The Legend Will Never Die: Part Fourteen "Astaroth the Son of War"

By: Anita

Astaroth the Son of War

Hatred. All Astaroth could feel was a burning hatred. He had been defeated in battle, and by a mere human.

Astaroth had been created by god, the great God of War, Ares, yet he still was not capable of destroying this one fighter.

Worst of all, he had been spared. In total humiliation, his opponent had let him live and left him crushed and vengeful.

Astaroth was sure that he had just let his guard down. He wielded the mighty axe Kulutues, which had been created alongside him by the god Ares.

Astaroth had a mission. His master, the priest Kunpaetku, had ordered him many times to retrieve the Soul Edge. It was the destiny he was given by god, but the power of Soul Edge could wait. Astaroth would never truly be successful in his mission if he failed to regain his pride. He had to get rid of the man who had taken everything from him.

He would wipe the smirk off of Maxi's face for the last time.

Astaroth knew exactly where to find his victim. The event was so clear in his mind.

It had been over a year since Astaroth had raided the Harbour of Souls and slaughtered each and every man in Maxi's crew. Astaroth grinned as he remembered the anguish on Maxi's face as his friends left him one by one.

'I will make you feel that pain once more, Maxi. You will wish you had never encountered my terrifying power!' Astaroth thought.

The wind picked up as Astaroth neared the harbour in India. There was a platform near the docks, this was where Astaroth would fight.

There were two men standing on the platform in contemplation, watching the sea.

"I know that I made my friends proud, Kilik. That monster deserved death for what it did to them, but I spared him for their sake. I would never kill recklessly in their name." one of the men said, deep in thought.

"Maxi, I was there with you when Astaroth killed your crew. If the evil within me had not caused you so much trouble, you would have been able to stop him. It was my fault, not yours." the other man replied.

"Well, let's not dwell on that. We have to find Xianghua!"

"You will never see the light of day after I am through with you!" Astaroth laughed as Maxi and Kilik turned around.

"You!" Maxi growled, seething with anger.

"Hah! Puny humans can not defeat the likes of me. I will never die as long as the power of Ares is with me! I will crush you like I crushed the rest of your friends!" Astaroth mocked.

"After we are through with you, even your god's power will not be able to help you. You have hurt my friend, and for that you must not live!" Kilik shouted in anger as he took up his weapon to fight.

"No, Kilik!" Maxi warned, stepping in front of his friend. "He's mine!"

"Be careful Maxi." Kilik warned and backed down. This was not his battle to fight.

"So, you just won't die, will you?"

"You will not be rid of me. For the rest of your life I will haunt you, I will make it certain that you regret letting me live"

Maxi quickly cut Astaroth off and his nunchaku into the monster's chest.

"You fool! You will not live!" Astaroth roared and spun his large axe towards Maxi.

"Hiyaah!" Maxi shouted as he kicked Astaroth before the attack could land.

'I will not let this human take me for a weakling! I can not die at the hands of a mere mortal, I am Astaroth, son of Ares, servant of Kunpaetku. This man must die!'

Before Astaroth could retaliate, Maxi flung his nunchaku at Astaroth, causing him to soar high into the air, and then gave the final blow as he smashed the nunchaku and Astaroth down.

"I have spared you once, and I will spare you again. You will never get your revenge Astaroth." Maxi concluded, a grin fixed on his face.

Astaroth cringed as he saw Maxi smile. He hated that look of smugness on Maxi face. That smirk drove Astaroth insane. He despised Maxi more and more as he thought of his defeat.

'No! Never! I have lost to this man twice in battle, but he still refuses to kill me! I will have his head!' Astaroth screamed silently to himself.

"You may never kill me, Maxi, but I will never leave you alone. I will come after you every chance I have. I will haunt you like a shadow of death, and everyone you care about will be in danger. I will get my revenge." Astaroth threatened Maxi in a small, sickening voice.

Astaroth laughed and with his last bit of strength lunged at Kilik, the innocent spectator of the match.

"I WILL MAKE YOU PAY!" Astaroth shouted as he raised the Kulutues high into the air and prepared to strike it across Kilik's neck.

Suddenly, Astaroth's head was smashed swiftly by a powerful blow.

Astaroth watched in horror as he saw his last chance of revenge drift away from his grasp.

"Maxi!" Kilik shouted to his friend.

Astaroth slowly crumpled to the ground. He had truly been defeated, he had used all of his might and still failed.

Maxi looked at the dying monster in front of him in disgust.

"You can try to harm me any way you want to, Astaroth, and I will not retaliate, but once you try to hurt my friends, I will not forgive you. I had hoped that I would not have to kill you, but you left me no other choice." Maxi explained solemnly.

"Maxi... you did the right thing." Kilik reassured his friend.

Without another look at the villain who had destroyed his life, Maxi turned and left with Kilik.

Astaroth's final thoughts were only of revenge, the revenge he had sought after so much, but had failed to achieve. Even death would not calm the hate within Astaroth.

"So, even a servant of god can die. Astaroth's powerful Kulutues brought us souls. Now we must work harder to feed you with strength." Nightmare said to his master, the evil Soul Edge.

"DO NOT WORRY. WE DO NOT NEED HIM, HE WAS AN OBSTRUCTION IN OUR PLANS. THOUGH HE DIED AT THE HANDS OF MAXI, ARES WILL NOT LET HIS DEATH GO UNPUNISHED. THE GOD OF WAR WILL BRING HIM BACK TO LIFE SOON, BUT THAT IS NONE OF OUR CONCERN. BRING MAXI AND KILIK TO ME, THEY WILL BE THE FINAL TOOLS IN OUR PREPARATIONS." Soul Edge replied, and Nightmare quickly took off to put the last phase of their arrangement into action.

Xianghua watched as Nightmare started off to find her friends.

'Kilik...Maxi...'

Xianghua watched her comrades walk peacefully as if they were ignorant of the impending disaster that was to befall them, but she knew that they were aware. They were afraid.

And so was she.

THE END?