“So what can a gifted man like me even hope to accomplish in this order?” Matthius queried as Frank and Mark exited the office. “You guys keep on telling me that I’m powerful and can save your order, but how? I keep being told I have gifts yet the only thing I see is terrible visions that feel incredibly real.”

Trying to hide his frustration, Zachariah breathed in deeply. He studied Matthius with a shrewd eye. How was he supposed to save their order? This kid was just like his father, stubborn and enraged at the lot he was given in the world. His order was crumbling away at his feet though; he had become desperate for an answer.

When they lost Matthius’ mother, he had formed a plan. It was honestly quite simple. He would have a “vision” that the child of the slain would become the chosen saviour of his order. For many many long and painful years, he had kept this deception at the forefront of his orders' mission.

He was a bitter man, but a hollow shell of the great leader he had once been. He knew that if by some miracle this kid did pull off the restoration of the Vizacs that he, the High Priest, would be praised and placed on a pedestal once more. If his “vision” was found out to be a lie though, and Matthius failed to save his order then he did not want to even entertain the thought of what may befall him.

Now as Matthius asked this question, he knew exactly what he would have to say to keep his deception alive.

“That’s because they are real.” Zachariah said boldly. “Your gift is what we call a Realm Walker.. Not only can you live and breath here in our realm, but you can also traverse other realms including Lucifer’s.”

“So let me get this straight, I’m like the fucking socerer supreme of the real world? What like some sort of fucking multiverse traveler?”

“I mean, that’s kind of a shitty generalization; this isn’t the fucking comics, kid. However, if that makes things easier for you to understand what your gift is then fine, we’ll run with it. You have the rarest gift of them all. As I mentioned before, your father also had the same ability; however, we believe that you are more powerful than him.”

“How can you be so sure?” Matthius queried.

“When your mother passed, I had the most intense vision about what was to come. In this vision, I saw you leading the Vizacs in an assault on Lucifer’s realm. The crazy thing is you were clearly around the same age as you are now yet something was different about you. Your hands were glowing a dark purple hue, and I could sense immense power coming from you. My vision then shifted to you standing over Lucifer’s body. I didn’t need confirmation; I knew that he was dead.”

Matthius interrupted Zachariah, “Hold up. I killed the fucking Devil? You must be out of your damn mind; have you seen me? I, literally, a few hours ago almost died from falling on a whiskey bottle. I hate to break this too you, but I think your visions are bullshit. I am not a fucking hero, and there is no way in hell that I am mankinds saviour.”

“I get it, kid. It’s hard to accept your true calling. Unfortunately, no matter how much you deny it; this is what you are destined for. I’ve foreseen it, and I am never wrong.”

“That’s lovely coming from the man who couldn’t save my mother. You and your fucking order are a joke.”

“Listen, Matthius. You can disrespect me all you want and doubt every word that comes out of my mouth; however, I will not allow you to question my people. I understand this all is heavy and hard to wrap your mind around, but taking it out on my order is pointless. Channel that rage and resentment toward the real enemy. Every second we procrastinate and draw this shit out needlessly is a second we can’t afford. Lucifer is gathering his forces and war is not coming; it’s already here.”

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Matthius stood up so abruptly that his chair crashed to the floor. He had to get the hell out of this place. Zachariah and his order really believed he was some sort of force to be reckoned with; it was too much to take in. He moved towards the exit meer inches from the door when they heard the yelling happening from the room next to them.

Matthius and Zachariah both heard Frank and Mark clearly. As they listened to discussions of Frank replacing Matthius and of the forbidden love that until that point Zachariah had no knowledge of, Zachariah’s After the screaming faded, Zachariah looked at Matthius with a hopeless bitterness plastered upon his face.

“Well… not only are you running from your fate, but my own right hand men are planning to overthrow me. This day keeps getting better. Go if you want to, kid. I have a lot I need to consider right now.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, Zaachariah. They are just worn down by the shit you all have gone through; you can’t judge them for that.”

“The mutiny and betrayal is not what I am referring to. They have broken a much more sacred rule; I can’t let that go without punishment.”

With those threatening words, Zachariah rose from his chair and headed for the door. As he came closer to the door, Matthius felt something deep within him stir. Suddenly, he felt like lightning was running throughout his entire body; his hands began to tremble. Dark purple light licked his hand like a hungry flame that had eagerly been waiting to come forth.

Holy shit!!! He wasn’t lying to me. I do have a gift. What the hell do I do now? I can’t let him harm Frank and Mark. They are the only connection I have to this order that wants to help me and do right by me. I have to do something.

This wasn’t Harry Potter or Dragon Ball Z; this was the real world and he had absolutely no clue how to control the tempest of power flowing through him.

“Don’t take another step or you will fucking regret it. I promise you that.”

“That’s cute, kid. I’m not a moron. You may have unlocked your gift, but you have no fucking clue how to control it or even use it.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m not going to let you harm them. You want my help? Then while I am the only one who can supposedly “save the world”, you will not lay a hand on them. I’ll make sure that they don’t go forward with there plan, but if you want me to restore your order, then I need your word. Otherwise, I will obliterate this order you hold so dear with no qualms. Are we in agreement?”

Zachariah was enraged yet defeated by these words. Inexperienced or not, the power Matthius held was a threat to the order and to Zachariah, as well. Begrudgingly, he nodded his head and backed slowly away from the door.

“You win, Matthius. I concede; our order must survive no matter what the cost.”

Matthius felt his pulse slow, and his hands returned to their normal state. He breathed a sighed in relief that Zachariah had given in to his demands so easily. His gamble had paid off.

“I’ve got to clear my head, but when I get back, I will be ready for whatever training you deem necessary to prepare for what is to come.”

“I will speak to our trainer and let him know that you will be with him shortly then.” Zachariah said through gritted teeth.

With that, Matthius walked out of the door into the long hallway. He felt nauseous. He knew that at this moment he was in way over his head and that he was no saviour as Zachariah had claimed. He thought about his encounter with Lucifer and knew that all he had felt in that moment was fear. Sure had stood up to the Lord of Hell, but he knew deep down that he had been terrified.

How can I be the one who defeats the Devil if God himself couldn’t get rid of the fucker. Honestly, He still allows him to fuck with men daily; now all of the sudden, I was contingency plan all along. I’m a nobody.

Even as these doubts raced through his head, Matthius knew that the power he felt was immense. He would venture to say omnipotent. Fuck… Am I a god? What the hell is happening to me? I can’t deny how good it felt though; how right. What if Zachariah was right? What if this really is my destiny? Holy fuck… I was chosen to defeat Lucifer.

He didn’t want to accept it. Then he remembered his mother, and the rage he felt toward Nerraz was rekindled. Lucifer is the reason Nerraz murdered my mother. If I am meant to take down the fucking Lord of the Underworld, then so fucking be it.