Chapter 31

June 10th, 1722. Grandmaster says now that I’ve achieved flow, I can be nominated for the Inquisitor position. To prepare me he’s told me the truth, a truth only known to Inquisitors and the Grandmaster. Our world is fractured. There is the Human realm, and the NetherRealm. Long ago, these two realms used to be one, but that all changed when Archmagi Evans cast a grand spell to separate the two worlds. Why he split the world was unknown, but when he split the world, the only species that remained on the Human realm, besides humans, were the werewolves and the vampires.

The grand spell was bound to the Codex Adunya. The sole job of the inquisitors is to protect and guard this codex, placing it above all other priorities. Even familial priorities.

June 19th, 1722. I’m conflicted. Grandmaster has told me, in secret, that he would resign from the Grandmaster position. He says he doesn’t believe in what they’re doing. When I asked him what this meant he said he couldn’t tell me, that he was blood bound and the only way he could discuss it with me was if I was an inquisitor. He’d already told me about the existence of Codex Adunya, what could be more secretive than that? And why does it sound like he’s leaving us?

June 21st, 1722. Grandmaster and the Inquisitors fought today. The scope of the battle was like nothing I’ve ever seen. When the battle ended, several inquisitors were dead, a large mountain was reduced to rubble, a forest was burned to ashes, and Grandmaster was gravely injured barely escaping with his life.

I don’t know why the Inquisitors fought with Grandmaster. After the battle, the Inquisitors returned and proclaimed the Grandmaster had deviated from the path, that he’s sided with the demons. I don’t understand what’s going on. Grandmaster told me every inquisitor was a higher-level mage, they’ve all achieved ‘Flow’ and have comprehended the elemental laws. They’ve deviated from the path as well, so why did they fight against Grandmaster? I know Grandmaster would never join the demons… there is something more going on. I must get to the bottom of this.

…

Nate sat in the middle of the Wilderness, sitting cross-legged. He cleared his mind and focused on his soul. “To achieve Flow, one must open themselves to the elements.” There were many techniques to achieve this but the one his mother followed was to meditate.

After several minutes of silence Nate let his mind wander. Eventually it wondered down to his magic core, he appeared in the church. The same church he would visit on Sundays with his family. “To achieve the Flow I must un-tether my soul.”

Nate focused on the church. He wanted to let go of it, only then would he be able to step closer to achieving Flow. But deep down, he couldn’t. Letting go of the church would mean turning away from his family and accepting a new family. Nate was unwilling to do this.

After an hour of sitting, without much change, Nate stood up. “I can’t do it.” He sighed dejectedly. He knew deep down he’d have to do it, if he wanted to grow stronger but it just wasn’t something he could bring himself to do. “I’ll let the future me worry about that dilemma.” He chuckled.

Instead he began constructing God’s Javelin. Three minutes later an eight-foot golden spear materialized before him. With the spear materialized he began practicing with it. Although he knew nothing about fighting with a spear, the spear itself was like an extension of his body. It didn’t feel awkward when he used it.

Tomorrows the day. The grand re-opening of the Wild Hunt would be tomorrow. Nate had flown over the wall and hid himself within the Wilderness a day early. He didn’t want to attract attention on the day of the re-opening.

Thrusting and sweeping the spear were the only two moves he knew, but the more he trained, the more acquainted he became to the spear.

Loosening the grip on the forward hand allows for the staff to be thrust easier. When fully thrusting, I should let go of the rear-hand and switch positions. Footwork is key, I have to remain balanced and comfortable.

With each practice session Nate learned important details that increased his fighting ability. Anyone could swing a staff, but to use it properly was a whole other matter.

Using my hips, I can apply torque force to the spear and deliver ferocious strikes that have speed and power. Little by little, Nate began consolidating his power together to become a better fighter. He would by no means underestimate Anza’s ability, but with the God’s Javelin, he felt confident enough to face her.

…

Two figures ran down the street, one was being chased by the other. The figure in the lead duck into an alley and tried to escape his pursuer. The second figure was much smaller than the other, with only the body of a child. He continued after the prey, ducking into the alley after them.

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No matter how many turns he took, the man in the lead couldn’t escape his pursuer. With a last-ditch effort, he turned another corner, and came to a halt. It was a dead-end. All his hope came crashing down. Turning around he saw the shadow of his pursuer approaching his location.

“Please…” The man pleaded as his pursuer entered the alley. The pursuer was a young ten-year old boy. The boy didn’t even look tired, his face looked as if he was enjoying the chase. There was a cruel, malicious look in the boy’s eyes. Even when the man begged, the look didn’t falter.

As the boy drew closer the man got on his knees, “Please spare me, I was wrong!” the man pleaded.

“Get up!” Aiden shouted.

The man got to his feet, shaking like frightened child. “Have mercy.” He begged.

Aiden punched the man in the stomach, sending him flying. The man collided with the wall and crashed to the floor. “Did you show me mercy?” Aiden replied.

He began walking over to the man who lie on the floor. His whole body shaking with anger. Before Nate had found him, he’d been abused by many people. He never thought he’d be able to trust anyone ever again, until Nate came along. Still, deep down Aiden feared what had been done to him. He could remember how powerless he’d felt in the hands of his abusers. He suffered from extreme fear that it was all a dream, that his real body was somewhere being abused. This fear made him suffer from traumatic nightmares and he often lashed out at Nate, but like a saint Nate rolled with Aiden’s attitude, always supporting him.

It was then Aiden realized he had to take back his power and conquer his fear. To do so, he had to right the wrongs that were done to him. So, he began hunting down the ones who’d abused him. Killing each person that wronged him, he felt like control was returning to him.

The man standing before him found Aiden eating out of a dumpster. He promised Aiden shelter and food. Normally Aiden wouldn’t have gone for it, but he had been without food for days, and it was cold and raining. He took the man’s offer, too delirious to refuse. It was either accept, or starve to death.

What that man had done to him… Just recalling those memories angered Aiden. He looked at the quivering pathetic man before him and felt no mercy or pity within him. After this man was killed he would try to close the door on his past, and focus on the future.

“Please…” The man came towards Aiden, both hands on Aiden’s feet as he was prostrated on the ground. “Please…” The man lunged forward with a knife in hand, aiming it towards Aiden’s heart.

The knife met Aiden’s chest, and instead of puncturing the little boy’s chest it held firm, as if the little boy was wearing some kind of protective armor. Instead the man’s hand slipped forward and his hand was sliced open by the blade.

He reeled back in shock. Suddenly he felt a sensation coming from his stomach. Looking down he saw his guts hanging out of his body. The man reached down and tried to stuff his intestines back into his body but it was futile. He looked up at the boy and saw nothing but anger and hatred. If looks could kill, the man would be dead a few times over.

“Die slow motherfucker.” Aiden spat then turned around and walked out of the alley, feeling light of heart.

The man lie there in pain so terrible he wanted to scream, but doing so would only bring more pain. The wound to his stomach felt as if it was burning with acid that corroded his insides. For what felt like years he lay there, hoping death would come sooner rather than later. Finally, blackness clouded his vision as sleep called to him.

The man dreamed. In this dream, he saw a shadowy figure with a scroll in hand, reading an ancient language. When she finished, he saw the scroll burn to ashes. “Wake my children.” The voice seemed to call to him.

As if the man was given a command from God, he felt his consciousness return. He stared up at the clear blue sky and wondered what he was doing outside. He sat up. There was something hot and slimy sitting on his lap.

The man looked down and saw the intestines hanging out of his stomach. He tried to pick it up and shove it back inside but it just slid out once his hand let go. He felt no pain, no sensation. All he was aware of was a warm feeling within his chest, as if a spark of light had brought him back to life.

Eat.

The man felt his stomach rumble, his mouth water. A part of him knew this was wrong, that he should be dead. But that part of him was quickly fading into darkness. Soon his consciousness became focused on that one word: Eat. He was starving.

He stood up and began walking but then he tripped on his guts. With a grunt, he picked himself back up and began shuffling out of the alleyway, looking for something to eat. His intestines dragging on the floor.

…

When a person died in Black Watch Asylum, it was up to the community to deal with that body. Leaving it alone to rot would bring death and disease upon others, so the community would often bury that body.

Deaths were not uncommon in the Asylum. For example, if someone refused to give up credits, that person might be killed out of anger. There were also those who died of natural causes. Nonetheless each body was buried in shallow, un-marked graves.

Now the corpses inside the graves began to stir as the demon finished its grand spell. “Wake my children.”

A spark of light touched down and re-animated their bodies, giving them life. Those corpses began digging their way out of those graves as a deep hunger gnawed on their empty bellies.

Eat.

They dug out of their graves frantically. The need was all-consuming. They didn’t know why they were in a dark grave, or why they were so hungry, all they were concerned about is feeding their hunger.

A skeletal hand burst out of the ground. The hand began displacing dirt until the arm it was connected to showed. Eventually the body belonging to the hand climbed out of the hole. The clothes on this skeleton were in tatters, yet it’s bones were cleaned of skin. It moved in a shuffle as it went out in search of food.

Luckily for him there was food walking all over the place. As soon as the first one saw him, it screamed an ear-piercing scream that signaled it wanted to be eaten first. The skeleton lunged for that screaming food, it needed to consume it.