Always our champion. He was a light in the dark. It was even said that he'd stand up to the almighty himself, if it meant protecting the ones he loved.
Memoirs of Nadir, a devotee of the way of the paladin.
...
Maribeth screamed at the dark figure again as the thick stone needle penetrated the flesh of her arm again, the black ink of her tattoo spreading further. For hours now, the greater darkness had been tattooing a hellish symbol on her while chanting in a language that defied human description.
It was a guttural horrid sound that seemed to be made more for screaming in the primal wastes, than modern America.
With each incantation, the child's cries grew softer, and screams came less often. The tears, however, they remained.
Maribeth cried as she felt her mind slowly slip away, she cried as she could no longer even scream when the pain of her body shifts continued.
'Soon..soon my pretty little betrayer. It will all be over.'
...
Chapter 15: Borderlands.
...
Scott stared in confusion at the robed figure before him and quizzically asked, "I have to do 'what' now?"
Silence sighed tiredly and gestured to him with his gloved hand. "You're on the borderlands between life and death, so far gone that no power of the earth can save you. You have to defeat death itself, and truly awaken to your inner reality before you can regain your life."
"Defeat.. death? What so we're going to fight or something..?" asked the man.
Silence shook his head. "You don't get it..and that's unfortunate."
The man who had been the only hope for nearly a dozen people since this sorrowful business had begun shook his own head in response. "Enlighten me?"
"Enlightenment must be found on one's own.. but to help you in your quest I grant you this bit of advice. You must regain what it is that you lost all those months ago.. lost when you were all alone, and had to make that choice." said brother silence, before his form began to fade along with the room itself.
"Wha.. hey! Wait!" snapped the man, instinctively knowing that this was not a good thing.
"Find what was lost..."
Scott muttered to himself as he realized that he was now alone on top of a plateau. It's view was overlooking the lake from before, with a massive throng of dark spirits standing at the docks staring his way.
"What did I loose..?" he asked himself softly.
He pondered this for a while as he replayed his life since the dead began to rise. He could not figure out what if anything he'd lost besides family, friends, a steady job. His old life in general.
"When I was crying, alone and lost..?" he asked himself curiously.
He hadn't cried since..
Scott's eyes widened a bit. "That first day.. after my neighbors tried to eat me.."
He settled on the edge of the plateau, completely unafraid of falling off. He noticed this a moment later and considered that. "I'm afraid of heights, I know I am.."
Yet, he had no fear of falling off. There was no vertigo, no sense of dread. He simply did not concern himself with it. It was like all his fear had been stripped away.
He mused aloud as this thought crossed his mind, "Maybe I lost my fear of heights since I have so many other things to be afraid of."
He considered that a moment and then frowned. "No.. I haven't really been all that afraid, since this whole mess started. Angry? Yes. Annoyed? Constantly. Afraid? No."
He 'hmmed' for a moment and wondered at what that meant. "I've been afraid right? I mean.. i'm constantly fighting.."
The more he thought about it, the more Scott came to realize the truth. He lacked the ability to fear anything anymore.
"Heh, no wonder I get my ass kicked so much." he said loudly. A healthy dose of fear might have saved him from his current fate.
He became aware then of a softly glowing light from behind him.
Scott turned towards this light, then stood up and walked in it's direction. A deep but soothing masculine voice emanated from within it's depths. "Come to me my Son, your journey is finished. There is no more need for struggle and toil."
"Who..?" he asked softly, though he felt he should know the answer.
"Come to me, my hope. Your duty has passed. The life flows from your earthly bonds, and you have no place there any longer."
Scott gazed into the light, and began to see images beyond. Beautiful images of happy children playing in a garden. So free, so happy.
The sheer joy of it made him want to be a part of that, part of those playing children.
Yet, something held him back. His head turned and he gazed across the lake and noticed the milling figures that seemed so tired and alone. "What.. about them?"
"...They can not come hope. They no longer have faith.."
"FAITH?! YOU WOULD LET THOSE POOR BASTARDS STAND THERE MISERABLE AND IN PAIN BECAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN YOU?!" he snapped angrily to that light.
The light flared brightly and Scott could feel a tremendous force pressing against him. He used every ounce of his strength to push back against this pulsing force, but still found himself being slid back.
Not knowing when to quit, and thoroughly angered to his core Scott snarled, "THEY LOVED YOU! THEY TRUSTED YOU ALL THEIR LIVES AND YOU ABANDON THEM NOW!"
"I can destroy you.. with but a thought.. hope.. do not test me.. Come home.. forget the unworthy, and find peace within me."
Scott gazed at the light, the utter peace and serenity it offered and then with a tired sigh he shook his head. "Fuck that."
The power flared again and this time he was thrown bodily backwards to roll with force to the very edge of the plateau.
He clung for dear life as the rock face itself began to give.
"You try my patience child.. You mock me. You abuse me with your words.. Would your mother care to hear you speak that way? You'd break her heart.." came the voice in a loving tone. Though the love had a definite under-current of anger.
"Would she care to hear you dismiss the ones who need you most.." said Scott as the last of his strength began to flee from his now aching body.
The power began to die down softly, a moment later the voice spoke again. "No..no she would not abandon them, and neither would her son. Hope, my beloved child. How I have missed you."
Scott stared at the light as it slowly dimmed to form first the outline of a man, and then a vague impression of one. Finally an older man with a twinkle in his eye smiled beatifically down at him.
The much younger man gazed at the older one and then snorted, "Geeze pop, always the drama queen."
The father of all creation tilted his head back and laughed heartily at his youngest child and then shook his head.
"Hope, you'll never change will you."
Scott snorted, "I'll change before you will you old goat."
...
Chloe sighed into her soup, her blonde hair slapped listlessly against her forehead. "No."
"Ahh.. c'mon baby.. you know you want it.. when's the last time you had a good fuck?" asked Anderson. He'd been given the task of guarding the kitchen ever since Chloe had put laxatives into the soup. An event which lead to a hilarious, if smelly, few hours that night.
"I said no.." sighed the girl again. What was with this idiot, anyway. He wasn't bad looking, but he smelled like a dead dog, and broke wind every five minutes.
"Leave her alone anderson, she wants me anyway." said Specialist Jenkins as he wandered into the kitchen area to check on his subordinate.
"No.." said chloe softly.
Neither man paid her any mind as they argued about who'd bang her first.
"Scott.." whimered the blonde girl softly, before she layed her head down on her arms and closed her eyes.
"Dude's probably dead you know." said anderson.
"Huh?" came her sluggish reply.
Anderson snorted and unleashed something silent but deadly before replying, "That Scott guy you all keep talking about, like he's the second coming or some shit."
"He's not dead.." muttered the girl tiredly.
Jenkins shook his head at her naievity. There's no way one man could survive several days on his own with no shelter. Not in this world. The woods were thick with wolves and zombies.
Anderson took the bait though and asked, "What's so great about him anyway?"
She shrugged and said, "He saved my life.. all our lives.. none of us would be here if he hadn't come for us."
Jenkins nodded at that. It would make sense that he'd be some kind of hero to these people if he had rescued them all.
"So him and his group came through and picked you up?" asked the private first class.
She shook her head lightly against her arms and mumbled, "No, he always came alone.. he only works alone."
That made the two soldiers blink and then stare at each other. That was something hard to believe, but who knew.
"So, he's some kind of gun slinging bad ass then?" asked Anderson.
She shook her head, "Never seen him fire a gun cept for targets."
Something about that didn't sit right with the specialist and he asked her, "So if he doesn't use guns, what does he use?"
"Whatever he can find. He tends to use his sledgehammer mostly though. It's all he ever seems to need."
The two looked at each other again, sharing an alarmed glance and a slow tingle went down Anderson's spine. They didn't like the sound of that at all. Who uses a sledgehammer when they have all those guns here.
"So, what he does all the supply runs himself too?" asked the specialist. He was curious about that seeing as the others claimed to never leave the island.
Chloe nodded softly, obviously nearly asleep. "Yeah.." she mumbled. "He doesn't want anyone to get killed.. and we'd only slow him down."
"How long is he usually gone" asked Anderson. If he came back soon, there might be issues. Anyone who travels primarily alone and doesn't use a gun could be serious trouble if he snuck in.
"A day or two, sometimes a week or so. He'll be back soon.." said the girl softly into her arms.
It was obvious she hoped the two unwelcome 'guests' would take the hint and leave.
The specialist and the private excused themselves and wandered off to brief their section chief. This would be something everyone needed to know about.
...
Well, there's the latest chapter. It's absurdly short, but I can't help that.
I don't know if i'll be able to write anything else for several months. It's a long story (my real life one that is)
But in a few months i'll be able to finish this story up for you.
I felt you all needed a taste of what's to come.
Feel free to be all, (eww HE wrote something) when you read it.