Blood Shadow: Into The Abyss

The second of the three-part short story. Written in 2007.

Jakob felt very hot as he opened his eyes.  He was lying on his back on the cold, hard ground.  He took a breath, feeling a heavy amount of sulfur filling his lungs.  He coughed and rolled onto his stomach.  He put his hand over his chest where the demons blade had penetrated him from his back.  the wound seemed to have disappeared but he could still feel the pain of it.  He moved his hand to his back.  No wound, not even a scar.  he raised his brow at this and fought to get to his feet. Sweat was rolling down the side of his face as he looked around.  He stood on a raised square platform with fires burning on each of its corners.  He wiped the sweat from his face.  he looked down at his feet.  Just then he realized he had been stripped of all his clothing and armory, save a pair of tattered cloth covering his lower body.

 

"You've finally awoken, Lord Jakob," a deep voice came from the darkness.  Jakob fought to speak back, but the air was to heavy.  it did nothing but hurt him.  "Save your breath.  your not use to this air yet, you'll just hurt yourself trying."  From the center of the platform, a shadow raised and formed into the Blood Shadow demon.  Jakob pointed at the demon in fear.

 

"Yes, it is true that you defeated me, but you did not slay me.  you lack that power, right now anyway."  The demon walked over to Jakob and pushed him down to the ground.  "You should be lucky.  If we weren't here I could kill you now so easily."

 

Finally, Jakob was able to speak without much strain.  "What do you mean, if we weren't here?"  he said softly.

 

"You are so naive, my mortal friend.  If you knew anything of the ancient realsm, you would know that in the Abyss, not one living creature, whether he be mortal or not, can be killed."

 

"We are in Hell then, demon?" jakob asked.

 

"No.  Hell is where the wrongful mortals go for their eternal damnation.  The Abyss is where the terrible things are born.  Where evil resides." The demon walked to the edge of the plat form and looked down.  "We are at the lowest realm.  hell is above us, then your realm then the Heavens.  We could easily fight and defeat each other here, but neither of us woud die, mortal."  jakob stood back up and approached the side of the platform.  He peered down to see massive lakes and rivers of flame flowing violently across a vast barren plain.  To the west of the platform a massive army of Demons marched up a stairway into the realm of Hell.

 

"That army, Blood Shadow, what is their purpose?" jakob asked.

 

"That is why I was summoned on the eclipse.  There is much you need to learn, young Lord."  The demon sat near on of the fires and teared open the rocky ground beneath him.  He pulled from the hole Jakobs armory and weapons.  The beast threw them to the side of Jakob and pointed to them, as if ordering for them to be put on.

 

"For the span of time, my kind have been summoned to deliver judgement upon the man of sin.  All mortals who sin beyond the repentance of the Heavens are taken out of society in a brutal slaughter known as the Blood Shadow Harvest.  We only come on eclipses to weave out the wrongful.  Sadly, I am the only one left.  My fellows have all been slain with the help of the Shadiric Stone.  It is the only way for a mortal to truely destroy me."

 

"That's why you did not die even though I fatally wounded you.  But why am I here?" he asked as he put on his war equipment.

 

"I figured since you had me defeated, if i were to bring you with me you could help me stop what is happening," Blood Shadow explained.

 

"What is happening?"

 

The demon stared at the advancing army below.  "The God of the Abyss is planning his final assault on the mortal realm.  I was to rid of ALL the wicked so the righteous would stand triumphant.  Sadly, you halted that plan.  But now, we must work together to stop Abysical, or all shall be lost."

 

"So we are off to war then.  Although I do not trust what you say, I suppose I have no other choice but to follow you, especially if it will lead me out of the Underworld."  Blood Shadow laughed and stood to his feet.  He waved his hand forward and a stairway of shadow formed, leading to the ground below.  He began descending down them when he turned back to Jakob.

 

"Follow me, and fulfill the destiny that we both now share."

 

Jakob took a deep breath and began walking down the stairs.  He muttered to himself, "Into the Abyss..."