Death Always Wins

Death Always Wins

by Michael Shimek

In the battle of life versus death, in time, death always wins.

#

Beneath a hooded cloak of silk as dark as twilight, beneath the shadows and ebony skin, a crescent moon of white and pointed teeth glinted off the glare of the falling sun. The figure stood atop a ledge of rock above her army of thousands, a goddess towering over her faithful followers and warriors. In her right hand, a staff made of black and green stone hummed with buzzing magic. In her left hand, a glass orb no smaller than an infant's head swirled with cloudy hues of blue. The wind was still, a peace and calm before the storm. The glow of dusk depleted under the north horizon, and night would soon claim the lands.

 It was time, and Para Tristle, ruler of the undead, was more than ready.

"Sir, we have news the king hides a secret weapon." Sergus strode up to Para's side, the only individual who would dare confront the most powerful necromancer to exist within written history. The second-in-command continued. "Locked within his walls--"

"Enough, Sergus," Para said, her blazing orange eyes set on the goal ahead. "There is nothing that can stop me now. In this last stage, I will become ruler of The Three Lands, and all will bow before me, before death."

"Sir, I really think--"

Para turned toward the man. As part of the undead, the soldier's was ashen, lacking the vitality of life. Adorned in spell-infused mesh armor and wielding a sword inscribed with markings to ensure reanimation of those fatally wounded, Sergus took a step back from the sorceress. He bowed his head, nodded, and left. Para gave her attention back to where it was needed, back to that which she planned to destroy, transform, and then rule.

Beyond her stationed army stretched Throw's Valley, a wide reach of desolate desert. A line of rock, sand, and stone cut between her army and the opposing army, a living military that tripled hers. Behind the larger army sprouted an enormous swatch of greenery. The dense and thick Impossible Forest was exactly that, almost impossible to traverse; a few safe paths weaved through the woodland jungle for the ordinary traveler, but those were heavily guarded. The forest acted as a barrier, a defense of mysterious magic and dangerous creatures surrounding the walled kingdom.

Para's studded nostrils flared as she seethed. The kingdom was a lie. It offered a falsehood for all those living within. Over the walls and up the hillside, a castle of spirals and spears provided a wealthy shelter for the person responsible for clouding the minds of his citizens: Emperor Vil. With a yell and a curse, the air fizzled, and lightning blasted from the Staff of Corun. The green bolt veered off and struck a place in the forest; the trees caught fire, but the flames were soon put out by the quick overgrowth. She had meant to strike the castle, but the distance was far and anger had muddled her judgment.

It didn't matter; the moment was right. The sun was gone. The universe sparkled in the sky.

In a deep, feminine voice, Para whispered a droning chant. The end of her staff pulsated a brilliant emerald. She increased the speed. Her voice became louder and louder. The beating light mimicked the chanting and it grew in luminescence. With a final roar, she gave the orders to begin attack.

"Show the living that death comes to all!"

The staff's light exploded outward and into the sky. It grew into an aura and melted with the atmosphere. Para's undead bellowed, raised their arms and swords, and charged across the desert. Like trickling grains of sand, the warriors stormed against the enemy. The emperor's army did the same. Each side collided in a harmonious clap of thunder. Weapons slashed, shields blocked, men and women fell, and blood rained to the ground.

Para smiled with glee. From above, she watched a new history unfold, paying close attention to where her expertise was needed. Even from such a distance, she could perform her duties. As the living succumbed to her army's sigiled blades, she plucked their spirits from the realm of the dead and brought them back to their corpses. She released the souls of the undead who could no longer fight; those with wounds too great that their physicality impeded a forward motion were left alone to rot on the sand. While her army grew, the other army dwindled.

A presence hovered behind her. "Sir, the first wave is making headway. In a few hours, your troops will arrive at the edge of Impossible Forest. Everything is going according to plan."

"Thank you, Sergus. Keep on eye on things," Para said, handing the swirling orb to the second-in-command. The Sphere of Perception--a whirling orb of visions--displayed whatever the holder wished, sometimes even future events. "Make sure everything stays according to plan. I'm going to lie down for a while. Fetch me if anything unexpected arises."

"Yes, sir." Sergus pocketed the sphere under his armor and ran off toward the troops.

Para yawned. Delving into the world where death roamed free tired her energy. She walked away from the ledge and followed a small path down that led to her tent. She passed under the flaps and entered her comfortable, makeshift abode.

Several candles lit with the snap of her delicate, but strong and fierce, fingers. Shadows danced against the blood red walls. Soft rugs made from the finest fabrics covered the floor to soothe her aching feet. A bed of blankets beckoned her weary mind. Various skulls sat atop tables and hung from the ceiling; they offered easy access to her practices. Books and scrolls also littered the tables and shelves. At any second, if she so chose, any number of servants could come in and wait on her needs and wants. She ignored everything in the tent except for the bed and crashed into its comfortable embrace. The staff slipped from her fingers, and sleep invaded her brain and body before it hit the ground.

Dreams of bringing the dead back to life filled her slumber; even in rest, her work was never done.

#

"Sir? Para? The second stage will commence in less than an hour."

The good news woke Para from her nap. She sprang up from the bed, snatched her staff, and was ready to dive back into her war.

"Sergus, excellent to see you." She patted her number two on the back. "I appreciate your wakeup call. May I have the Sphere of Perception?"

The man pulled out the crystal ball of whirling blue clouds. "Sir, I feel as if we should discuss the emperor's secret weapon. I have repeatedly tried to glimpse at what these whispers and rumors are all about, and every attempt has been unsuccessful in breaching the interior of one of the rooms within the castle. With a magic powerful enough to evade the Sphere of Perception's glances, I fear whatever the emperor has in his possession could possibly be of danger."

It was definitely something to be concerned about, for nothing that Para knew of could elude the orb's view. "I will look into it, Sergus. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Now, report what you know."

"The troops have almost broken through to the forest. The emperor's army is fighting hard, but they are dying fast and quickly joining our ranks."

As Sergus talked, Para witnessed all within the blue swirls. Her army showed no mercy. A thin line of the living fought hard to keep rank, but they were either cut to ribbons or joined her army of the undead. The forest was within grasp.

"This is great, Sergus! Prepare the fire elementals. I want nothing but ash and dead roots left when they are through."

"Yes, sir. It will be done."

Sergus exited the tent. Para stashed the sphere in her cloak, stretched tense muscles, and did the same. A night of screams, wails, and war cries rang in her ears. She walked to the ledge. Fires dotted the desert, smoke drifted upward, and the smell of burning meat wafted with the cool breeze.

A smile crept along her smooth, dark skin; it was time to join the fun.

She journeyed down the mountain, through Throw's Valley and over the carnage. Those she passed saluted their commander, showing respect to the one who gave death to life, and life to death. Para strode through with a rigid sway, a flowing movement that promoted dominate elegance. People cleared a path wherever she marched. She made it to the edge of the forest just as her army was finishing off the last of Emperor Vil's soldiers. She located Sergus among a series of campfires.

"I see the elementals are ready," Para said as she approached.

"They are, sir. At your command, they will leap from their fires and devour the woods."

With a deep shriek, Para raised her staff and gave the orders. "Let it be done!"

The dancing flames twitched. Ropes of dull oranges, yellows, and reds snaked out of the coals. As thick as a person's torso, as long as the liquid serpents that slithered through Abyss Lake, the Tinefyra advanced toward the trees. Smoking lines of burnt grass and soil trailed behind. The air sizzled as they moved with grace. Usually too bright to look at with the naked eye, the undead fire creatures lacked luster, but they were just as hungry. The forest screeched while the beings from another realm feasted. Branches, vines, and leaves lashed out, but the Tinefyra scorched all.

Para walked up to the first smoking skeletal remains of a tree. She leaned in and savored the crispy flesh of leaves, bark, and wood. She located the dead energy and brought it back to the living realm. Other trees perished, and she found them one by one. With eyes closed and head bowed, she began the chant. The end of her staff became a green torch. As the chant ended, she struck the staff against the ground. The land trembled. Like cracks along glass, jade lines cut across the land and fused with the roots that dug deep. The smoldering ruins of the forest shuddered with new life, and just like that, Para had a new army of undead plant life. Blackened branches stabbed at their living counterparts, and dead roots choked the life from the breathing.

She was getting closer to her goal.

"Sergus, make sure everyone advances on the forest. With the elementals on our side, nothing will stand in our way. I want to crush the kingdom walls by sunrise. Is that understood?"

"It will be done, sir."

"Good." Razor teeth shone between her dark lips. "If you need me, I will be meandering about, joining the fun."

Sergus nodded and left. Fires crackled, and the living screamed; it was music to Para's ears. Her cloak flapped in the breeze as she strolled over to one of the roads that made its way through the forest and up to Emperor Vil's kingdom. Bodies littered the path, and burning trees lined the edges. In the glow of the burning forest, the new ruler traveled to her awaiting throne.

#

The walls were nearly in sight. Black smoke blanketed the air and sky, but the Sphere of Perception's blue billows indicated Para and her army were close. She made her way along the road, lobbing random bolts of lightning and balls of fire from her staff at anything living. Excitement grew. Amusement smeared her face.

A nearby presence scratched at her attention. Something in the throws of death clung to life in a desperate and pathetic attempt to stave off an inevitable demise. Para followed her mind and located the individual. The trunk of a scorched and fallen tree crushed a young faerie's legs. Burnt arms grasped for help. Melted wings fluttered in vain for flight. He screamed for salvation, but that screaming changed to terror when he saw the necromancer.

"Do not fear, faerie," Para said, sliding the hood from her smooth and bald head. With gold dangling from her ears and purple designs of ink tattooed on her scalp, the powerful woman was a beauty of force. "I have come to free you from this wretched life."

"Please, no! I don't want to die!"

"Your mind is misguided. Death is a natural part of every living thing, and besides, it is too late--you are dying."

"Oh, Emperor, no!"

Para spat at the faerie's broken legs. "The emperor can do nothing for you. Only death can give you immortality. Only I can offer the freedom of living forever." She bore into the Fae's eyes. "If I give you this opportunity, will you follow me? Will you stay by my side if I purge you of this pain?"

His eyes were filled with despair, but they also held an understanding of the situation. The torture was too much and he screamed, "Yes! Please, take the pain away!"

"It will be done, but remember your promise."

With a little incantation, the man's pain was gone and he was dead. The Fae were a bit harder to find in the underworld, shrouded in their own magic, but Para found him and brought him back. She set her staff on the ground, knelt down, rubbed a salve she kept in her cloak on the faerie's bare chest, and whispered one last spell. The boy gasped. As his skin and wounds healed, Para raised the fallen tree and watched the legs become whole. Raw and seared skin peeled away to a light green, the scent of rainbows wafted from flowing black hair, purple transparent wings flourished, and the undead flittered into the air.

"I'm alive!" The faerie looked at his healed body with wide and silver eyes. His young and babyish features returned. Then he frowned. "But I am dead."

"You are part of the undead," Para said, correcting him. "Do not worry, you still have your Fae magic; it's just not as strong, and I even healed you when I brought you back to this world."

"What's the catch?"

"Nothing," Para said and then added, "as long as you stick to your promise."

"What if I don't?"

"I could command you to follow my orders and worship me like a goddess, but I won't. I have faith in your agreement." Para picked up her staff and stood up.

The faerie hovered in front of the powerful sorceress. She could feel magic belonging to the Fae invade her mind and poke and prod around at her emotions. Para had every right to banish the creature from her thoughts, but she left it alone. He was harmless to her.

"Okay," the faerie said, "I'll join you. I'm Veen."

"Good. I am Para, your master, and soon-to-be new queen of The Three Lands."

"Yeah, I know who you are. Everyone knows who you are. You destroyed Galwind and Savbeth, and now you've come to destroy Zendonia. Emperor Vil has publicly condemned you and your evil practices."

Lightning crackled at the end of Para's staff in the form of anger, but she calmed her quick-tempered head. The faerie's mind was deluded, ignorant of the truth.

She set a hand on the flying creature and said, "Veen, there is much you need to learn."

The faerie shrugged it off. "I know plenty. I'm well over a hundred years old."

The anger came back, and this time a flash of electricity did explode from the staff. It struck nearby and charred soil rained down upon them. Para yelled, "You are just a blip compared to the age of this world! All you know is the reign of filth Emperor Vil has spewed and ingrained in his citizens!"

The flying Veen cringed but remained by his new master's side. "I am sorry," he said, bowing his head. "If this is the case, then I seek knowledge and ask for the truth, sir."

"Good. Now, come with me. You have potential, but there is much knowledge you need to acquire."

With that, Para had a new protégé to mold at her will.

#

The road twisted through the burning, overhanging overgrowth, leaves and limbs withering to the ground in flames and embers.

"Do you like being a necromancer?"

"Yes."

"What's with the staff?"

"The Staff of Corun--a staff forged from the hardest rock and made by the magic of dead earth elementals--guides my power to the land and my followers."

"How old are you?"

"Old enough."

"Can I look at the Sphere of Perception?"

"No."

On their way to the kingdom's walls, the faerie was nothing but curious questions--the Fae were an inquisitive bunch. She didn't mind, one can only learn by seeking out questions. It was how she had learned the truth.

"Have you always been a necromancer?"

"No, not always." They walked along the path, Veen flying every so often. The city's stone walls shone over the blazing forest; they were close, so close. "I started studying the art when I was young. When my parents sensed magic within me, they sent me off to become an apprentice. Of course, because of the emperor, most of my studies were biased. When I was stacking books as a young girl, I found an ancient scroll depicting several spells that delved into the forbidden dark magic. I was scolded and shut out from any scholarly school in The Three Lands. My studies didn't stop. I was drawn by knowledge, any knowledge; I wanted to learn it all.

"I found I wasn't alone in this quest.

"My teacher was Maron Berkwood, one of the most intelligent and capable wizards to ever exist." Para waited for the recognition in her new follower, but it never came. "He taught me much and sent me on the path to gather and learn from all over the lands. I had to hide my education in secrecy, in fear of the emperor's strict stance on the taboo subject. I once tried to approach Emperor Vil about the wonders of death, but he would have none of it. I was exiled from his kingdom, a shunned woman banished to the dead and barren wastelands of Voxtrith."

Veen's eyes broadened. "You survived the badlands of Voxtrith? No one survives the badlands of Voxtrith."

Para's smile was full of pride. "Thank you, but nothing is truly dead. You see, for in death, the energy of a living creature must reside somewhere. To rule and command this energy takes great power, and I spent almost a century mastering the mysterious black arts. It took another century to gather my army."

"You used Emperor Vil's eternal life spells."

"Yes and no. Those spells can help in the physical realm--how I healed your body, for instance--but only death offers a true type of immortality. You don't think this is my first body, do you?"

The faerie quieted, and Para left the conversation at that.

After a while of walking the road, the pair eventually emerged from the collapsing and burning forest. Dawn glowed from below the southern horizon, working its way up to replace the night. Para was right on schedule.

The wall towered before them. Colossal boulders sculpted from a magic-wielding mason's handy-work soared into the sky. A single stone outsized a normal person five-fold, and outweighed a normal person fifty-fold. Thick vines grew up the sides, and thriving moss filled the cracks. The gigantic wonder took decades to build, a true fortress of perfection.

"How will you get past the walls?" Veen asked.

"Very easily. How many men and woman do you think died putting together these stones?"

The faerie shrugged.

"Many," Para said with a smirk.

The necromancer walked up to the intimidating wall. She placed the end of the staff and her free hand on the smooth, cool surface. Souls trapped within the stones for over two hundred years screamed in agony for freedom. Para was about to make their prayers come true. Her chanting began. The Staff of Corun pulsed a meaty green. The walls shook and swayed, little bits of stone crumbling free. The magic was strong, but Para was stronger. New life was born, the slabs of stone reshaping and reforming to her will. The rearrangement brought about hulking legs to crush and mighty arms to destroy. Giants clamored for revenge, one for each soul that had perished during the emperor's demand for a fortified barrier. The mammoth creatures barreled into the city, citizens screeching for Emperor Vil and his promised safety. The ground quaked with destruction. With the walls no longer an obstacle, an army of undead men, woman, plants, and Tinefyra invaded.

"Whoa," Veen said in admiration. "Those are some vicious beasts."

Para nodded. She had wanted to free the imprisoned spirits since first passing between the walls over a hundred years back, but she had been young and unskilled in such sorcery. Now, the city would finally feel their vengeful wrath.

As the walls came to life and moved inward on the falling kingdom, Para advanced and said, "Come, our quest is not done."

Para traversed through the crumbling metropolis, the intrigued Fae always by her side. Buildings collapsed, the living burned, and blood showered the ground. The plague of death was abound, and life wailed in its throes. It didn't take long to reach the emperor's citadel; most fled from the powerful sorceress. The two merged with Sergus at the castle's gates.

She greeted her second-in-command. "Sergus! It is good to see you. The emperor's imminent defeat is near, and I was hoping you would by my side when I deliver the final blow to his reign."

The soldier's teeth brightened with eagerness. "Of course, sir. I would never miss what you have worked so hard for."

"What we have worked so hard for," Para said. "You are as much a part of this as everyone else."

"Yes, sir. Have you had any luck with the Sphere of Perception?"

"You mean with the emperor's hidden secret? None, but it doesn't matter. Whatever he has stashed away will not save him now." She turned to each of her disciples and yelled, "For death!"

Sergus and Veen followed in unison: "For death!"

The three stormed the castle. Green lightning and fire blasted forth from Para's staff, faerie magic launched from Veen's fingertips in the form of blue blasts of energy, and Sergus chopped down the enemy with his blades. They aimed for the keep, where the emperor would be holed up among the chaos. The throne room was upturned. The dining area was ransacked. Emperor Vil's army and employees were liberated and then reunited with their dead bodies. They marched through the halls until Para arrived face to face with the man himself.

Para blew open the emperor's bedroom chamber doors. With a single bolt of electricity connecting them all, she took down all eight guards with the Staff of Corun; the soldiers fell to the floor in a crisp--she didn't bother to raise them. Sergus and Veen stood by the door while Para strolled up to the fidgety emperor.

His features were that of a young man, despite the centuries his body had spent on the world. Cropped blond hair, smooth skin, a fit and toned body: an ignorant perfection. His sparkling blue eyes darted around the room. He opened his mouth to yell, but Para cut him off.

"Silence! Listen while I speak, for these are your last moments in this physical realm!

"For over two centuries you have ruled The Three Lands with biased judgment. The false hope that you instill within your citizens is a plague against what is right. You deceive people from the truth, that everything dies, and that everything must die. You help the wealthy and prestige, picking and choosing who will receive a longer and healthier life. Those who cannot pay for your rejuvenation spells are tossed aside. When they die, you keep their bodies as far away as possible so you're not reminded of the thing you fear."

The emperor's face twitched. Each of his index and middle fingers alternated tapping against his thumbs in rapid succession. He was visibly nervous.

Para raised her staff and pointed the flaming green end at the emperor's wide eyes. "Now, before you realize the true powers of death, speak your last thoughts."

The man's frightened face flipped, and a wicked smile arose on his chiseled cheeks. "Mayrim, now!"

Para sent a bolt of lightning laced with fire at the man. The emperor's death was fast, but very painful as he disintegrated to nothing but ash. Behind her, Para heard the sound of doors crashing open. A ruckus ensued, and by the time the last of Emperor Vil had melted to the ground, the fight was over. Para turned around and saw Sergus and Veen standing over a woman bleeding to death on the floor.

"This was the emperor's secret weapon," Sergus said, holding up a blowgun. He shuffled out a glistening and effervescent needle. He sniffed the poison and scrunched his face in disgust. "From the intelligence I've received, this is laced with a magic that would place its victim in a deep sleep that would last eons. Empires and cultures would come and go, stars would fizzle out and die before the sufferer awoke."

Para understood. The weapon meant to imprison her spirit and energy within a comatose body. The sweet embrace of death and all of its wonderful properties would have been ripped from her entitlement; she would have been stuck in an immovable shell. The magic was old. Similar spells existed, but nothing as old as the one before her. How the emperor had succeeded in obtaining such a rarity was beyond her understanding. She gave the former emperor one last look and spat on his ashes.

"Sergus, I thank you for--"

A stinging pierced the back of her neck. Her mind clouded, and her body swayed with a strong numbness. She reached behind and plucked out the needle her right-hand man had held in his hand seconds ago. The staff fell from her grasp, and gravity pulled her weakening body to the floor. Sergus approached and stood over her immovable body.

Confusion struck. Sergus had been Para's second-in-command for over seven decades, a loyal soldier who had immediately embraced the eternal life death had to offer. With fading strength, her dulling mouth mumbled, "Why?"

The man's pale face smiled down at her. "Do you really have to ask? I've been taking orders from you since the moment you took me away from my family. I didn't ask for death, but you killed me anyway to prove your point. I went along with it. How could I not? You seduced me with your sleek allure, and then you tricked me into becoming an abomination. It was either this, or wasting away forever in a realm where all death roams in a shrouded mist of uncertainty. You know what? Not everyone wants to live forever. Not everyone seeks an eternal existence. I wanted to grow old with my wife, watch my children have their own children. You selfishly took that away from me. My wife and children would have never taken me back like this, like a monster in this world." He knelt down close and said, "I knew a moment like this would eventually come."

Sergus stood back up, chest puffed out with pride, and said, "Now that you are taken care of, I will rule these lands. I will become emperor and--"

A sapphire ball of fire slammed into Sergus. The man screamed and sailed out of the scene. Para could no longer move, and with limited view, her closing eyes could only see the stone ceiling. Something flew by and attacked Sergus, but the poison and magic coursing through Para acted quickly and darkness enveloped her.

#

"Sir? Can you hear me? Are you awake yet?"

Para's eyes flickered open. Adrenaline rushed from a distant memory of her second-in-command's betrayal. She pushed herself into a sitting position, but her body was weak and she fell back into the soft bed that supported her. Looking around, she saw the emperor's ashes on the floor, Sergus lying still in a broken and bleeding heap, and Veen hovering over her with a boyish and excited smile.

"What happened?" Para asked through a lingering grogginess.

"Sergus attacked you. He stuck you with that needle, but do not worry. As you can see, I took care of him. I also took care of that nasty poison and magic that was running through your system."

Para flexed her hands and muscles. She tested her mind and found she could once again travel to the domain where death made its home. The Fae were powerful and mysterious, but she had never known one who could heal such magic. "You did this?" she asked with awe.

"I told you," he said with the brightest of grins, "I know plenty of things."

Para returned the smile. "I knew it was a good idea keeping you around. Come, help me up while the rest of the poison and magic drain from my body." The faerie offered his hand and pulled the necromancer from the emperor's bed. Para stretched and patted her friend on the shoulder. "I thank you for your humble generosity, but I must ask, why? Why did you help me when you could have easily become the new ruler yourself?"

Veen shrugged. "You may be scary and intimidating, but so far you've treated me like one of your own, like a friend. You've shed new light in my thinking, and I wish to learn more from you, sir." He bowed to his new master.

Para's razor teeth glinted in the light. "My friend, I will teach you anything you wish to know."

"Good," Veen said, nodding in acceptance. "Besides, I wouldn't make a good ruler."

"Even so, I see much power and intelligence in you, and you will make a perfect companion by my side."

The faerie gleamed with pride. "Thank you."

Para nodded. "Follow me, and I will show you that which you will help me rule."

They stepped over the emperor and traitor's remains and made their way to the balcony. Para threw open the doors and stepped out into her new kingdom.

Black columns of smoke billowed into the brightening sky. Her army had transformed the vibrant and green forest into blackened, charred remains. Dwindling screams sang in the air. Chaos conquered as far as the eye could see. With the start of a new day, The Three Lands received a new emperor.

Death ruled the lands.

A small chant escaped the necromancer's lips, her voice amplified and echoed for all to hear. "It is I, new ruler of all, Emperor Para! A new reign has begun! A reign of understanding! A reign of learning! A reign of death!"

Cheers erupted from below. Para extended her arms and absorbed the praise and glory. The smile on her face tore into her muscles; her time as ruler would be long and just.

Death won.

Acidic Fiction

Acidic Fiction published a short story of mine yesterday. "Yearning for Life" is a free read, so head on over to AcidicFiction.com and check it out!

In Shambles

I had two short stories published last week, and the second one happens to be in an anthology with Kevin J. Anderson (yay!). Over the weekend, Harren Press published an anthology called In Shambles, a collection of horror stories by some awesomely talented writers (a few I've already shared TOCs with in the past: Roy C. Booth, Kerry G.S. Lipp). Not only does it contain my western horror, "Lone, Night Traveler," it also has an original Dan Shambles short. I'm very excited to be included in this--Kevin J. Anderson is one of my favorite authors.

Here's a link to the ebook: http://amzn.to/1uhkIYG
Paperback coming soon!

Fictionvale

Fictionvale Magazine just published a short story of mine, "It Happens to a Lot of Zombies." There are currently 5 issues, or episodes, and all have great stories by awesome and talented writers. A great mix of fiction, so check out Fictionvale!

Episode Five: Of Magic and Mayhem is here! | Fictionvale

A Merciless God

A Merciless God

by Michael Shimek

The soil was stained with blood. The villages were nothing but ruins. There was no human left alive on the islet—there never was.

Pieter surveyed the land. Like every other massacre he had come upon, like the one of his own village, this one showed no mercy. Buzzing insects enjoying a mighty feast filled the air with an incessant drone. The stench was strong, causing him to cover his mouth and nose with a cloth. It was a sad scene, one of pain and torment. Evidence painted a bleak picture into the last few days of the island's inhabitants, and as the pieces fell together, one could only imagine what went through the monster's mind during his rampage…

#

The cramped, wooden boat rocked with the mighty ocean. The cruel mistress of the night unleashed her fury against the seas. Waves lapped against the sides, dousing an already drenched Edmund—he had a last name, but with the many identities he adorned, the real one was a long forgotten past. Hours of determined rowing eventually proved fruitful when a small, black hump rose like a pebble in the distance. That pebble grew into a rock, that rock grew into a boulder, and that boulder grew into towering, sheer cliffs that jutted from the frothy currents.

The sweet aroma of the island’s inhabitants filled Edmund’s seeking nostrils, and he smiled in delight.

Whispered between the mouths and ears of drunken fishermen, gossip about an island of savages from which no one had ever returned perked Edmund’s interest. His wandering travels had brought him far east, where the modern, European world was a far away future; it was a place he could kill without the worry of advanced Western influences hunting him down—or that pesky human he had run into a handful of times over the past decade. Many languages had passed his ears, but only a northern Vietnamese dialect had talked of such an island. It was a gamble, searching for something that might not even exist, but the prospect of such a treasure could not be turned down; with the bored state of his life, he needed something new, something fresh and exciting to fill his hungry void.

The gamble paid off.

Edmund kept his distance from the dangerous cliffs and directed his boat around the island. A beach came into view as dawn threatened to change the night sky. The rowing fastened until he was only a short distance from the sandy shore. A flash of strength from his fist punched a hole in the boat, and he let it sink as he swam the rest of the way; he wanted his arrival to come as a surprise. He made it to land, darted into the jungle, and dug furiously with his claws at the ground. The sun peeked above the horizon as the last of the dirt covered his body.

Tomorrow night he would begin his fun. Tomorrow night he would feed.

#

The island wasn’t overly large, which would take a normal man roughly two to three days to traverse around. It was lush with jungle life, high mountains peeked into the clouds, one river branched into several, and the beaches provided ample fishing for everyone. A pleasant surprise revealed two different tribes claiming ownership to the island. The Yuon, distinguished by their long and flowing black hair, took up the territory on the west and south, where the land and jungle rose high into rocky slopes. The Yeu, a smaller group with hair no longer than their ears, took up the east and north, taking hold of most of the river. It was apparent on the first night that the tribes shared the island in a separated tension.

With guards stationed and patrolling an invisible border between the tribes, Edmund kept to the shadows until the time was right. He came across an area where one tribesman from the Yuon and two from the Yeu had come a little too close. Each tribe hurled pride and insults in a language that wasn’t too hard to translate—it was mostly Vietnamese, but with elements of Chinese and a language he had never heard before mixed in. A skirmish broke out. Three spears flew through the air. Only one man was left standing, a young man from the Yeu tribe.

Edmund made his move. He slipped like a stealthy snake through the trees. The guard never had a chance. Within several seconds, the man’s throat was ripped open and the sweet taste of blood flowed down Edmund’s gullet. Energy and vitality rushed through his body as the life force drained from the tribesman. After he was dead, the body was tossed next to the others, and Edmund bellowed a roar that would be heard by every ear on the island.

Instead of staying for more food, he fled. The scene would draw a mob from both sides, and people in numbers could be dangerous to a vampire, not matter how strong he or she was. He did not want to be known, not yet; although, he was sure the bite marks and lack of blood in the one victim would attract some eyes. Everyone would know of the island’s new visitor soon enough.

#

For the next several nights, Edmund continued with his plan of staying hidden and picking off people to fulfill his thirst. It wasn’t until rumors spread between both tribes of an evil spirit plaguing the island that he decided to show himself.

First, he came to the Yeu as a god. A village of no more than a hundred people, many were camped out and praying to their own gods around large fires when he soared in from the trees—a neat trick of floating with the wind many of his kind used to instill fear into their victims. Gasps and screams erupted as he landed in front of them all, a giant and terrifying presence of utmost evil. He spoke:

“It is I, the one who has invaded your island and slain your men! Bow down and tremble before me! Worship me and make me your god!”

A man stood up in the back and charged with a spear in hand. He dove at Edmund, who blocked the weapon and snapped the man’s neck with ease. Two more men stood up, each held two spears as they yelled and charged. Edmund stared at the two and tranced them into submission. They stopped in mid charge, and with his mind, Edmund made one of the warriors spear the other through the gut and then through the chest. The one remaining had his heart ripped from his body in under a second, Edmund biting into the chunk of meat before his audience.

The Yeu tribe was his as they screamed for his mercy. He gave them none. He asked for three sacrifices on his next arrival the following night. On his way out, he beheaded the leader of the tribe with a single swipe of his deadly claws.

The Yuon tribe, a population of roughly two hundred, was a little harder to convince of his superiority. Upon his descending arrival, six men attacked Edmund. Spears were thrown, arrows were launched, and all warriors came at him with rage in their eyes. Within the span of a few seconds, he decapitated two, severed the limbs of one, tore the hearts out of two more, and then fed on the last in a fountain of blood. When all was quiet from fear, he spoke:

"How dare you attack your new god! I command a sacrifice immediately or this village will cease to exist!"

People hustled and bustled before a young girl was shoved to the front of the crowd. Edmund was pleased and drained the girl of her life, her crying ceasing forever. This tribe had a queen as its leader. He ravished her and took her as his, a slave for the god that now ruled them all. He ordered five more sacrifices the following night, or all would be destroyed.

With both tribes in the power of his hands, Edmund fled to one of his sanctuaries—it was important to have more than one refuge away from the daylight just in case. The people would stew in their newfound terror while he slept through another day.

#

The Yuon and Yeu were on the brink of war. After learning about their new god, each tribe blamed the other for the evil demon. Only one day had passed since Edmund proclaimed his supreme power and several little battles had already popped up among the villages. No one had perished, but several had been wounded.

Edmund was pleased with how events were stitching together. Through confusion and fear, chaos had erupted, and that was when people acted their worst.

The Yeu had obeyed his commands and supplied three sacrifices in an extravagant ceremony in honor and worship of their new god. People with painted bodies moved around large fires, dancing and chanting to the beat of the drums. A feast compiled with all of their finest delectables was spread around an altar. In the middle of that altar were three women bound and gagged, but dressed and painted in a lavish manner.

Edmund reveled in the party. Each woman bled throughout the few hours, and each time cheers erupted from the crowd. They had accepted him as their god.

The Yuon were a little less acceptant of the situation. They supplied their sacrifices, but it was no celebration. Five of their bravest warriors stood in front of their village, standing proud to be chosen for such an honor. Edmund could smell poison coursing through the veins of two of the men. He spat in their faces before ripping out all five throats in a single swipe. The two closest women were torn to shreds and fed upon while the others cowered. He found the newly elected leader, tore off his genitals, violently ripped off his arms and legs, and then strung him up from a tree to wail in misery as the tribe watched.

"This is what happens when you disobey your god! Defy me one more time and I will slaughter you all in a single night! I demand five more sacrifices, or the Yeu will rule this isle alone!"

By the next night, the Yuon had supplied five young women, only girls really. Edmund savored their blood and welcomed the tribe as his.

The entire island was under his control. He was their god, and he would enjoy the power until boredom set in.

#

Several weeks elapsed while Edmund played with his food. He was having fun, but he would have to hurry with his fun; Pieter—his personal predator—would be coming around soon, and he didn't want that mortal ruining his entertainment.

With both tribes worshiping him, but still in conflict with each other, the god used this to his advantage and started a war. He commanded the Yuon and the Yeu to carry out his bidding.

"Fight in my honor! Destroy the other tribe, and claim the island as your own!"

The strongest and bravest men fought to the death in a battle that was worthy in any history book. Through the thick jungle, to the sandy beaches, blood stained the ground. Some were killed, and some were injured; Edmund finished off the injured. In the end, a total of twenty-three lives were lost. Both sides were praised for their undeniable devotion, and Edmund rewarded them with only having to offer one sacrifice. As long as they obeyed him, he promised to be a just god.

He was not one to keep to his word.

The battles and sacrifices continued. Edmund grew insane with power. Soon, the population of roughly three hundred hovered around eighty. Only fifty Yuon were left compared to the thirty Yeu. It was during this low number that the god finally found problems with his livestock.

#

After fleeing to one of his shelters while drunk on his feastings, Edmund found his small cave ransacked and demolished. A vivid vision of his time in England a few years back came to mind, when that troublesome man had found his abode, searched through his belongings, and then tried to bring him to sunlight a week later. The cave well hidden and deep, and his sleeping quarters would have only been found if someone had been searching for it, like now. His people had violated his rule. Finding a vampire's lair was a danger; it meant they were looking for him, and it meant they doubted his divine power.

He would show them what it meant to defy a god. He would show them the true meaning of fear.

He quickly made heed for a different shelter and took protection from the sun. The sound of footsteps stomping above Edmund's resting area woke him the next night. The ground muffled their words, but he could hear them clear enough: they were working together, and they were searching for him.

The god showed no compassion as he exploded from the ground. The ten men were caught off guard. Edmund incapacitated them and then slowly administered his punishment. Their deaths lasted hours, their screams echoing throughout the jungle. When Edmund approached each tribe, the villagers hid in their huts. They knew they had done wrong. They knew they had unleashed his wrath. There was nothing they could do, though; they could hide all they wanted, Edmund knew they could never escape.

As much as he wanted his reign to continue, Edmund's time on the island was up. The paradise was over. Pieter would be close now. He could wait for the angered soul and finish him off once and for last, but he liked toying with the living. He would see how long the man could last.

He began his rampage by feeding on the young. The men and women could do nothing as they watched their sons and daughters perish under Edmund's sharp teeth. For the last several nights of his killing spree, he hid in a cave on one of the cliffs facing the ocean; it was a place inaccessible to any normal human. He made his remaining time last as long as possible, upset that his stint on the island was coming to an end. Twenty people were saved as a going away present for his last hurrah. He hunted them down like animals, teasing and playing with them while they ran for their lives.

The last heartbeat he sniffed down was a woman from the Yeu tribe crying in her hut. Her blood was delicious, but he didn't empty her veins. Edmund left just enough to keep her alive, to turn her into the same monster as him—a little gift for the hunter. Before she could wake up to her new form, he found a boat and left the island for good.

Edmund's time on the island had been fun. He was old, and many memories were merely unimportant or too banal to take up space in his thoughts. He would remember the island, though. He had ruled as a god before, but never had he had so much fun while doing so.

He rowed away toward the mainland. His sights were set on his next destination, and his devious mind led the way.

#

The woman screamed an animalistic rage and charged. Pieter was ready—it wasn't the first time Edmund had left a surprise. With no other human on the island to offer as food, she had been weakened and put up little fight. With a flash of his sword, the woman's head and torso were detached, and the threat was no more.

For the briefest of moments, a locked away memory of his loving wife bobbed to the surface before he plunged it back down into the icy depths of his mind.

The man sighed and re-sheathed his weapon. He was too late. He was always too late. He was too late for these villagers, he had been too late for his own village, and he had been too late for his wife and unborn child. The monster was a cunning demon and only just beyond grasp. Pieter had been close a few times in the past, but if he wanted vengeance, he would have to try something new.

Leaving the island and its dead behind, Pieter rowed his boat back toward the mainland. Determination stained his weary and worn face. One way or the other, he would exact his revenge.

END

Two Contributor Copies

I received two contributor copies this month. I am very proud to be in both of these anthologies.

Fossil Lake: An Anthology of the Aberrant is a collection of short stories with a dark bent. My story, "Eat Yourself," looks at a future where a trendy restaurant uses advanced genetics to supply a very unique dish to its A-list customers. Great stories and authors in here.

A Chimerical World: Tales of the Unseelie Court is a collection of short stories about the Fae. Not all faeries are good; some are downright evil. My story, "Gifts," combines the workings of a mystery, a faerie, and the behavior of some cats (like my own, March). I haven't read all of the stories, but from what I have read, I will love the rest.

How to Wake a Sleeping Giant

How to Wake a Sleeping Giant

by Michael Shimek

To those concerned about giants,

By no means am I a giant expert; I am merely the best at what I do. The following will help those brave enough to confront the gentle, mountainous creatures.

DISCLAIMER: There are many ways to wake a sleeping giant. This might not be the safest, but it is the fastest.

How to Wake a Sleeping Giant

Step 1: First, you need to find a giant—a task much harder than you would think. Because giants are considered a rarity, finding one can sometimes be difficult. Look for the signs. Is a loud, rumbling sound waking you and disturbing the wildlife? Are there new creeks and streams made of mucky, yucky, gooey water? Then you have a sleeping giant nearby, and most likely a drooling one (which they so often do). Track down the snoring, and follow the new waterways to find the source of your titan. For some reason, as large as they are, giants are considerably hard to see unless one is towering directly over you. Once you do find the giant, good; the hardest part is already done.

Step 2: Walk around the giant until you come across Giganticus lotus. The vibrant, white flower, almost said to be glowing, will pop up anywhere the giant touches. Nonexistent in our realm, the otherworldly herb acts as a powerful stimulant to arouse any dozing colossus. Look everywhere! They will grow on anything and everything, but only a single flower will sprout. If you cannot find the flower, wait 10-15 minutes—your giant is freshly asleep, and the mystical plant needs time to grow and blossom. Pluck the flower from whatever surface you find it on, and then crush and grind the white petals with a pinch of sugar (giants are known for their sweet tooth).

Step 3: After locating the magical behemoth and its flowering counterpart, climb aboard with your awakening powder. Usually, a giant will find rest against trees, rocks and boulders, or even sometimes a house. If you find yours in the middle of a field with nothing around, do not fret; the soft and mushy skin of a giant is very pliable and can be fashioned into steps or footholds to climb. Take hold somewhere near the head, if possible, for that is your destination.

CAUTION: Although a sleeping giant is hard to wake, they still move and shuffle about like a normal, sleeping human. Be careful! A moving hand could easily squash an unprepared person.

Step 4: Find the mouth, but make sure to keep a safe distance. Giants do not enjoy the taste of people, but accidentally falling in would still make a satisfying snack. Toss in the powder, and wait for the magic to take its effect—it will take about 15-20 seconds for any reaction. If the mouth is closed, throwing the powder up a giant's nose will suffice, but a sneezing fit might ensue (watch out for raining mucus!).

Step 5: Run! Sleeping giants are well known for their grouchy attitude after waking, flailing about like a person in need of some morning coffee. When within a safe distance, sing the tune:

Oh, Giant, do not worry.

You have only woken from a little sleep.

It was my doing, I am sorry.

You'll be back home in just a peep!

All giants (with their easily distracted minds) will automatically calm and become jolly at the sound of the song. Wave a friendly greeting, and if lucky, the giant will wave back and disappear to the mysterious realm from which they hail. If the giant doesn't immediately vanish, it means they are in a playful mood and wish to have some fun—playing with a giant could go on for hours, so be prepared.

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the process of How to Wake a Sleeping a Giant. It may take a few times to perfect the method, but in no time you will be proficient enough to wake any resting, dozing, napping, or snoozing giant.

Best of luck,

Walter, The Pixie Elf

END