William is allowed exactly eight hours of rest. The second it hits eight hours, Edlic Jiza’s influence forces William awake. William barely registers his surroundings before he’s continuing his climb down.

As his body is forced through the motions, William is perplexed by this experience. It’s almost an out of body experience, except he sees through his own eyes and feels every motion that Edlic Jiza forces upon him.

William feels the temptation to resist Edlic Jiza, but he knows he is no expert rock climber. Without Edlic Jiza, he would be stuck on this mountain.

Two hours into today’s descent, Edlic Jiza smells a familiar scent that sends bloodlust through him and into William. Sin.

He makes William’s head snap in the direction of the sin, and they spot a hunter kneeling on a cliff a dozen feet below. He wears a red cowboy hat, a brown jacket, black pants, and black boots. He’s holding a black repeating rifle, aimed right at William.

He fires at William, and the bullet hits the mountainside inches from William’s head. William looks at it fearfully for a moment before he is force fed courage by Edlic Jiza.

“Don’t fucking complain about why we haven’t done this before. It consumes a lot of energy but this is necessary.” Edlic Jiza snaps angrily.

Suddenly white ethereal wings form on William’s back. He feels the wings flap and pull him off the mountain and into the air just as another bullet flies where he once was.

Then the revolver forms in his left arm, and he’s firing back at the hunter. The bullets miss, hitting the ground around him.

The hunter smiles wryly, and aims once more. His eyes glow red with bloodlust, and he fires an accurate shot. It smacks into William’s left shoulder, and shards of stone fly off his strange new arm.

William surprisingly doesn’t feel any pain, and Edlic Jiza just laughs.

“William, do not worry about your arm. It and your body will heal as you bring justice to sinners. I can promise you that. Serve me well, and your second life may very well never end.” Edlic Jiza says confidently.

William is barely reassured by this. And this reassurance is dashed away when Edlic Jiza compels him to dive down towards the hunter. They fire the entire time as they close the distance. The hunter runs back and down a hill to avoid these shots.

William flies down the hill and spots the hunter getting on a horse. Edlic Jiza charges a holy ball up. The hunter begins galloping down the mountain.

The chase begins. They follow the hunter down a chaotic trail. The horse jumps from one cliff to another, traveling with more confidence than William can on his new wings.

“They’re clearly used to this area.” William comments calmly.

“Who cares? We’ll kill them in their own backyard if they feel like it.” Edlic Jiza says angrily.

William tries to shrug, but finds his body is too busy firing a holy laser at the hunter and his horse. They gallop to the right and leap off the mountainside altogether. The laser chases after them, scorching the mountain and unfortunate creatures along the way.

And they don’t fall. Instead they seem to be galloping on air.

“What is this?” William asks, shocked.

“Magic or some bullshit. Who cares? Just keep shooting.” Edlic Jiza says angrily.

William is compelled to keep chasing after the hunter. But he complains in his mind.

“This isn’t even related to that Lawrence Taylor bastard in the slightest. Who even is this guy?”

The loud sound of Edlic Jiza’s sigh goes through William’s ears. Though it sounds more like the crackle of flames droning on for several seconds.

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

“It’s a hunter of Ares. Those angels weren’t the only ones guarding this arm it seems.” Edlic Jiza says angrily.

The hunter turns around, and aims his rifle at William. Edlic Jiza reflexively takes over William’s body, and takes a quick shot at the hunter’s right wrist. The holy bolt flies true, but the hunter pulls a knife out. With a reverse grip slash, he cuts the bolt of the air, leaving a bright red trail behind him.

Edlic Jiza growls with impotent rage.

“Your lack of devotion to justice is preventing me from destroying this fuck!” he yells angrily.

William sighs, and shakes his head. His patience is reaching his limits.

“Look, can’t we just ditch this guy? We’re wasting ener-” William complains annoyedly.

Suddenly William’s soul burns as if it’s covered in flames, and he feels himself restrained in another man’s skin as Edlic Jiza takes over his body entirely.

William sees Edlic Jiza’s form layered over reality. And his eye burns with righteous fury. The flames are a dark blue with white tips.

“Listen closely, William Taylor.” Edlic Jiza says coldly. “There is never a moment when killing a sinner isn’t worth it. It is morally right. And furthermore, myself and now you depend on this act. We can not gain power or heal our wounds without killing sinners.”

The eye covers the entirety of William’s vision. William hears the loud BANGs of six shots being fired at the hunter. He hears two cries of pain. The hunter’s, and his own.

“Shut up, and focus on justice. We will get to your own justice eventually.” Edlic Jiza orders with firm rage.

Edlic Jiza releases his hold and furious flames on William just in time for him to start falling into a large lake down below. William barely registers the falling corpse of the hunter and his horse before he starts screaming in fear.

He drops dozens of feet before smacking against the water, and falling deep within. Pain flashes briefly over him from the landing, but he can tell he made it out okay.

William swims up to the surface, and coughs a bit upon surfacing. Then he swims over to the nearest edge. He climbs up, and tries to go sit on a rock. But Edlic Jiza compels him to keep moving down the mountain.

“Can I at least get some water?” William asks tiredly.

Edlic Jiza turns William around, and walks him back to the lake. William stops in place for several seconds, expecting himself to be forced to be bent over to drink. Edlic Jiza laughs at William. Then William feels an invisible hand push him forward. William nearly falls over, but catches himself in time.

“Give yourself your own drink, you stupid ape.” Edlic Jiza says amusedly.

William sighs, pitying himself, and gets down on his knees. He scoops up water with his hands, and drinks it. Then he remembers a story from the bible. Of soldiers being determined by the way they drank it.

“Would the Lord consider me one of his soldiers?” William thinks with guilt.

Edlic Jiza growls, and the flames crackle around William’s body for a moment.

“No, for you are my soldier. But do not fret, I’m sure your God appreciates your service to me.” he says with possessive anger.

William shudders, and feels the urge to pray. But his words are swallowed by the crackle of righteous flames.

“There is no need to speak to him. Just focus on your work.” Edlic Jiza says coldly.

William is suddenly forced to take one more drink, then he stands up and begins climbing down the mountain once more. It’s over two hours of painful climbing before they finally reach the ground. William finds a trail that leads them down into the desert lands. William is barely allowed to appreciate the softness of the desert sand before his march continues.

Edlic Jiza directs them to the nearest town through his sin senses.

“I can feel some real bastards in that town. I can’t wait to see their black blood.” he says with eager bloodlust.

William sighs, and begins to realize what his situation is like.

“I don’t even know if this bastard is really going to help me. He might run me ragged before we reach that Lawrence bastard.” William complains in his thoughts bitterly.

Edlic Jiza chuckles ominously as the town comes within sight. It looks to be a small town that’s just begun a growth spurt. There’s two long strips of dirt road with a row of wooden buildings on either side. Most of the buildings are businesses, though there are a few homes for the residents as well. Their paint is still vibrant, as if they painted them recently. And the town is a bit lively. Small crowds of people populate the streets, at most fifty people.

On the surface, William takes it as a good place with opportunity abound.

Edlic Jiza can see the dark underside clearly. Almost everyone’s hands have blood on them.

“They all deserve death.” he growls angrily.

The revolver begins to manifest itself in William’s left arm. But before it can, William squashes his fist, extinguishing it. Edlic Jiza’s flames burn around William as he rages about William’s insolence.

William grits his teeth, and ignores this assault upon his soul.

“You’re being foolish. We can’t just run into a town and start blasting.” he says firmly.

Edlic Jiza screams furiously, his flames burning with intensity.

“Edlic Jiza, sir. I understand your frustration, but we are just one man. It’d be a death wish to rush at them all.” William appeases nervously.

The flames simmer down, but Edlic Jiza remains silent. William groans from the pain, but continues on.