Waking the Demon

[Unfulfilled]

(Events take place after the A Symphony of Unfulfilled Hearts and Shattered Souls)

A loud pop went off over the brazen orange tortured skies. A body, a mere speck of insignificance, dropped from the heavens like a portent of warning creating a loud wailing noise as it slammed deep into twisted rocks and jagged earth. The ground shook as the explosion echoed for miles over the wasteland.

Dozens of lesser creatures, all twisted and vile in manner, gathered to face the newcomer and see if they lived. It was not uncommon for a soul to slam into this portion of hell, but it was a rarity to see them rise up and breath. Some got up quickly, others not moving for hours. The end was always the same. They promised they would conquer this land, and escape the clutches of hell. It was amusing to see them fail.

Two creatures, one lithe like a shrunken child with elegant features and a fat, bulbous eye ball with feet ran up the peaks with ease, leaving the other demonic entities in their wake to be first to see who the new one was. The woman chattered in a demon tongue, the eyeball merely blinked in response as they reached the apex of the mountain, the crater not a stones throw away.

"It'z a human." The girl mentioned, looking at him with malicious intent. "White snowy hairz! Look, a cute little jacket! I bet he'z popular with all the human ladiez!" She ran up to the fallen body, looking at the jacket and the hair. She took one long, elegant finger and stroked the head before running her full hand through the soft, white lines. She petted the body before she grabbed a fistful of the hair, yanking upwards and screeching into his ear. "Wake up human! Hell awaitz you now!" The body remained motionless, but a solitary eyelid opened, and the mouth twisted into a vile smile.

"For one blissful moment," The man's mouth muttered. "One blissful moment I had it, in my hands, these hands!" He looked down upon his blood covered hands for a moment. "This is silly to feel such joy for a notion that lasted but a brief moment, yet I was fulfilled! I was happy."

"And now you are dead!" The tiny woman cackled, laughing as she slammed the face down into the dirt, rubbing it in. "You failed to win, and now you are dead, you failed to win and now you die all over again!" She sang to a child's tune, her hand slamming the face into the dirt over and over again. She raised his bloody head, looking into his eyes.

"What's your name?" He asked, his breath failing him. The demon turned to the eyeball who nodded and blinked twice. She shrugged looking towards him.

"Sslinrr'aghh Terr'nassist." She garbled looking at him with joyus, black eyes. No trace of whites looked back at her however. Alarmed she dropped her new found toy turning to run before a solitary hand grabbed her by the head, it's fingers digging deep into her skull.

"How nice to meet you, worm." The voice was deeper and darker, and the body seemed to turn rigid. It was as if the human had taken off his skin and handed it over to somebody else. "I don't give to shits whether or not you kill this worthless vessel, I got my fun out of him. But if you ever think you can hold power over me, than you are in a sad state of affairs. Where is the Labyrinth of the Lost?" The woman pointed fixedly towards the eastern canyon and screamed in agony as the fingers pressed harder.

"You are hurting me!" She squeaked. The body lifted the tiny demon up and slammed it face first into ground, a laughter echoing as he did it over and over again.

"Do I give a shit about your life cur?" The voice boomed excitedly. "He was too weak, he just didn't let me take control. So much regret! So much hesitation was in that useless soul. He abused my power, and in so doing abused me!" He vented his frustration as he slammed the tiny demon into the ground. Growing bored he lifted his hand down picking her up and tossing her into the wall nearby destroying the formation. She coughed and wheezed, blood pooling out over her every feature.

"Why are you blaming little 'ol me! I didn't do anything to you!" She cried. The body lifted up its free hand and began to punch the demon in the face over and over.

"CAUSE THAT WHORE CHILD ISN'T HERE AND YOU ARE!" He slammed fist after fist into her, laughing hysterically as he punished the tiny demon for the crimes of the human soul he shared this body with. The woman's face contorted and eventually the next few punches saw her neck snap like a twig, and the body went limp.

The man dropped her, tossing her over the mountain as he walked over to the eyeball that remained neutral through the whole ordeal. He bent low and looked deep into the eye before standing up and kicking it out over the edge of the cliff. He sighed in frustration as he turned over to a rocky cavern area, a small pool of watery blood held in the light, and it shook like a quaking beast waiting to be released. The body walked limply over to it and stared into the reflection and he looked deep into his own eyes.

"You idiot human," The deep voice boomed in anger and rage as it stared into the crimson water. "Tcch," He looked away for a moment in disgust. "You worthless, useless tool. Just a little bit longer and we would have killed him. Well, this is it, you idiot. I warned you that this is the hell that awaits you, and I'm not sticking around for it."

The demon splashed the water with one swipe of his fist and grabbed his head. With a mighty roar the deeper voiced screamed in agony and it was joined by another, softer voice. Both screamed in pain as the body lashed around and flailed about. When the pain became to much the deeper voice roared one last time, the other, calmer voice pitching highly in agony. This caused the deeper voice to howl with sadistic glee.

It took a moment, but out of the mouth of the human a demon began to escape in a bloody liquid trail, forming as more and more blood was released. An hour of torment later the demon was freed looking deep into the soul of the body it once shared. The cold eyes of the white haired man looked to the demon, and it gave off a vile, twisted grin before it collapsed.

"Useless." The demon said turning and leaving the body to its own fate.

[Unfulfilled]

((Two weeks later.))

The body that had slammed into the hell that was Hadia walked with a cool certainty. The orange brazen skies crackled with lightening in the distance, and the rivers flowed deep with blood as the man took no time to stop and wonder. In front of him, far off into the distance was a rift, a large vortex like state and he felt an instinct to go there.

It was difficult, for the man didn't know who he was, or why he was there. He just had three feelings inside him. One was the hatred of a man in a blue fighters coat, a saintly aura surrounded him in his nightmares and he held two swords in his hands, using them to cut him to ribbons. The other was a darker soul, tall, red haired with a blade in his hands that was double edged and serrated. He wore the same outfit the wandering lost soul did, but it was darker and trimmed in red.

The third was himself, a silver katana in his hand, a feeling of power and dread exuding from the sword and he felt a connection with it. His last memories was the number one thousand, seven hundred and forty eight. It felt powerful to him, despite how random it was, and he felt a longing in his heart. Somehow, someway he was connected to both nightmares, and the number had meaning to him.

The man had walked for weeks, followed by two lesser demons: a small tiny woman and a giant eyeball. He had only recently awoken a week prior, and both seemed to be helping him adjust to the new area he encompassed. The woman's neck seemed to hang slightly, but each day he spent with her seemed to correct the error in it. The eyeball was just strange, and it never spoke or blinked to him, just the woman.

"Ugh, how long you gonna walk asszhole?" The woman whined, skipping ahead of the human soul, looking to him for answers.

"As long as it takes. I have to go there. I just have to. I never said you had to come." He replied irritably. "In fact, I'd prefer you left me alone." He stopped to turn to the eyeball. "Could you blink for me, just once?" The eyeball remained calm and didn't blink. Several moments later the man sighed in frustration as he continued to walk.

"Asszhole," The woman called to him as if it was his name. "There's a ledge over the ridge over there. It'z tiny, you may fall to your death, but it will bypasz the entire canyon in lesz time. You won't have to fight az many greater demonz either." She walked ahead of them looking ahead and scouting the terrain. "Behemoth isn't here izer." The woman turned to the man and smiled.

"You just imagined me getting me head caved in, didn't you?" He asked curiously. The demon girl nodded running towards the human and leaping up onto his shoulder. "Look, Selina," He attempted to push her off his shoulder, but found his finger bleeding as she bit it. "Ah come on!" He leaned trying to push her off. Instead of falling off the lesser demon grabbed his hair and swung to his other shoulder, leaning on his neck and caressing his chin.

"I'm so tired of walking. It's boring." She yawned as he relaxed on the human, sighing. "Please Asszhole?" She gave him a pitiful look that made him scoff in amusement.

"Look, If I agree to this I'll want a better name. You got one?" Selina, as the human called her for her name was impossible for him to pronounce, rubbed her own chin in thought. "How about Uzhul?" The human gave her a disapproving look.

"I'm pretty sure that's just the crush you have on that one demon with the cloak of skulls." he said smartly. Selina shrugged indifferently as she looked over to her eyeball companion.

"What about you? Any ideas?" the eyeball clicked his heels and began to blink multiple times. The human looked to him and then back to her. She giggled as she relaxed onto the human's neck again.

"He wonders why Asszhole doesn't work." Selina laughed as the eyeball looked to the man sitting lower on it's two legs. The human figured it was its way of shrugging.

"Try again." he muttered. Selina licked her lips as she looked to the human and then pondered again, tapping one finger on her lips.

"I give up." She leaned back on him and looked over the hill. "You could be any name you want, I'll still call you asszhole." The man shook his head, and then one name echoed in the chasms of his mind. A solitary name, with no more meaning to it, but the fact the name had crossed his path meant it had to have been powerful to him.

"Troy." He said distantly. The woman turned to the human, and she saw his eyes looking deep in thought.

"Why Troy?" She asked, curious. It had only happened twice, but every time the human soul had remembered a fragment of his past it was a floodgate into his own soul. She loved to see his emotions, taking pleasure to the extreme as he suffered from nightmares or fell in fits of laughter. She began to moan as his eyes fell wide until he shook his head looking at Selina with a raise of his eyebrow.

"That's disgusting, don't ever do that on my shoulder again." The human gave her one last nasty look. "Troy...that name means something. I get a feeling of depression...of loneliness, it's...it's...the biggest killjoy I've ever known. Yes...Troy, he's an old person I met. His meaning isn't to clear as to why I remember him, but the man had a sabre, and a look like somebody permanently kicked his puppy. But his tenacity," The human suddenly cringed, a feeling of dread when he spoke the word tenacity. He took a moment before going on. "It eclipsed my own that I once held. His determination to find something...it's similar to my pursuit of the rift!"

"Oh, that makes senze." Selina said. "Okay, Troy." She repeated the name a few times before she kissed the human on the cheek. "Nice to meet you. I hope you don't mind me coming along to see you die?" Troy shrugged his shoulders.

"I have a feeling you weren't the first..." and the trio walked onwards.

[Unfulfilled]

Troy looked to the sky with a wary eye. He had been traveling for hours and the terrain was getting rough as he approached the canyon where the secret passage was located. He continued to think about Troy, why the name meant something to him, but he couldn’t fathom it. The more he thought, the more he grew confused. After a while he could only remember the name, nothing more.

Irritated he would change topics, thinking to the swordsman in the blue coat. His twin swords began to fade in his mind the more he thought, but eventually the entire thing was long forgotten. It seemed the more he dwelled on something of his past, the more he forgot. Selina took notice whenever Troy slept, seeing him toss and turn in his nightmares, reliving the pain of his death over and over.

Each nightmare started the same. He stood before a warrior in pure white, a pair of katana’s in hand as he spoke soundlessly to Troy. Behind him was three people; a woman, a warrior, and a wanderer. The white swordsman bellowed to Troy, but he couldn’t understand his words, they didn’t make any sense to him. After awhile Troy would try to talk to him, but the words he spoke only infuriated this white swordsman. In a flash of an eye Troy found himself falling into a red pool of blood, drowning and choking on the crimson liquid as the three bystanders pushed his head in, laughing and mocking him as they tried to submerse him.

Only when he looked past them and saw some strange shadow laughing did he give into his terror and scream himself awake.

This continued for as long as a slept. Soon he began to wonder how long he could travel if he just walked and avoided sleep, but after awhile the air turned humid and he grew tired. He would push himself, falling to his knees and crawling on all fours forward towards the rift. When the tired feeling overwhelmed him he would crawl on his elbows. When he grew tired from that he would dig his nails into the dirt and pull himself forward. He began to talk to himself to avoid going to sleep, but it always came.

On the third day Selina inquired.

“Why do you try zo hard, asszhole?” she shrugged. “Sleep iz just going to come anywayz.” she danced forward grabbing him by the hand and pulling him forward. “Why run from it when you could just jump off a cliff and end it?” she pushed him forward, her strength strong despite her tiny size. Troy looked to the approaching edge and slammed his boot down to avoid tripping forward to his death.

“Because I do love to see how upset you are when you notice I lived another day.” Troy muttered as he continued towards the rift. Selina cocked her head to the side, Troy noticing her neck was no longer slanted or distorted.

“I dun get it,” she mused. “You scream for death to come, then when I try to give you death you cling to life? Humanz are zo weird.” Troy looked down upon her with narrow eyes before shrugging. Then he felt something rush into his mind.

“What is it, what is his push?” a portly man said to a white haired swordsman in a chair. “You have to tell me what it is! I must know what makes a man with no reason to live, live!” He slammed his fist on the table in hysterics as he grabbed the swordsman by the arms shaking him violently. “By all right’s this man is a walking corpse, but something gave him the reason to live! What was it? What pushed this man to live?”

He dropped to a knee as the memory faded as fast as it came. Selina was standing next to him, touching herself as she watched Troy look down upon his hands. “What waz it?”

“I don’t know,” Troy muttered heavily, a deep breath filling his lungs. “It was so fast, so…ARGGHH!” He punched the dirt harshly. “I can’t remember it anymore.” He said irritably standing up. Selina watched him as he stalked forward angrily looking towards the rift. She turned to the eyeball and shrugged before moving to catch up to him.

“You wanna talk about it?” Selina offered politely.

“No.”

“Talking helpz.”

“What the hell could you tell me?”

“Nothing, but I can tell you thiz. Your going to die soon anywayz, so just ignore it!”

“Comforting,” Troy sighed deeply letting his chest rise and fall. When he looked forward he saw something dart forward in the shadows.

“I thought you told me that nobody uses this pass!” He said dropping behind a rock. Selina and the eyeball quickly followed suit hiding by his legs.

“Normally thatz the case. But not alwayz.” she climbed up his jacket and onto his shoulder peering over the rock. “Ouuu! It’z a lesszer demon.” she said excitedly reaching to touch herself. Troy’s hand grabbed her tiny claw and pushed it to the side.

“I already told you not to do that on my shoulder.” he chided. Selina turned to him, kissed him on the lips and petted him like he was a family pet.

“He’z going to be a tough one! You probably will die!” she smiled as if this was the greatest news she could have told him. “Die happy.”

“Erm, thanks, but I’ll try to live.” Troy muttered.

“Suit yourzelf, asszhole.” she leapt off his shoulder as Troy looked down towards the area. He cautiously stepped forward testing a few areas of the rocks, kneeling down and hiding in the shadows. As he neared the northern region he found many of the rocks growing up into the air like jagged teeth of a shark, tall and pointed and deadly. He instinctively clenched his fist as if he was holding some kind of stick or club, looking down upon his hand. A memory resurfaced through his mind like water breaking through a damn.

A woman with long, beautiful brown hair cried out in agony, afraid of the sight of a white swordsman being injured. A gray swordsman twirled his blade upwards and slammed it downwards.

The white swordsman spoke weakly as he eyed the weapon in the dirt mere inches from his face. The fighter standing over him had a face that was covered with a dour look like a child who’s father had let him down at a critical moment. The woman sobbed into a bystanders sleeve and he looked into the eyes of this warrior seeing a look filled with utter contempt.

“What are you so pissed about?” He shouted to her. “I spared his life this once so he can appreciate the value of it now!” Fragments of his words seemed garbled and messy as he tried to think of them, but he couldn’t. He snorted looking as the white swordsman retrieved his blades.

The white swordsman spoke, his words empty as the gray swordsman tried to listen, but try as he might he couldn‘t get the words to form a complete statement. Then he put on a sick lunatic smile. Within the blink of an eye the white swordsman was gone, he couldn’t see where he went and even the woman and the warrior looked around in confusion. Then the gray swordsman’s world went black.

He fell flat on his hands, his knees trembling as the lesser demon swirled around the darkness behind forming into a pile of black goo. It slithered and moved closer as Troy gripped his head in pain, slowly getting to one knee.

“DIE, DIE, DIE!” The lesser demon shouted as an insectoid like limb protruded from it. It looked like a bone color, sectional in design as it bent awkwardly to find purchase in Troy’s skin. Thinking quickly he rolled forward back to his vertical base as the creature slithered forward and then grew into the blob like shape of a man, it’s own body dripping down upon itself reabsorbing into the flow.

“You…You…Human…Tasty…Devour…FEED! KEE HEE HEE!” It cackled maniacally as it opened up its body, screeching to the heavens in supplication as its insanity drove it forward.

[Unfulfilled]

Troy rolled aside as the abomination charged forward, three limbs attempting to take him out as it’s body absorbed the others back. It cackled wildly as it rampaged through the area, tearing apart the rocks and chewing up the earth in its quest to destroy the human. He rolled again to his left, the beast rotating on the spot and attacking him as it’s body seemed to snap and reform for the sudden change in pace.

He studied the movements as he felt his blood pound, watching the way it moved as it pooled upon itself and then stretched thin before regrouping into a puddle and repeating the process. He ran backwards, observing more information until he felt his back slam into a wall. The beast was upon him in moments as it opened it’s arm wide grabbing him in a deadly embrace. His vision darkened as he fought to keep the beasts ooze from entering his mouth.

Thrashing wildly about he found purchase upon something fleshy, punching it over and over until the beast opened up just enough for Troy to escape. He rolled on the ground, feeling the dirt getting kicked up as it’s deadly talons ate the earth apart in it’s insanity to kill him.

“Tasty…you…fleshy…BWAHH HA HA!” it curled into a ball and steam rolled over Troy, flattening the human as it bounded off a rock and rolled back to crush him a second time. Troy lifted up and flopped like a fish out of water as the black creature sailed underneath him towards the cliff edge.

He landed hard on his chest, his eyes wincing in pain as he observed four talons rip[ into the earth before it crawled like a spider towards him, the other two limbs crating deadly pincers as they chided against each other.

He grazed something in his hand and he looked to see a piece of rock shaped into what could laughably pass for a club. He lifted it up into his hand and slammed it forward, stopping the creatures advance. In return the two talons pincer the rock shattering it before his eyes charging inwards again.

Cursing Troy turned and ran for his life, feeling the heat of the creature’s breath upon him. He looked behind long enough to see it had began to bounce after him, four talons creating a claw like hand to envelope him back into the darkness. He jumped forward and felt the creature pass over him as it flew into a rock breaking it down rolling on the ground before reforming back into the humanoid blob.

“Defiance…laughable…KEE HEE HEE!” it slithered like a snake forwards, talons held aside as it charged at Troy again, it’s cries of mirth echoing in the air. Troy rolled backwards as one of the talons bit into the ground before his groin. Thinking quickly he grabbed the beasts talon and kicked into the sac of flesh. Part of the talon ripped apart and the beast howled in agony backing away as it absorbed itself back into the humanoid shape.

“Don’t feel to good, does it?” Troy shouted holding the talon in his hand. Though it was no longer than his own arm, it was curved like a katana and he could feel the weight behind it as a familiar friend. Howling up into the sky it charged forward again, releasing all five other talons as the two stood off fighting.

Troy’s mind began to burn as he fought off the flooding nightmares, but he couldn’t hold it in as the beast beat him off to the side with a vicious backhand that cut up his chest. He flew through two pillars of rock before landing in front of the third, fracturing it with his body. He felt blood pour out his wounds and he breathed heavily as he felt his body losing energy.

A desert warrior dove aside as the gray swordsman launched a weapon deep into the earth. He pulled it back quickly stabbing again, his motions so swift and fast that it looked like a flurry of activity, his arms blurred at the rate moved. The warrior before him cried out for help, the weapons scraping up against him, a metal kopesh unable to block the faster weapon as the warrior collapsed upon his knees.

Like a criminal before an executioner the gray swordsman lifted the weapon high over head before swinging down into the shoulder of the warrior, a wisp of energy exploding outwards.

The beast cowered back in fear, it’s entire being curling in upon itself as the body dripped into what could pass for its face. Troy looked to see a gray energy forming around his body, as if he was on fire, but as soon as he realized it the energies faded. He felt a little better, a rush of energy inside him as the second wind took effect.

Wasting little time he charged forward with the talon in hand, swiping it wildly forward and stabbing rapidly. The beast backpedaled, only one talon out to parry the blows as it cried out in shock and rage. “Stupid…Human…die…die…DIE!” Troy kept up the pressure as he took it closer and closer to the edges of the cliff.

“Go bother someone else!” Troy shouted lifting his weapon up pushing the beast backwards. It fell off the cliff screaming as it did so. Before it got far it curled upon itself than shot upwards before falling right down like a giant wad of spit. As it fell into the chasm below it’s screams of terror turned into a howl of challenge.

Selina and the eyeball appeared near him as he collapsed in exhaustion, his body hurting from the wounds he received. Now that his second wind was used up he felt all the exhaustion take its toll doubly so. He fell flat onto his chest breathing heavily as he felt the siren’s call of sleep pierce into his mind.

Troy looked down the pit with sad eyes, knowing full well that was not the last he heard of this beast. Yet he also felt a certain twinge inside his heart spark at the prospect of seeing it again. But the more he dwelled on it the more he came to realize that no matter how much he felt elation at the fight, it would never really satisfy him. A memory began to surface, and this time he closed his eyes, letting it happen.

[Unfulfilled]

Rain fell down upon a wounded warrior’s face. He blinked multiple times, unable to feel anything but the cold grip of the elements. He tried to shiver, but his muscles didn’t seem to respond to any commands. He felt a wave of sadness wash over him and this caused the warrior to find the strength to look and turn his head to see a warrior in a black silk shirt look down upon him.

He knew this man who looked down upon him with sadness. They traveled together, but he couldn’t tell for how long or for what reasons. The depressed enigma looked to him with a sad smile, a fake smile. Despite the pain this man standing before him was feeling and was witnessing he tried his hardest not to let it show. This made the wounded swordsman cry on the inside. This was a friendship, something he wasn’t sure he should have.

Despite the pain, despite the exhaustion the wounded warrior had to tell this man he was okay. He had to give him a sign, a symbol that he would be okay. This guardian deserved it, no matter how much he didn’t know about him.

With as much of the little strength he had he looked right into the cold blue eyes of the standing warrior and he parted his lips into a smile.

Troy slowly opened his eyes. These memories were of his past, fragmented and torn apart. What they meant he couldn’t decide at the moment. Yet they were important. They happened only when he needed to see it, see the memory and remember something about himself. That information became a helpful pick me up, and he slowly groaned as he started to stand up.

“Ah shuckz, he’z alive.” Selina muttered. The eyeball seemed to lower itself a bit in a depressed funk, both terribly upset to see the human stand again.

“Can’t get lucky everyday.” Troy said in defiance to them as he wiped his face with the sleeve of his jacket. Selina ran to him, hugging his leg as she looked up into his eyes.

“One day zomeone will come and snap your neck and break your face!” She said, hopeful of the truth in this comment. Troy nodded once to the demon.

“Yes, maybe," Troy rolled his eyes. "We can hope can’t we?” he knelt down to let her jump on his shoulder. She quickly lurched herself up, taking a large part of his hair and pulling it back as she whipped him forward.

“YAW!” she ordered and Troy just shook his head moving forward as the eyeball trotted after them. The air started to grow a more sinister gray as they hit the entrance to the canyon, the orange sky breaking apart as what passed for a moon in this desolate place came to the front. Troy noticed these changes and could feel the temperature in atmosphere change from a humid warm to a blistering freezing. He pulled upon his jacket tightly, buttoning it up across his chest.

Selina slid down before Troy buttoned the last hole, using his chest as a warm blanket. She did the last button for him and he began to protest, stopping himself realizing he couldn’t reason with the lesser demon.

“Where are we now?” Troy asked to her as they walked. “Why is it so cold?”

“Ah, thiz iz the Labyrinth of the Lost. Lotza places to get your soul eaten. Nom nom nom!” she motioned his soul being eaten with her mouth. She looked up to him and smiled sweetly, kissing his chin. “Zo tasty!” she cooed.

“I take it this place was what spawned that beast we saw?”

“Thanatos?” She inquired. “He’z just a jerk, don’t worry about him. Lovez the taste of human. Kinda lost hiz mind three thousand yearz ago.” She scratched his chin, which despite his irritation felt rather pleasant.

“In such a labyrinth I can see how easy that was to accomplish.” Selina shrugged adjusting herself in his jacket. He walked forward and down into the labyrinth, his eyes never sight of the rift before him. “You do know the way, right?”

“Psssh, like hell I do.” She laughed. “YAW HORSEY! INTO THE JAWZ OF INSANITY!” she cried out excitedly.

[Unfulfilled]

The walls of the labyrinth were covered in a black ivy of some kind, a moss like effect that covered the majority of the igneous stonework beneath it. Troy lifted the talon of the beast up to the wall, testing the black plants with it as he cut off a piece. As he expected in this hell, it spurted open and an ooze fell upon a rock near his toe, disintegrating the mineral into nothing.

“I think you should drink it.” Selina offered. “Good nutritional valuez.” Troy muttered softly to himself how annoying she was, but she just laughed looking around inside her warm prison. He took another swipe at the plant, placing the back end of the torn limb to it and watching as the poison took effect, melting it down to resemble more of a pommel than a torn bone. He continued this until the talon resembled more of a sword and with a few practice swipes he found himself enjoying it deeply.

There was a field littered with broken and bruised bodies, all moaning as a crowd cheered as the gray swordsman stood before the warrior of his previous dreams. He swatted a bit of hair out of his ocean blue eyes, his brown shirt a bit dusty from the dirt he had not recently been rolling in.

He felt an elation to at last stand with weapon in hand before this warrior, looking to the field of battle and finding all the spots of value to exploit. The audience cried for action, for blood, and he lifted up his back leg charging recklessly forward. His weapon became a blur of motion as the warrior took the brunt of the attack, using a sabre to deflect most of the blows. Just when he was about to become overwhelmed he darted low, using his wrist to block the blow of the sword and swinging for the neck of the gray swordsman.

Another fist rose up, grabbing the sabre by the blade as the two looked to each other with mutual respect and admiration. The piercing cold blue eyes looked to him with sadness, but a twinkle of excitement reflected off his gaze. He was enjoying this just as much as his opponent as he lowered himself into a unique fighting stance. The gray swordsman prepared for the attack with a garbled call of challenge, rushing forward to force the opponent’s hand.

Troy looked upon the sword as Selina cooed. He felt something warm and wet run down his stomach and he ripped his jacket open dumping the tiny demon out on the cold floor. He looked to see she had been over excited by his memory, and he glared down upon her as he used his sleeve to wipe off what he envisioned was just water. He refused to think of it as anything else for the disgust it would bring him.

“Don’t blame lil ol me!” She chastised. “You were the one moaning!” Troy shook his head irritably as he looked upon the wall. His eyes lowered as he noticed several of the plants were now cut down, the black ooze dripping down everywhere around but on himself. Selina took a small twig and placed it in the goo, laughing as it melted away.

“How did you know a door was behind the plantz?” she asked innocently running up to his leg. He placed a firm hand on her head to keep her from climbing him as he looked to see a white marbled stonework door depicting a demon with a long double edged serrated blade grabbing an angel by the wings and hacking it’s head off.

“I,” Troy said in astonishment. “I don’t know. Selina, what’s this picture mean?” he said pointing to the art. The lesser demon dodged his hand and climbed up onto his chest, buttoning up his jacket before he could protest even going so far as to bite his thumb.

When she became cozy she looked to the wall and lifted a claw up to his chin, rubbing it gently. “Hmmm, I never saw this before. Lookz like some greater demon felling an angel with hiz sword. Weird though. Don’t recall anyone with that type of weapon. Most of the greater demons are well known in thiz area.” She eyed the door more intently. “The infernal script reads,”

But Troy cut her off looking at the door with morbid curiosity. The words, though looking like infernal runic which he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt he couldn’t possibly know, seemed to be calling to him, talking to him. The speech was filtering into his mind and spreading into his thoughts, ripping out fragments of his mind and piecing together the string of events he witnessed thus far.

He fell upon his knees, forcing Selina to abandon the warmth of his jacket as he groaned loudly in pain, his head aching as the infernal words bore down into his brain smoking out all the memories at once. He gripped the weapon in his hand and watched himself lifting up some steel katana, screaming like a banshee with a wild look of glee upon his face. Many soldiers, warriors, brigands, pirates, bandits, prize fighters and normal everyday people were falling to his blade as he watched the blood start to stain his vision, a window slowly being stained red as he watched the death of his foes before him.

When the picture was stained red with blood he felt his memories at last swirl into one.

Standing alone in a room he found a man wearing a black trench coat, snow white hair with a weapon held by the greater demon on the wall. As he turned his eyes were pitch black, a cruel smile upon his lips as he flexed his fingers in anticipation of this man. He felt fear wash over his body as he began to tremble, the monster before him laughing wildly as a gray energy began to swirl around him. It wrapped up his torso and through his arm until it reached his sword where he released it in a mighty shockwave. It chewed through the earth, ripping the ground asunder as it neared him. Feebly he lifted up his makeshift sword, only to be hit square in the chest.

Troy felt his entire chest explode in pain as steaming hot blood escaped his lips. He rose up to his knees and felt his heart and lungs on fire as a dark red line appeared on his skin, before it tore open releasing the crimson life out all over the picture of the angel on the door.

Troy reached to touch the wound on his chest, only to find nothing out of the ordinary. His heart beat furiously as he panted, still feeling the phantom pains of being cut deeply in the chest. As he fought to catch his breath he heard the stonework door slowly open before him.

[Unfulfilled]

Troy felt a foot poke at him as he looked up at the sky above, seeing the darkness fade away as he shook his vision clear. The eyeball looked to him, and when he saw he opened his eyes it blinked twice and sulked away a little disappointed.

“Still alive, Troy?” Selina asked sitting on his shoulders resting on the back of his head. Troy groaned loudly as he moved himself from his resting position, looking inside the hallways of the door he found. He felt a siren song calling to him making his blood warm just hearing the words. It was a sweet voice, a gentle voice, and he felt the urge to go over and see who sang it.

Selina groaned loudly as she grabbed Troy by the hair. “You go to her and you die, Troy. Want me to take you?” she asked, leading him forward as he drunkenly followed. Troy felt every inch of his fiber say yes, the little eyeball looking to him and nodding it’s bulbous body as one.

“If he thinks it’s a good idea…” Troy whispered. “Then it must not be…” He walked forwards towards the voice as Selina guided him inside the pitch black halls. He could hear the song getting louder and louder and it made his blood boil.

“Zo sad.” Selina said offhandedly. “I thought you would fall to a greater demon, or off a cliff, but to listen to the ugly words of Rhea’s song?” She shook her head clucking her tongue. “Come on, stupid human. Off to your death.”

Troy followed, nodding in agreement. If death meant to hear this song for just a bit more…

A woman with dirty blond hair looked down upon the gray swordsman. Her smile pierced into his heart as he looked to her, an awkward smile forming on his. She lent her hand to him, an action he never saw before. Confused he looked up to her, blinking wildly. She laughed, spoke in a garbled infernal tongue, and then offered her hand again.

He hesitantly lifted up his hand, feeling the gentleness of her touch upon his skin. This sent a wave of excitement down his spine and his heart spiked again as it beat. She giggled, leading him by the hand. Whatever possessed him to do so he followed unquestionably, talking to her, ranting and raving. She smiled the entire time not bothering to interrupt him. She spoke back, words he couldn’t even comprehend, but he didn’t mind. Just listening to her made him feel content.

She took him to her home, taking off his jacket. He followed her into her kitchen, helping her make a meal for the two of them. As they cooked he continued to talk, finding something, anything to impress this woman with, but she just smiled, her eyes never filled with belief, but instead of happiness. She didn’t seem to mind his deeds, nor gave indication that she cared. This was new to him, and he shut his mouth to let her speak.

She spoke for hours, words he never understood but he just listened regardless. This was peaceful, just being with her. As she cleaned up the dishes from their meal he wiped them dry, listening to her speak. He laughed when she did, smiled when she did, and looked concerned when she did. He could tell in her tone she was a good woman, a kind heartened woman.

Then the image began to blur and fade into the emptiness of the abyss. That last thing he saw was her smile.

Troy looked at the fork in the road, his body turned left as Selina was forcing him to go right. He pulled back on her hand lifting her up and into his arms where he shoved her into his jacket and buttoned it up. The eyeball gave him a disapproving look.

“That’z not the right way!” Selina bellowed. “If you want to die you have to go the other way!”

“I don’t want to die, Selina.” he said determinedly. Selina sighed in sadness. Troy heard the Siren’s song, a high pitched squeal of a thousand off pitch singers all crying as one. It made his ears hurt just to even be near it.

“Bummer,” she sighed again. Then with a perk of her head she reached up scratching his chin. “Maybe zomething down this hall will bash your brainz in?” She offered.

“Who knows, maybe.” Troy said walking away from the horrible sound of the song.

[Unfulfilled]

The trio hit upon another stonework pictured door. The three looked to it in confusion as Troy felt something inside his mind begin to spark. Slowly he lowered his gaze as he looked intently into the picture.

A noble warrior was being impaled by the demon from the previous picture, the double edged serrated blade breaking apart the warrior’s sword with ease as another hand gripped him by the face crushing it. A solitary woman stood to the side, weeping at the loss of the noble warrior.

“What, what does this door mean?” he asked frightened by the image he saw.

“Who knows, thing about demon art iz that it never really iz clear.” she tapped her claw on her chin. “The script reads: What noble phantoms did you bring me? What pitiful warriors did slay me.” Troy looked to the picture again, and he looked to the tears of the woman in the picture. For a brief moment they glowed and his mind surged in pain as he felt something literally being ripped out.

The door slowly swung open and Troy felt his blood thin as the scent of death filled his nostrils. Carefully stepping forward into the passageway he observed the low lit nature, feeling as if he walked into an ancient barrow. Selina released herself from his jacket, running ahead to look at a few things on the walls.

Troy stepped to the center of the room and looked around as he saw pictures of the demon slaying many people with his weapon. Selina laughed as she took the eyeball and ran down a dark lit hall away from Troy, excited to see something new for once. Troy was about to follow when he heard boot steps walking forward. With a grunt the eyeball came back into the room, flying at high speeds. Troy lifted his hands up to grab it, dropping it on the ground and kicking the demon aside. Selina screamed in terror as the culprit of the crimes stepped forward.

The woman from his dreams, the one who looked down upon him from the hillside and wept was standing before him. Her long brown hair was parted to one side, her ocean blue eyes glaring at him expectantly. He knew her, that was for sure, but as he looked to her fair skin, seeing that black silk shirt parted low in a cut that hid none of her sexual appeal, tight black vlince pants that showed all her curves, and thigh high heeled boots in hand made him wonder if this was the woman he knew, or some sick fantasy of her.

She hated him, that was for sure. Her eyes hid no signs of her malice and anger as she tossed Selina before him on the ground. The lesser demon bounced multiple times before stopping up against Troy’s leg, scurrying behind him in fear.

“Do I know you?” Troy asked darkly. The woman laughed, a dazzling set of teeth smiling to him.

“Even when you were alive, I doubt you knew me.” she said heatedly. Troy gave her an odd look. “Hmph, don’t understand? Probably because you were so obsessed with destroying my life that you never took the time to learn why or who you slowly were killing.” She stepped up to him, looking him deeply in the eyes.

“I don’t know you, I don’t know my past. I apologize for whatever I have done to you, but that’s behind me now.” She nodded to his words, seeing a belief in them as he spoke. Her eyes pierced into his and he felt his spine tingle.

“That’s easy for you to say, but not to feel isn’t it?” Troy gave her a pained look before nodding. “I’m sorry, how disgusting coming from you mouth!” she seethed, spitting on his boots. Troy didn’t make a move. “You can say your sorry to anyone, and act like you mean it, but you don’t know what you’re apologizing for, do you?” Troy shook his head. “Thought so.”

She paced around him, the lesser demons giving her a wide birth as she looked to Troy. He followed her gaze with his head, not moving his body as he looked to her. “What can I do? I have no memories of my time on the living plains. I only have this hell. You have been hurt greatly, that I know. If I can, I would take it back.”

“DON’T LIE TO ME!” She shouted lifting up a sword and placing it upon his neck. “You have no clue of your past! How dare you assume things like that!” Troy let the blade pierce his flesh a little, before the woman withdrew it.

“I don’t. So I have only now to look forward to. If you want to see me die for my sins, please get in line. I already have three lesser demons waiting to either feast on my flesh or watch me fall.” The woman smiled to him again, sweetly as she moved into him. Her sword lifted up to his chest and he lowered his hand to his weapon.

“I have something I can give to you, but only if you want it. Redemption is not a possibility to you in this place, but if you truly, deeply want to atone for your sins than I can place you on the right path.”

“Don’t do it Troy!” Selina shouted. The woman looked into his eyes, her ocean blue orbs piercing into his soul. He felt this gaze before, this stare. Her body touched up against his, her arm lifting up to his chin as she softly rubbed his face.

“I will find my own path.” Troy said lifting his hand to hers. The woman smiled to him again, leaning into him. He could feel her breath on the nape of his neck. “I will only say it one more time.” he breathed. The woman stopped, inches from his lips.

“Prove it to me.” she whispered. “What is my name?” Troy looked to her puzzled. “If you can forgive yourself, and atone for you sins, you must first recognize them. You have to face them and understand them. Only then will you leave this room.” Her lips were about to press against his.

“I know you.” He said in a barely audible whisper. She stopped inching in on him, a mere scant centimeters from his lips. She looked to his eyes and she saw something that made her fall back. His eyes were filled with regret, but something wasn’t natural about them.

“You do? But how do you know me?” she asked, but more in an encouraging way.

“I don’t know…” he whispered. “I am trying so hard to remember you, but I just don’t know…” she smiled to him, a true genuine smile and that one look made his heart flutter. Then it all came back to him.

”I am searching for someone.” the warrior said. “Nothing else matters to me. If you want to fight me, do so after I find her. Until then I can waste no more time!” the warrior pushed the gray swordsman aside as he approached the mouth of a cave. Irritated a sword flew out before the warrior as the grey swordsman gave him a very toothy smile.

“What a coincidence, nothing really matters to me except for fighting you!” the two locked eyes, but after the tense moment the warrior sighed moving along the cave wall forwards. “By the gods, man, who is she? Is she really that special to you?”

“Yes, she is.” he said coldly. “She deserves a life better than searching for a ghost.” His eyes seemed to twinge in pain, but the grey swordsman ignored it.

“Well who is she then? If I’m about to follow you all over the world I may as well know what to look for.” The two stopped walking.

“You are seriously going to follow me?”

“Why not? If I help you find her, I will get to fight you that much faster, right?” The warrior sighed heavily, but the logic was rather sound.

“This is not going to be easy.” he said darkly. "I have terrible luck." The grey swordsman laughed.

“Like life was ever a breeze, so who is this chick?”

Troy looked to the woman before him, seeing her for the first time of who she really was. The outfit she wore changed to a simple brown wandering outfit. Her boots were black, heeled in the back, but tasteful. Her hair was laced behind her and she smiled sweetly to him.

“Rebecca Priam.” Troy said sadly. “That’s your name.” She laughed gently, looking him in the eye. Nodding to him she lifted up her sword and softly sheathed it. “You were, you were that warrior’s sister. I don’t know who he is, but he is always in my visions. Always by my side and watching over me. I…I don’t know much of what I did, but I can tell I caused him great pain.” Troy clutched his fist to his chest.

“You now know you have caused many terrible sins. But I cannot give the full picture, that is not my power. The power I can only give you is understanding. Goodbye, swordsman. You have passed the first trial.” She turned into the darkness and softly walked away.

He watched her go, looking at her as she walked away with such grace, but all he could think of was the tears that streamed down her face, tears he caused her to shed. Feeling horrible about himself he looked to Selina and the other demon, both looking back to him.

“You were an asszhole, huh?” Selina asked politely. Troy nodded.

“Yet she was still kind enough to let me understand what I have done.” he looked to her one last time, watching her body fade away. “Now let’s go. I have a feeling we have more work to do…” Troy said walking the path he watched Rebecca leave down.

He failed to notice the black ooze slithering behind him in the shadows.

[Unfulfilled]

Wind blew at a terrifying gale force, pushing Troy and the other two lesser demons back as they pushed onwards. On several occasions the eyeball nearly bounced away if not for Troy’s quick foot to kick him back on the path. Selina howled her dissatisfaction with Troy’s desire to go deeper, complaining the whole time over the noise of the wind.

“Siren’s, demons, visions, and now a gust of wind that would make a tornado blush, what the hell kind of place is this?” Troy commented as he leaned into the wind, using all his might to get past this insane wind force.

“I dunno!” Selina cried back. “But makes me wish you weren’t a human!” She tucked into his arms as he held her, her tiny frame unable to keep up with the wind. “I thought that human woman was going to kill you!” Selina added off handedly.

“How did you come to that conclusion?” Troy laughed. “She wasn’t there to kill me, just help me!”

“You call sticking a zword up against your gut help? Humanz are so stupid!” she looked down to the eyeball, seeing him keep his eye tightly shut as it pushed up against the back of Troy’s leg for support.

“What do you mean?” Troy asked.

“She was going to stab you the zecond she kisszed you!” Selina shouted as if this was painfully obvious.

“Really?” Troy said stupidly. Selina nodded furiously. She nearly flew out of his arms and Troy had to grab her by the hair to keep her from flying away. When he brought her to his chest she hugged him tightly caressing his chest in thanks. “She was really going to stab me?”

“Duh!” Selina sassed. “Troy, you haven’t moved an inch in five minutez, at this point if you loze your footing you’ll probably znap your neck on the stone!” She smiled brightly to him. “We should jump when it happenz!” Troy only shook his head irritably. Yet he didn’t disagree with her previous comment. He wasn’t making any progress, just moving in place.

Looking forward Troy saw the blackness begin to encroach upon his sight, feeling the memories of something of his past begin to tingle. Knowing now not to fear his past he caved in and let the emotions of the memory wash over him.

In the grassy knolls before a hill stood a baby whelp of a dragon that was no more than seventeen feet high. The grey swordsman looked to this beast with an appraising eye, seeing a challenge that made his blood tingle. As he rushed forward the dragon bellowed out to him, crying at his defiance in mirth as it beat its wings. The wind force slowed him down to nearly a crawl, and the swordsman had to use his weapon to dig deep into the earth as he trudged forward.

Alarmed that this mere human was getting closer and closer the dragon added a strip of flames, turning the wind into a flame storm as it surrounded the grey swordsman. But as soon as he was about to be incinerated the wind howled a sinister laughter as the warrior broke through the flames surrounded in a wisp like energy, running forward dragging his weapon upon the earth with tongue held out psychotically laughing.

The dragon had no time to act as he ducked under the claw, jumping upwards onto it’s massive snout and stabbing the beast in the eye, gray energy coursing through the blade and out the tip of the impaled sword, killing the beast in one foul swoop. The etchings of a demon painted the heavens as the darkness chuckled at the destruction.

Troy fell to his side as he turned the corner, grasping for breath as Selina bounced out of his arms to dance with the eyeball that they survived another trial. He took several deep breaths and looked up to see another door depicting the same demon as before, this time lifting a human up in the air as it was impaled on his sword, a bottle of alcohol in hand and a cigarette in his mouth as the blood dripped down the doorway. His face looked like he had let someone down, something important to him as the tears refused to fall from to floor.

“Ouuu, that one is pretty!” Selina shouted joyfully at the carnage. She ran her finger along the demon’s chest, before turning to Troy. He looked to the picture, feeling something odd from it as he looked to the wanderer on the sword.

“These pictures, they,” Troy tried to find the right words. “They are like fragments of my memory, but…something about them is not right.” He walked forward and placed a hand on the picture, feeling a memory start to form in his mind as the infernal script began to reveal itself below.

“Why wanderer’s rue and lament, demonz dream.” Selina whispered. “What the hell is that suppozed to mean?” Troy shrugged his shoulders as he turned, and his eyes lit up as he drew up his weapon.

“Test…Failure…Death…KEE HEE HEE!” Thanatos shrieked as he impaled the eyeball through the back of his head, ripping him in half as he charged forward, his black ooze dripping behind him and reforming as it cried for blood. Troy dashed forward and pushed Selina aside before a talon took her out, the weapon's weight doubling as he pushed back against two of Thanatos' talons.

“You really know how to be inconvenient!” Troy cried as he lowered his stance and ran the blade along Thanatos’ body. Yet he absorbed the blow, laughing wildly as another talon swiped Troy in the chest. The human jumped back, his chest in pain as blood dripped down the front of his shirt.

“Suffer…Despair…CRY! CRY! CRY!” he launched himself up like a tidal wave of ooze as it washed down upon Troy, smothering him down as he lost control and fell down backwards. The beast rolled off to the side and reformed himself into a humanoid blob, laughing as one of it’s talons reached to a white mask, tipping it to the side like a confused dog as it cackled. “Human after all!” it cheered.

Troy rolled to his feet and lifted his weapon up, blocking a strong vertical strike. Two more talons swiped for his leg, and he had to dart to the side to avoid it. The beast recoiled itself into a ball, bouncing after him. He swung his weapon deeply into the beast, feeling the weight of where it kept it’s body amidst the ooze that hid it. He pulled the weapon out and rotated to face it again, stabbing deep into the beast finding purchase in what would pass for it’s body.

“WHY, WHY, WHY?” It cried as it retreated back to the wall, climbing up it like a spider with four of it’s talons. It held one out, the other limb nothing but a nub as it nestled into the corner preparing to strike.

“Must stink not having this to play with!” Troy taunted as he held the torn off limb before Thanatos. The abomination cried out as it leapt forward, and Troy put all his weight into the sword as he pushed the back of the blade. It used all five limbs to put pressure on the human, but Troy only smiled in mirth as he rolled the beast to the side and kicked furiously out.

“BWARRRGGGHHH!” It screeched as it rolled towards the entrance to the room. Troy lifted his weapon up and darting forward with a thrust, aiming right for the weak spot. It pulled back, just as he expected and suddenly it shrieked as the wind gale tore it’s body, ooze and all, away from Troy and Selina.

Troy gasped for breath as he lowered his weapon, sure of his victory at the moment. He looked to see Selina attempting to put the eyeball demon back to together as tears filled her eyes. He wandered over to her and looked down upon her with a sad expression.

“I missz him…” she pouted. “Now who will watch you die with me?” she looked to him, confused as to what to do now that her only friend was dead.

“I dunno, Selina.” Troy muttered. Selina looked back to the dead demon.

“By Bartelimo.” she whispered. The stone door rumbled open as Troy turned to see the next trial await him. Without even noticing her weight she leapt upon his shoulder and hugged Troy tightly. “In hiz honor, I will watch you die.” she said solemnly.

“I think it’s what he would have wanted.” Troy said back walking into the darkness.

[Unfulfilled]

Troy entered into a circular room with two chairs and a table set up in the middle. Upon the table was a pack of smokes, a fine vintage scotch, matches, and a black diary. Of all the items on the table it was the black diary that stuck out to Troy the most. He looked upon the edges of the book, seeing the feint trace of blood from ages past. He felt something in his mind snap and he nearly passed out if not for Selina who jumped from his shoulder to catch him. She petted Troy like a dog as he felt his stomach begin to churn.

“My how the mighty have fallen,” a chiding voice said from the opposite side of the table. “Tisk, Tisk.” he continued as the cork to the scotch was popped with the sound of a glass being filled accompanying it.

Troy looked up to see a man dressed in a fine vlince tuxedo suit, his hair gelled back into a sick form of some sleazy high noble. He had an air of eccentricity to him as he lazily placed a gloved hand upon the diary, tipping open a page. Troy softly lifted himself up, looking down upon the book. The words inside were all infernal in script, and he couldn’t see anything that even sparked a memory in his mind.

“I know you,” Troy said calmly. “You’re from my dreams. You’re the wanderer…” The man nodded, showing a grin that had taken years to perfect. He offered Troy a seat and he took it, feeling the comfort of the wood conform to his every whim. “So you plan to kill me too?”

The wanderer laughed. “Now I can see clearly why that is the first assumption you jump to, but unlike everyone else I just can’t possibly feel hate. Are you a jerk? Yes. But can I hate you? No.” he said honestly. “To me, it just seemed like you honestly didn’t know any better.”

“Rebecca showed me how to understand my sins, what are you here to show me?” The wanderer lifted a wagging finger as he poured Troy a drink.

“Can’t reveal all the secrets at once. You have to learn that for yourself. Of course, the rules are the same. If you can remember my name, than you will pass this trial. I highly doubt you will though. So that’s why I brought the scotch and my smokes. I figure we got all eternity to wait.”

Troy looked to the glass and back to the wanderer, feeling his limbs soften and his muscles begin to relax. He lifted his hand up and took the glass, taking a tasting sip. The drink was beyond smooth; it was perfect. The wanderer smiled.

“You see, people like you get caught up all the time in fighting, killing, and being jerks. You need to learn to just slow it down and enjoy the finer things in life.”

Troy sipped the drink again, smiling weakly. “And what are the finer things in life, my friend?” he could feel his face flushing.

“Well watching woman for starters. And a drink, the value of a good drink.” The wanderer lifted his glass and took a soft sip before gently placing it down. “A good book usually helps as well.” he looked to the black diary, thumbing through the pages. “A good book will open your mind up, take you away and forget who you are, forget why you are alive to instead be someone else, something greater than who you are.”

“Or a drink.” Troy added. The wanderer grinned again.

“Or a drink.” he agreed. “Escape isn’t a bad thing, it’s a good thing. Sometimes it’s just a good thing to forget the pain, the sadness, the sorrow. You can’t be a god forever, you can’t be some superhero all the time. Eventually, you just have to sit back and watch what creation can do without your meddling.”

Troy sipped his drink again. It was damn fine, the chair was comfortable, and he felt his heart syncing in time with his thoughts. This peace felt nice, very nice. He couldn’t imagine how he could live in his past life without this feeling. He took another sip.

An older man with a deadly sickle stood before the gray swordsman, his weapon slamming repeatedly into the blade. Each strike jolted the swordsman’s mind, sparking a painful memory best left buried deeply.

“Oh, do you fear this? Do you fear your past? How foolish! How foolish of you to have such power and squander it like you do!” the older man cackled as the swordsman weakly defended against his attacks. “COME ON, FIGHT ME! STOP BEING SO AFRAID! ”

The two were about to collide weapons, but the sickle easily knocked the sword out of the gray warrior’s hands as he fell to his knees and rolled to avoid the decapitating attack. The older foe ran towards the sword, lifting it up like some kind of prize before turning back upon the grey swordsman.

“You abused this power, now it’s time for someone else to show you what you could have been! I now see why you fought, now let‘s see how you die…” The sword came down, but the gray warrior lifted up the sickle, and the two weapons collided. Now the tables turned as a powerful memory from the weapon itself was smoked out, and the older man fell back clutching his head as he witnessed the imprisonment of something he shouldn’t have been witness to.

The grey swordsman lifted up his sword, the wind howling as grey energy swirled around his body. From the hilt of the sword a dark shadowy demonic like figure hovered, guiding the warrior forward as he rushed recklessly forward, laughing sadistically as the energy exploded outwards nearly cutting the man in twain.

Troy looked to the drink, sniffing it and feeling repulsed by it. “Complacency is dangerous however, for if one ever loses his convictions he becomes a slave to his own cowardice. For your lifestyle, Sheex Deltin, this is not a bad thing. For people like me, however, it is the kiss of death.”

The wanderer was dressed in a simple black trench coat, a blue shirt and some simple traveling pants. Dusty boots from years of walking kicked up onto the table as he flicked a hand through his perfect dark brown hair. He looked to Troy’s eyes with his own, then with a simple smile he lifted up his belongings and put them away.

“You now know your convictions to cause the actions leading to your sins. But the picture is far from complete, that also, alas, is not my power. The power I can only give you is your convictions. Goodbye, swordsman. You have passed the second trial.”

Troy watched as Sheex politely excused himself, walking down a dark tunnel. He softly got up, looking back to Selina. She snapped her fingers angrily.

“Zo Close!” she whimpered. Troy only shrugged in response lifting his arm out for her. She ran to him, jumped up his arm and sat on his shoulder hugging him tightly.

“Maybe next time?” Troy sassed.

“Maybe.” Selina said hopefully.