by Devin Cain
"Oh, but we have. Three in fact. They’re working on some improvements, but we can’t implement them before we get to Earth and get some specific materials."
"Doesn’t matter. But I have no idea how we’ll handle them once we’re back. I’m rather scared now that I’m not on top of my game anymore."
"I doubt you’ll have to fight, master. Just look the part and have Gremory do the talking."
"Speaking of which, where is she? I need to speak to her."
"Outside the ship, floating naked in dead space. I think she feels the need to be punished, to feel pain. You two need each other. Stop being so stubborn."
I sighed and looked down Kris’ and the doc’s bodies. They were both gorgeous and to die for, but they weren’t Gremory, neither with look or character.
"Can you ask her to meet me somewhere on the ship? Maybe on the observation deck."
"Sure," he replied and started humming for a couple of seconds. "And done. She’ll be there in twenty."
"Thanks for coming," I said, flashing her a smile. I offered her my hand, but she didn’t take it and sat opposite me. The smart cloth covering her body was fresh and tight, even a new model from what I saw. So it wasn’t that strange I couldn’t help but stare for a moment. "Very well. I’ll be very straightforward with you."
"Sure," she replied and nodded. "Luckily we have Devil to communicate through."
Her voice was laced with something I couldn’t quite place. Was she provoking me over my wounds?
"I never wanted to pull this card again, but you’re--"
"Then don’t. Who's forcing you to? If you do pull it on me, we’re done. Sure, I’ll be yours with the body, but not with the heart. Never again."
I froze, unable to come up with a good response, and she noticed it very quickly. She smirked, leaning back against the leather sofa crossing her legs.
"You know, sending those two was so beneath you, especially a drunken doc. Is that how lowly you think of me?"
She snorted and laughed out.
"Wait, you didn’t fuck either of them?"
"No."
Her smirk turned into a frown.
"Why not?"
"Why don’t you tell me?"
"Fuck your mind games!" she yelled and threw the table aside. I remained quiet as I stared into her beautiful eyes. Just then I noticed she’d painted her hair raven-black. "What the hell do you want from me, Cain? I’m broken! Can’t you see that? Why do you keep torturing us both with this ridiculous behavior of yours?"
"You know why."
I could see the rage build inside her even more as her face turned two shades darker. She summoned her sword, the one she used on Nyx during the attack weeks ago, and slashed right across my chest as she screamed, once, twice, pointed it at me and thrust it deep into my gut. Then as if free from compulsion, she let go of the weapon and fell to her knees. I could finally hear her, Gremory’s real voice. The corners of my mouth rose slightly for having her as my executioner. At least I died a happy man.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Vast, all-encompassing darkness enveloped both me and my unknown, immediate surroundings. It was cold and dry, but I could see in the darkness as if it was broad daylight. Was I in a room, and if so how the hell did I end up there?
"Lucifer?" I croaked. "Where are you? What the hell have you done to me?" But there came no reply. Was I even at the bar?
I kept drifting in the dark void, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. Seconds turned to minutes, and then to hours. Days passed and turned to-- I forgot the sense of time quick after. Devil and Khepri never responded, but I felt something stir inside me, change, and eat away at my body and my very soul.
"I’ve had a long conversation with my children," A voice spoke breaking the silence. It was so powerful that it threatened to shatter whatever I was at that moment. "There needs to be darkness for the light to serve its purpose." I tried to reply, but my mouth wouldn’t move. "I will do this against my better judgment and let you turn. You must have felt something stir from within, wanting to be released?"
"Yes, I have. And who are you? Who am I talking to?" I asked, annoyed by the fact I couldn’t see anything or place the voice with a face. The annoyance quickly turned to fear as my very soul told me to be quiet.
"You don’t need to know, my child. Remember one thing, though. I created you, so I have the right to destroy you. Do not ask for leniency or forgiveness once the time comes."
The presence disappeared and was exchanged by an incredible surge of power, darkness, and death. Darkness turned to light, followed by a dull pain in my chest. I looked down and saw a sword sticking out from my abdomen. A gasp from the people surrounding me accompanied the return of my senses.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, barely able to speak. "And why is there a sword sticking out of me?" I asked, confused by the scene. But before anyone replied, the memory of how it all played out came rushing back. "Gremory, you-- killed me?"
She closed her eyes and let out a scream as she fell to her knees. Both Samson and Khavvrin knelt beside me. I could see they were worried for me, as no one came back from the dead just like that.
"What? Would someone pull this fucking sword from my chest?"
Khavvrin stood and pulled the piece of metal out. Blood gushed from the wound, but I didn’t feel anything, not even the moment the piece of metal slid out. Both to their and mine astonishment, I got up and watched the wound close up.
"What the hell have you become, Cain?" Doc asked. I hadn’t noticed her before, but she looked like she’d cried a good deal as well, as her eyes were bleary and red.
"He’s become something very special indeed," a familiar voice said. It was accompanied by intense pressure in the room and nausea beyond measure. Luckily it only lasted a couple of seconds before everything turned back to normal.
"What are you doing here, boss?" I asked, turned to Lucifer’s image. He looked identical to the figure I’d been talking to at the bar Crux the last few times.
"Coming to pay respect to my son. For you truly are my son now, thanks to Gremory and her impulsive behavior. You see, whenever an Angel dies from Death’s hands, he turns into a Nephilim. And you, are the only Nephilim alive today."
"No! It can’t be! Gremory gasped but scurried up to Lucifer like a good little girl. It bothered me in all honesty, as she was my girl, and not his.
"It is. Father agreed to it moments ago. Say, you have no idea you’d just been talking to him, right?" he smirked. I shook my head, annoyed by what I failed to figure out myself. No, I wasn't truthful. I didn’t want to acknowledge him for what he was. I could have tried to ask him some questions, but from the way he’d only spoken and disappeared, it wouldn’t have made a difference I guessed.
"Why did he call me darkness? Am I truly that bad?"
"Because you are to me what The Host is to him. You are the counterbalance that was missing these past centuries. You, Cain, have gone from being an Omega to an Alpha. You stand at the peak of the food chain, only beneath me, his first son, and himself."
"Does that mean I can fight Mikhail as an equal now?"
"It sure does," he chuckled. "But the outcome remains the same. You’ve become something much more, but keep in mind that no tier two can kill a tier five. You should be feeling, or seeing, two large pools before and around you. One is red, and the other white. The red represents your life power, which means how much punishment you can take before biting the dust. As long as there’s any life left, even if you were beheaded, the rest of the body would regrow given enough time."
"Like a worm?" someone from the crowd asked. I couldn’t force myself to be angry at them, so instead I did the one thing I should do.
"Shut up and don’t interrupt us anymore."
"Yes, like a worm if you insist. Anyway, here comes the kicker, namely the white pool. It represents your power overall, as in how your skills work, how hard they hit, and how well you can tolerate multiple par
asites. But the funny thing is, it’s actually called a belief pool. The more people worship you, see you as a divine or love you, the bigger the white pool grows and the stronger you become. If I were you, I’d turn anyone on the ship into a follower because at the next level up of your belief pool, it will be as if you gained a tier on your Armaments."
"Damn, that’s quite—interesting if I may say so," I replied thoughtfully. So this meant that I had two ways of getting much stronger, and not just one. "Were the pools always there?"
He nodded his head slowly.
"They have been there. Did you ever wonder how you were still walking with a hole in your head?"
I shrugged.
"Sure, but what about if you were to blast me with Doomsday?"
"That’s instantaneous death. You would recover from it if even a single cell survived, but your body wouldn’t be—what it used to anymore.
"And I assume that’s only when I’m already transformed?"
He nodded his head.
"Exactly. But I’ll give you an interesting tip regarding this being Nephilim that should help our legion’s overall power. See, whoever you choose as your holy officials, they will be sharing your power-pool. The drain won’t be anything big enough for you to be affected, but to them, it will mean the difference between life or death."
"I see. So I’ve really become this Nephilim now? Are there any other changes I should be aware of?"
"Yes, you are, and the whole world can see it by the darkness and stench you’re radiating to anyone not affiliated with you."
I sighed and sat back down.
"Can I offer you a drink or something? I sure as hell need one after all this. First, the woman I love kills me, then I talk to God and turn to a Nephilim. Next you visit us, and we have a chat. What else is in store for me today?"
"Next is the last thing you need to know. Sacrifices. The more believers you have, the stronger you are, but the more people are afraid of you, of your name and your being, now that’s where the real power lies."
I shook my head and got up again.
"You expect me to start sacrificing people left and right?"
He narrowed his eyes on me, his smile never faltering.
"You don’t have to, but trust me, if you want to make it as the last Nephilim, you’ll need to do as I say. Don’t forget that I can take everything away, starting with Devil and his powers. Without them, being a Nephilim wouldn’t do you much good," he all but threatened. I glanced at Gremory, and the bastard noticed. "And her as well."
"So you think you can go back on your own agreement? I’ve done nothing to violate what you and I signed, Lucifer."
"That may be so, but remember, the only contract in existence is with me."
"So that’s how far you would be willing to go, huh?"
"We will see. It all depends on you. See, I share in the sacrifices. They’re what brain and hearts are to you. Can you blame me?"
"In that case, not really, but never force me into a meeting again, I’ve had enough of Crux for now."
"Hah! Not even just for a drink?"
"You can find me here if you want to drink."
"But then I can’t play the piano for you!"
I sighed and shook my head, then turned to him.
"Whatever. You’re just going to do whatever you want anyway, right?"
He nodded frantically as if excited at the prospect.
"Now, don’t you ladies and lady-gents need to go talk to the big bad boys and girls on Earth? Maybe have a little dance with the Angels?"
"Yeah, we do. We’re already two days into the journey. One more to go," Kris said, speaking up for the first time. "The ship is much faster now compared when we set out to Beta."
"Right! So, what I’m going to do is arrange for a group of people to meet you when you get there. That way, once you do your Earthly things, they can load up the ships if you agree to take them with you."
"Criminals?" I asked.
"What do you take me for? The devil?"
I stared back at him blankly.
"Not at all."
"Joke aside, they’re mostly people barely getting by. Many have interesting skills, be it hacking, or engineering, combat experience or food processing. Anything in between. And to be more precise, there are two colonies, each about two thousand strong."
"So that’s four thousand people. Devil, how many can the smaller ships take on?"
"Three thousand if you want to store food, necessities, and ammo, along with decent living quarters."
"Good, thanks," I replied and looked back at him. "Do it, but tell them about me, about how I run things. If anyone starts trouble, I’ll personally shove them out of an airlock."
Lucifer put up his hands as if in defense.
"Now, now. You don’t want to become hostile with me. After all, you became what you are because of me, a God among man and alien alike!" he roared dramatically.
"But tell me this. I’ve just shown you my hostility openly, and yet you want to do me a favor? Why?"
"Because I believe you’ll do what needs to be done in the end. Devil and Khepri have a very strong influence on you, and if I force them a little more, you might do whatever I want without even knowing it."
"Oh no, you won’t," Khepri spoke in my mind. "Not for as long as I live. I have you covered, Cain, but I don’t trust that demon."
"Thanks, Khepri. I don’t think he’ll do anything to me. In the end, his life is over if I die."
"Done talking to your pets? Now, someone will contact the ship when the time is right, but you’ll have to send down landers to pick them and their stuff up. There will be a lot of families, so make sure there are enough provisions for babies and young children as well."
"Since when are you worried about children?" I asked suspiciously.
"Ever since their parents became loyal to me," he sneered and waved me off.
"So you want me to take on a bunch of fanatics?"
"No, I want you to take on two groups of people who will further your cause!"
"Alright," I said, nodding at Kris. "That’s doable, I guess?"
"I don’t see why not. As long as they don’t make any trouble, sure."
"Oh, they won’t," Khavvrin sneered. "My men will rip them a new one!"
"Hah! Now that’s what I like to see! I’m glad you didn’t grovel like the rest of that trash, my friend," I said and bumped my fist against his shoulder. Lucifer scoffed and disappeared, leaving the room in uncomfortable silence.
"I think we all have better and more important things to do right now," Kris said as she turned and strode toward the exit. "Add to that a lot of soulsearching and thinking very hard over what we just heard," she added. All of them got up and left, except for Gremory who stayed behind.
"Come sit with me," I said and patted the leather padding of the seat beside me. She averted her gaze but did as ordered. In hindsight, I should have asked her to sit, but my brain wasn’t working at a hundred percent yet.
"I’m sorry," she whispered, still not able to meet my eyes. "You didn’t deserve such treatment, but I--"
"Shh. Be silent for a moment and listen to me," I cut her off and put my finger under her chin, then forced her to look at me. "Everything that happened is now history. I’ve been reborn today, and you will be the first of my priestesses. If you choose to be one. If not, then you can leave the room and avoid me until we’re over Earth. You can leave, and I’ll absolve you of the contract."
"I," she whispered, but then forced her head away again. "You don’t understand what situation you’re putting me in. If I agree to stay with you, there won’t be a moment you’ll want to go after Mikhail, especially now that you’ve become a--" She faded off again, never finishing her sentence.
"What if I promise not to. At least not for that reason," I said. "I’m not that selfish to put thousands and maybe millions of lives on the line over my private issues."
She snapped her head around, eyes narrowed on mine
.
"If you do that, I’ll stay with you no matter what. One day we’ll do what we promised, but not before I say that we’re ready."
I nodded.
"I accept. But there will be no more killing me and acting the way you did down there. We’re over that, or at least I’d like to hope we’re far above the level of teenagers."
My tapper buzzed for a moment before a message popped up, and Gremory’s followed shortly.
"We’ll be arriving on Earth in twelve hours. Whoever wants to disembark, be ready to do so. We have no idea how long we’ll be staying. Thank you for your attention."
"Must have been Kris," Gremory remarked and looked back up at me. "How about we have some R&R before we arrive? We can even get something to eat and shower off before we’re needed on the bridge."
"Sure," I nodded as a smile crept up my face. "But first, how about you and me do something very important?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Give me a moment, and I’ll let you know," I said, pulling up the new Nephilim window.
Armament: Nephilim
Skill tier: 1
Skill Name: Touch of Chaos
Description: Applies buff to all Nephilim race affiliated targets in a large area around the caster, increasing attack power and speed for thirty minutes.
Type: Active
Cooldown: 60 minutes
Skill Name: Love for Chaos
Description: Applies debuff to target enemy during combat, decreasing a random stat.
Type: Passive
Cooldown: 1 minute
Skill Name: Agent of Chaos
Description: Permanently change target organic sub-race to Nephilim.
Type: Special / Racial
Cooldown: 1 hour
The one thing I immediately fell in love with was that all three skills were active. They were nothing special, but support skills could shift the tide of battle if used properly. I scrolled down to the end, finding the one I was searching for; Agent of Chaos.
