Well, things went sideways or downhill, take your pick at warp speed.
Trying to remain calm, cool and collected I reflected out loud. I even surprised myself at how smooth I sounded when I exclaimed, "Sermoff! Well, well, I see that you are alive! Impressive since I literally blew you into particles smaller than sand. What's your secret?"
Sermoff nodded. "I'm a Witch but if you prefer to get down to the nitty gritty, a he-witch." He looked at me and raised his hand to stop what I was about to say.
"No, don't even go there, I am not a warlock. Anyway," he continued and released a slight cackle of a laugh," You seriously thought that I wouldn't have asked for a resurrection a spell on myself in our little contract."
He put his hands over his mouth like I just told him that all forty-two members of my family died yesterday.
He had me there. "I, um, well, no." Why lie? "It didn't come to my mind."
Sermoff scoffed. "For a god you should know better. You're not fit to rule this World, Draven, when he comes you won't be ready so I will take your place."
What did he mean by when "he" will come? Before I could think about it more that's when I felt a presence. My head snapped up. My eyes narrowed. All of my senses went on high alert.
Sermoff snapped his fingers. The sound reverberated around me. Then silence. Standing amongst us was a scraggily bearded man covered in thick dust wearing rugged clothes.
His eyes were bright cornflower blue, smooth tanned skin, some would have called him olive complected with thick curly black hair. He was holding what looked like half a jawbone of a donkey. Sermoff looked at me then announced, "Draven, this is Cain."
Ah, of course, I thought then spoke. "Cain like the story of Cain and Abel, of course!"
Cain spoke; his voice was deep. "Of course."
I had nothing to lose by asking. "Tell me, why did you kill your brother, Abel?"
His returned gaze hardened; his blue eyes froze. "God said that we would be equal." He paused for effect, "then he turns around and says that Abel is better than me because his sacrifice was better, but here's the issue I have, Abel had more to give. Why couldn't God figure that out? In any event, I killed Abel in a rage. So, because I killed my brother, I went to hell and became a demon and God secretly resurrected the favored one, Abel, and turned him into an angel."
Keeping my cool I remarked, "I thought humans couldn't be turned into angels."
"Well, he is God, after all." Cain conceded. "It can be done but even God had a hard time taking his soul and turning it into essence which, as you well know, is what gives an angel their power."
I nodded, "Oh?"
Cain continued, "I actually felt that kind of a presence about five years ago. Once I embraced the feeling of that presence fully, a human turned into an angel before my eyes."
Mr. Great couldn't help himself and interjected his question before anyone else had a chance to speak. "So, Cain, what did you do?"
In response, Cain raised his half donkey jawbone. "I sent that angel straight to the angel and demon afterlife called the Vüde Darx." He paused for emphasis the added, "that's where angels and demons fight each other forever, and I sent them there with this blade, like what I'm holding. It's called the first blade."
Sermoff had enough of this impromptu speech from Cain. "Enough talk," he ordered. Cain, have you ever wanted to kill a god?"
Cain's bright blue eyes sparkled with anticipation, "yes, of course."
Before I could even react to this exchange, Sermoff pointed at me. And, at that very second a red portal opened (the Hell portal) and Lander stepped through. He focused on his unofficial welcoming committee and gasped.
"Cain?" Lander almost laughed "What on Earth are you doing on Earth?" He turned full circle.
I broke the impasse. "Lander, you know this, whatever he is?"
A genuine smile broke across his face. "We both became first class demons."
"What! Lander, I thought you were the only first-class demon!"
Just like when he did in Easlum he looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.
Lander sighed, "I was until I realized that Cain was alive, I thought I killed him."
Cain sneered. "Ha! No, you didn't. Only this blade can kill me." He paused a fraction.
"When I killed my brother Abel, God cursed me to live forever so that I can relive my sorrow every cursed day on and on and on." He laughed heartily, "like I care. I love it but he also did something to my blade. Apparently, my blade can kill anything. Also, it is the only thing that can kill me."
He glanced around then added, "there's another limitation or advantage to this weapon, depending on the situation, it cannot go more than fifty yards from me."
"Why did you literally tell me everything?" I asked.
"I did mention that this blade can kill anything," Cain said in a deep menacing voice.
Looks like living that peaceful life hasn't effected your killing intent after all." Sermoff's eyes glowed purple with satisfaction.
Cain now knew what he had to do.
Cain shouted. "Ready! Prepare to die at my hand, using my blade of the father and God of murder."
Sermoff vanished, meanwhile Joseph Kline had been quietly watching the interactions. A war strategist in his day, some things just come naturally. What's a few centuries in between then and now!
He seized his opportunity, swiftly ran forward and landed a winning uppercut square on Cain, who went flying backwards seventy-five yards. He hit the ground hard and rolled back a couple of times before managing to get to his feet. Joseph ran directly at Cain. Cain responded by throwing his blade horizontally at Joseph who deftly slid right underneath.
The blade traveled fifty yards beyond Cain, switched directions and was now headed toward Joseph once again.
I shouted at my First General, "look out!"
Too late. The blade sliced through Joseph's neck completely severing the surprised general's head from his body. A professional butcher would be proud of such a feat.
Joseph's head landed in a bush. If one looked closely enough without gagging, his face looked normal, the expression slightly puzzled. Actually, one could not see the chin or neck because of a leafy branch. His mouth and eyes were opened wide, very wide and glowed bright red, as though a flashlight from 2005 was shining through. He yelled in pain, a long agonizing raspy yelp. When Joseph's head stopped. He was dead.
I yelled in disbelief. "Nooooooo!! Not again. Two times in a row."
Now this Cain had angered me, and I slammed my head into my fist in annoyance. We ran forward in mass. I turned both of my bracelets into two swords. I leaped at Cain, but he twisted to the left slightly and swept me aside.
Lander, Mr. Great and Achilles swung their weapons in a rhythmic pattern. Cain somehow managed to dodge both Mr. Great and Achilles' attacks. He unexpectedly grabbed Lander's weapon which is called the Skinpierier, tossed it aside and stabbed Lander in the gut. Lander's eyes and mouth glowed bright red. He cried out in pain.
Silence replaced the agonized scream. That's when Cain tossed Lander's lifeless body aside.
"That was easier than I thought," Cain said to no one in particular. He really thought Lander would present a real challenge. He shrugged. "Moving on."
Mr. Great took another swing with his sword, but Cain teleported behind him. To counter that move Mr. Great spun around but Cain was a slick operator, he grabbed Mr. Great by the throat and lifted him into the air. Total humiliation.
"You know," Cain said lazily, "unlike Lander, I can smite people."
Mr. Great yelled in pain, his eyes and mouth glowed red, killing him. When Cain was satisfied, he snapped Mr. Greats neck. It didn't do anything.
"Really?" I muttered.
Cain replied. "What? I can't help it."
I decided that this was the time to use my telepathic skills. I called out to Achilles first, "we have to combine our powers. I don't want to take a chance."
Achilles agreed and immediately morphed into smoke form. He swirled into the air and performed two languid loops before unceremoniously entering my opened mouth.
Cain's eyes widened, "I did not see that maneuver coming but now I can kill two birds with one stone." Cain smiled.
I opened my eyes; my new vision comprised an artistic mixture of black and red
swirls. Cain was about a foot away; he swung his blade squarely at my exposed neck. The blade was deflected.
"What the blue blazes," Cain yelled.
I then took my two bracelets, merged them together to form a super bracelet. The colors on this super bracelet were actually swirling as if they were alive. Engraved on this living bracelet, using a mix of cursive writing and printed letters in gold spelled out my name: DRAVEN YOUNGBLOOD.
I transformed my super bracelet into a hammer. Like the spear, it had lightning flickering around it. I turned to my enemy and said, "by the way Cain. I possess the Achilles heel."
"Oh,double doo-doo." He said with a pout. "I guess I have to actually try."
Any other time I would have done a double take hearing Cain throw out such a weak expression. Perhaps that was why he said doo-doo! Nevertheless, I ran at Cain with blistering speed, even faster than before.
This maneuver through Cain off, he tried to react, but I was too quick for him. I immediately hit him with my newly formed hammer. He went flying high into the air giving me enough time to meet him on his descent. Before he hit the ground I grabbed him by the throat, lowered my head, opened my mouth and sunk my teeth into his exposed neck.
At that precise moment I released my general venom. I have to give him credit for tenacity. He tried to stab me, but the blade was deflected. I let him go. He stopped fighting.
He took a ragged breath. "You're good, Draven. Damn."
Sermoff appeared. Smoke exited my mouth. The smokey funnel made three loops before it landed on the ground forming Achilles.
Sermoff folded his arms across his chest. "Well," he began slowly, "that did not go as planned. Don't even think about turning me into one of your so-called generals. Guess I'm going to have to think bigger." He raised his hand next to his head. "Bye-bye-bye for now." He snapped his fingers and vanished once more.
***
One chapter everyday at 10 AM EST (11 pm CST) if I happen to post a second chapter, I will post it 1 minute later.
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© Alexander B Faber AKA DraxberFaber 2025. All rights reserved"