From the shards of tattered dreams I rose, unwilling, tossed upon tides of pain that ebbed and flowed and left me, sneering awake, and more revoltingly, alive. The descent had destroyed me and yet I had lived, hurtling back from the precipice of annihilation. It was there he found me:
"It is you... The one that shall restore the order. Tell me, will you serve as the shepherd of man[1] or rule as the king of hell?"
His voice seeped through his gnarled teeth like steam from the hottest geyser.
"Where am I?"
"You are in the Null, a place that borders on the world of man and the world of demons, a state of limbo if you will. Consider it…the antechamber for the damned"
"I am not damned!"
"Of course not, my liege. But you have been tasked with one final endeavor that shall determine your fate..."
The shadowy figure whirled its boney fingers around a dark mist that formed a portal of sorts through which one can see into other worlds. The images were at first dark a blurry but subtly became clear. Through the mist shone a young man; his hair as pale as the moon, his eyes as blue as the ocean. His right arm bore the Mark of the Beast[2] and in his hand was a blade. A blade forged with the ability to cut through the impenetrable darkness with the stinging shine of blinding light. Before him fell the stinking hordes of Hell's armies as the deadly katana swirled about in a dance macabre.
My heart almost burst through my chest.
"YAMATO!"
"Yes, yes...remember!"
"How long have I been in this place?"
"Time has no meaning here. Nevertheless, in the time of mortals, it has been over a decade"
"What must I do to leave this place?"
"Would it that I knew, my liege…As I said, there is still a task which you must complete. Only then will your fate be decided and your true destiny revealed to you. So I ask you again, will you serve as the Shepherd of Man[3] or rule as he King of Hell?"
Images of a broken past, and failed dreams splintered my mind. Anger, Rage, Agony, all coursed through my veins.
"Send me back!"
Woe to thee, for thine is the Kingdom!
A distinct portrait of satisfaction seemed to grow up the countenance of the shadowy figure, the pale blue eyes framing the strange, intricate symbol on his brow. Similar to what he had just done, the figure twisted its spindly fingers about, creating a whirling strand of black smoke around my body. I could feel my bones rattle as a horrid vibration shot through my arms and legs. Before I was belted into the unknown, he spoke once again.
"As you wish, Lord Vergil"
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The wind lay still. The velvet cloth of the vanilla sky lurked above the shadowy visage of an ancient city. The smell of aging marble stonework and ocean whiffed through the atmosphere. It took a moment but all my senses slowly came back to me. The mist from the sea chilled my skin and activated the rest of my nerves. I lifted my head and took a breath. It was exhilarating, like coming up for air. All these subtleties; they all felt so familiar, like from a life long since passed.....my life.....
A noise in the shadows. My ears perked up and my fist tightened. Another sharp noise, quick movements. Ambush... Instinct led me to reach for the handle of my blade. Damnit...no weapon. As I finished the thought, they came from the darkness, at least a dozen. Slimy teeth, and terrible claws accented their contorted bodies, armored with rusty chain-mail.
I backed away slowly, preparing for the skirmish, when I bumped into the smooth stone of a statue. It portrayed a demonic Knight adorned with a horned helm and decorated with gold plates. A prestigious cloak flowed down his back and raised high in his right hand was a dark blade, glinting in the light of the torches. A dark knight of pride indeed. Father....
Without thinking I leapt atop the statue and broke away the large blade. The fiends below commenced their attack, not recognizing the futility of such actions. I stole one look at the blade then looked into the eyes of my assailants with a smirk.
"It has been far too long…"
[1] Poimandres
[2] Rev. 13:17-18
[3] Anthropos QDMVN