on Twella's breasts. Jumping back the man dropped on the floor just in front of Twella. Blood spewed out on the floor and the man didn't even have time to stop the bleeding. His dead eyes looked up and Twella as blood pooled around him.

"AHHH" The other man fell back on the floor. His whole body went a light shade of red like a burn. Hitting the ground, his body exploded in blister and then turned a charcoal black. Skin ripped like a dry lake bed that cracks in the sun. Dead eye's fell on Gabriel this time, almost like a cry for mercy. Now both men lay dead on the floor in pools of blood.
Chapter Thirty Nine

In an instance both men were dead before they had a chance to fight. Horrified, and shocked Gabriel just watched the dead men petrified on the ground. Gabriel could feel Twella's eye's still locked on him. He wasn't sure if she ever even looked away from him as she killed the man. Qwella closed her legs and turned away from Gabriel so he could not see her breasts.

With a quick glance Gabriel looked over at Twella. Her smile was so big that her white teeth shined in the light of the lantern. She was stunning, but Gabriel dashed his eye's back over at the dead men. Though the image of her was now etched in his mind. Qwella's eye's burned like an ember and then the light of the lantern went out.

"Why did you go and do that?" Twella asked.

"I guess you didn't notice that we are nude? Not to mention my boy is right here!" Qwella said.

"Well I was enjoying my view." Twella said.

"Only you would enjoying looking at the dead." Qwella said.

"I wasn't looking at the dead.." Twella said.

"Its ok dear you can open your eye's now." Qwella said.

"Well Qwella, how do you expect me to get the key out of his pants without the light?" Twella said.

"Fine hurry up." Qwella said as her eye's light up with embers. The flame in the lantern almost made it explode. But then it quickly died down and light up the room. Qwella was still covering up her body but Twella was focused on one of the mens pants. She braced herself against the cage and stretched he leg out and pointed her toes towards the pants.

"Euh!" Twella moaned as she stretched out as far as she could. Qwella rolled her eye's and Gabriel fought back his laughter. Gabriel glanced over at Twella and looked down at her body. When his eye's made it back up he saw her eye's on him again. Gabriel quickly looked away and stared at the floor. Twella's toe came down on the end of the pants. She used one of her other toes to lock on them like a pair of tongs. Slowly she slid the pants over and Gabriel could not help but to watch.

"Hudini!" Gabriel said laughing. Twella smiled but stayed focused on the pants. She slid them over and then moved them around with her feet until she could get in the pocket. Her whole foot went inside and then came out with the key in between her toes.

"You could have done that a lot faster." Qwella said.

"I prefer not to waste my energy, unlike you." Twella said.

"Oh please like your powers would be sapped by getting a key. You just want to show off at any chance you get. But you need to hurry up so I can wash this foul man's stench off of me!" Qwella said.

"Well if you quit your yapping I will hurry up." Twella said as she maneuvered her leg around so her hands could get the key. Unlocking her hands Twella rose to her feet. Gabriel looked away again and watched the dead men. Twella twirled her hair up in a makeshift bun but took her time.

"I will get you first since you don't complain!" Twella said laughing as she squatted down next to Gabriel. Jolting back Gabriel could feel butterflies swarming in his stomach. Twella pressed her body up against his as she reached around to unlock him.

Gabriel was jolted into hell's waiting room. Everything went dark and then he was sitting around a fire. A full moon was in the sky above him and the light of the fire danced off forest tress. Gabriel looked around the fire and saw two little girl's and an older man. The girl's were Twella and Qwella sitting on tree stumps. Qwella looked older, but Twella looked only five or six.

"Ever since your mother died, when she had you I have waited for this moment." The man said with fire glowing in his eye's. His hair was a mess, as though he had not combed it in months. Gabriel looked behind him and could see an old house. It was very small and looked like it was only one bedroom at the most.

The man got up and walked into the darkness for a moment and then came back. In his hand was a tray with ink's and a tattoo gun. As well as a few vials of blood that rolled around the tray as he walked up to Twella. Setting the tray down, he combed the hair out from Twella's face with his fingers. Twella jerked back a little, she seemed afraid of the man.

"Tonight we are going to reunite our family once again." The man said. Qwella watched her sister with a worried look as flames danced off of her face.

"One big happy family......To see your mother's face in the moonlight once again..." The man said with his hand shaking.

"Is it going to hurt daddy?" Twella asked as she looked into the flames.

"No sweetheart, not like the pain we have felt these last few years. Don't you see you are the only one who can bring her back to us." The man said as he opened a vial of blood and started mixing it into the ink.

"Why does it have to be me?" Twella asked.

"Don't you want to see your mother?" The man asked.

"Yes." Twella said as the man laid her down next to the fire. Holding out his hand's the man looked up at the moon.

"We are the descendants of Salem!" The man shouted at the moon.

"Cursed by the gifts our ancestors have given us. Though tonight we will use our gifts to bring back a dear mother, wife!" The man said with madness in his eye's.

"Hear me god's of darkness, you have taken her from us. Now we will reunite her with the light of the last descendant of Salem." The man shouted as the flames grew higher in the sky. Looking over at Qwella, Gabriel could see the embers in her eyes.

"Bzzzzzt" The tattoo gun went into the ink mixed blood. The man's eye's where now white as the moon. Slowly he moved the gun over his daughters chest. Twella was not in a trance and was laying on the ground horrified.

"Bzzzt." The gun went off on her flesh.

"AWWW!" Twella cried out and her cries seemed to bounce off the tree's. Twella didn't move but her cries were deafening. Gabriel couldn't watch and just looked off into the forest. Light of flames were playing trick's on Gabriel's eyes. It appeared as though women in cloaks would come out from one tree and then vanish before the mind could process them.

Gabriel looked back, and the girl's were now teen's. The man was even older and his hand's trembled as he tattooed Twella. Her skin was now covered all over and the man feverishly covered her flesh in tattoos. Qwella was making the fire dance and turned the flames into images of witches. Finally the gun stopped buzzing and the man moved away from Twella. Tears fell down from her eye's and the flames flickered off of them.

"Why won't it work! They won't come back!" The man shouted at the night.

"You have gone mad old warlock!" A voice shouted from the forest.

"Who is there!" The man said as he almost stumbled over the flames.

"We have been watching you raise the girls. Though your pain has blinded you to love." Another woman's voice shouted. Witches in cloaks started to come out from the trees, and surrounded the fire. Gabriel knew that he could not have been just imagining them.

"You painted the dead all over your child. But you don't realize it was you who killed them!" One witch yelled with a beat red face.

"Let us see how your love feel's about what you have done to your daughters." Another witch said helping Twella up from the ground. Twella's head shot up at the moon and her eye's turned black and then the moon filled the darkness in her eyes. Her skin was shaking and trembling, the warrior on he chest started to come out from her skin.

"AHHHH!" The warrior shouted as she jumped from Twella's chest with the swords in her hands.

"You're back!" The man shouted as he knelt down at the feet of the warrior. She looked down at the man with her swords at the sides of his neck.

"Do you not remember me my dear?" The man said looking up at her. Her arm drew the swords back and then in a flash they slashed through the man's neck. In a gush of blood his head rolled off and his body fell next to the fire.

"Fool, the dead are not to be brought back!" One of the witches said as the warrior fell back and deflated like a balloon into Twella's chest. She shrunk back down into the tattoo and laid still on Twella's skin. Coming out of her trance, Twella looked down at her dead father. Tears had dried to her face, but none fell from her eye's. Qwella looked down at her father with a blank look in her eye's.

"It's ok my dears, we will take care of you." One of the witches said just as Gabriel jolted into darkness and then back to the ship.

Gabriel could feel Twella's breasts pushing up against him as he realized he was back in the cage.

"Hmm darn thing!" Twella said pushing herself against Gabriel harder.

"Oh, there we go." She said as she uncuffed his hands. It was a relief to be able to move his arms again. Twella backed away and then knelt down to get the cuffs on his feet. Gabriel watched her as she fumbled with the key. She looked up at him with a smile and then looked back down and unlocked the cuffs.

"There!" Twella said jumping up to her feet.

"Thank you!" Gabriel said with a smile.

"You're very welcome!" Twella said as she turned to her sister who was becoming impatient.

"It's about time!" Qwella said with a sigh. Twella unlocked Qwella almost instantly and got back up. Qwella stood up covering her breasts with her hand.

"Phew you do stink!" Twella said as she handed Qwella the key. Qwella uncovered her breast and glared at her sister. With a snap she grabbed the key out of Twella's hand.

"Here look I'm Twella!" Qwella said bending over exposing herself to Gabriel. She looked back at him and jokingly batted her eyes. Gabriel didn't mind at all and was glued to her hourglass shape as she got the chain off Charlies leg. Qwella was trying to make a joke of it but she blushed and her face went red when she saw Gabriel watching. Twella rushed over and shut the lantern off.

"I was not doing that!" Twella said in the darkness.

"Oh you were!" Qwella said.

"Well what will we do, our dresses are ruined!" Twella said.

"Here put it on and shut up." Qwella said. Gabriel could not figure out what was going on but could hear rustling around.

"What are we going to do now?" Gabriel said in an unsure tone.

"We will have to wait for nightfall, but we are going to take over the ship." Qwella said.

"Why nightfall, won't they realize the two men are gone?" Gabriel asked confused

"It's when we are our most powerful." Qwella said.

"Yes, my sister is weak and needs to rest!" Twella said with a sinister chuckle.

"Fine, young powerful one...Lets see you take over the ship?" Qwella said.

"You know I was only joking....Are you decent so I can turn the lantern back on?" Twella asked.

"One moment." Qwella said with some rustling. The lantern came on before Qwella was ready. Gabriel was looking in her direction when it came on. She was bent over trying to fix her breasts in the dress.

"You bitch!" Qwella said as she straightened up still holding her breasts. With a tug she pulled the dress up around them. Twella unlocked the cage door with a smirk. She was wearing her blue dress again like it had never been torn.

"Why don't you get the door?" Twella said looking at her sister.

"I thought you were the powerful one?" Qwella said with a smirk.

"Well only you can melt the hinges." Twella said.

"Why not just have your battle maiden hold it shut?" Qwella said as she walked past them and went over to the door leading to the upper decks. Placing her hand on the hinges her eyes glowed with red flames. The hinge turned red hot and welded together. Qwella touched each of the hinges and welded the door shut.

"That should give us some time." Qwella said.

"We can only hope." Twella said looking up at the ceiling.

"So why couldn't you just melt the cuffs off before?" Gabriel asked.

"Those sacks we had on were soaked in holy water and blessed. They made our senses blind and we could not use our power." Twella said.

"Yeah I would have never let that disgusting man on me but we had to get the masks off." Qwella said looking at the burnt corpse in disgust.

"I am sorry Gabriel we would talk more but we must get ready. You might see us do some strange things, but don't disturb us or we might attack you unwillingly." Twella said as she picked up her dress and knelt down on the ground.

"Keep on eye on Charlie for me?" Qwella said as she spread out her arms and looked up at the ceiling.

"We have to channel our powers so that tonight they can be unleashed." Qwella said as her eyes turned to embers and her hands trembled.

"See you soon sexy!" Twella said as her eyes went black and she knelt down in prayer.

"Charlie I will keep watch on the door ok bud?" Gabriel said and Charlie nodded his head. Gabriel walked over to the door and sat down in front of it.

"Argha stormhom cratha." Twella mumbled as she sat up from the prayer and started to bend backwards. Her spine cracked as she went back and her elbows busted out of place. Gabriel cringed as her joints popped and snapped. Eventually she froze in one contorted position and stayed there. A strange gurgling sound came from her mouth that was stretched open.

Charlie was looking at the two dead men smiling as though something was amusing him. His smile would retract but then come back once again like someone was entertaining him. The whole thing was very disturbing to Gabriel, and he was feeling dizzy. Thoughts of fresh air outside of the stuffy lower deck crossed Gabriel's mind.

Qwella's eye's went brighter as time passed. As though at first it was just a small ember, that was fueled into a camp fire, then a bonfire. Now it looked like a whole city was engulfed in flame. Her eye's were glowing much brighter than the lantern. With each passing minute the room got brighter and brighter. Until finally Gabriel had to turn his back to them because it was so bright that it hurt his eye's.

Almost like the ark from a welder, it was enough to burn the eyes just by looking. Even Charlie had to turn away from his entertainment. Gabriel tried to imagine how strange his life must be. Not only strange but horrific for all the things he must have seen. Gabriel turned around to check on him and he was making shadow figures on the wall with his hands.

A few hours had past until finally the witches were coming out of their trance. The light in Qwella's eye's grew dimmer. While Twella contorted back and knelt down in prayer once again. Charlie had fallen asleep over the passing hours. The light from his mothers eye's seemed to bring him comfort. Though he became restless as the light grew dim.

Twella came back up to her feet, Gabriel looked into her black eye's and saw a half moon. The darkness on the moon faded until there was a full moon in her eyes. The moon slowly went dark while the black around it went white. Until the moon darkened into her pupil and the blue in her eyes. Until they went back to completely normal.

"Did we miss anything?" Twella asked smiling at Gabriel.

"Nope nothing, I am surprised no one came looking for the two men." Gabriel said.

"Qwella will be awhile longer, she likes to take her time." Twella said looking to her sister.

"Charlie fell asleep about an hour ago." Gabriel said.

"Well that's good maybe me and Qwella can have the boat free of rats by the time he wakes." Twella said as she walked over to Gabriel and sat down next to him.

"I can help you guys too you know?" Gabriel said.

"I know, but maybe its best you stay down here with Charlie. You think what you have seen so far is bad, wait until we go up there. I would prefer you don't see that side of me. Twella said grabbing Gabriel's hand and looking at his palm.

"Are you a plam reader?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, I see you and me have a bright future!" Twella said smiling. Gabriel smiled back but wasn't sure what to say since he knew his future wasn't bright.

"I am not really a palm reader, I just wanted to do this." Twella said as she held Gabriel's hand. It felt odd to Gabriel though, after all the last man who was affectionate with her died a horrible death. Gabriel even felt a little intimidated by her and just stared off into space.

"Do you like my sister?" Twella whispered into Gabriel's ear.

"Yes, she is a very nice woman." Gabriel said.

"No, not like that." Twella said as she got closer to his ear.

"Do you want her." She whispered so close to his ear that it tickled.

"No, I am not really interested in anyone like that." Gabriel said.

"You don't want me?" Twella whispered again in his ear.

"Twella any man who doesn't want you is a fool." Gabriel said moving his head around so she would stop tickling the hairs in his ear. Twella smiled and tilted her head to move in for a kiss.

"I am a fool Twella." Gabriel said moving his head away so he could not be kissed. The smile from Twella's face faded and she moved away.

"Oh I see, I thought maybe you liked me." Twella said in a defeated tone.

"I do like you, and want you....Thing's are just confusing for me right now." Gabriel said. Twella grabbed a hold of Gabriel's hand again.

"I get it, we will just be friends." Twella said looking at him and smiling.

"Yes." Gabriel said back but even he didn't want that. She was irresistible but Gabriel knew she would only hurt him. She moved so fast and was very flirtatious, playing with a woman like her was playing with fire.

"My sister is so pretty." Twella said jealously.

"Yes she is a very pretty woman." Gabriel said as he could feel Twella's grip loosen.

"Look at her skin, so pale and unblemished." Twella said.

"She has nice skin...' Gabriel said knowing that he was being tested.

"Not like my skin, all covered in ink." Twella said with a sigh. Gabriel pulled his hand away from Twella and set it in his lap.

"Look Twella, I am not one for playing games. You and your sister are both stunning women. I haven't found an ounce of imperfection on either of you. Any man in my position would be the luckiest man alive. Any man except me, I am cursed in more way's than you can begin to imagine. You two are better off without me, I will only get you killed." Gabriel said.

"Well thank you Gabriel!" Qwella said smiling as the light in her eye's faded. Twella's lips pouted out and she glared at her sister.

"Gabriel once we get to shore you are welcome to go as you please. I know you say you are cursed but we are your friends now. If you want to go, fine, and if you want to stay well even better." Qwella said still smiling.

"Shall we?" Twella said getting up and staring at her sister.

"I can help too." Gabriel said getting up.

"Yes, you can watch Charlie....If we don't come back.." Qwella said as she went over and kissed Charlie on the top of the head.

"Let me go up there, if anything I will make a good distraction." Gabriel said.

"We already have thossssse." Twella said as she lowered her wrist towards the floor. Twella had a tattoo of a black mamba wrapped around her wrist. It's tongue flicked from out of her arm. Then its head came out and slowly it uncurled itself. Almost like a snake shedding its skin but instead her skin shedded a snake.

Qwella's eye's started to glow again as she walked over to the door. She placed her hand in the middle of it and this time everything metal melted away. Hot molten metal dripped on the floor and slid away from it smoldering. Gabriel walked over to the door and waited for it to come open.

"Ssssstay!" Twella said as the snake came all the way out of her skin. It was huge, at least seven feet long, and its tongue flickered at Gabriel. Qwella's turned and looked at Gabriel, her eye's smoldered and she glared. Gabriel stepped backwards almost tripping. He knew they were not women to be messed with and he took a seat next to Charlie.

"Arghh!" The battle maiden yelled as she came out of Twella's chest. The farther she got out the larger she became. It was as if watching a balloon being blown up. She came from her skin very fast and dove into the floor and rolled to her feet. Gabriel looked at Twella, her eye's were black again as though she were possessed. Her body was now trembling as spiders, bats, a crow, three black cats, a skeleton, two owls, and a toad all spewed out from her skin.

Gabriel looked on in disbelief as the tattoo's came to life. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. The door thumped as it fell to the floor free from its hinges. Qwella stepped aside as the battle maiden and other creatures ran through the door. Looking at Twella's body Gabriel could than see some of the tattoo's had not come to life. The one's that did were no longer on her skin.

"AHH!" Gabriel heard a man scream. Twella's arched back and lifted inches off the ground. She started to hover out the door as Qwella waited for her. Looking down Gabriel could still see the boy sleeping. A surge of adrenaline came over him and he jumped to his feet and ran past them and out the door. Gabriel did not stop to look, or think he just knew he would help them.

Running up the steps Gabriel could see the carnage at the second level. Templars were in their bunks sleeping. With two quick slashes, the battle maiden cut two men's throats. Their eye's opened from their slumber as their hand's went for their necks. Blood rushed through their fingers as they tried to stop the bleeding.

"Swoooosh" A ball of flame flew past Gabriel and crashed into a man getting out from his bed. The black mamba dug its fangs into a man's face who also laid in his bed. Spiders ran up the bunks and under covers of those still sleeping. It all happened so fast that they had no time to wake. Looking up Gabriel saw a man with a shotgun coming below deck.

"Hey!" Gabriel shouted to draw his attention.

"Chick, chick, boom!" The man pumped the shotgun and fired into Gabriel's chest. His lungs instantly ceased up and he could not draw another breath.

"NOOO!" Twella cried out still floating above ground. A bow came out from one of her belly tattoo's and before it could emerge an arrow was shot. It cut through the air and hit the man right in the heart. With a clang the shotgun fell from the man's hands. Shortly followed by him as his body bounced down the steps.

It was a female Elvin archer with blonde hair and tight elvish clothing that came out from her belly. She knocked another arrow and released hitting a man in the eye who came in from a back room. Struggling Gabriel got back to his feet. Still unable to breathe but he could be used as a meat shield. To deflect the bullets.

Grabbing a hold of a hand rail he climbed the steps one step at a time. His shirt was now so riddled with holes that it hardly stayed on him. Before opening the door to the main deck he looked down one last time. All the men below deck were dead before they knew what had hit them.

"Heeeeh" Gabriel struggled to breath and pain filled his lungs. He was going dizzy from lack of air and knew he had little time. Pushing the door open he looked up at the night sky. It was a clear night on the ocean and the stars were sparkling.

"Pew!" A bullet hit the door as it came open. Gabriel ran out out the door and firing squad was waiting. Templars were focusing in on the door and unleashed a hail of bullets. Many zinged past him but some hit home. Things went dark and he collapsed to the ground. Waiting for the darkness of death Gabriel laid there still hearing bullets wiz by. Although he was able to open his eye's again after he hit the ground.

Death had not disabled Gabriel yet, and he watched the door behind him. Something came crawling out the door like a wave of shadows. One came right past Gabriel's view and he was able to see what it was. It was the spiders who crept across the deck of the ship. The gun men could not have even seen them coming.

"Boom, boom, boom!" A man tried to shoot the snake as it slithered out. Though he missed it and it too faded into the darkness.

"AHH!" A man screamed.

"Boom, boom!" His gun went off and then Gabriel heard a thud as he fell to the ground.

"Swoosh......Thunk!" Gabriel saw an arrow come out from the door followed by the thud of a man.

"Swoosh....Clang...Clang." Another arrow came out but had missed.

"Wait!" Twella cried out.

"RAAAAH!" The battle maiden charged out from below deck. Gabriel watched as she came up with both swords knocked back.

"Whoph, Whoph, Whoph." She threw one of the swords and it tumbled through the air.

"TAAT, TAAT, TAAT, TAAT, Thunk!" Hit with bullets the battle maiden dropped to her knees. Though her sword had silenced the gunman too late. She knocked back the other sword but it fell at her side. Falling face first she hit the deck motionless.

"Awwww.......Splash!" A man cried out as he jumped into the sea.

"Clank!" A man dropped his gun.

"Please don't, Please don't kill me!" The man pleaded.

"Wait!" Qwella yelled out.

"Is it clear?" Qwella asked Twella.

"All except him!" Twella yelled. Gabriel's wounds had healed and he got up to his feet. Bodies of men were all around the deck. Holding his hands above his head a man slowly backed up. The black mamba was striking inches away from him until he could back up no more.

"It's ok dear!" Qwella said amerging from below deck. Stopping the black mamba curled up right in front of the man. Qwella walked up to the man and offered her hand.

"You surrendered I won't hurt you!" Qwella said urging the man to take her hand. Reluctantly the man took her hand and his started to smolder.

"AHHHH!" The man cried as he fell to his knees. With a quick snap the mamba bit into the back of the man's legs.

"Awww, I wanted to finish him!" Qwella said letting go of the man's hand. Curling up the man hit the floor. His eye's blinked a few time's and then they blinked no more. Floating up the steps Twella came up on deck with her arms sprawled back. Creatures from her tattoo's came running back to her. Slithering up her body the snake headed for her arm and took his place. Diving into her stomach the Elvin archer returned to her place. Her body trembled again as they all entered into her again. Until they all had taken their place. All except the battle maiden who lay dead on the deck. Twella's eye's went back to normal and her feet planted in the deck. Rushing over to the battle maiden, she picked her head up and started weeping.
**About The Author  
**

"I don't write for money, or for my words to be read. I write because it takes me to dark corners in my mind that I was to afraid to go."

He is not the typical writer, if there even is such a thing. His resume most likely is not suitable for fast food chains let alone literature. But that's the beauty in writing, it doesn't really matter who you are. But if you must know..

He is 28 years old, born and raised in Craig Colorado. He dropped out of high school to join the working world. Another failure in the public school system. He has worked as a butcher, casino cook, truck driver, concrete truck driver and finisher, now he works for the government. The Colorado Rockies are still his home.

Zach loves psychology, mathematics, physics, nature, and the outdoors. His daughter and wife are his world and he thrives to give them the best life he can.
