The study was well-lit and warm. The heat from the fireplace radiated across the room. Saint Francis of Assisi sat on a furnished armchair and spoke slowly to Lady Light.
''I'm sure you already know who I am...we'll meet with your master soon. Then, I'll tell you everything.''
A small wooden cube suddenly appeared, floating mid-air in the space between them. Steadily, it began to unfold into a brown wooden door with a brass knob. The knob twisted back and its lock clicked open.
At that instant, Lady Light manifested a slim blade into her hand made of white matter and assumed a defensive stance. She began to circle the strange door in anticipation of some attack despite the saint's prediction and relaxed state. But time had taught her to know better...especially in times like this.
Then, the door was swung open and Strada strolled through with a Lollipop in his mouth. He raised an eyebrow in confusion at Light when he saw her hostile stance. ''Jeez...relax. The tension in here is crazy.''
He took out another sweet and offered it to her. ''Candy?'' he offered with a playful smile.
She moved forward swiftly, and with a flick of her blade, hardly traceable, she cut the lollipop clean in half. Strada's brow rose in surprise, but his nonchalant features remained undisturbed.
''State your name and intent.'' She said, resuming her stance. Her tone bore the gravity of her emotions.
Strada cleared his throat and smoothed the creases on his coat. ''Hmm...rude. I assume you're the Lady Light. I'd heard you were sweeter.'' He ended with a wink. ''My name is Strada. I'm the 5th power of heaven; the Recovery and Restoration department. Gabriel sent me...so relax, I'm a friend.'' He smiled and his teeth glistened in the light of her blade.
She dismissed her blade.
''My apologies for my disposition. These are trying times on one's nerves. It's a pleasure to meet you.'' She resumed her usual countenance and tone.
''Where is Cain?'' a subtle voice asked from behind the wooden portal door which had just closed. They both turned around to face the speaker. The saint spoke again, ''Strada, please show us Master Cain. He requires immediate attention.''
His voice was nice in a calming and rather therapeutic way. It had an effect that made everything seem possible. The kind that made you want to listen.
Strada stepped forward as he nodded his head a few times. ''I've got him.'' He said quietly.
He pulled out the red cloth and laid it on the floor. He knelt on one knee and pinched lightly on the center of the cloth and pulled back with a sharp tug to reveal Cain and Zara lying on the floor. The latter slowly regained consciousness. The light in the study made Cain's appearance stand out even more. He looked much different; sunken eyes, a bushy chin, and an emaciated body. Candidly, he looked dead.
A pool of blood formed around his unconscious body. Multiple scratch marks which resembled a bird's talons were stretched across his shoulders and biceps.
The sight was difficult to take in. An injured Cain? Light placed her hands on his head. Her face was completely drained of life and color. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
Francis walked toward Cain's body and knelt beside him. ''He is weak. There is poison from a 'thorn of contention' in his veins, though I believe the 'Olympus ring' has fought out most of it, at a price most visible on his arms. However, the situation must not be underestimated. He will die soon if I do not intervene.''
Francis placed his hands on Cain's forehead and murmured, sending up a petition to heaven.
''IN THE NAME AND POWER OF GOD, HEALTH AND SPEEDY RECOVERY ARE YOURS.''
His voice shook with power and volume.
The scratch marks began to seal up and the blood rushed back into his body. His body regained its normal size instantly. The beard remained haggard. Suddenly, Cain began to cough violently as he struggled to take in his surroundings. His eyes relaxed.
''Took you long enough. Strada...good to see you again. I'd like to know what the hell is going on. The last thing I remember is that strange woman...''
Before he could say anything else, Francis cut in politely.
''Everyone, sit please. Let me tell you the truth''
~ ~ ~
''This tale is a long and shocking one. But I've been sent here by the Great Father to bring these many truths to you. My name is Saint Francis of Assisi. By the hand of God, I have been given many powers and granted the knowledge of all things seen and perceived on Earth.''
''At the moment of your curse, you were given two spirits to aid you on your journey, representations of free will; The Lady Light and The Lord Shadow. With these two spirits and the occasional help of some other associates, you began your assignment from God to work for your redemption privilege of forgiveness and death. A simple, yet tedious assignment; 'eliminate the evil powers in the world'. This task was, however impossible in your eyes. After fighting for thousands of years, the evil in the world and the hearts of men only continued to grow, and so you gave up. You listened to Shadow's advice to go into seclusion in the manor-to give up whatever purpose you had left on this green rock.''
Cain opened his mouth in protest but the saint raised his palm to halt him and continued speaking.
'He tricked you, Cain. He's been stealing from you to fund his gambling. In the dark of shadows, he's been plotting...conjuring great evils and doom ahead I am not permitted to disclose. You've been locked up here so I fear you would not have noticed that time ago, he stole the amulet of undying from your safe house in Luxor, Egypt. Once in his possession, he journeyed to the Black Market from a now-closed portal in Los Angeles. Thereafter he traded the amulet at a well-known pawn shop in the market owned ironically by an old acquaintance of yours-Trevor, 'The Gambler's Pocket'. He knows what Shadow is up to. And soon, he too will show himself.
He paused to look at the faces in the room, lingering shortly on Zara, the young nurse who had just regained consciousness fully and was struggling to maintain composure in this strange new setting but compelled to do so by the graceful voice which met her ears. Strada would later help her understand where she was, what was going on, and who she truly was. Though confused, she agreed to help.
The saint continued.
''The amulet found its way to a gaming house typically home to demons and lost souls. Shadow knew it would. He went there to try winning it back from the most skilled gambler in the underworld, the humanoid demon, Asmoth. A needless process, but one the likes of Shadow revels in for the thrill of it. As expected, Shadow lost the bet. He cheated and escaped with the amulet using his abilities to the Valley of Sacred Souls. There, he resurrected Enoch's most devout disciple, a woman who knows not her name. Who knows only the vengeance within. A woman the people called Svengali. She was buried with a precious stone; an Emerald. Her people's culture demanded it. Such precious stones have a way of revealing a person's true nature. Centuries of hate and ill intent seeped from her rotting corpse into the stone, adding a gleam to its green color. That very stone is the one power that can be undoing of Cain.''
''Upon her resurrection, Shadow left her with some very powerful scrolls and forbidden tools, thought to be lost, which empowered her to raise and manipulate the dead. These tools were used to bring even me back to life, though not as my true self but as your assailant on the day which marked the start of your troubles. I'm not the only one. There are many others just like me, far stronger as well-with hate hate-filled hearts. I know where they are. Your current nemesis, Svengali is posing as Sarah .V. Gali, the CEO of a mortuary assembly that owns a string of private cemeteries. This provides her with perfect cover. Somewhere, on the premises is her office building. Some time ago, the Lady Light went to Heaven to seek aid in this ordeal. The archangel, Gabriel sent Strada to the hospital to intervene in the second attempt on your life, Cain. You already know him well.''
''The creature that attacked the young nurse was one of such undead creations as I had mentioned previously, from the famed Garden of Thorns. At the very moment it was primed to attack, Shadow slipped the 'Olympus Ring' onto Cain's finger. That's why he woke up. The price of using them was the talon marks on your arms from Zeus' sacred animal; Aetos Dios (Eagle of Zeus).''
''As it were meant to be, Strada arrived in time to recover your other rings and your special weapon from the confiscation room of the hospital.''
''I believe it to be clear as day that this Shadow is the source of your problems. But first, we must destroy Svengali and her undead army. This is no small task. The sacred souls of the dead, disturbed, cry for vengeance. Vengeance will be theirs.''
~~~
Author's note: Thanks for reading up to this point. I wrote this book some years ago as an amateur piece. I can recognize the flaws in presentation and sequencing but I've chosen to publish it as it was originally written. My newer releases will offer a more polished storyline.
That said, please leave a comment if something doesn't add up or you have an opinion to air.
Thanks,
Vantashade.