Red Twilight: A Dawning Of Power

Chapter 11: The Death of a Cleric

Something is wrong, Jacob thinks as he drops his knife. My heart is pounding. I can't breathe. He looks up as he hears his friends calling him and his child cry. Everyone is fighting, as I should be. Jacob looks from side to side as he hits his knees. I hear voices, but I don't recognize them. Is it the demons that surround me? Jacob sets one hand on the ground to prop himself up.

We have won. The cleric belongs to us. The hunters are powerful as always, but we are endless, the demons taunt him in his mind. Jacob lays his other hand on the ground, and the world seems to shatter around him. The gray stage still stands, the red curtains, the cool stone floor, dozens of tables. But now he is alone aside from the sound of crows cooing overhead; the crows flutter about. The pain has stopped, along with nearly all feeling.

The giant metallic doors seem to crack open ever so slightly. The birds fly about, sending a mess of feathers into the air as a white light bathes the room. Stunned by confusion, Jacob finds his feet. He breathes heavily, moving for the open door. The light swallows him as he steps into it.

Slowly Jacob's eyes adjust to the light. A thunderous wind blows across the scorched, red earth. Flames roll off the ground carried by the hurricane-like wind. Earth and sky alike loom in a crimson light, the moon itself dark as autumn silk. Jacob shakes his head in disbelief. Faceless life-forms begin crawling from the hundreds of cars outside the bar. "No!" Jacob yells over the wind. "No! This cannot be!"

The earth seems to sit still as a new, chillingly soft voice comes to be heard. "Ooh, but it is Lances Jacob." The man with the voice of the devil steps into view. His face is like a saint compared to the demons snarling and barking around them like animals. His black robe and hair fly with the wind as a murder of crows pool together to form his body, pearl-white flesh, and flowing garments.

"Diablo?" Jacob whispers.

The mysterious man grins. "No, I am no simple legion of hell." His deep purple eyes narrow, staring into Jacob's soul grabbing at it. The dark stranger pulls his arm into his own body and a chain appears connecting Jacob's c.h.e.s.t to the stranger's hand. "Bow before me, Father," he calls, "and know that I am your lord god."

With a jerk of the chain, Jacob finds himself on all fours. Who is this man? What sort of devil is he?

"No!" Jacob yells, grabbing the chain that protrudes from his c.h.e.s.t. "I will not let this be!" Jacob finds the courage to stand defiantly. "I, Father Lances Jacob, will bow to only one God." Jacob begins a tug-of-war for his very soul against the monstrosity standing before him.

"Ambulatio lenisly etenim unis hadere minime unde domare dormire!" Jacob begins to recite prayers in Latin.

Laughing in amus.e.m.e.nt Crow calls out "now this is what I want from humanity, after all you were made in my image. Tall, Beautiful, powerful, no fear, no remorse, your every breath spits valor, rebellion your native talk!" The monstrous man echoes him in English and continues, "There is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept anything from me but thee. How then can one do this wickedness?"

Jacob begins a new line: "Esse fortis penes deus pulvis summa!"

The monster interrupts again, "Put on the whole armor of God that one may stand against the wiles of the satan the apposed."

Jacob begins, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness!"

The stranger continues," Against the spirits of wickedness on high …"

"… Wherefore I take onto me the whole armor of God, that I may withstand evil this day and having done all to stand!"

"The b.r.e.a.s.tplate of righteousness …"

"… My shield of faith!"

"Take the helmet of salvation …"

"… And I draw onto you the Sword of spirit that is the word of God!" Jacob gathers his strength, "For I am strong in the lord and the power of his might!" Jacob tugs back on the chain. When most would fall, Jacob has found once again the lunatic strength with which to do battle. "Speak your name, devil, that I may smite ye in the name of the lord!"

Though only feet away, the howling wind pulls their words away. "I know the old magic well, Father; I lived to see it written, to watch it perverted by time and r.a.p.ed by the ignorant. But I shall entertain you nonetheless." He laughs to himself. "I am the guardian of the black pantheon, keeper of the fallen gods. I am Cravixs! Or Adam Crow, if you would prefer my human name. The son of Yggdrasil gardener of Eden" Crow musters more strength with one hand than Jacob can find throughout his entire body.

"Give me back my children!" a stern, struggling Jacob growls through his teeth.

"Enough nonsense." Crow brings forth one hand as an unseen force ties Jacob's arms and legs to his c.h.e.s.t. Jacob flies into Crow, who smiles malevolently placing one hand on the mortal's face and leans in close, nearly kissing the man's flesh. "Father, there are now only two things preventing me from acquiring apostolate power in this world, and you are going to give me one of them."

"You can tear me to pieces with your unholy magic, but I'll be damned if I'm going to help you." Jacob struggles in anticipation of his death. Boldly, he spits at Crow.

"Have no fear; it's not your turn to die yet," Crow says as he drops him and sits on his c.h.e.s.t, legs straddling the man. The demon leans over him, grabbing the collar of his polo. Cravixs lays his head back then flings his head off to one side to get the hair off his face, and when he lowers it again, he bears a set of fangs. "I want the Soul Eater Charlie Belmond has, and if you can't fetch it, your lovely Ashley will." Crow smiles as he tickles the sides of Lances face. "I am a gentle god. I ask only that you worship me and I will give you riches beyond your dreams."

A look of hopelessness overtakes Jacob, but then a spark of reason comes to light.

"If you're so great, why can't you get it yourself?" Jacob taunts.

Crow grins. It seems every word that would be said, every move that would be made, has played into some larger game known only to him. "You're old, Father. You're tired, you have fought so long and hard, but if you can't serve me this one time," he sets his head on Jacob's neck and whispers to him, "after Ashley gives me Soul Eater, I will turn my magic on her to make her my youngest whore, and she will pant like a beast for me."

The feeling of hopelessness returns to Jacob as Crow lays him down. "Good God, you have no soul," Jacob says, helpless. "Do you have no shame?"

"I have many souls." Crow materializes a monster in the form of a scorpion with a humanlike face in his hand. He holds it by the tail and lowers the ghostly thing to Jacob's face, placing it upon his hairy chin. "All that I see belongs to me."

"I swear upon my last breath I will send you screaming to your masters!" Jacob yells as he struggles.

The monster bug crawls into his mouth, and he hacks and lashes in agony as it climbs deep into his body. Crow says, "I have no masters. There is only one man on Earth that can walk toe-to-toe with me, and you are not him. You see, I have turned thousands of men just like you. However strong you may be, your will simply can't defy mine. My will be done"

Jacob shakes and jumps as the evil thing latches onto his soul. Jacob's eyes widen, and his skin darkens and cracks. Crow licks Jacobs face and laughs one last time, knowing well that they will meet again, but it won't be for many years. And when they do meet, it will at last be time for him to face his twin, Sala-day-nam-O, the son of man.…