Chapter 40 Walking into Darkness

"There is the ship!" I said to Captain Bates. "Get all the people aboard, and then take them out into the sea! Then tell them the truth about God! Keep them away from the island until all this is over. If necessary, leave and never come back!"

"Aren't you coming with us?" the Captain asked as we ran.

"No," I said. "I have to help those other people back there."

We stopped.

"You must come with us," Captain Bates said. "You could be killed."

"Zach's right," Gotz said. "The three of us must stay."

Kai nodded as well.

"Are you crazy?" Captain Bates asked. "The people of this island have made their choice. They sold themselves to the Goddess. Now they will pay for their choice!"

"Did God not spare Nineveh?" I said. "We are the three disciples. God said that we would be the ones to save this town from the Goddess. That means that His will is not to just save those who will come with us. It is to strike down the evil which is on this island. You must get these people to safety, both physically, and spiritually. The three of us will deal with the Right Hand!"

"Alright," Captain Bates said. "Just be careful."

"Of course," Kai said.

All three of us then shook hands with him before turning towards the town.

"Wait!" Ann said, before running to my side, and placing a hand on my shoulder. I turned and faced her.

"I must go Ann," I said. "I must face this thing."

"I don't want to lose you," Ann said, with tears in her eyes.

"You won't," I said. "Death can't stop true love. I will see you again in heaven. Don't be afraid."

I placed a hand against her cheek, and smiled. I then turned, and the three of us began walking towards the town.

"Remember," Gotz said. "Sometimes we must fight with words. Spirits are good at avoiding physical battles. And when they are in a physical battle, they may be immortal, as the Kappa was."

"Right," Kai said.

The three of us began running. We had to get there before the Right Hand did. Captain Bates drove the Joanna out far from the island, before walking out onto the deck to speak with the town's people.

"Today I will introduce you to a new friend," the Captain said. "His name is Jesus."


"Won!" I shouted, as we burst back into the town. "You must get these people away from here before it is too late!"

"Oh look who has returned," Won said as he turned towards me. "The heathen. Why should I listen to you?"

I looked behind him, and noticed that the clouds were very close now.

"Barley was loyal to the Goddess," I said. "And he perished under the Right Hand's wrath! And at the same time he was telling his daughter to stay and meet the Right Hand. The Right Hand doesn't care about any of you. He will not spare any of you."

Won drew his Katana.

"If you will not cease your lies, then I will destroy you!" Won charged.

Kai pulled out his pistol, and began firing at the Sorcerer. Bullet after Bullet connected with Won's chest, but nothing happened. I drew my sword, and caught his Katana blade against it. Won then pulled his sword back, and swung it at my side. I slid my blade to the side, catching his attack and pushing it away. I then reposted into his shoulder, cutting through cloth and flesh. Won looked at the blood pouring from his shoulder, and then his eyes were filled with a look of hate.

"Clearly you have gotten better at fighting," he said.

"With this many people trying to kill me?" I said. "Of course I have improved."

I stabbed my blade at his chest, but he parried it to the side before swinging his blade up towards my neck. I leaped backwards, and the blow fell short. Won looked up at me in anger. He had clearly expected me to be dead by now. Without a word, he sheathed his Katana, and pulled out a strange stick which appeared to be some sort of magic wand. Won then pointed it towards me.

"Die heathen!" he shouted, and a bolt of neon green fire shot straight out of it towards me.

I fell to the ground, and the blast shot over my head. Won then shot another blast at me. I rolled to the side, and it burnt the ground where I had previously been. Suddenly a roar erupted from the dark clouds, which were now above us. Won turned, and looked up.

"The Right Hand," he said. "The Right Hand!"

I leaped to my feet, and looked over at the other villagers. They appeared to be held in a trance by the cloud's above them, like the clouds were taking away there souls. Suddenly, a bolt of green lightning shot down from the clouds, and struck Won on the head. The town's people's concentration suddenly was broken, and they looked over at Won in fear. Smoke rose from his forehead, and the great Sorcerer of the Goddess fell to the ground. Several of the people took of running, in an attempt to escape the Right Hand. But it was too late. They all were destroyed by columns of green fire which shot down from the clouds, and incinerated them. Then more bolts of green light began shooting from the sky. They struck the villagers on the head, until almost all of the villagers lay on the ground. The remaining villager's screamed and ran away. More green lightning fell, but this time they landed on the ground. Then, materializing up from where the lighting landed, stood several neon green figures. They glowed and shimmered, as if made of pure energy. Each one drew a sword, and charged out into the village.

"We gotta help the villagers," I shouted. "Those things are after them."

"Right," Gotz said, holding his axe out.

"We should split up," Kai said. "That way we can fight as many of them as possible."

"Good luck," I said, and we ran off in different directions.

I was chasing one of the creatures, which was chasing after Harris. I threw my sword, and it cut right through the creature. An electric spark shot through it, and then the energy in it split apart, shooting out in different directions. Then I saw another neon green lighting figure. It leaped upon a person who I didn't know, and channeled straight into him. Once the lighting figure had disappeared, the victim fell to the ground, as if he had been struck by the green lightning. I heard a roar above me, and looked up to see a face in the clouds. It was the Right Hand.

"Right Hand!" I shouted at the face. "You fight with no honor! Come down and fight me like a man!"

"FIGHT LIKE A MAN?" a booming voice echoed out from the clouds. "I AM NO MAN! I AM A DEMON!"

"But can you defeat someone who is as powerful as you are? I think not."

"WHAT?"

"So far you you have been picking off mortals, and weaker Spirits. But have you ever fought someone who you was equally matched with you? No! So can you say that you are strong? No!"

"I AM STRONGER THAN ALL!"

"Then prove it!" I shouted. "Come down in a smaller form and face me!"

Another bolt of neon green lightning struck the ground in front of us. Then, the green energy merged with the dirt, and lifted it up to form a figure. But this was no Caenumen. It was the form the Right Hand had chosen to come in.

"I DON'T HAVE A FIRE, OR THE PEOPLE NECESSARY TO PERFORM A PROPER RITUAL OF CREATING A BODY FOR ME, BUT THIS WILL SUFFICE!"

The body was a head taller than me, and was covered in neon green reptile scales. They shone with each flash of lightning, and reflected bright light up into the air. Then, from the sky, a sword made of green energy fell. And the Right Hand expertly caught it in its hand. The figure's face was black, with green slits for eyes. It pulled back its lips, showing off its horrible green tinted teeth. Like those of a shark they were. Sharp, and deadly. I drew my sword, and pointed it towards my enemy. I then held it up in a fencing salute which I had been taught years ago, before slashing it down to my side.

"Oh yes," the Right Hand said, now speaking in its new body. "Mr. Gentleman at work I see. See how far your chivalry takes you!"

"Draw your sword and fight," I said, ignoring his mocking comments. "I don't care to listen to you speak."

I then took up a formal fencing stance, and the Right Hand mimicked this. No longer would I fight with senseless random sword fighting. That was how I had fought my former enemies. I had learned the ways of the masters, and I intended to use it. The Right Hand swung its sword at my neck. I swung my blade up to deflect the blow. Sparks of electricity and paranormal energy shot out in different directions as our blades clashed together, lighting up the darkness. I stepped forward, and the Right Hand stepped back. I then attacked towards the right side of the Right Hand's chest, but he blocked this with a fencing parry four. The Right Hand reposted, and I took a big step backwards, and kept going.

The Right Hand lunged, and I stepped back and parried his blade. I then ran forward in small fencing steps, causing the unprepared Right Hand to stumble. I extended my arm in the attack motion, and increased my speed. But the Right Hand matched this, its shining feet expertly moving as if through air. The Right Hand had mastered something which I had not. It did not shuffle its feet when it walked. I had never managed not to, causing me to advance and retreat at a slower pace. Then, out of nowhere, the Right Hand lunged. His shining blade entered and exited my shoulder quicker then I could react. I had forgotten that in real fencing you could be hurt. I cried out, and looked at my shoulder. My skin had been burned by the Right Hand's energy blade. The flesh was cut through cleanly, and blood was quickly soaking my shirt.

"Strike one for the Demon," the Right Hand chuckled. "You are a weak mortal."

I double stepped backwards, and held my sword up weakly. The Right Hand truly was an expert fencer. I was not used to this. I was used to fighting people like Won, who did not have a method to their combat. People who did not follow a certain combat skill, but had developed their own incredibly varied and unorganized fighting skills. I now realized that I had allowed Won too much power when the two of us had fought. I had allowed him to use his reckless methods against me. If I had countered with grace and technique, I could have gained the upper hand. We continued sparring, the Right Hand and I. Neither of us could gain the upper hand, for we were both masters of the art. We mostly paced back and forth, with the Right Hand occasionally cutting me. It was disheartening that the Right Hand struck me a total of six times, but I hadn't hurt him once.

"You are falling under the darkness that was created to carry away the souls of the towns people years ago. You are failing mortal. Your God has failed, and soon you will die."

The Right Hand jabbed me in my left shoulder at that exact instant, and I cried out in pain again. The Right Hand then swung the flat of his blade up into the side of my face, knocking me off balance. I quickly regained control of my footwork, and retreated backwards. The Right Hand saw my retreat as an opportunity, and recklessly charged towards me, swinging his blade around, ready to slice me up into many pieces. But in his reckless slashing, he let his guard down. I calmly extended my blade, and it went through the Right Hand's chest. The figure stopped, and dropped its sword. The sword disappeared in a flash of neon green light, and the clay body crumpled to the ground. The green scales shattered, and a mighty wind, vortex, or force shot out from the remains up into the sky.

"I WAS FOOLED!" the Right Hand cried. "YOU TRICKED ME INTO LETTING MY GUARD DOWN!"

"You let it down yourself," I said. "Accept defeat!"

"BUT YOU ONLY DEFEATED MY CLAY BODY! YOU NEVER DEFEATED ME! NOW YOU WILL FACE MY SERVANT WON!"

I then looked at the body of Won lying on the ground. Won's hand moved. Then, ever so slowly, he opened his eyes and got to his feet. He lifted his Katana up from the ground, and looked up into my eyes. His eyes held a look of evil and hate, as if his soul had been sucked away, and an evil spirit had taken its place.

"Die heathen!" he shouted, before charging with his Katana extended.

I almost lost control, as I had before when he had attacked me on the beach. But I remembered the technique which I had learned so many years ago. One of the most effective method of sword fighting. Won swung his blade at me, and I calmly moved my blade slightly to the side, holding his Katana at bay. Won clearly was not expecting this. He drew his Katana around, and slashed at my other side. I rolled my arm to the right, catching his blade again. But this time, I reposted, cutting into Won's shoulder. He cried out, and fell backwards. For the first time, he had been struck.

Won looked at his wound in amazement. He had never been beaten before. In the midst of his surprise, I drew the blade back around, and stabbed it into his stomach. Won screamed as the blade impaled him, cutting through his innards. He viciously swung his blade at me, but I ducked. He then swung it back again, and I just barely dodged out of its path. Then, with a mighty tug, I yanked my blade from his stomach, and swung it into his neck. At first he just stared back at me, dumbfounded. He did not scream, or cry out. The blade jutting out from his neck looked hideous. Blood poured in large amounts from the wound, for I had cut his jugular. The largest vein in the body. What could be said about me? I stood their in horror as I realized what I had done. For the first time, I had taken the life from a man. I had destroyed his future, and sent his soul flying away. And where would his soul go after all this? Certainly not to heaven. When Won's amazement left him, his eyes rolled back, and he stumbled backwards. Then, he tumbled to the ground, and did not move again. The last remaining bonds which held his soul to his body had been viciously severed in a bloody and grotesque fashion. And what was left for his broken spirit? A tear slid down my cheek. I had deposited demons for a while, but I had never once actually killed a human. All this time I had fought many, sent many spirits to the Lake of Fire, but for the first time I had sent a human to the lake. Not purposefully, mind you, but the end result was this.

'Do not think this way,' I heard the voice of God speak to me. 'He chose his path, and therefore he chose his downfall. He was trying to kill you, and you had no choice but to kill him.'

The tears continued to pour.

"Bless you God," I whispered through my tears. "Bless you father."

I looked up into the sky, up at the dark face of the Right Hand.

"Won has fallen!" I shouted. "Your servant has failed. But now I will fight with YOU!"

The face glared down upon me.

"YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT ME!"

"God will defeat you!"

The face growled, and then turned its attention to the Library, which stood right next to where I was. Then, the face of the Right Hand dissipated into neon green smoke. The smoke forged itself together until it formed a streak of light. The light shot down like lightning, striking the roof of the Library. But then, instead of drawing back, it channeled straight into the building.

"Come out and face me Right Hand!" I shouted. "You can't hide forever!"

"UNTIL YOU FIND ME I CONSIDER MYSELF THE VICTOR!" the Right Hand roared from inside the house.

I slowly opened the door to the Library, and stepped inside. It was dark, for the lights in the house had died after the Right Hand had shot inside the building. I fumbled around, searching for a light switch. When I found one, the lights wouldn't turn on. "Just great," I said, turning to face the darkened room before me. The tall book shelfs loomed before me. It would be impossible to find the Right Hand in this place. Where was he hiding? I took a step forward. Silence surrounded me, causing a shiver to run down my spine. I drew my sword, and continued walking forward. As I walked, I looked into the corridors between the book shelfs which I passed by. I searched the darkness for any trace of my enemy. But I saw none, so I kept walking. But as I walked, I felt a dark presence behind me. Fear gripped my heart, and I did not want to turn around and face whatever was behind me. But I had no choice. I spun around, holding my sword outward. Nothing. Then I saw one of the books move further into the shelf. I pulled the book out from the shelf, and examined it closely. Nothing appeared to be wrong with it, but appearances can be deceiving. I placed it back on the shelf, turned around, and continued. Suddenly I noticed that in front of me, the books on the walls had begun to lift off of the shelves, and float across the room through the air. Fear gripped my heart, and I stopped dead in my tracks.


On the Joanna, Ann sat brooding. Just a minute ago everyone on the boat had joined hands and prayed for salvation. Now, not one person on the boat was a non-Christian. But Ann was worried about what was happening on Mineral Island. She was worried about what was happening to Zach. She smiled when she thought of her boyfriend. He was so brave and courageous, always there to help her in times of trouble. The true Knight in Shining armor. He had truly emotionally swept her off of her feet. Now Ann was waiting for him to physically sweep her off of her feet. She remembered that when he had fallen unconscious she had told him that she loved him. Was it true? Or had she just said that because he was dying? Ann shook her head, and banished all thoughts of this. But a new thought entered her mind. What if something bad was happening to Zach on the shore. What is he was in trouble, and she was not there to help him? Zach had always protected her, for that was what he thought was his responsibility as the male in there relationship. But wasn't it Ann's duty as well to protect the one she loved?

"God," Ann silently prayed. "What should I do? Zach told us all to stay on the boat until all of this is over, but now I fear for his safety. What should I do? In Jesus name, Amen."

Ann continued brooding until the pressure of her burdens weighed down upon her, and she fell asleep. As she slept she began to dream. In her dream Ann saw Zach lying on the ground. His body was covered in wounds, and tears poured from his eyes.

'This fight will require Zach to put in all of himself.'

"Who are you?"

'You know me quite well my daughter. I am God.'

"God? Really? Have you come to answer my prayer?"

'Yes, sweetheart. Zach is in trouble. Go to him. Comfort him. Help him. He will need you now more than ever before. My child, you must help him as he's helped you.'

"Thank you Father," Ann said.

The dream faded away in black mist, and Ann awoke on the hard wooden floor of the Joanna. Ann stood up, and looked out towards Mineral Island. She knew what she had to do. But she stopped to write a letter to her father. She then found him, sleeping in the cabin, and placed the note next to him. Ann then walked out onto the deck, and dove into the cold waves of the ocean.


The angelic reinforcements cut through the demonic ranks quickly, avenging the Angels who had already fallen. But the demons fought back, and their was more of them than Angels. Julius fought hard against his enemies, cutting through every demon that approached him. But then he caught the eye of one demon which stood staring at him from afar.

"Darkfor."

'Yes it is me.' Julius looked at the dark spirit which stood before him.

"You look different than when I last saw you. As I recall you used to have prey."

'Curse my prey! Curse everyone!'

"Exorcised were you?" Julius said. "Just be glad that you weren't cast into Hell."

'I left before they could send me.' Julius drew his sword. 'You are a disgrace to all demons everywhere. You returned to the light. How dare you!'

"Draw your weapons and fight me!" Julius said. "We shall see who is the stronger. May the Spirit who follows the true master win."

'Soon you will rot in Hell, unable to rise up to the sky again.'

"Soon I will be with the Father again," Julius said, before swinging his sword at his enemy.

Darkfor extended his claw, and caught Julius' blade against it. No, demons did not wield swords. Once they fell from grace, they were unable to wield the Glory of God. Instead they were forced to use the energy of Satan, forging it in their flesh, in their claws. And they used it.