Chapter VI
~The Beginning~

Jake knew that he was doomed. There was no hope of him ever being forgiven for what he had done. He searched his soul and found only blackness. The only thing he was at was killing. Even when he was saving people, he always killed. Mostly they had been bad people, but there had also been innocents. Young, old, men and women had all fell by his hands. His one true love had died by his hands. He was lost.

He wandered down the back alleys and through the seedy areas of the city, not caring, not seeing, not feeling. His mind was constantly at war with itself. Opposing viewpoints clashed and wrestled in an epic, neverending battle. At first he had tried to control the thoughts, but it wasn't long before he gave that up. He tried to focus on the sound his feet made as they crushed dirt and small stones beneath them as he walked. Watching the shadows cast by the lanterns hung from posts at intervals through the streets didn't help any either. The voices were more powerful than anything he could think of to take his mind off of things, and he soon gave it up entirely. His only solace to be found was in the ignorance of alcoholic bliss.

He felt himself wasting away to nothing. His body was getting leaner but more muscular. Apparently butchering people was a very workout. His hair had thinned and gone grayer than it already was, if that was even possible. The lines in his face had deepened. The children no longer came near him. Though they didn't quite run away in fear at the sight of him, Jake knew it wasn't far off. Teary eyes peeking from behind poorly hemmed dresses were a common sight for him now. Part of him was sad to see the children react this way, but another part saw the wisdom of it. He was a monster and the children were smart to hide from him. If the people were smart they would cast him from their midst before he did them all harm, but adults aren't nearly as smart as children. More educated, sure, but nowhere near as smart.

Jake awoke doubled over an abandoned cart that smelled like it had been used to carry either rotting vegetables, corpses, or perhaps both. A third smell was strong, one he had grown quite accustomed to; That of his own vomit. As he became more intoxicated the voices also seemed to lose some of their strength. They were still there, sure enough, but they lost some of their fervor. He could almost ignore them if he was drunk enough. Almost.

Stomach growling, he stumbled down an empty street towards the markets. As he got closer the smells of the various foods wafted through the air towards him. Meats and cheeses and pies mixed with ales and flatbreads and spices made his mouth water. Soon the voices were just another set in the massive din of the open courtyard. Vendors barked from their stalls, sending their voices clear across the passing hordes. Customers argued as they bartered on the cost of s. A few fist fights even broke out, but those were quickly quelled as the guards made their rounds to keep the peace amidst the chaos. Jake thought of how nicely the royal swords would look impaled in the chests of their bearers, engraved golden handles glimmering in the sun as crimson waves would flow through the lions' carefully crafted manes. He smiled a dark smile to himself and was sickened when he realized a passing girl thought he was smiling at her and was grinning back at him. So young. So innocent. It made him feel guilty, sick.

He bought a haunch of meat from a large man with a forked beard, braided and hanging as the dark hair that grew from the sides of his head was. The sun reflected brightly off the fellow's head as he turned to other customers who would bring him more business. Jake made his way through the crowds and became so lost in thought that he barely registered the growing quiet as he moved further away from the throngs of people. He thought about his past, and his present, and both of the voices in his head seemed to agree on one thing. Jensen was the cause of everything, and getting rid of him was the only way to right the wrongs in his life. His death would be Jake's only redemption.

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The peasants scurried this way and that, doing their best to avoid his glares. Every so often one would forget their place and look his way. They always looked so surprised, shocked they had forgotten to stare at their own feet, and would turn red as they shuffled off. Later in the evening they would turn white as the cobbled streets turned red. He would see to that. Jensen never forgot a face.

The boredom of his position made him want to cry sometime, if he could remember how to cry that is. How long had it been since he had last cried? A hundred years at least, that much was certain. It was probably more like three or four. Infinite power, unending life, eternal youth was all promised to him. The thing had fulfilled those promises, sure as sunshine. His youth had been limited to how young he was when transformed, the spry age of sixty-seven. Arthritis had barely bothered him and his hair hadn't even begun to fall out. Much. He had begun to get a hump in his back but that had been straightened right out. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered. For all the wistful dreaming of the young regarding eternal life he thought it was very overrated. He contented himself with imagining seeing the end of time, the end of the world, and hoping that when everything else ceased to exist then so would he.

He grabbed a haunch of meat from a golden platter to his right and tore a chunk from it, sighing deeply as he chewed. The slave who held the platter mistook his sigh for disapproval and readied himself for a blow which never came. These slaves were his own, eunuchs, trained from an early age to be subserviant in every way. He had tried using sightly young women with busty bosoms and scant clothing but grew tired of watching them die after they inadvertantly disobeyed an order or were caught in a seldom used hallway with a serving boy or cook or some such thing. cooks were so hard to come by, it seemed a waste to lose one just because the wenches couldn't control their desires. He swallowed, tore another chunk off and chewed. The bird was delicious, he would give it that. The cook was most talented and seasoned the leg perfectly, but it didn't matter. Jensen didn't taste anything anymore. The last thing he had ever really tasted was a girl a quarter century back whose skin tasted of...

A shudder ran through him as he thought of the way she had met her end and of the look on her face. For most it would be a shudder or revulsion, the memory of the blade in his hand and her entrails in her hands, but for him it was a shudder of excitement. There was something fundamentally wrong with him. This much he knew. Beyond that, however, most everything else was a mystery. How could he do the things he could? How could he control the very air around people, crushing the breath from them or sending them crashing into objects or vice versa? How could he summon the elements - fire and water - and heal his own wounds? Why was he still alive? After all this time, why had the being chosen to bestow its power upon him?

Not that he was complaining. Everything he had ever wanted was his. Anything that he could think of he could take. Nobody was able to stop him, but he knew that was not enough. He knew that as long as there were other people still drawing breath he would not be at peace. A rough laugh escaped from his lips at the thought. He didn't want peace. He wanted death and destruction, pain and suffering. He wanted to watch the world die, and himself with it. Head doctors had a word for that, but he didn't care much for what they thought. Head doctors had not been chosen by a divine power.

He took another bite from the leg, threw it to the floor and rose from his throne. It wasn't really a throne, but it wasn't far off. Detailed patterns wove their way through the forged gold frame. Dragons blew fire upon armored warriors who hid behind shields as big as they were. Arrows flew from archers towards the dragons. Villages burned as the villagers scattered, covered in flames, away from the hell unleashed upon them. It was a morbid scene, but it fit a morbid person. Where it made others cringe it made Jensen smile. Some day he wanted to have a similar scene tattood upon his body, if he was even able to be tattood. It didn't really matter. None of it mattered. As he walked down the great hall to the door he didn't look at the elaborate tapestries coating the walls, no more than he ever had, but he would have appreciated them if he had. They were just as gruesome as his thoughts.

He had tried ending his life, but it didn't work. Wounds healed near as soon as they were inflicted. Poison simply made his muscles spasm as he writhed in pain. Even beheading didn't work as he would not lose consciousness and there seemed to be a force pulling his separated pieces back together. He dreamed of being able to end it all, of finally finding peace. Those thoughts would never come to reality. He was cursed, doomed. For whatever reason he had been chosen to walk this wretched planet for all eternity. It brought him little comfort to think that even after his plans were complete, after every living thing on the planet was gone, he would continue to live on. Maybe he could just sleep then, with silence all around him. Maybe he could just let go of his thoughts and become an animal. How he hoped this was true.

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Under the camoflauge of night they moved in silence. The time for the attack was drawing near. Soon they would storm the barracks and mansions of the corrupt leaders and bring an end to their rule of terror. They would give the people control, elect leaders to carry out their will and live out their lives in a peace they all longed for. Soon their slain family and friends would be avenged. Soon they would have justice.

They quietly opened the grates - quietly as one can open giant steel meshes with massive unoiled hinges - and snuck into the sewers below. They tried not to attract any unwanted attention, using no torches above and only small ones below for fear of a passing guard questioning the flickering light emitting from the drains spread about the city. They split into their teams and headed towards their caches of weapons and armor.

Jorge had trained a small group in the use of his explosives and sent them out to their positions, ready to set charges off when the signal was given. Gerald led a larger force of men, meant to be the first wave of attack and brunt of their offensive. They would kill as many of the militia as they could before alarm was raised. While they were doing that, Daniela led a smaller force of the sneakier people around through the rear of the diplomatic residences. They were on a diplomatic mission to stealthily detach as many of the corrupt politicians' heads from their bodies as they could. She hoped they would avoid any direct conflict, not expecting any from the powdered wig wearing ponces of nobility, but she didn't want to take any chances. They would not stop until the polished floors of their lavish quarters ran red with their blood. Every last one of them would die. That was the plan, anyway.

The main force was led by Duncan and Elaina, meant as a surprise attack to hit them from behind and mop up any stragglers. They walked in silence with their troops, sneaking glances at each other and gentle touches when they were sure nobody was looking. Everyone knew they were in love, what they did behind closed doors at night, but it wouldn't do anyone any to flaunt it. Today they would need to concentrate. Everything had to go down exactly as planned or else the whole mission could be botched. Once the fighting began they would no longer be lovers, soul mates, they would be soldiers.

Duncan reached the grate they would emerge from and looked out, grasping one of the bars with his right hand. Elaina moved next to him and held the bar with her left hand below his right, gently stroking his fingers with her thumb as she nervously waited. While she was anxious and jittery he was as calm and peaceful as a pond on a windless day. Battle was what he had been preparing for, been waiting for, been born for. Every fiber of his being waited to react to the flowing dance of death. He felt like a tiger calmly stalking its prey through the tall grass, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. He didn't have to wait long.

A soft clanging echoed through the streets. To the normal person it would perhaps sound like a pot full of soup falling to the ground, but Duncan recognized it for what it was. It was the sound plate mail made when its wearer fell to the ground. The attack had begun. A gentle rumble spread through the streets. Crashes of splintering wood were heard as steel rang against steel. A single white flare shot into the air and then all hell broke loose.

Pillars of flame erupted into the sky, for a few brief moments turning night to day. Crumbled stone and twisted steel flew through the air, crashing against the rooftops and streets, bouncing and rolling in dramatic clouds of dust and smoke until they came to rest. There was chaos everywhere. Everything was going exactly according to plan. Duncan smiled at Elaina and she smiled back and him. They drew each other closer, hugging, momentarily forgetting to hold up the facade in front of their companions, and drew their swords, rushing into the sea of guards flowing into the open square. Few could see, even fewer had weapons drawn, and almost none of them expected an attack.

One guard noticed the pair emerging from the grate and thought it very *** indeed. Why anyone would be running out of the sewers was beyond him. Well, he could understand wanting to run out of them, what with the stench and all, but couldn't fathom a reason to go in there in the first place. Before he could think further on the subject at least a dozen other men and women began emerging, all holding weapons of some sort in their hands. For a brief moment he was too shocked by the sight to do anything but stare at it with mouth agape, and by the time he thought to turn and point this out to others a hand was being clapped over his mouth and a blade was being drawn across his throat. As he fell to the cobbled stone, debris and dust all around him, his vision began to dim and he faintly wished he had taken the day off and gone out into the country as he had planned to do the previous evening.

The guards were dispatched with equal ease. Most of the armor and weapons they had scavenged were older military issue gear and as such drew very little attention amidst the din of the explosions and crashing stone. Some of the soldiers even turned to ask questions of the citizens before they were run through. Within minutes every guard was dead and there had not been one casualty of the resistance. There hadn't even been a single injury. Iron clad arms were thrust into the air and cheers of celebration erupted throughout the crowd. Duncan and Elaine embraced, kissing more deeply and passionately than ever before. There were hoots and whistles from those who noticed, and the same feeling of joy was shared by all. In a moment that joy was shattered.

A deafening roar ripped through the city, making the previous clamor sound a quiet winter night. The ground itself rumbled with the cry and after a short silence it rumbled again, and again. The roar was heard again, followed by a tremendous crash and blood curdling screams from the distance. One moment the sky lit up with a flare of fire and the next the air crackled with the tingle of electricity. Screams sounded out and just as quickly were silenced. Duncan and Elaina ran, their troops following in tow.

The streets were a blur as Duncan raced down alleyways and through squares, turning this way and that through the maze of the city's inner sanctum. Statues of frightening beauty lined the paths, fountains spurted water that was muddied by the thick dust in the air. Torches shone with a radiant aura that nearly sparkled, but Jake saw none of it. He had one thought in his mind, and one thought alone; To discover the source of the sound.

Rounding a corner he was greeted by a sight that made him question whether he was awake or asleep. Immediately before him stood throngs of his own people, cowering and trying to scatter as best they could. They seemed to run into each other more often than not, and their panic showed clearly on their faces. In the distance he saw the reason for this panic. Reaching down with a tremendous clawed hand an enormous furred creature scooped up a half dozen people and, leaning its head back, tossed them through the air and into its mouth. As it chewed blood ran down its chin and limbs fell from its lips. It crouched, leaned towards the people and let loose another roar, a mixture of blood and saliva flowing in tendrils from between its razor sharp fangs.

Duncan turned to run away, hoping to lead his people to safety, but it was too late. The entrances had been barred, the gates lowered and archers placed on the walls above. As he turned back to the creature he saw people trying to stab its feet with their blades, but this didn't seem to hurt it so much as annoy it and they were quickly and easily smashed between its toes. It was over. They had lost. He watched in a daze as the people lay their weapons down and fell to their knees, fingers interlaced behind their heads. He followed suit and waited in defeated agony until a pair of gauntleted hands wrestled his arms behind his back and bound them with a coarse rope.

He looked over at Elaina, stared into her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks and mouthed the words "I love you." moments before a black hood was roughly pulled down over his head.

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We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

Well, chapter seven has been finished. It's a bit shorter than this one was, but it covers everything I thought it should.

As things are getting closer to the end they're starting to wrap up. Old concepts and story are coming back around, setting the stage for the finale. I'm hoping everything goes well for them, as even though I know where the characters are going, how they get there sometimes surprises even me.

Same old routine, I'm going to let it sit for a couple of days and then go over, fix things, add stuff, get rid of stuff, etc. Thursday night I'm going to be out of town until the 26th so I hope to have it fixed and posted by then.

For anyone just getting into the story now and not feeling like going through old posts to figure out what to read, send me a message or an email and I'll send you a text file with the latest edition.

Speaking of which I'm going to sit down with some notes my sister did for me (thanks sis!) and fix some of the wording in the first book.

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We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

Chapter VII
~Loss~

The child's limp body hung lifelessly in his grip. Her blood ran down his arms and dripped into the puddles forming at his feet, a silvery glint shining from a sea of red. A crimson tinge began to seep into her golden hair. Her eyes fluttered and then went still, half closed and staring at nothing. Tears streamed down Jake's face as he tried to come to grips with what he had done. It was all a blur, but little by little he began to piece it together.

The day had started just as any other day had for him. He awoke in a puddle of his own vomit, stumbled to his feet and walked down the familiar streets in a daze until reaching one of his favorite pubs and walking inside. The bartender was afraid of him, but was too frightened to show it. He served Jake the drink he had asked for, and took a sudden interest in making sure the other patrons had everything they needed. Jake didn't mind, however. He was used to it by now.

He spent hours drinking in silence, not bothering anyone and not being bothered. A few newcomers thought of striking up a conversation but one look at his face changed their minds for them. His hair was longer now, haggard. It flowed, unwashed, down over his shoulders and though it was thinned it maintained a certain body to it. Aside from the layers of dirt, the smell of filth and the crazy gleam in his eyes one could have mistaken him for royalty of sorts. Perhaps that was what was so dangerous about him. People knew that he was trouble, but couldn't resist being near him. His mere presence changed people.

The day passed and patrons came and left. The shifts changed and a new bartender came, this one a lovely young woman with curled red hair held back with a golden ribbon. She wore a light tan dress with a ruffled white undershirt which, due to the size of her chest, appeared to be at least three sizes too small. Not that the barflies minded in the least. The old men ordered drink after drink if only to get a closer look at her bosom. She didn't mind any either though, as all they did was stare and fill her purse with tips.

She knew Jake, had seen him around the city before. She had worked in several different pubs and knew him to frequent them all. Part of her felt sorry for him, another worried, but no part of her was afraid of him. There was darkness inside him, this she knew, but the light she could feel coming from him was greater than anything else. Deep in the very core of her being she knew him to be a man, and so she served him happily, not faking a smile as the others did but showing him her true self.

During a lull in the night she stood behind the bar cleaning a glass with the rag she kept tucked in her belt as the patrons drank their mugs of ale, idly chatting, and she watched him with interest. Suddenly he stood, quickly downed the rest of his ale, set the mug on the table with a slam and walked drunkenly out through the door. The sound calling their attention, all conversation died down as the whole of the room watched him go. Moments after he was gone talk struck up again. She drew in a deep breath, let out a little sigh as she shook her head, and picked up a new mug to wipe clean.

Jake stumbled out into the darkness. He vaguely acknowledged that he had forgotten to pay for his drinks, but nobody would give him trouble about it. For one, they were afraid of him, and regardless of that he always paid his debts. As he moved in his zig zagged, jaunted path down the streets his thoughts wandered. The voices went on with their bickering, but he blocked them out best he could. Turning down a dark alley he stepped over a beggar who was sleeping soundly, propped up against a fallen stack of crates. The beggar snored softly and stirred, mumbling something that Jake couldn't make out, and then came to rest again.

Passing through the darkness in a drunken haze Jake barely felt the tension on the leather straps attaching his purse to his belt as the thief cut them and turned to run. Even as drunk as he was, his instincts took over. Turning around with lightning speed, Jake grasped the man's arms with his rough hands and turned him to look into his eyes. The so called man was little more than a boy, maybe eighteen if a day more, and most certainly would not live to see his next birthday. Jake shook the child, grabbed his purse back, grunted a stern warning involving a slow and painful death and released the boy, who turned and fled from sight fast as his feet would carry him, eyes wide with fright.

Jake was pleased and disgusted with himself, all at the same time. He tied small knots in the leather straps, strong enough to hold it securely but small enough to pass through the slits in the pouch so that he could still open it easily. He turned and continued down the alley, loosening the strap holding his knife in its sheathe. Through the muddy streets he walked, trudging ever onward like a weary soldier through the fields of battle. His heart weighed heavily on him, thoughts of all of his past misdeeds passing through his mind.

The more he thought the angrier he got, feeling his face heat and his fists clench. Most of the people he had killed were deserving of death, but of some he was not as sure. It had been so easy to take their lives. A quick thrust, a sudden twist, a little push and the light had been snuffed out of their eyes forever. Even his one true love had, in the end, been as frail as a paper doll. He replayed her final moments over and over again in his mind, his hand on his blade, the shock on her face, the look in her eyes as she faded away. Sorrow and anger overtook him.

A tug on his purse brought his thoughts crashing back to reality and he swirled, his blade in his hand quicker than he could think to pull it free, and thrust his arm forward. For a moment he saw his love, Susan's eyes wide and her jaw slack as deja vu overtook him. He was killing her all over again, and would keep killing her as long as he walked Eden. But her face changed and he saw it was not Susan but a young girl, no more than seven or eight. She held in her hand a silver coin, roughly milled and uneven, which slipped from her grip and fell to the floor, seemingly spinning in slow motion as it fell.

"You dropped this..." she whispered as tears began streaming down her face.

Jake pulled the blade free and blood began to gush from the wound, some also gurgling out of her mouth as she tried to cry out in pain. She made sickening noises as she gasped for air but found only blood to fill her lungs. Her legs gave out on her and he caught her before she could fall to the ground. She stared up at him for a long time as her body jerked and spasmed in his arms. Then she was still and the night was silent, not a sound to be heard besides the thumping of Jake's heart in his chest.

He screamed as loud as he could and held the girl close to him, gently swaying back and forth, and he felt something inside of him break loose. He wanted to hold it back but he couldn't stop it. He let go of his control and felt a surge of love pass through him. It was warm and it was soft and it was . He felt a familiar sensation deep in his bones and he let that feeling pass through his whole body like a brilliant white light. He felt it go from his stomach down to his toes and out to the tips of his fingers. He imagined that light passing from himself to the little girl and held her more tightly to his chest.

Time stretched out and those few seconds that the feeling rippled through him felt as long as the whole of his life up until that point. And then it had passed, his world returning to normal. He slumped against the wall of a closed shop nearby and set the girl's body against his legs. To his surprise he felt her stir and he looked down to see her eyes slowly open and blink at him in amazed bewilderment. Her eyebrows lowered in confusion and she raised her arms to her stomach and stuck her fingers in the ghastly looking hole in her shirt. She gasped to find the wound there healed, aside from the blood soaking her shirt there not being any other sign of trauma. She looked up into Jake's eyes and then before he could react she jumped up and kissed him on the cheek. She knew that he had stabbed her, but also that it was an accident and further that somehow he had made her better. It had hurt something fierce, but now the pain was gone.

She stood and hopped around with the boundless energy that only a child can contain, spinning around a couple of times while doing a funny little dance before hugging Jake and running off around the corner and out of sight. She would tell her parents of the man who saved her, healed her, and would leave out the part about him hurting her in the first place. That didn't seem important to her.

As Jake rose to his feet he found himself to be free of the aches and pains which had plagued him since his time in that dark cell. The voices were not gone but the rough one sounded far away, as if trapped inside an air-tight room, and was very easy to ignore now. The other one, the one with the sweet voice, began to talk to Jake about what it was planning and for the first time Jake found himself able to listen and agree with what it was saying.

There was no other hope for him or his people. It was the only way.

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In the dream the dead walked among the living.

Rotting flesh hung from brittle bones. The tattered remains of the clothes they had worn in life somehow still clung to their ghastly forms. Flies swarmed and buzzed around the corpses as they shuffled down the streets, moaning and calling out as best they could with decaying organs and missing tongues. He was petrified by them, but the other people on the streets seemed to take no notice. They simply walked by the ghouls, some offering a friendly nod of acknowledgement before continuing on.

Duncan tried to back away as a pair of them shambled towards him, but found his back pressed against a wall even though he could have sworn there to be only open courtyard there moments before. He hunkered down and pressed his face to his knees, hoping they would make it quick and kill him with little pain. After a few moments, longer than they should have taken to reach him, he looked up again and found the things to be gone, the courtyard replaced by lush green, rolling fields that, in the distance, turned to sandy beaches and the deep blue ocean. His back was pressed against a tree with golden bark and emerald leaves which swayed gently in the calm breeze. Duncan stood looking over the fields, spotting a dark splotch far in the distance. Somehow he knew it to be Jake, the old Jake he knew and loved, and he took off running over the long grass to meet his friend once again.

He had run no more than two dozen paces when the earth beneath his feet trembled and opened up, swallowing him whole and sending him tumbling down into the dark abyss. He fell and fell and then fell some more. Only after hearing a screaming and questioning where it was coming from did he realize that it was coming from his own mouth. And yet, he knew that it was not his own. He knew it to be the screams of countless innocents. He felt in that hopeless moment of endless falling all of their despair and sorrow. He felt their pain amplified tenfold, shooting through his entire body like red hot pins and needles.

Tumbling through the darkness he caught a glimpse of light below and then a great chamber opened up around him. A thousand torches lined the paths which weaved their way through calm pools of inky blackness. In the middle of it all, directly below him, stood a great altar, a rounded marble bowl raised above the floor below. He thought he remembered seeing one like this somewhere before, perhaps in another life, but every time he tried to grasp the memory he found that it slipped away like smoke through his fingers. As he fell towards it a small purple flame began to burn in the center of the bowl, the heat from the flames making the air above shimmer and dance.

Seconds away from being dashed against the marble, the flame roared and leapt up to meet him, wrapping his entire body in a warm embrace. What he felt was like no burn he had ever experienced, and being a rather adventurous child he had felt quite a few. This flame seemed to reach inside of him, through the flesh and bone and down to the core of his being. His skin began to peel off in ribbons, exposing a brief glimpse at the meat beneath before it too was pulled away, crumbling and floating away to nothing. Soon he could see the bones beneath and found his vision to be entirely new, his eyes having been melted and stripped from his body. Then the bone cracked, split, turned to powder and swirled away into the flames.

He found that he was now a part of the flame and could feel the others that were a part of him. Some were pieces given freely by those who still lived, others taken against their will with their very lives, but it all fueled something greater. They were sustaining a great beast that was beyond his ability to comprehend. This thing was both and .

Black and White.

He awoke with a start and tried to sit up but was unable to move. He found that he was laying on a wooden table of sorts and that his arms and legs were strapped to that table, another band of thick leather wrapped tightly around his head as well. He was in a room built of mismatched stone bricks. Chains with hooks covered with rust and dried blood hung from the ceiling. Torches lined the room, streaks of black staining the walls above them from years of burning. To his right in his peripheral vision he could barely make out another table with what looked to be another person strapped to it. Blocking his view of that person's face was someone Duncan hoped never to see again. The old man pulled back his hood and smiled his smile, that sincere looking one that never quite reached his eyes.

"Ahh, morning my boy." the old man cooed, as if he was talking to a young babe he was trying to soothe before putting to a nap. "I'm so glad to see you again. I'd nearly thought you had forgotten about me and then look, here you are."

Duncan tried to talk but his throat was dry and it took several attempts to make any sound at all.

"What do you want with me?" he finally managed to croak.

"Oh I don't want anything from you. Nothing else at all. You've already done far more than I could have ever hoped for."

Duncan was groggy, confused, his head swimming, still trying to make sense of everything that had happened. He wondered the old man could mean but before he could give it any further thought he heard the sound of wood scraping on stone and his vision was nearly blocked out by a face. To his surprise and horror the old man leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead.

"Haha, lad, you've done it. You've given me my dream, and for that I'll forever be in your debt. I bet you think you've won, oh and how I hoped I could trick you. You killed my soldiers, and the most corrupt politicians, but you don't know the truth. The truth is I've played you, my boy. I've played you like a fiddle and you played oh so well. Now I will use this to return the people's faith in me. Can you hear the gossip? Their greatest hope, their savior, betraying them and leading enemy forces in dishonorable attacks against our own government officials in the dead of night. I will have my war, and you have handed it to me on a silver platter. You see, I knew you'd try to get revenge for your brother and your mother and so I fed you information. I recruited someone to follow you, get close to you, and to report back to me."

He motioned towards the other table and Duncan could now see who was strapped to it.

"Young Elaina was the perfect candidate. She was ruthless and without remorse and had nothing to lose, but there was something that I did not plan on. I did not, you see, plan on her falling in love with you. Yes, she betrayed you, but yes, she loves you. Ahhh young love. That will make this all the sweeter."

He clapped his hands together, sending the sound echoing off the walls, rubbed them together and then stood, turning Duncan's table to face the other. With a flip of his wrists and a clatter of some gears the table tilted and he could see his love. Her clothes were dirty and ripped, her face battered and bruised. Dried blood ran from the corner of her mouth. She was still unconscious and for that Duncan was thankful.

"I'm going to torture her." the old man said matter of factly, as one would announce they were going for an evening stroll. "I'm going to hurt her and make you watch it, and not because I want answers. Oh no, I already have more answers than I ever wanted. I'm going to do it because I can, and because I want to watch you suffer. And then after I torture her, I'm going to kill her, and there's nothing you can do to save her."

Duncan struggled and grunted and ground his teeth, spitting and cursing as he tried with all his strength to free himself.

"How could you, you monster." He finally blurted out, spitting at the old man again.

His angry glare was met only with coldness, almost boredom. The old man felt nothing, and in this moment betrayed those feelings that his eyes always showed but his fake smile tried to hide. And then the smile was back and it chilled Duncan more than it ever had before.

"It's easy," he chuckled "watch, I'll show you."

Like a traveling magician he waved his hand and the small dagger appeared. Duncan remembered that blade, and what had happened the last time he saw it, and tears welled up in his eyes. The old man saw those tears and smiled even wider, this time the smile reaching his eyes. With slow, methodical movements he neared Elaina and, reaching her, took her hair in his hand. With a swift tug her eyes snapped open and she cried out in pain.

"Oh , you're awake. It's so rude to sleep the day away when we have guests, don't you think?"

She looked around, blinking and trying to focus her eyes when they found Duncan. First her eyes showed relief, then concern and then fear. Duncan couldn't help showing his fear. He knew what the old man planned to do to her.

"No matter what happens, I love you." She cried out. "I will always love you."

"I have loved you since the first time I saw you," he shouted. "I will keep loving you forever!"

The old man rolled his eyes.

"Awww, how sweet. Love love blah blah blah, garbage. Now we get to the part."

He raised his arm, slowly dragging it up and down her side, leaving little scrapes along her belly and drawing tiny drops of blood in a few places. He drew out the suspense, poking and prodding and throwing Elaina off by waiting when she expected pain and poking when she thought nothing was coming. It lasted for hours, her screams and Duncan's sobs mixed with the old man's laughter. Mercifully after a couple of hours Duncan lost consciousness and faded away into pain and darkness.

He awoke in darkness, his pain his only companion. At least that's what he thought, for when he tried to move he discovered that he was not alone. By his side was something cold, soft yet firm to the touch. The moment he touched it he knew that it was his love. He tried to run his fingers through her hair but it was caked with dried blood. He went to caress her neck as he had done countless times in the early hours of the morning and found her throat to be cut. He wrapped his arms around her body and held it tightly to his chest, weeping as he refused to let her go. She couldn't be gone, she just couldn't, he told himself.

His sobs rang out so loudly and his mind was so overcome with grief that he didn't hear the commotion that was stirring up a mere stone's throw away.

---

We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

I think the next chapter is finished. Over the past week I sat down and wrote a little bit each night and thought things over a lot and it just sort of all came out.

I'll let it sit for a couple of days and then go over it with a fine tooth comb, adding in the last minute changes and corrections. Depending on what I choose to do this weekend, it should probably be up by monday.

A couple of minutes ago as I saved the file and closed the program down it hit me, and I mean really hit me, that there are only two chapters left. After over four years its actually going to be finished.

Crazy

---

We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

Chapter VIII
~A Fair Trade~

His sword cut through the guards like a hot knife through butter.

They fell to the side in heaped piles and still more kept coming. The fools. They knew they were going to die, but still kept coming anyway. Some shouted or screamed, some threw their arms up and tried to scare him, but none of them were trained soldiers. They had enough training to know how to turn a key and which end of the sword to poke people with, but beyond that there was nothing.

The mangled bodies left in his wake were gruesome and methodically sliced. Their last moments showed the skill that had slain them. Without even thinking Jake's form was perfect. Every movement, every cut, every stab met the most critical parts of their bodies. They were disabled with a single motion, wounds in their neck deep enough to sever their spinal cords. There were some that hadn't been killed instantly. He finished them off and moved on.

The change inside of him was profound. He was murdering man after man but felt no joy in it. Quite the contrary, every kill pained him deeply. He silently asked forgiveness with every blow. It hurt him to cause so much pain, but he knew that it was necessary. If there was to be any hope for his people he had to find Duncan. He was going to find Duncan, and that's all there was to it.

He let some prisoners out as he passed but others he left in their cells. Somehow he could feel the people, feel their spirit, and knew their guilt or innocence. He knew what they would do if he let them out, and a few of them disgusted him so much that he would grab a guard's key and break it off in the locks to their cells when he felt their intentions. They would never get out to hurt anyone again, ever.

For hours he searched the labyrinthine tunnels, turning this way and that when he felt it to be right. Normally he would get frustrated by searching for so long without result, but now he knew it to be what he was meant to do. Every door he passed, every prisoner he freed, was meant to be there. He was guided by a pure purpose, and could not be swayed from it.

Finally he came to the door he sought. Behind it he heard sobs of anguish and felt his friend's pain. They key to the gate was a special one, different from all the rest, but he would not let that stop him. He put his sword in its scabbard, raised his hands to the lock and closed his eyes. A brilliant white light shone in rays between his fingers.

The old beggar watched through the bars with rapt attention. He had been imprisoned for murder, and was guilty through and through. He did not believe in gods or magical powers, and up until that moment had thought there to be nothing in this world to change his mind. Up until that moment he did not believe in miracles. As he watched the frail old man slaughter his way through the guards that stood watch at the young man's cell without any visible effort and then saw the light from between his fingers he knew there to be more in this world than he had ever thought. When the old man took his hands away the door cracked and creaked, gently swinging open as he stepped inside. The beggar was so surprised that he sat down on the frigid stone floor and chuckled to himself. That must have been more than a man, he told himself. He had never seen anything like that before, and was quite sure he would never again.

Jake stepped through the door and saw his friend slumped against the floor, holding a dark shape to his chest and weeping as he rocked back and forth. Poor Duncan didn't even notice that he was there when he spoke or gently shook him, and only looked up when Jake shouted and grabbed his arms. As soon as he had his attention Jake let him go and just looked at Duncan, letting the light flow through him and out into the room. It was soothing, and soon Duncan was able to speak.

"It's all my fault, man." he sobbed. "If it wasn't for me she would be okay."

Jake drew him into his arms and held him.

"You did exactly right, son. You were tricked, but it's not too late. It's never too late."

Duncan laughed, a laugh devoid of humor.

"She's dead, man. What do you mean it's not too late? It's too late for her."

Jake smiled and gently patted him on the shoulder.

"Do you believe in me?" He asked calmly.

"You know I do, but what does that matter? She's dead!"

"Take my hand, and believe with all of your heart that she's alive and well."

Duncan found it difficult, but he put his heart into the thought that somehow she would be okay, and that Jake could do something to help her. It was impossible, but it was the only thing he had to hold on to. He took his old friend's hand and closed his eyes. A warmth began spreading through him and he felt better instantly. Somehow he did feel that everything was going to be okay. Opening his eyes he saw Jake reach down and cup Elaina's cheek in his hand. A gentle hum filled his ears, a soft glow filled the air and what he saw next took his breath away.

The air seemed to swirl around them and Duncan swore he saw tiny balls of light floating around like fireflies. They pulsated and shimmered, casting a sparkling glow that reflected on the dreary walls of the cell. They began to flutter down to Elaina's body and where they settled color seeped back into her flesh. They floated over her throat and shimmered even brighter, spinning frantically around her wound. Duncan watched as the skin started closing up, the two sides reaching across to one another with thin tendrils until they were pulled together as one. The light froze for a moment, the silence matching the stillness, and then it was sucked into her body with a thump, her normal color returning to her skin in a few seconds.

Duncan held his breath as he watched her chest gradually rise and then fall again. She drew another breath, and after a third her eyes slowly opened. They looked around the room and then found Duncan and tears welled up in them. Duncan and Elaina embraced and tears streamed down both their cheeks, neither of them having ever felt happier. When they looked over Jake sat smiling, not arrogant but genuinely happy. He was added to the hugging and in the midst of the horrors and darkness of the dungeon they started laughing. For a long moment they stayed that way and in that moment everything was as it was meant to be. In that moment they were together, old friends and new love alike.

Shouts echoing in the distance brought them back to reality. Chaos was spreading, the released prisoners getting revenge for their time of wrongful imprisonment. It wouldn't be long before the action reached them.

Jake stood and took Duncan by the hand, pulling Elaina in turn behind them. They headed through the tunnels, deeper into the dungeons, for a dozen minutes before Jake stopped and said, "This is the place."

There was nothing there, nothing to distinguish this bit of passage from the near-endless stretches around them. Rats scurried past underfoot, their tiny squeeks echoing off the black stone. For a while they all just stood there, straining their eyes to see each other in the darkness. Finally Duncan spoke and broke the silence.

"So what are we doing here, man?" He asked, "Why did we stop?"

To this Jake replied "I don't know." and said no more.

"Have you been down here before? Were you a captive down here? Do you know the way to an exit?" Elaina asked, all three questions running into one another without so much as a pause.

"I've never been down here before," Jake said, "but somehow this place feels familiar."

Duncan rolled his eyes, though neither of the others could see it in the darkness.

"Come on, let's go!" Duncan blurted out in an exasperated whisper, "We need to find a way out of here, and fast."

He began to move but Jake put his arm out and caught him at the chest, gently holding him in place.

"We are here." Jake said, and slowly reached out towards the wall with his right hand.

Without hesitation he jabbed his index finger towards a small brick set high in the wall and, in the little light their eyes were adjusting to see in, they watched in wonder as the brick was pushed in with a click and then slowly made its way back to normal. In a few seconds it was indistinguishable from the rest of the wall. A gentle rumble began to vibrate around them and the wall beside them slowly swung open with great groans and creaks. Without a pause Duncan took Elaina's hand and started through the opening door. He didn't know how Jake had known about the passage, and didn't want to know.

He looked back and saw that Jake hadn't moved an inch. He stood in the dark hallway, staring forlornly at his old friend. Duncan furrowed his brow and reached out for the old man.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

"I can't." Jake replied sadly, "I cannot go with you, son. I have to stay here and finish some old business. If I go he'll hunt us down, but if I stay he'll be content having caught me."

"You're crazy," Duncan shouted, but he knew it wasn't true even before the words had left his mouth. Something inside of him told him that this was the way things were meant to be, the only way things could be. It wasn't a choice his friend and mentor was making, it was his fate, his destiny. "You can't just leave us alone."

Jake chuckled in the darkness, the silhouette of his shoulders bouncing gently in the soft light reflecting down the tunnels. "I love you, Duncan. I love you like the son I never had. I have faith in you. Remember that, and remember that you will never be alone. I will always be with you, if ever you need guidance. You also have each other. A piece of advice that was once given to me, one that I never fully understood until recently, is to never lose faith. Never lose faith in yourself."

Jake extended his hand to shake Duncan's, but Duncan ignored it and embraced the old man. He had never admitted to himself just how much love he felt for his friend, and now that he knew the end to be near he allowed it all to come out and flow through him. He held Jake even tighter and let the tears stream down his cheeks. They both let themselves be lost in the moment and felt it stretch out to eternity. They patted each other on the back just before their embrace was broken, an unconscious gesture that they both chuckled softly about. They stared into each others' faces for a moment and then both said bye, Duncan turning away and heading through the secret passage. As the door began to rumble closed behind him Duncan turned and looked back one last time. Jake stood in the narrowing light, a small smile barely visible on his face. He raised his hand in a small wave, and then was blocked out as the door slammed shut.

Though he didn't know it at the time, Duncan would only see Jake alive once more.

~~~~~~~

Jake knew that he would only see Duncan once more in this life. He knew it and accepted it. It was part of the sacrifice he would have to make. He set off down the corridor towards the upper levels and let his mind begin to wander. He remembered all of the things that had happened to him in his long life. The ups and downs, the choices he had made but always regretted, and saw them all now to be part of the perfection of things. Every choice, every action, had led him to this point and he would have it no other way. He would finally get his revenge and set everything to rights.

Some day songs would be written about him, his name forgotten and another put in its place, and the voices who sang the words would feel their hearts lifted by the beauty of it. The people would be free from pain. They would be free from fear and suffering. They would finally be able to live their lives in peace.

Down the hallways he walked, turning when he felt like it and paying little attention to the walls around him. His focus was on what was to come. His mind was on the old man he had faced as a child, who he would face once again. The years had not aged him one bit, but Jake knew his youth to be the corrupt powers of an force that had plagued him his entire life. At every turn, every bad thing that happened to him, he could feel the hand of this malevolent force exerting its influence. His life had been ruled by that force, and now he had a chance to put an end to it once and for all.

As he walked he drew closer to the fighting, the din of the shouts and screams slowly getting louder. And then he rounded a corner and there the old man stood, arms folded across his chest, flanked on either side by his scarred underlings carrying torches and swords. A smile spread across his face and that smile did touch his eyes. Two of his underlings grabbed Jake by either arm and held him still. He didn't fight them.

"Ahh, look at you my boy," Jensen said, "My, how you've grown. I haven't seen you since you were, oh, yay high." taking his right hand out of his sleeve and holding it up against his side. Jake stared at him for a long moment and then finally spoke.

"For years I was afraid of you," he began, "but no more. To a child you are frightening, but so is the hoot of an owl in a tree. So is the creak of an old house. I know what you are now, and I know how to stop you. I've waited for this day since my childhood, and finally it has come."

Jensen laughed.

"Just a little full of yourself then, aren't you?" He cackled, "I don't think you know half so much as you think you do. You feel it inside your heart, I know you do. You feel his presence, his power. You feel him all around you, and you feel the fear these people have for him. Do you really think that you can challenge that fear? Do you really think that you can defeat a god? Your entire life is but a grain of sand in the hourglass of his life. I was here long before you were born and will still be here long after you are dead. And he," he said, pointing towards the dripping ceiling, "was here long before either of us. Do yourself a favor and just tell me what I want to know, and I will make your end quick."

This time Jake was the one to laugh.

"That is a very generous offer, but I think I have a better one. Let these people go. Leave this city and let them live their lives in peace. Go live in the woods avoiding all civilization and let this world be, and I might spare you a death you cannot begin to imagine. You may have had a long life, but you are still a coward. You are curious of the void but petrified of it as well. Leave this place free of your scheming and I will let you go as you wish. Either way I will destroy your 'god'. Once he is dead the power holding you here will be no more, and you will age like any mortal person. You will grow old and then finally, rightfully, you will die. The choice is yours, but I think I know what you're going to say."

Jensen was, for the first time in a long time, visibly flustered. His face was reddened as he stuttered the words that came out of his mouth.

"You... you dare speak to me as if I were a child?! You know nothing, fool! I was going to be lenient but now I think I'll just have to make an example of you. The people need to see that nobody goes against my will, against the will of our god, and lives to speak of it. The time for talk is over, enjoy your last night on this Eden for tomorrow you will die."

He nodded to one of the guards next to him who drew his sword from its sheath and stepped forward. Jake prepared himself for the blow and when it came there was a ringing in his ears, a bright flash of white and then darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Duncan and Elaina emerged from a crack in the wall, hidden out of sight two dozen feet in the air next to the back side of a temple. Vines covered the rock walls and gave easy footing for them as they climbed down to the ground. Duncan lowered himself onto the grass and held Elaina by her waist as he gently lowered her down next to him. They took a moment to catch their breath and held each other as they stared off into the night sky.

Light fluffy clouds rolled past the full moon as a cool breeze blew across the land. The grass below their feet rippled in waves as the trees swayed and softly moaned their peaceful melody. For the most part the city was asleep, but they both knew it to be full of life still. They would have to act fast to spread word to the people. They took each others' hands and started running through the streets.

They went inside the first pub they came to, pushing open the door, sending a breeze winding through the patrons. The pub was packed. Perfect. The barmaid stood behind the counter, her red curls falling over her tan dress and ruffled white blouse, as she cleaned a dirty glass with a rag. She eyed them suspiciously but said nothing. They were in luck when they realized that they recognized most of the people in the bar and knew them to be sympathetic to their cause.

Duncan began in the best way he thought he could, by ordering a mug of ale for himself and one for his lady.

The barmaid turned and poured two mugs from a keg and then set them down on the counter. Duncan sipped his ale and began speaking, talking in a loud whisper that sounded like he was trying to be discreet but was just loud enough to carry across the entire room. As he talked, the rest of the conversations began to die down. The barmaid was a listener. So was the rest of the pub. Before long a crowd had gathered around them and was hanging on his every word.

---

We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

Why don't you put your story on Kayssplace? A lot more people will read it there, and I'll have an easier time translating (I translate English-Japanese for the English Fiction club at my school). I'd really like to read your story without sorting through the edits and comments.

That's a really idea. I can start with the first book and fix some things up and then post it up there, as well as maybe just making a new thread for the final versions here.

Cheers =)

---

We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

Update Time. Still working on the new version of the first book. Next chapter is basically done, letting it sit again to fix things. Should be up soon. =D

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We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

As you most likely know, I highly enjoy your story! Although I haven't read the latest three chapters due to me both being quite inactive and busy, I hope to have time to read them without being interrupted by my surroundings.

With that said, I lean myself on Darkond's suggestion, Kays' has a lot more people who appreciate both fan-fiction and BnW than these boards do, so not only will you have more readers but probably someone there who can give you some constructive criticism (which should always be welcomed)

I was going to make a post when you uploaded your last chapter, but I think I remember these boards messing up that post and thus I just didn't bother trying to get things work. Works now though! Yay!

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Chapter IX
~The Gathering~

When his story was finished Duncan took the final swig of his ale, sat back on his stool and drew a deep breath.

It was one thing to have lived it, but an entirely different thing to hear it out loud. His old friend sounded like some fabled champion of ancient times, fighting to his dying breath. It sounded completely unbelievable, and Duncan hadn't embellished a single detail.

After hearing his story half the pub had cleared out within minutes, but with the amount of alcohol they had bought during the telling the barmaid didn't mind one bit. The strongbox below the counter was near overflowing with coin, and the pouch at her waist weighed heavily upon its straps.

By midday, courtesy of gossiping housewives and loud-mouthed drunkards, the story had reached the ears of every citizen in the city. Within their hearts and minds there had been planted the seeds of revolution.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While he was dragged and locked in a cell, Jake dreamt of beautiful things. He was walking down a familiar forest path hand in hand with Susan, both smiling and laughing just as they had when they were young. But he was old, as was she, and their wrinkled hands caressed each others'. They walked at a slow pace, hobbling along without a care in the world. He could remember a lifetime of memories.

They had escaped the attack on the city, run away to the countryside and lived for years without returning to a populated area. A decade later she had given birth to twins, a boy and a girl, and they had watched them both grow. They went to their daughter's wedding and Susan had cried as Jake had held back his tears. Later their son had married and their daughter had a child, a young girl that she named after her mother. When their son had a boy of his own he named him Jacob.

Something inside told him that it was a dream, but he enjoyed it while it lasted. Every moment, every memory, seemed so real that he let it soak into his soul. He let it purify his being of the anger he had held towards himself for so many years and he felt his darker side grow weak and timid.

They reached a small pond and settled themselves on a fallen log which lay at the shore. Susan removed her shoes and dangled her feet in the shimmering pool, splashing the water about with her toes. Jake put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder, both of them watching the sun set while listening to the swishing of the water, the chirping of the birds and the rustling of the wind through the trees.

When he awoke he was standing, legs clasped in iron rings that were attached straight to the wall and arms locked in ones attached to chains that hung from the ceiling. He should have felt hopelessness seep into him. He should have been frightened, but he wasn't afraid at all. Part of it was the feeling of his dream that still filled his mind, but another bigger part was his knowledge of what those chains meant. He was giving up his own freedom to let others gain theirs. He was making the ultimate sacrifice; His life for the lives of thousands.

For a few hours he was alone with his thoughts and spent most of that time meditating, allowing his mind to go where it willed. Without him noticing, the door to his cell opened and Jensen stepped through, an entourage of guards following in tow. They carried a series of steel chains and loops that looked to weigh a ton. Jensen smiled and Jake smiled right back.

"Well," Jensen cackled, " to see your spirits are up. I wouldn't want you to think about making a big scene before we kill you. We wouldn't want that, oh no we wouldn't. It would be such a shame if you were to break down in tears and beg for your life before all your people."

Jake chuckled and nodded his head towards the mass of chains.

"I care not for your witless banter," he snapped, "do what you will and have it be done with already. I grow tired of hearing your voice."

Jensen looked over at one of the guards and the guard nodded his head, letting the chains fall to the floor with a deafening racket as he made his way over to where Jake was shackled. He drew his sword and held it to Jake's throat, but got no reaction at all. Another guard pulled a key from his pocket and two others began dragging the steel links over to their captive. The guard with the key unlocked the rings around his arms and had his sword drawn and at the ready before they could even hit the ground. Jake made no attempt to escape. He simply lowered his arms and rubbed his wrists, stretching out his aching shoulders as best he could. The rings around his ankles were released and he bent to rub the bruises that had begun appearing down there.

When he was satisfied with his level of discomfort, much to Jensen's surprise, he put his feet together and held out his arms, wrists together, ready to be bound. Jensen blinked twice, paused for a moment, and then laughed under his breath.

"Fool."

With little effort and no fuss in the whatsoever the two rings were attached to his ankles, two more to his wrists, and a larger one secured snugly around his neck. The thick chains were strung between smaller holes set within the rings. When it was all done and over with his ankles were bound to each other, the same as his wrists, which were both bound to each other and his neck. He was forced to bend over a little bit because, no matter how strong he was, the chains were very heavy and he was still an old man. Also he wanted his captors to underestimate him and thought the people would react better to the sight of him bent and withered. It would make the whole day that much more dramatic. He smiled and a gauntleted fist struck him across the jaw, splitting his lip and sending a stream of blood dripping down his face. Jensen laughed and clapped his hands together like a child at the ampitheater.

They shoved Jake roughly into the center of the room and then held their swords against his back, forcing him to hobble across the cell on his own. He knew it was part of their plan to weaken him before his execution, to make him appear as helpless as possible as his life was snuffed out in front of everyone. He hobbled along through the dank, dark halls for hours and, surprisingly, the most difficult thing for him was keeping the smile that he felt in his heart from showing on his face. More wounds on his face would work well to further his cause, but he really didn't feel like losing any more blood right now and his head was still aching a little bit from the last blow he'd received. No, he would trudge on to meet his fate with the light within as his constant companion.

Far in the distance at the end of the tunnel before him he saw a faint light that grew steadily brighter as he got closer. A gentle rumble began to echo down the hallway. His legs had begun to ache but with every step he felt the chains around him grow lighter and lighter. It wouldn't be long now. It was almost over.

They reached the opening which turned out to be a small window set in a sturdy oak door, and when one of the guards threw the door open Jake was nearly blinded by the brilliance of the sun. They walked up a narrow staircase and emerged into the courtyard atop a marble structure surrounded by a sea of people. In the center of the structure there stood a large altar above which stood a plinth spouting red fire towards the heavens. A group of sparrows flew overhead and chirped merrily as they floated on the breeze. A murmur spread through the crowd.

Jake was brought before the altar and one of the guards kicked him in the back of his leg, sending a splintering pain shooting through him as the weight of the chains came crashing down on his knees. Once the initial pain had passed he found this new position to be quite soothing, much better than shuffling down the corridors. Jensen stepped out in front of Jake and raised his arms, silencing the thousands present with one single motion of his wrist. He grinned his wicked grin as they anxiously awaited his words. He cleared his throat and began.

"Hello my friends," he shouted amiably enough, "it is to see you all in health. This man who kneels before you has been convicted of a most heinous crime. He has plotted, along with certain other parties who have recently escaped custody, thanks to this old man here, to overthrow the leadership we have set up here and establish his own twisted rule. You see, he does not believe in our god. He does not believe in the divine power and holy retribution that has protected us for so many years. He does not believe what he sees with his own eyes. The very creature who prowls outside the city walls was once a normal beast from the wild, but with his power our god made the beast grow. He made it grow until it towered above the city walls."

As if on cue the massive creature stepped over a set of buildings, moving so lightly as to barely make a sound. Jake was quite surprised that the beast could be very stealthy when it wanted to. One wouldn't guess that something so gigantic could move silently. Jensen waved his arms flamboyantly, trying to look dramatic but appearing more of a fool to Jake, and continued on with his speech.

"This creature has protected our lives more times than you can know, and lives only to serve us. Behold as I demonstrate. Creature, we need food!"

Jensen's arms shot into the air, flailing wildly, and the creature made a grunting noise, crossing its arms across its chest before raising them to the sky. From mid air, directly before the altar, began pouring a great wealth of grain. It was the finest grain the people had ever seen, seeming to sparkle in the afternoon sun, and those close enough began taking handfuls and sampling it for themselves. Jensen smiled and continued.

"The beast can also conjure fire and lightning, and has done so against our enemies many times in battle. It proves the existence of our god, and shows both his loving and malevolent nature. Our god has done nothing but provide for us, and this fool," he exclaimed, thrusting a finger accusingly at Jake, "has tried again and again to destroy the peace that has been afforded to us. For this, and so much more, he is to be executed. In accordance with the law of the land he will be allowed to say a few last words." He turned to Jake and, flicking his eyes over his left shoulder, motioned towards the crowd. "Make it brief, I have things to do today."

There were some cries of treason from the crowd, a few boos and hisses, but for the most part the people kept silent. They had all heard the stories of his deeds, of the things he was said to be capable of doing, and those who did not believe the stories voiced their skepticism the loudest. Jake was not given a helping hand but instead was forced to rise on his own. After much struggling and wobbling he finally stood upright and took a few steps towards the crowd. As he stopped he straightened his back, no longer appearing as a weak old man to the crowd but instead as some ruler of old, unjustly accused and standing trial for crimes he did not commit. The chains seemed weightless on his body. He looked to the sky and began to speak, softly and sadly, his face matching his tone.

"This man is a liar, and worse a fool. Your god doesn't care for you, he feeds off of your fears. He makes you suffer to make himself stronger. Tell me, when was the last time you were truly happy. When was the last time you felt safe and secure? Have you ever felt safe and secure living here? How many times have you been forced to worship all hours of the night? How many times have you watched your friends drop dead next to you, and then been forced to sacrifice their bodies in the name of your god's love? Do you really believe a word that has come out of his mouth? Have you really been blinded so much to believe that this is freedom? This is not freedom. You are slaves and you don't even know it. Rise up against their lies and corruption. You need a real leader, one of your own who understands your needs and desires."

A hush had fallen over the crowd. He stood for a few moments and looked out over them. A small child who had not been paying attention to a single word Jake had said, but instead had been drawing shapes in the dirt with a stick, realized it was very quiet all of the sudden and looked up. To him Jake looked pretty cool for an old guy, and he wondered why the old man in the robes was being so mean to him. He thought the old man in the robes was a bit of a jerk. He shook his head and went back to drawing in the dirt. Jake began talking again, this time pointing out to the crowd.

"Duncan, my boy," he began, "these people will need a leader once I am gone. You are more capable than I ever hoped possible, so it will be up to you to lead them to salvation. It will be up to you to lead them..." but he was cut short with a choking yelp as the chains attached to the ring around his neck were suddenly yanked and he toppled over backwards. His head hit the marble floor and stars danced before his vision as he was dragged across the platform towards the altar.

"Touching, to be sure," Jensen shouted, "however false and misleading it might have been. I will definately miss you, old friend, but your time has come. Make peace with whatever gods you might believe in and prepare to meet them in the clearing. -bye, Jacob."

Two guards held his chains tight while a third who wore a black hood pulled over his face, showing his rotting teeth in a hideous grin below the tattered edge of the hood, slowly walked towards them tightly holding a polished steel blade that glinted in the sun. The blade was at least three feet long and one and a half feet wide, completely straight on the edge with a sharp angle leading for about a half foot to the tip of the blade. He carried it on his shoulder and thumbed the hilt excitedly as he licked his lips and plodded over to the old man held captive on the floor.

He reached Jake and stopped, standing towering above him, blocking out the sun and creating a halo of light around his head, making him look to Jake as if he were some twisted angel of death come to take him away from this world. His muscles bulged as he grasped the sword's hilt with both hands and hefted it from his shoulder. He lifted it into the air and for a long moment time almost seemed to freeze.

A small drop of saliva dripped from the executioner's hideous grin. A stiff breeze blew through the trees and across the crowd. A collective shiver ran through those gathered. Some women closed their eyes and turned their heads away. Some sheltered their children from the sight by tightly pressing their faces to their dresses, pants and robes. Some of the children tried to peek out while others welcomed the protective sanctuary their mothers had afforded them. A pained look of shock and fascination was plastered on every face. Tears streamed down some cheeks as many women wailed.

The muscles in the executioner's arms bulged and he let out a small grunt of effort. The massive sword was hefted through the air and picked up speed. Jake watched as the blade whistled softly and began its rapid descent in a path straight towards his neck. His last mortal thoughts were of Susan's beautiful face and the way her hair flowed over her shoulders when she smiled at him.

A deafening crack thundered through the courtyard.

---

We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

I've finished the end, and I'm letting it sit for a little before fixing it up / posting it.

My sister is going through the first book and giving input on the latest draft. With her help, and the input from here, I'm halfway done with revising the first book. As soon as that's done I'm going to post it up here and up on Kayssplace too.

This definately feels strange. I think I'm going to have to go back to my Fable fanfic and finish that after revising this story. It's just strange not being in the process of writing something.

---

We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

Chapter X
~The End~

The executioner had his eyes squeezed shut with the effort he put into the blow, his mouth contorted into a twisted grin. For a moment his feet left the ground as the blade met solid resistance. The entire crowd shut their eyes in the moment of impact. Only one person had left their eyes open. Jensen stood dumbfounded with eyes wide and mouth agape. He heard a single word come out of his own mouth.

"Impossible..."

The executioner opened his eyes and the twisted grin on his face slowly melted into a confused frown. As the people opened their eyes little by little a murmur spread through the crowd. Gasps and cries of shock were heard all around. Jake smiled.

The blade had stopped a full inch above his neck and it hovered there, stuck as solidly as if it had been buried deep into a mighty tree trunk. The executioner tried to move it but even his strongest pulling would not budge it. Nothing had stopped it, nothing was holding it, the blade just wouldn't move. He tried to pull it free again but nothing happened. When that didn't work he waited a few seconds and tried to pull it free a third time and still nothing happened.

Jake lifted a finger and the blade shook, shuddered and went spiraling off through the air, burying itself nearly to the hilt in the stone plinth. With another small gesture the guards holding his chains went flying, flipping through the air like rag dolls before landing, conveniently, in a wagon of hay. Jake bent his neck slightly to look at the executioner who raised his hands innocently next to his head and said, "I don't want no trouble, buddy. I didn't sign up for this." and then he took off running through the crowd who stood shocked, unable to comprehend what they were seeing.

Jake slowly pulled himself up into a sitting position and then stood with an effortless ease that looked impossible. He stretched out his arms and flexed his muscles, tilted his head back and exhaled loudly. Cracks began to spider through the rings and chains, a dull light seeping through in rays. He lowered his head sharply and the chains exploded, shards of metal flying through the air and disintegrating before they could land.

An astonished hush spread through the crowd. Jake stood staring off into the distance, fists clenched and chin held high. For one long moment the only sounds to be heard were those of the wind, now gently blowing Jake's hair behind him, and his heavy panting, and then a thunderous roar of cheers and applause came from the people. Fists were thrust into the air, people jumped and clapped each other on the back, tears streamed down cheeks and the flame atop the plinth sputtered and dwindled.

A murderous scream broke through the jovial mood.

Jensen cried out, pulled his robes from his body and threw them into the air. He took two steps forward, threw his arms forward and cried out in effort. The air shimmered in front of him and was pushed towards Jake. It moved with unbelievable force and speed but right before it reached Jake it seemed to split and continue on past him. Dust from the ground was pushed up and blown through the air, leaving a cone untouched around and behind Jake. He raised his head slightly and glared at Jensen from beneath lowered brows. A smirk spread across his lips and a strand of his white hair fell before his eyes. With a flick of his neck it was thrown from his face. He motioned towards the old man and spoke.

"We're on even ground, my friend," he said with heavy sarcasm, "and now the tables have turned. You're on the way out, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Give up now and I might let you live."

Jensen shrieked again and thrust his hands towards Jake, accomplishing nothing more than throwing a little more dust into the air. He tried a third time and when he realized he could not hurt Jake he turned his hands to the crowd with a sneer. He flicked his wrists and a shock wave passed through a group of those gathered, knocking some over and throwing others off into the air to land on even more innocent people. Jake's eyes went wide and he thrust his own arms forward, the impact of the air against Jensen echoing through the courtyard. He was knocked off the altar and thrown through the air where he smacked into a wall, cracking his head and slumping to the ground. With his last breath before blacking out he said, "Creature, kill them all." and then his chin fell to his chest and he was still.

A roar came from the giant creature as it bent over and towered above the people. It raised its hands and great balls of fire flew from them, swirling and spinning as they fell towards the crowd. A cackle thundered through the courtyard that sent shivers down Jake's spine. It was a sound he knew well; a sound that had haunted his dreams for years. It was the sound of hatred, pure and simple. Jake acted without thinking.

He held his hands out and focused his energy and hoped that it would be enough. The liquid fire made its way downwards towards people who fell to their knees and cried out for a savior, or even just stood and stared. A mere dozen feet before it hit them, close enough to singe quite a few people's hair, it bounced off to an empty corner of the courtyard where it rolled across a row of trees, setting them all alight before rolling away to nothing. The air shimmered in a rainbow colored dome and then appeared normal. The cackle came again and the flame atop the plinth sputtered and spat out a shower of embers. They swirled into the air and began to congeal into a mass. The people watched as the mass spun around and began to take shape, so engrossed in what they were seeing that they didn't even notice a second volley of fire flying through the air and rebounding harmlessly against the stone walls. Jake didn't bother looking. He knew what he would see if he did.

The voice cackled and the face looked out over its minions. The flame dwindled a little more and the face cried out in pain. Its features contorted in rage and it spun around a few times before facing the crowd again.

"You fools!" it shouted, "I cannot be destroyed. I will not be destroyed. I refuse to be sent to the void. I will leave this land and destroy you all before I let you be the end of me. Say -bye, and please enjoy these last few moments of pain and suffering before you die."

It cackled and spun around again, sending the orbs or light flying off in every direction. Another volley of fireballs bounced off the shield and set more fires alight. The orbs of light wove their way through the flames, swishing through the smoke and embers as they made their way to a far corner of the courtyard. They spun around for a short while and then smashed into the ground, creating a small point of light that shone up through the tiles. A stream of smoke seeped out of the ground and began to spin, creating a vortex that slowly grew bigger and bigger. Bits and pieces of the ground fell away and were sucked into the hole, slowly fading away to nothing as they fell further into the abyss. The cackling came again.

Jake's concentration was momentarily diverted and more fireballs hit the shield, this time a little seeping through a far corner, spilling molten flame onto the people who cowered there. They tried to run in every direction at once, eventually just standing in place and screaming as loudly as they could. The people closest to them shied away, trying to ignore the smell of burning flesh. Jake cried out and acted on instinct. He put all of his love, all of his positive feelings towards the people, focused into a single point and allowed it to blossom from there. It spread out a little at the bottom and then shot straight up, arcing its way down around the injured. From nowhere and everywhere a beautiful chord was strummed, and the people were healed. The only person more surprised than those being healed was Jake himself. The god was even more surprised, and exactly equally angry as Jake was pleased.

"Eeeeee!"

The voice cried out in pain and the flame sputtered even lower, barely even visible now. The red balls of light broke apart and made a beeline for the expanding vortex but it was too late. The people's belief in Jake's love for them had exceeded their fear in the god and it watched in horror as this reality began to fade away and the void seeped in. The flame went out and a small puff of smoke wafted up from the now still altar. It cursed and spat and promised retribution that would never come but in a matter of moments it knew only darkness. There was no space, no sound, nobody to hear its cries even if it could make them, and it would spend all eternity in that darkness. Cold. Lonely. Eternal. Darkness.

The people watched as the face exploded and then faded away to nothing. Cheers of joy rang out as they danced and held each other. The god was dead. But now the creature, confused and alone, attacked with a newfound rage. It roared and beat on its chest, stomping its feet and crushing a few small buildings in the process. It began running through the courtyard, stomping on groups of people as it cried out in distress. Jake watched the surreal scene unfold before him as if he was seeing it all through another pair of eyes.

Off in the corner flames crackled in the blackening limbs of a charred tree. A branch broke off and fell to the ground, sending soot and embers flying up. The creature stomped his way through the crowd, with each step flattening more people with sickening squishes. The vortex grew larger, sucking large stones, blocks and splintered planks of wood from the destroyed buildings into it. It ripped a green tree from the ground, clumps of dirt and mud clinging to its roots as it whirled through the air, making its way around to the widening hole. A young man tried to run past the far edges of the vortex to get away from the creature and was pulled off his feet, spun around head over heels as he floated in the air and was pulled into the nexus. Screams and cries for help rang out as more people were smashed or pulled from their feet towards the unknown. A small child sat in the midst of all this chaos drawing shapes in the dirt with a stick. Suddenly the child looked around at what was going on around him, looked up at Jake, smiled, waved and then went back to drawing in the dirt.

Jake knew what he had to do. He focused his energy on a larger group of the slain and watched in awe as the light arced and blossomed, the same chord ringing out as the bodies were illuminated from within in a glorious shade of gold. Mangled limbs were miraculously mended and gaping wounds were closed. The healed were at first too shocked to move but in a few seconds stood up with a look of total relief on their faces. Jake moved on to heal a second group, but as the light blossomed over those he knew it would not be enough. The creature was rampaging, causing casualties faster than he could hope to right them, and he was getting tired. The fires were spreading and the vortex was growing larger. He felt the change within him - he had felt it the moment he had stopped the executioner's sword - but he knew that to save his people he would have to make the change complete.

His eyes frantically searched the crowd and finally found what they were looking for. Duncan was holding Elaina, cradling her head against his chest as his shirt was stained with her tears, and staring at Jake. The old man smiled and held his hands over his heart. Duncan looked puzzled. Jake took two steps back and Duncan understood. Jake took another step back and raised his hands to his lips. Duncan shook his head in disbelief and tried to shout something that was lost in the din of the crowd. Jake took another step back and blew a kiss to the young man he thought of as his son. He saw a single tear roll down Duncan's face as Elaina looked up and Duncan struggled to make his way through the crowd. Those in the crowd not in immediate mortal peril looked up towards the old man. Jake slid himself backwards up onto the lip of the altar and stood. Duncan was running now, pushing people out of his way as he shouted for Jake to stop. Jake took one last look at his friend, mouthed the words "I love you," and "Thank you," and took a step backwards. With a flash and a whoosh he was gone.

Purple flames leapt into the air from atop the plinth. They burned higher and brighter than any the people had ever seen. There was a booming shout that echoed across the city and the creature stopped in its tracks, one foot held up in mid-stride, squashed body parts falling from it as it trembled slightly. It turned to look towards the altar and rocked violently back and forth as if being slapped. After a moment it looked into the air sadly, hunched its shoulders, put its hands to its eyes and whimpered. It wiped its nose with the back of its hand and then took off, bounding over the wall and running through the city, its sobbing trailing behind it.

A cackle rang out and the people froze in place. It was almost exactly the same as the one belonging to the now-dead god. Almost, but not quite the same. From the flames shot a mass of light crimson orbs which congealed into a new face. Once it had gained form it laughed again.

"Ha, fools!" it shouted, "I am free! Finally free to wreak havoc after all this time. You had almost destroyed me, but now you are too late. You will never stop me. Ah ha ha ha!" it laughed maniacally as the orbs broke apart and shot through the air straight towards the vortex, which had now grown large enough to suck several small buildings into it along with a dozen trees and two dozen or so people. The orbs were sucked into the maelstrom and swirled their way down, the insane cackling slowly fading away until the last orb was pulled into nothing and it died out entirely. The flame atop the plinth now burned a cool blue, soothing to the sight and calming to the soul. The vortex began to close upon itself, the ground that had been tore up being replace from within. After a matter of seconds the only evidence that it had ever existed, aside from the destruction wreaked around it, was a slightly discolored scar in the ground. The people stood and stared in shocked disbelief.

The chord rang out and more mortally wounded arose, unharmed save rips, tears and blood stains in their clothes. Clear blue skies began to rain specifically over the burning areas and the fires were quickly doused. The charred remains of the trees were uprooted and flew through the air, breaking apart into planks and magically mending the destroyed buildings. People were shaken, pale faced and bleary eyed as they tried to make sense of it all. Duncan stood, Elaina holding her face to his chest as she wept, and stared at the altar. He couldn't believe that Jake had really done it. He couldn't believe that Jake was really gone. After their time together he thought the old man would be around to see his children grow up, but now he would never see anything else. He had sacrificed everything to save them, and it had worked. Duncan wiped a tear from his cheek, sniffled back the wetness and chuckled softly. Elaina looked up at him but that little laugh was all he could do to keep from crying. He looked into her eyes for a long moment, held her tightly against him and turned back to the altar. He smiled and said "-bye my friend, and thank you."

A booming but gentle and kind voice replied "You're welcome."

Everybody froze in place, most caught in the middle of an action. The blue flame gently billowed orbs into the air which slowly formed another face. It smiled at Duncan as is floated over the people, looking off to the side as it healed more people or put out more fires. A dozen feet or so away from Duncan it stopped and hovered in mid air, about eight feet off the ground. It spoke softly.

"Duncan, my boy, thank you for everything. You have given me the greatest gift of all, what I never hoped to have again. You have given me your love. You have given me a family. I will always remember you, and I will always be in your debt." He paused for a while and then frowned a little. "I have to go soon, and I don't know where I'm going or how I'm going to get there, but I have to stop him. He is my other half, that I have lived with my entire life, and I have seen what he is capable of. If I don't stop him..." He trailed off.

"I know," Duncan whispered sadly, "but I am going to miss you. I've thought of you as a father, man, and, well, I love you. I don't know if I can do it without you."

The god Jake laughed.

"Ahhh Duncan, you have grown so much. Over the last couple years you have grown into a man and have seized your destiny. These people know you. They are your people now, as you are one of them. They will follow you as you usher in a new era of peace an prosperity. Use your influence and spread freedom across the land. Whether you choose to overthrow corrupt leaders by force or to allow the impressiveness of your deeds to inspire the oppressed peoples to rise up against their captors and free themselves, it doesn't matter. I see into your heart, and your intentions are pure. I have faith in you, my son."

The people had all stopped what they were doing to watch something they had never imagined to see in their lives. A god was speaking to them, and had given unto them a savior. One of their own had risen to the level of near-immortality and would lead them to salvation. One of their own had the belief of a god, and that in and of itself spoke volumes. Some stared in awe, some began chanting, while others broke down in tears and fell to their knees in thanks. In every person there was one common feeling. They all felt at peace. They knew that a new day had dawned, and that their lives would keep getting better from this moment forward. They watched in awe as the giant blue face turned to them and spoke.

"I must go," it began, "but know that I will always be here with you. If ever you need my wisdom all you need to do is look within yourselves and you will find me. Quiet your mind and you will hear me speaking to you. Inside all of you is a little piece of me, for you have brought me into being. Without your belief I could not exist. Feel my love and channel my love and you will be that love. Duncan will be here for a long time, I wager. He will help you all to cope. The creature, "he laughed," has had a stern talking to and a little warning and I think you'll find him to be much more receptive to your needs and desires now. It will take care of you in times of peace and protect you in times of war. There will be much of both to come, but you will never go back to the way things were. You are free now, and as free people I will leave you with one last thing before I go, one last piece of wisdom. Leaders and figureheads will always need your faith, but never lose faith in yourselves. You can do anything you put your mind to, and will accomplish anything that you believe you can. -bye my people, and never forget the love I leave you with."

The face looked skyward and began rapidly spinning around, turning to a solid blur before breaking apart and washing across the city in every direction. As it passed over the land in a shock wave everything was changed. Grass turned greener, trees swayed a little freer, the sun shone a little brighter, the birds in the trees sang a little sweeter and in the heart of every person they felt a little lighter. The orbs, once reaching the edges of their influence, shot up and folded in towards the outer walls of the city. The people watched as a beam of light shone from the green fields and as another swirling vortex began to open. The orbs began spiraling down through the vortex and a soft voice filling every ear.

"Thank you all," it said, "and -bye. I will never forget you, and I hope you never forget me." and then it was gone

---

We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.

Little update...

I haven't had time to revise the first book lately with life and all, but I'm going to try to get to it as soon as I can.

For those of you who have read the story and finished the last chapter, perhaps to be disappointed with the ending, you might be interested to find out that there is a epilogue that should provide some closure and explain things a bit.

As a matter of fact, since I actually wrote it over a month ago now and feel kinda bad for not posting it sooner, without further ado, I give you...

~Epilogue~
New Beginnings

The children sat on his knees as he bounced them playfully, the boy on his left and the girl on his right.

Ten years had passed since Jake's ascension and he had been true to his word. Upon hearing of his sacrifice and how the people had gained their freedom, other cities overthrew their corrupt leadership. A wave of peace and prosperity passed through the land. There were some who fought against the change, but those uprisings didn't last long. Word spread that the largest city in the land was populated with the best fighters Eden had ever seen, ones who lived free from oppression. There were grumbles of dissatisfaction from the more violent types, but none dared challenged The Peacekeepers, as they became known. Duncan was not only elected ruler of the city but was also thought of as the unofficial lord of the land. The people had faith in Duncan, and Duncan had faith in the people, creating a never ending circle of power that passed down to each new child born. Not since the days of Jeffrey's rule had the city been so prosperous, nor the land so happy.

After the god Jake disappeared through the portal to the unknown the people brought Jensen forth, passing him above them in a wave until he was thrown onto the platform. They held trial as he spat curses and waved his hands around, trying in vain to use powers that he no longer had. In the end he was found guilty by the people and thrown into the altar as a sacrifice, the first and only sacrifice to their new leader Duncan. It took months to rebuild the damage he had done and years to put in place a new form of government, but when the repairs were finished the city was even grander than it had ever been before.

Jake and Elaina were married shortly after he took his role as leader and they moved into the largest mansion in the city. He chose not to move into the palace and instead opened it to the public, letting them wander the halls and gardens and bask in its beauty and grace. The more depressing tapestries and murals were taken down and replaced with ones depicting scenes of triumph and redemption. Duncan never regretted choosing to live amongst the people. The moment he opened the door to the mansion and walked inside it immediately felt like home. It took them months to explore all of the rooms.

One day Duncan, quite by accident, found a secret passage that led to a massive library filled with books and scrolls by the thousands. Within the one room there was held a complete record of every single civilization in the history of the land since the first people had landed there. They would both spend the hours of the night learning more about the history of their people, written by the leaders and civilians alike. There were also countless fictions of every kind, more than any person could read in a lifetime.

Four years after the New Beginning - Years were measured thereafter as NB - Elaina became pregnant and nine months later she gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The girl they named Susan - through a happy coincidence that they would never truly appreciate, Susan was Elaina's mother's name - and the boy they named Jacob. They were happy, carefree children that loved to play, loved to laugh, and loved to love. They sat on Duncan's knees, bouncing up and down and laughing.

"Tell us about Jake again, daddy!" Susan shouted, followed immediately by a "Yeah, tell us daddy!" from Jacob.

"But I must have told you that story a hundred times by now." Duncan sighed, feigning annoyance.

"I know daddy but it's our favorite." laughed Susan.

"Oh all right, I guess I can tell you one more time," Duncan said, clearing his throat. Before he could begin the tale Jacob cut in.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah little man?"

"Where did Jake go?"

"I don't know. What do you think?"

"I don't know either."

There was a pause.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah Jakey?"

"Do you think he's okay, wherever he is?"

"Yeah I do, I do think he's okay."

"I hope he is."

"Me too, little man. Me too."

Duncan smiled at the boy and ruffled his hair, hugging him and kissing him on the top of the head. He pulled Susan close and kissed her on the head too. Elaina sat and knitted a blanket as she listened to the story again and watched the three with a smile on her face. The children settled against Duncan's chest and looked up into his face and he began the story. He told it the way he always did, changing his voice with the parts and acting out things as best he could, and he found himself wondering about his old friend. He didn't think he would ever find out what had happened to Jake, but he still thought of the old man from time to time. He wondered where Jake was now and what he was doing. He hoped that whatever he was doing, he was happy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Being pulled into the vortex was a strange sensation, not to say that being a god wasn't.

He felt himself being pulled apart, stretched thin and yet smashed into a single point all at the same time. Planets, stars and galaxies flew by as he passed through the wormhole. He saw flashes of every person he had ever met in his life, of every person they had ever met, and watched them be born and grown old, all in a single moment. He saw his half emerge from a hole, some people and trees flying from the blackness before it rumbled and closed upon itself. The god used the fear from those pulled through to sustain itself and infiltrate a city. It was a large city that he recognized all too well. He watched in amazement as flashes of events unfolded before his sight.

An old man, innocently walking down the streets in his brown robes while whistling a happy tune, was taken and infused with the godly essence and given inhuman powers. He watched as the old man went wild with power, abusing his influence and slowly steering the flow of power through the ages. None of the new leaders questioned how old he was nor how long he had been in his position as advisor because he somehow always avoided being documented in the records. For centuries he whispered opinions in the ears of the rulers, slowly building the city bigger and bigger. He watched as a tiny beast was plucked from the wilds and infused with power, quickly growing to titanic proportions. At first the beast was used to be helpful to the people, but it wasn't long before it was sent out to ravage the other settlements around the land.

In a smaller city on the other side of a mountain range he watched as a man studied the people and steered them in a direction of his choosing. Through the generations the people had a natural tendency towards amazing fighting prowess, though by nature they were a peaceful and fun-loving people. In a settlement on the edge of the mountain range, about halfway between the other two cities, a baby boy was born to a happy couple. The boy's parents were murdered before his very eyes when he was very young, and an old man took the boy's education upon himself and unofficially adopted him. From a young age he was trained in the arts of war.

Across the plains and beyond a forest was set a small farmhouse where a man and a woman lived with their young son. Jake saw the birth of a baby girl and, in amazement, watched her grow up. The son died in a tragic accident and some years later the father fell ill, passing from this world and followed shortly thereafter by his wife. He saw both the girl leave her home and the boy, besting his teacher and reaching the end of his training, being exiled to the wild. He watched as a story that was very familiar unfolded before him.

He wove in and out of a jungle of threads, like a river system of space and time. As he watched in fascination a rift opened before him and he was violently thrown through.

He emerged into the new world and was greeted by the sight of a familiar night sky above and then a city below. In the distance an army marched across the land with an eerie silence. Catapults creaked and groaned softly as the beast lumbered quietly behind them. Looking down, to his surprise, he saw a group of people dressed in white robes dancing around an altar, all of them peering up towards him with looks of supreme shock and happiness on their faces. He drifted down towards them and settled a dozen feet above their heads, allowing his form to come shimmering into the visible spectrum of the people. They clapped and danced, cheering and patting each other on the back.

"Your arrival was foretold," one shouted, "the prophecy has come true!" to which they cheered even louder.

Jake soaked in their belief in him and felt his power grow, flying across the city to test the boundaries of his influence. He discovered that it ended exactly at the city walls and allowed himself a few minutes to test out this new existence and explore the city from his new vantage point. He floated over fields of grain and saw a small house with a middle aged woman sitting on the porch out front. He went down and looked inside and saw two boys sleeping in simple beds of wood and straw. The sight warmed his heart and he drifted off across the city with an intense feeling of love.

He came across a familiar little house and felt someone inside, snoring softly as they fell asleep and began to dream restless dreams. Looking inside he saw the old man's wispy hair wave as he muttered something and turned over onto his back. Jake was startled, as was the old man, when a massive booming echoed across the city. Balls of fire rained from the sky, crashing to the ground across the city The old man jumped out of bed and hit his head on a shelf, cursing and rubbing the wound as he ran outside. The catapults had let loose a volley of boulders which had broken through the walls and a single stone had been launched over the mountains, rolling down them and adding to the chaos, smashing and settling upon a building in the process. Soldiers surged through the breaches and started killing the few people who wandered the streets. Some managed to fight back, a few killing some of the soldiers before dying themselves, but most were just killed with ease.

The old man shouted and took off running, pulling a blade from the chest of a slain civilian as he jumped over the body of a dead soldier. He cut his way through them, clearing up any stragglers as he made his way through the breach and out into the small army left outside. He killed with efficient precision and had almost defeated the entire force when the creature ran towards him and thundered to a stop. The enormous shadow fell across the old man as he looked up in stunned horror. The beast's arm raised to the side, its muscles tensed and then he backhanded the old man and sent him flying through the air towards the mountains.

Jake acted fast, testing out his godly powers and trying to use the wind itself to blow the old man into his influence. It moved him a little bit, but not nearly enough. He tried something new, forcing a surge of air to be compacted into a small orb and then throwing it out towards where he hoped the old man was going to land. The orb sucked more air into to as it sailed through the night, exploding upon impact with the ground. The old man hit the expanding sphere of air and was sent soaring over the walls and into the city. Jake grabbed him quickly and set him down on the soft grass. The old man tried to stand but his limbs were broken. He slumped onto the grass and sighed.

"Okay god, I'm ready to go. Thank you."

"Not yet, you aren't." thought Jake as he focused his love into the old man's shattered body. He watched as the wounds and broken bones were mended, the old man eventually finding the bravery to stand on his healed limbs. The old man looked up into the sky and Jake Allowed himself to shimmer into view.

The old man gasped.

"It was you I felt, you're the presence I felt!"

Jake smiled and nodded.

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July 28, 2005 - October 8, 2009
Thank you!

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We can't cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live our lives in happiness.