Chapter 15 King of Kings
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor an iron blaster (they say) can stop the Hammermaster. Hello everybody. This chapter leans more towards the Action and Adventure side of the rating, but do not fear, next chapter will make you all pee in your pants. Ha-ha-ha. Be afraid, be very afraid. I am happy now. Today is a good day. Just like yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that... Oh, and thanks to those of you who prayed for my and my friend. I appreciate it, and those of you who didn't, could you drop in a line for me and my friend sometime? Thank you.
I floated through clouds as I felt gentle hands of wind stroking my hair and caressing my face. I opened my eyes and looked out across the cloudy atmosphere which surrounded me. Cool wind blew across my face only slightly breaking the sacred silence of this place. The puffy white clouds continued to float effortlessly through the serene atmosphere as I looked around in hopes of discovering where I was.
Mist flowed around me as I got to my feet and looked at the fluffy cloud which somehow managed to hold up my weight. Was I in heaven? No. Heaven had Golden streets. And I wouldn't be alone in heaven. I surely was alone right now.
"You are not in heaven," a voice spoke loudly, but coolly into my ear, just like the wind of this place.
"Then where am I?" I asked as my eyes lingered on the graceful world which I was in.
"You are safe," the voice replied quietly. "You are away from all of your troubles for now. Soon you will be returned. But now, just listen to what I have to say. The challenges you will face later will be treacherous. But do not fear, and never stray from the path that I have set before you."
"Who are you?" I asked the voice.
"You know me quite well Zach. It is me. I am God. I am your King. I have been with you for thirteen years. Thirteen years since the day you accepted me as your King. You have been a good son Zach. Now I must warn you. What comes later will be difficult for you, but never give up. You can fight through it. Never give up."
The wind flowed around me as I heard the voice of my heavenly father giving me guidance.
"What should I do now Lord?" I asked God. "The evil of the town seems so mighty, and I am too weak. I thank you for sending Kai to help me, but that doesn't help as much as I thought it would."
"My son, there is still more for you to discover here. The Spirits have there weaknesses, as you have already discovered with the last one which fought you. And the Goddess is not as she appears. You are stronger than you think you are. And remember. No matter what, I will always be there for you. I dwell within you, remember? The Holy Spirit dwells within your soul. When you need me, just call me, and I will be there."
"But where do I search next, and for what? What do you want me to do with all of this?"
"Guide lost souls. Help them find the light. That is your first priority. I love the people of that island. Show them that. For years I have stood at the doors of their hearts knocking, but they all refuse to open up, and let me in. Put an end to the evil that lives on the island. You have it in you to accomplish this. And never fear. Kai will help you, as will I. And one more thing before I send you back. Find the third disciple. Yes, there is a third disciple. Search for that person. The one I have chosen to fit this role is much closer than you think."
"What do you mean third disciple?"
"You must discover this for yourself."
"Wait! Before you send me back, I have some questions which need answering."
"What are they?"
"How did my Grandfather die? Was it of natural causes."
"I won't tell you everything. Some things you must discover for yourself. I know it is hard, but I never told the Human race all about the natural world, did I? Your scientists are still trying to understand how the universe works. I have my reasons. But just know this. Long ago, before the Goddess, your Great Great Grandfather moved to Mineral Town, and bought the farm. The old farmer who used to run the farm in Mineral Town moved away, so the Town was in desperate need of a farmer. So when you're Great Grandfather came to the Town, he couldn't afford to pay for the whole farm, but the Mayor of the Town decreased the cost to three fifths of the original price. You see? You're Great Great Grandfather was meant to buy the farm here in Mineral Town so that you're Grandfather would inherit it years later, after the Goddess religion had become strong. You're Great Great Grandfather was meant to buy the farm for the very reason that you would inherit it years later when the town needed the most help. So you see, you were meant to live here in Mineral Town, and you were meant to defy the Goddess. I chose your Great Great Grandfather because I knew that in the future, you my son, you would not submit to the Goddess. Bless you Zach. Now, return to your world."
The buzzing of my alarm clock shattered my dreams immediately. I moaned as I turned the alarm off. I did not want to get up today. I was too tired. In fact, why was my alarm set in the first place? I opened my eyes, and looked at the clock. It was seven in the morning. I immediately turned over, and went back to sleep.
Won stood at the very top of one of the twin mountains. From here he could see over the entire island. Down below him lay the forest, stretched out all over the southern half of the island. Further away sat the town, so small, so helpless. So... perfect.
Won closed his eyes, and felt the energy pulsing through the mountain. He thought of the town, the memories. The day he pledged his life to the Harvest Goddess. But then he remembered long before that. When he had defected from the Voice of the Good News Clan. He remembered quite clearly the day he had destroyed the humble group for a price. He remembered it quite clearly. And he had no remorse. Won closed his eyes, and the memory became clearer and clearer, as he began reliving it in his mind.
He had remained a loyal member of the clan for years. He remembered quite clearly the village which rested high up in the Himalayas. The Voice of the Good News Clan resided in that small town, hoping to someday influence all of China. The town, so different from the rest of the world, yet so alike Mineral Town in the same way. Sure, both towns had different climates, but there was something else. One clue to this was the fact that Won had lived within both. The village and the clan had been formed by Chinese Christians who fled to the mountain to escape persecution because of their beliefs. Together, they formed a church, or clan. They subtly spoke out against persecution of religion in that communist nation, while also trying to spread the Gospel of Jesus to lost souls.
As such, many members of the Chinese Government hated the Voice of the Good News Clan. Many wished to see it destroyed. But they couldn't destroy the group, heck, they couldn't find the group. The clan worked well enough that they continued to campaign for religious freedom, but they never allowed the Government to learn where the group resided. They had set up a network through China. They would go to a town, campaign for religious freedom, or try and spread the Gospel, and then they would leave quickly and abruptly, getting back to their village as quickly as possible. They had many close encounters with officials and policemen, but they still managed to exist. The Government was furious. They had to find a way to destroy that group. Won was the answer to their ambitions.
Won had been a member of the group for five years. But the only reason he had joined the group was because his Dad was one of the men who fled to that mountain to escape persecution because he believed in Christ. Won followed him to the mountain, but he could never accept his father's religion. Joining the group didn't help either. Won became angry that people believed in Christ, and God, and even angrier that his father believed in it. Won then began to believe that Christianity was an evil conspiracy which was trying to take over China.
What brought on these ideas? Maybe it was the constant attention that demons were giving Won, mercilessly pumping his mind with lies. Perhaps it was because of the strong ideologies of the Voice of the Good News Clan which made it seem that they were against all that the Chinese Government stood for. Whatever the reason, Won came to hate the people of the group. He hated the way they argued against the Government which ruled over them. He hated the way they believed that all man had fallen short of perfect holiness. In Won's mind, he was holy.
Soon Won realized that he not only hated those loyal missionaries of the Christian faith, but he also had begun to hate his own father. And if he hated his own father, why did Won put up with this group. Won suddenly found that the Government's desires to destroy this clan were identical to his own.
Then, one night Won met with a member of the Chinese Government. An agreement was reached, and the representative of the Government handed Won the equivalent of five thousand dollars in Chinese currency. But this was all in advance. Twenty five thousand dollars was promised after the job was finished. Won returned to the mountain, and prepared a plan for the destruction of the Voice of the Good News Clan.
Won was not a killer at heart, but his hatred towards the group awoke the killing instincts inside of him. His first target was the head "bishop" of the clan. This head member of the clan always traveled to the top of the mountain to pray to God and study the word of the Bible. Won followed him up one day. While the elderly man was reading a Bible, Won snuck up behind him, and pushed him off of the cliff. His body was found later by a couple members of the clan. The clan all believed that he had fallen off the cliff by accident. But no. It was no accident. Won was initially shocked at the fact that he had actually killed someone, but once he got over it, he found that he enjoyed murder. The funeral was quite amusing to Won. He even chuckled a bit. These Christians were making things way too easy for him.
Won later beheaded two members of the clan with his Katana when they were out walking through the mountains. Won hide the bodies deep in the ground, for he did not want to be caught. Won continued like this for quite some time. He would pick off members of the clan slowly, one by one. He would then hide the bodies, and destroy all evidence of the murder. But as you can imagine, the clan began to notice how people were disappearing. A member of the clan known by the name of Shen decided to investigate the crime. Won kept a close eye on him. One day, much to his dismay, Shen summoned Won to talk with him at the top of the mountain.
"I have searched everywhere for the missing members, but I have found none of them," Shen said in Chinese.
"It is so strange how they disappeared like that," Won replied in Chinese as well.
"I think they have been killed."
Won was shocked and afraid that Shen had learned of this, but he covered this with a face of surprise.
"But how?" Won replied. "The only ones who would want them to be killed are the members of the Government. But they don't know the location of our village."
"Yes," Shen replied looking down. "Unless they somehow found out that necessary information. But the only way for that to happen is if someone here, in our village, gave them the information."
Shen turned and looked Won straight in the eye at this. Won kept a poker face, but deep inside he was shaking in fear.
"Someone betrayed us. There is no other explanation. But who would betray our good brothers and sisters of the Voice of the Good News Clan? Not any of the senior members. They are too committed to the group. It would have to be a younger member, one not so involved in the clan. We are followers of the Bible. The Bible says: "Thou shalt not kill." So who among us would kill a man? And who would kill a fellow Christian? No. No true loyal servant of God would do this. It would have to be someone who strayed from the path. Someone who... was grasped by Satan's lies."
It was cold up in the mountain, but beads of sweat formed on the edge of Won's forehead. It was clear now that Shen was accusing Won of being the killer.
"You no longer participate in our services as often as before. And I heard from a couple of my brothers in Christ that you were chuckling during the funeral of the bishop."
"What are you suggesting?" Won said as a drop of sweat fell from his forehead to the ground.
"You are the only member of the town who I could rationalize being a traitor. I tried very hard, but I came to no other conclusions."
"How could you even think of me being the killer?" Won said angrily, to try and fool the accuser. "I was laughing at the funeral because I was just remembering the bishop, and the jokes he used to tell us. Sure, I haven't always gone to the services, but neither have you."
Shen bowed his head.
"You are right," Shen said. "I am sorry for accusing you. I had no right, it was not my place. Please forgive me brother," Shen dropped down his knees. "May God forgive me for this false accusation."
Won smiled because he had convinced Shen that he was innocent.
"I forgive you my friend," Won made sure not to use the term brother. "Now, lets go back to the village."
Shen nodded, and turned around to walk back home. But this was what Won was waiting for. Won drew his Katana, and swung it into Shen's neck. Shen cried out, and fell to the ground, the Japanese weapon jutting out of his neck. Blood poured out of the wound like the blood of a martyr, staining the ground with righteousness. For Shen had been a good man. A good Christian. And Won hated him for these reasons. Won smiled down on his victim, but this time not with relief, but with scorn.
"You were right to accuse me. Yes. I killed not only them, but also our "Great Bishop." Not so great now, is he."
Shen coughed up blood, and gasped as his life poured out on the cold ground of the mountain.
"Its so fitting," Won continued. "The Voice of the Good News Clan is destroyed by one of its own. I can see it now. See if you will make it to heaven now, 'brother.' Ha!"
Won then grabbed the handle of his evil blade, and yanked it out of the dying man's neck so quick that it cut through the remains of his throat, finishing the job. But this time Won neglected to hide the body.
Pretty good huh? Won's dark past comes back to haunt him. Now we all get to see how he became the murdering bad dude that he is. Not a pretty sight. So there you go. Now, you are required by the request of the Great Hammermaster (I'm not being immodest, believe me. Right Great KHUnknown? Great K.W. Lycan? Great Reviewers?) to write a review for my story. And for those of you who are Halo and Metroid fans, I am currently writing a Halo/Metroid story for those of you who are interested, please check it out.
"Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu all you ladies of Spain. For we've received orders to sail back for Boston. And soon nevermore will we see you again." Quint (singing) from the movie Jaws. Very good movie. And its NOT scary. Unless you are like, under the age of fourteen or something. What' the big deal? I mean, everyone who hasn't seen that movie think that it is so scary, because has been hyped up to be scary. Well in my own words, it ain't scary. It be very fun. And it is not very gorey either. It is a major step down from present day horror. In fact, it maybe shouldn't be described as being horror. Come on! This story would be considered horror (probably) if made into a movie.
