Welcome to Faded Works

What Faded Works is, is not exactly a hard question. It is a tagging I place on anything authentic that I create. My name is William Long, and I am a Graphics Designer, Author and well, I just have my hand in many different projects. This page will produce many writings that I will be creating and displaying for you the viewers. The first story you will witness here is "As They Walk Among Us".

This story is based on a ruined world that is polluted by demons with many saviors on the cusp of insanity. It's a pretty graphic story and not for all eyes.

The second story, that you will see in maybe a month is "Digital Data Dreams". This Cyber Punk story takes place on a distant world, with futuristic type technology. Im not gonna give in to much of the story just yet but I assure you it will be good.

For now, I wish you all to enjoy "As They Walk Among Us". I can only promise that as the story progresses, it will get longer chapters, better writing and intense storyline that will hold some very involving aspects, and in depth character developments.

Monday, March 29, 2010

As They Walk Among Us - Chapter 4 - First Sign

The screams from the depths of the castle were painful. He wished that the man would just stop yelling. It wasn’t like he was in any physical pain or anything. Then again, the pain within the mind was just as real as physical pain. Such processes were so tiring though. Sitting up in the bed, he pushed the blankets off his body and stood up on the floor. The screams were truly annoying, but they were a good sign that at least the subject was alive. He lived a lot longer than the others. That was a plus he thought.

The subject before this man only lasted five minutes. This man lasted three months. To last three months in such excruciating pain was so very remarkable, and necessary. Putting his red and black robe, he walked to the door and opened it. There stood two of his guards on each side of the door. Both of them were startled to see him up so late. They stood extra attention and saluted him. “Lord Croix, how may we be of service?”

With a slight wave of his hand he shook his head. “Nothing really, I just couldn’t sleep, and decided to go take a look at how our subject is doing.” As he walked forward, the two guards walked behind him. Croix enjoyed the finer things in life. The walls of every hallway in his castle had paintings of every type. Some were original works of arts from Picasso, while others were actual works from the bowels of hell itself. How he managed to get those paintings was very costly, but worth every ounce of blood. With the marble pillars that stood a good twenty feet apart, each column, it just added to the extravagant tastes he appreciated.

As Croix walked the halls, he rubbed his hands together, anticipating the outcome of this little project of his. If all went well, he would become the most powerful human being in the world. His services to the demonic occult was very pricey, but it was worth it. As long as he paid his dues, his land and castle was never touched or harmed. He could have great power and wealth as long as he followed the orders of his master.

Croix didn’t exactly enjoy such a bargain. Being under the thumb of a demon was below him he thought. His father and his father and his father before him were all royalty. He came from an extensive line of royalty that extended for almost two centuries. To work for something that came out of the ground was almost humiliating if not laughable. At least he was smart enough to make a peace treaty with the foul creatures so that he could keep all of his riches and wealth. He really didn’t care if it took twenty sacrifices a month to his master. Those sacrifices were well needed for his own gain.

He was pulled out of his thoughts from another scream that ricochet down the hallways. This one was way more violent than the others. The sound sent chills of happiness down his spine. He was hoping that this man was the one that would survive and pass all of his experiments. When he found him he knew he would be the one. Something told him that this man would be the one that he wanted. Technically the man found him, walking into his domain lost and confused. When Croix’s guards had brought him in, the man was babbling nonsense. He was claiming to hear voices and see ghosts that were all around. Croix thought he was going to just execute the deranged man and put him out of his misery, but instead he decided to experiment on him. Croix couldn’t be so happier with the results.

The torches in the hallway flicked constantly in the night wind. Only the sounds of their footsteps and the screams of the man down in the foundations of the castle echoed in the hallways. It wasn’t long before they came to a pair of large oak doors. Decorated all over the door were carvings of snakes and skulls. These were clear signs to tell anyone that behind the door was dangerous, and it was dangerous to pass without being killed. Gripping the iron handles he pulled them open. A long row of guards with crossbows notched and pointed welcomed Croix at the breach of the entrance. When they realized who it was, they immediately lowered them. A large man with a rough beard and scar over his left eye stepped forward, giving him a salute. “Lord Croix, what brings you into the labs this late?”

“I came to see how our latest acquisition is holding up Captain Grix.” The big man looked uneasy a little. His big hand rubbed through his beard while the other had it’s thumb hooked in the leather belt.

“Well sir,” he started clearing his throat a little, “that foul creature has been in there with him for the past four hours.”

“The name is Doctor Halberd,” Croix corrected.”

“I am sorry sir, I meant no disrespect,” Captain Grix stated while bowing his head. Croix loved it when his men groveled and feared him. He wasn’t exactly a man that was known for his good nature. If anything, Croix like to think of himself unpredictable. At any moment he would announce a person put to death for no particular reason other than he didn’t like the way they breathed. He believed it kept the people at full alarm, an exertion of his power that was needed to keep his subjects in check.

The door at the end of the room opened up and a figured walked through. The screams were so loud from within the room that it made the two guards with him flinch. As the she closed the door behind herself, she looked up with yellow eyes from the stack of papers in her arms, noticing Croix. “Ah Doctor Halberd, how is our patient?”

If she wasn’t a demon, Croix would have thought of Doctor Halberd as a beautiful woman. Her light grey skin, yellow eyes and very feminine features were noticeable. What was also noticeable was the thin tail that hung behind her, barely touching the floor. At most times she kept it wrapped around her waist under the lab coat that she normally wore on top of her black blouse and black dress. But at times you could tell just what kind of mood she was in by first looking at her tail. Croix could tell she was in a good mood because the tail didn’t twitch, but sway when she moved.

Doctor Halberd was just as dangerous as she was beautiful. She was brilliant also. Nothing made her more happy than experimenting on human beings. Croix made sure he provided her with enough humans to keep her happy. Standing there, he didn’t even realize that the guards had made a pathway for her. They all feared her. One time she was so furious at one of her experiments not going the way it was. She was so mad that as a guard was walking past doing his rounds in the room, she used her tail as a whip. The shear force of it took his head right off. That was just the pre-show. She spent a clear thirty minutes mutilating the body out of rage, and forced all the men to watch her do it. Ever since that day, no one even dared to take a patrol within range of that tail of hers. That never stopped her from finding other ways to vent her frustrations.

Looking into Croix’s eyes, she pulled her tail up around her waist, and lowered the papers. He has never seen her smile once. Even when she was happy, she never smiled. “Patient seems to be taking well to the augments and implants. That screaming is his human physiology graphing with the demonic physiology. He should be ready for first rounds of testing within the week Croix.”

Croix was pleased with that sort of news. He was almost ready to begin his plans and he thought that it was time to celebrate such a momentous occasion. “Thank you very much Doctor Halberd. I think in the afternoon I will hold a banquet in your honor. For your loyalty and deeds of making my dream a reality.”

“I would be honored Lord Croix,” bowing her head she gave no real show of enthusiasm or emotion that she was happy, she never did when it didn’t involve working. As she returned her vision to Croix she stood there, her arms pulled behind her back, holding her work. “If it isn’t too much to ask, I’d like to return to my work before your banquet Croix. I have many thing I need to look into.”

“Sure thing Doctor Halberd. I would not like to disturb your work for my goals.” His thin hands rubbed together, as if gaining warmth by a fire. His smile was evident as Croix turned his back and walked out of the room. With the large doors being pulled behind by the guards, they were once again at his heels.

The screams that came from the other side of those doors were music to his ears. He would soon gain higher standing than the owner of a small land. Soon Croix would get the world and his ambitions would not allow him to stop just there. With each fleeting second that went by, was one second closer. He thought he might scream himself from the ample joy of it all. His breathing was rising and his heartbeat was erratic. This feast of his would be grandiose. This feast would mark the first sign of being the new ruler of the world and more.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

As They Walk Among Us - Chapter 3 - The Pack

“What do you mean that you have no more room,” his knuckles rapt at the rusty iron door. “It’s just me and my daughter, we won’t even take up that much room.” At the words of “my daughter” being spoken, Lynx glared up from under her black NY fitted hat and swiftly kicked Cougar in his shin. Leaning down with a wince of pain, he shot her his own glare in order to remind her to keep her mouth shut. His knuckles were red from the pounding on the door for the last five minutes.

“I told you we don’t have room for you ‘Witches’,” the main shouted from the other side with a fierce anger in his tone. “Get away from my door before you call down the demons with your stigmata stench and yelling. You’re gonna get us all killed.” Cougar growled under his voice, cursing towards the man and finally turning his back to the door. “Eh lets go Lynx.”

“You know we probably wouldn’t have this trouble if you didn’t stand out so much you moron.” Lynx sighed and walked on ahead of him. Her five foot body was what you would expect from someone her size. She was thin built, her hair was short cut, black and almost wild in nature. She wore a NY Yankees jersey on top of a long sleeved white thermal shirt, jean shorts that passed her knees, but showed her thin legs, and white socks with black sneakers on. Looking over her shoulder she glared with her thin brown eyes at Cougar. “I mean if you had fuckin put on normal clothes like I had suggested when we past that outlet store, we wouldn’t have been rejected for the third time.”

Cougar scuffed at her words and lifted his head up, breaking eye contact from the girl. He was just the opposite of her. Tall, above average athletic built muscle structure and shaved head. He wore form fitting jeans that gave a good look of the power in his legs and a white t-shirt that was just as tight. Around his forearms were chains that covered up ever inch of them in their black color. His hands were massive, as one would expect from someone his size. Each finger had on a ring that he called his “treasures”. What was the most distinguishing about Cougar were the tattoos that covered the left side of his head, down his shoulder, chest and arm, down to the legs. “What do you mean if I had fucking put on normal clothes? These clothes are normal you pint-sized bitch.”

Returning her focus to the front, she was strategically walking over the debris and puddles that covered the floor of the subway tunnel. “You look like some deranged psychopath,” her unemotional voice scuffed.

“Deranged psychopath? You mean compared to the three headed, claw and horn bearing monsters that litter our world?”

“Exactly.” She immediately responded.

“You know Lynx, I’m starting to think I know why Lion sent me with you on this little quest of ours.”

“Oh yeah, and why is that Cougar?” a rat ran across her foot. If she wasn’t so deep into thought, Lynx thought she might of caught it and ate it, but she really wasn’t hungry, it was just her nature she guessed.

“Because I’m sure Lion got tired of you harassing him and figured you harassing me would be a lot less effort on his part instead of having to kill you.” The thought of that concept made Lynx chuckle. Stopping she turned around to look at Cougar standing behind with his hands locked at the back of his head and elbows out, looking down at her. The look of contemplation was in his eyes, wondering what she would say next or do next. Lynx smiled up at him and turned back around, walking forward again.

“Oh face it dear, you love my company.”

Cougar sighed some and responded with a grunt. It put a smile on Lynx’s face as they silently walked the underground path. It wasn’t long before Cougar broke the silence. “So you think we will find this woman and she will have the book?”

“Of course I do,” she replied solemnly.

“How can you be so sure about that Lynx?”

Lynx looked over at him with a quirk in her eyebrow, as if the answer should be as obvious to him as it was for her. “Because Lion told us that it would be.”

Cougar had a dumbfounded look in his face. “I understand I haven’t been with the Pack as long as you, but I just don’t understand how everyone can just believe that Lion would know all and see all. I mean what is he, a prophet or something?”

“Exactly.”

“Exactly what?”

Lynx sighed. She hate explaining things to people that should be obvious, but Cougar was new, so he didn’t know everything that she knew. “Lion is a prophet.”

“How in the hell is he a prophet?”

“You know how your witch weapon are those chains on your arms?” Cougar nodded and made a confirmation sound in his throat. “Well Lion’s witch weapon is his right eye.”

A low whistle came from Cougars lips. “I wondered what was wrong with that eye. I thought it looked like that because of the scar around it, like some accident or killer fight.”

“Lion lost his right eye while fighting a demon. So he replaced his eye with the demon’s eye after he killed it. The effects gave Lion the ability to see things that us normal Witches can’t.”

“I see.”

She was glad he didn’t offer anymore questions on the subject. She really hated explaining things. “So then tell me something Lynx.” She was almost in the clear.

“Yes Cougar?”

“I thought that we as humans cannot take demon body parts and use them like normal Demon Artifacts. I mean like. These chains on my arm are just a demon weapon, not made from a demon. But that eye of Lions is a demon organ, and he can use it. How?”

She was hoping that such a question wouldn’t have been asked. “He just can.”

“But…”

“Just drop it Cougar, I’m not going to give you anymore answers. I don’t even want to talk to someone as painfully stupid as you right now anyway.” Cougar walked up close to her and put his hand on her head, pushing her had down over her face. “What are you doing,” Lynx yelled at him, pulling back from his hand and fixing her hat, staring up at him?

“Children like you shouldn’t talk to adults like you do. You should mind us.”

“Cougar for the last time, I’m not…” her words cut off from the sound of footsteps walking down the tunnel. Lynx immediately leaped to the side wall, into the shadows. She was glad that she didn’t have to explain to Cougar what was going on. Just as fast as she responded to the sound, he was across to the other wall, slipping into the shadows like a blanket of black that unfolded onto him. The steps came close and her breathing came slower. Slowly controlling her breathing and heart, it was almost natural the way she went into a state of stealth.

The steps were light. It sounded as if only one person was coming down, but she couldn’t be lazy with precaution. The first glimpse of a figure turning a corner up ahead came into view. Her hands open spread upon the wall, ready to push off the wall to attack if need be. As the figure came closer down the hall, something familiar came into the depths of her mind. The way the figure walked, and even the whiff of his scent as it caressed her nose was familiar. She wish her sense of smell was better within that small form of hers, but Lynx didn’t have time to activate her demon weapon, not without announcing their position.

Closer each step made the person. Their body maneuvering around debris laid about the subway floor, it was familiar for Lynx, but she couldn’t get a grip on why. Giving a quick glance to Cougar, she realized he wasn’t where she last saw him. Scanning across the darkness, she caught a glimpse of him ten feet further ahead than he previously was, knelt down and stalking within the shadows. She was caught off guard at how dangerous and serious this man had gotten. For him to make such movements without even her picking up on it was a feat on it’s own. Turning her head to look at the figure, she watched it stop and stand in place. Seemed that the person was staring into the darkness themselves. Maybe it was just Lynx’s imagination but she could of sworn she saw eyes watching Cougar as he got closer.

That was when she realized why this person’s presence was so familiar. Before she could call out for Cougar to stop, he leaped out with a blinding flash of speed, hand gripping around a broken piece and jagged piece of metal that he must of picked up from the ground. The figure was unflinching. Instead they stepped forward and in one fluid motion evaded the high cut to their throat. It was almost watching fiction unfold into truth as their arm extended and grabbed Cougar in the back of his thick neck, pulling back and slamming him on his back with a sickening thud. With their leg outstretched stepping down on Cougar’s neck, Lynx walked out of the darkness. “Cougar stand down it’s only Panther.”

Cougar, growling under breath struggling, took a good look up to the person with their boot held on his throat and there he saw the smiling lips of Panther. His brown skin and crew cut hair staring down into his face he lifted his boot and extended his hand. Cougar grabbed it reluctantly and pulled himself up. “Panther what the hell…”
“What the hell am I doing stalking in the middle of subway tunnels,” he cut him off laughing a little?

“Damn it I wish you people would stop cutting…”

“Panther, I’m guessing that Lion sent you ahead to help us out,” Lynx spoke, cutting off Cougar. He threw up his hands and turned around, growling under his breath. Panther smirked at Lynx and shook his head at her obvious teasing of Cougar.

“Not exactly,” he replied. “He sent me into another area around the city. I just happen to have caught a lead saying that the person we are lookin for was close by this area.” Panther was not like the other members of the Pack. He was secretive about where he was from and other tidbits about his path and abilities. Unlike Cougar who was like an open book, Panther was a locked diary. He had known Lion longer than any of the other members of the Pack. He was Lion’s right hand man, and with perfect reason.

Lynx could remember one mission in Africa, where they were looking for another member for the Pack, Panther and her had come across a rather exceptionally strong demon. While Panther sat and watched, he let her and Cougar try and kill the beast but it was way out of their league. They had used their demon weapons with no avail in even slowing down the creature. Finally, Panther had enough of the show and told us to step back. She and Cougar had told him that they should attack it together, but Panther wouldn’t have anything to do with it. He told them to sit down and rest up, he wouldn’t take long. He gave them the same smile he had on his face this moment. Without even using his demon weapon, Panther managed to shatter the demons skull with one swift shot to its face. Then on his second shot, the demons body bubbled up and then collapsed on itself, laying limp on the ground dead. When Cougar asked what he had done, Panther only stated he had manipulated the demons force and redirected it into his own body. After that day, they never underestimated anything Panther did.

“Well it’s nice to see you,” Lynx told him as she gave him a soft hug around his waist. Panther placed his hand on her head and scuffed it some. As she released he was looking down at her with that same smile he always gave.

“Why do you stay in that form of yours Lynx? You would of known who I was a lot sooner if you only stayed in your original body.”

“I like looking cute, that’s all.” Lynx gave him a straight face with a thin lipped smile on her face. Cougar came up back with the two, cutting off the warm welcome.

“We were headed to get some sleep in one of the shelters, but they won’t let us in.”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem, lets go.” Panther walked ahead of them as they gave each other a look. Cougar gave her a shrug and they both silently followed their companion. As they reached the door, Panther knocked on the iron heavily. The slot in it slid open, just a pair of eyes seen. Lynx couldn’t hear what was being said, but it wasn’t long before she heard the lock to the door becoming undone and pushed open. A scruffy older man stood there in his flannel shirt and blue jeans. In his hand he held a heavy axe. Panther just looked at the two with that innocent smile of his and waved them to go inside. As she walked past him she gave him a questioning look. As if he knew what she was going to ask he responded with. “He owed me a few favors.”

Lynx wondered once again just how dangerous Panther was. If it wasn’t his strength amazing her, then it was something else.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

As They Walk Among Us - Chapter 2 - 100 Years After

Chapter Two - 100 Years Later


If it wasn’t for the smell of the death that swept about the city, she probably would have stayed the night to rest from her hard days traveling. The stench was unbearable though. It suffocated her almost to the point that she wanted to gag each and every time she inhaled. Even the scarf that was wrapped around her mouth wasn’t of any help. She kept moving down the main street diligently so she could finally clear this wasteland of bones and flesh.

Tales of this cities wealth and population were memorable. She remembered hearing stories how the city was always vibrant and active. Known as the “Big Apple”, she could never exactly figure out why such a silly name was given to it, but for whatever reason, it didn’t matter. The place was over run by vile creatures that killed any they happen to come across. Bleu knew very well the dangers that came with traveling at night time. Traveling at night within a den of evil was equivalent to putting a revolver to your own head and playing roulette with it fully loaded, but she did not want to stay within this drenching bog of filth.

She could tell from looking at what tall buildings were still standing, that this city must have taken great pride in their wealth. Maybe that was one of the reasons why it was one of the first to fall. Where there is wealth, there is great greed. She could only imagine the deals that some of the people in charge could have made with the devils that lurk in the dark. Some of the deals that gained them their ill gotten gains. Such greed and desires sometimes made her skin crawl. Bleu always knew that human beings could show great evil if the right options were presented. She didn’t feel bad at all really for the destruction that the world had come across little over a hundred years ago. It was poetic justice she had always thought. Human beings were always so sinful she thought. If it wasn’t the greed that moved them, then it was other things that motivated wicked ways. She was no different. Sometimes she found herself following in the footsteps of wrath. Even now, that was the only feeling that motivated her, revenge.

The moon watched her presence as she walked down what use to be known as times square. It was quiet and that was what bothered her the most this night. Silence usually meant that something was prowling and stalking the shadows. The brow leather boots she wore made little effort to mask her presence. She really wasn’t hiding. It wasn’t long till small sounds began to echo around her while she stood in the middle of the intersection. Her eyes darting to each dark corner that overlapped the rubble and mayhem from times long past. The sound of chuckling and laughter from multiple places slowly rose about her, calling and taunting out to Bleu. The trap had snared around her instantly as several shadows from around slowly walked into the moonlight.

Cold yellow eyes all transfixed upon her bronze skin and raven hair. Creatures of a different assortment of sizes and shapes manifested out of the eclipsed night and surrounded Bleu. Her hands stood at her sides, her head lowered down while her hat tipped forward, shadowing her eyes, only exposing the thin lips upon her features. “Seems like you boys are out way past your bed time,” she mocked in a voice that showed no sort of emotion.

The creatures snarled and laughed. Each one giving a hearty chuckle at their prize rabbit giving its last words before death. The tallest of the creatures stepped forward more into the moonlight. Its skin was a deep blue. On its head were three horns that were about a foot long coming down from it’s jaw line. The arms were much longer, stretching down to the ground with the back of his hands dragging dagger like talons behind. “Well well,” snapping its jaws the creature rubbed its chin with one of its talons and gave what could have been a grin. “Seems like the human here has quite a mouth on her.” The others chuckled and licked their teeth with their tongues. Some salivated onto the ground in small puddles that were steadily getting larger. “Maybe we break her jaw first, then have our way with her for a few hours before we eat out her organs.” More than one of the demons agreed to the idea. Others were too busy laughing to say anything.

Bleu stood her ground. A stead wind blew down the streets, her hair blowing backwards with it. “As much as these legs of mines would just so love to give you the entertainment you deserve, I have more pressing matters to deal with. Go find another plaything,” the threat was clear and evident in her tone. She didn’t need to add anymore to it, but Bleu could feel those sins rolling up in her soul. “It would be a lot safer for you that way.”

Outburst upon outburst of demons laughed and mocked her. Pointing their fingers at her, the night was alive with humorless voices. Behind Bleu, one of the demons managed to step up to her, its hand gripping her left arm and pulling her to face him. As she spun around, the music within her head began to play. Her right hand pushed back her jacket, opening up to the world the two leather belts that hung lightly on her hips crossing each other. On each belt was a holster holding pistols. It was like poetry in motion as her hand grabbed the pearl hilt of one her Cutlass’ and drew the weapon out, pointing the silver barrel up to the creatures face, pulling the trigger. The spark from the blast lit up the night, bone and skull fragments sprayed from the back of the creatures head while she pulled the trigger two more times into it’s head. As the demons hand gotten loose on her arm she quickly grabbed the second Cutlass and drew the weapon. Still spinning from momentum the gun was already on target to the creature that first dared to speak to her. As the bullet escaped it’s chamber, it landed on mark into the creatures forehead, allowing brain matter to evacuate the back of his head.

The night was turned into a ballet of blood. Each pull of the trigger hit a target before it even had the chance to react. Those that could react charged at Bleu with deadly rage. Wanting her blood and flesh ground in their teeth. Five dropped to the ground like heaps of trash as Bleu spun around on her feet, each arm moving with the dance, never having a gun aimed at the same target. As the shells fell to the ground, two or three bodies dropped. It was over in only a matter of heartbeats as silence made it’s way in the night air. Bodies never making it within ten feet of her, some laying on top of others. The smell of death drenched the air even more than before. She knew the scent would lure more of the foul things. Lower Wheels were like that, scavengers. Bleu dropped the clips from her Cutlass’ and placed two new ones in them before replacing the weapons into their holsters. Placing the empty clips into her pocket and once again started walking down the streets of New York. She had sinned this night, and would have to pray for forgiveness before she slept. “We are such vile creatures. We are no better than you that stalk the night.” Her silent prayer to the dead as she walked past them.

An arm snapped up and grabbed her leg from under a small pile of gore. Bleu stopped looked down to the shaking figure. It was one of the creatures that she fired upon in the face, blowing off half it’s head. She could still see the brain pulsing and beating while purplish fluid ran in the streets. “Please, help me,” it called out. Bleu turned around fully, her gaze looking down at him. Slowly she knelt down to the monster and placed a hand to his head.

“I can help you. I can give you release from this world and grant you permanent servitude if you like?” Her words coming like a pastor who was granting a dying man the words of God. The demon could only nod its head, gasping in slow breathes as it was already departing this world. Bleu kind of wondered where demons go when they died. It was an almost comical thought that had many answers applied to it she thought. “Then I shall grant you life once more as part of me.” Settling down on both knees, she sat on the heels of her feet. Taking off her hat, only a look of compassion was placed on her bronze face. Her penetrating eyes were the color of ice, but the demeanor upon her face reflected different. Placing her hands on the creature Bleu leaned down and slowly kissed what was left of the demons forehead. Some of the purple fluid leaked onto her lips.

The night was once again covered in sound. This time though it was the sound of a demon, calling out in pain and suffering. Bleu knew she would have to pray extra long as she had fallen into another one of those dreadful sins, gluttony.

As They Walk Among Us - Chapter 1 - Lilith

Chapter One - Lilith

The darkness was suffocating. She knew that if she tried to light a torch, it would only become sucked into the darkness and snuffed out. Within the darkness, the cold air slipped upon her warm body, causing beads of sweat and water to form on her flesh. Her breathing was exasperated and her muscles were tense. The anticipation was almost devastating on her own mind. Her heart felt as though it wanted to jump out of her chest, but she had to remember to keep her head on straight in such dangerous situations.

If it wasn’t for what she knew was in here, she would of thought she was alone. The sounds of water drops hitting the rocky floor echoed about the cave. Standing there in the dark nothingness that enveloped her, all of her other senses were magnified in regard to losing her sight in the bowels of the cavern. The sound of steady air being sucked in and released caressed the walls, blowing around the over hanging and growing of rocks that laid all over the earthy grave. That moving air was breathing.

Something cold and wet brushed against her bare arm, startling her. It was almost instinct, her right hand slipping to the hilt of her gun, drawing it and firing as quick as a heartbeat. The bullet hit nothing but rock, ricocheting into the darkness. She knew better to jump conclusions. Fear was one of the main reasons why many people died. She kept trying to keep her mind set at the task at hand, but the darkness, and the unknown within the darkness was ever so comfortable for fear. She learned from when she was younger the effects of what fear can do to a person. She vowed to never hesitate in such a fashion ever again in her life, but she just couldn’t help it. Even one as strong willed and disciplined was capable of succumbing to what was natural. The woman almost laughed to herself. The thought of something “natural” from one of her kind would almost be comical if she wasn’t so close to being paralyzed by fear.

“So, it seems the pretty little lamb has found herself within the wolves den.” The voice came from everywhere. The cavern was perfect in it’s construction, and thus she knew it wasn’t natural. The way the sounds bounced off the walls, it gave the echo a trap that it couldn’t escape. It gave the ever mystery of the circumstances and developed even more dread upon those foolish to find themselves within it’s cradle. She was one of the foolish. “What brings this lovely little lamb into my den I wonder?” The feminine voice held a sort of venom and alarm within its desired meaning. It was made her skin crawl, but she knew better than to show fear to those that thirsted for it. Instead she holstered her pistol and slowly closed her jacket, dropping her hand upon her waist.

“I am looking for Lucifer,” she called out. It was almost instantaneous that she felt that same slithery feeling touching her flesh, this time on the side of her neck and with dangerous implications. A sharp jagged nail of sorts lightly cut her. Wincing she stepped forward out of reach. She could feel the thin smooth line on her neck dampen with blood and slowly drop down to her collarbone and down under her shirt. She didn’t want to panic but she knew that in many situations like this, the smell of blood could drive one like this into a frenzy. She wasn’t sure if she would be killed here and now, but she hoped as much. She only prayed that the demeanor and stories of this creature were true and that instead of outright killing its prey, it would first want to chat and toy with it.

A coy laughter came from all directions. It was the most royal and feminine laugh one could ever hear. It was a laugh that you would hear from a queen that has heard a dainty joke from one of her closes friends. It was a laugh that showed that it was clearly in power. “Oh, haven’t you heard legends my little lamb? Lucifer has been long dead for over two hundred years.” It was a clear and present show of authority. “Is that the only reason why you have come into my domain ‘hate-child’, or is there any more foolish rumors that you wish talk about before I pick my teeth with your bones,” she hissed. Another claw scratched the other side of her neck and again drawing blood. This time she did not move or jump. Her resolve was more settled.

“Do not play with me Lilith. I come not here for your games nor as your snack. I only come here to find Lucifer. You will tell me…”

“Or else what ‘hate-child’? Hmm?” Lilith cut her off with a clear distinction of warning. The warning was as clear as day. “You’re going to shoot me with your little rock salt shells in that shotgun of yours? Maybe use one of those pistols on your hips with the blessed bullets and fire them into my deep black heart?” Her words came out in such a laughter that the entire cavern shook from the force. If she could see, she could only imagine Lilith with her haughty and abusive personality just glaring down on her on some throne. “Do not think me a fool or some lower wheel of what you’re use to ‘hate-child’. I am one of the Demon Princes. I am much more than a Demon Prince.”

A small light in the back of the cavern ignited. The orange glow was a welcoming sight on her eyes. Another light lit up next to it and then another one followed. All around the cave torches were bursting into flames, illuminating the darkness. “Take witness, ‘hate-child’, to your superiority within the hierarchy of the food chain.”

There she laid upon the enlarged throne, stretched out on the white marble with her naked flesh. She looked as human as anyone could expect. Her hair was the color of fire and her flesh was perfection. Not a blemish or a scar upon it. There wasn’t the slightest imperfection on her. Her breasts were round and perky and matched the curved body that they were set upon. What was the most distinguishing feature though, were her eyes. They were the shape of almonds and the pupil were reptilian. Golden slips that had an enticing seduction placed upon them. Lilith would have been the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, if she didn’t know who she really was.

“I know who you are Lilith…”

“No, I don’t think you do know who I am yet ‘hate-child’.” Her body leaning up on the throne, her legs, perfectly toned, much like the rest of her body, falling to the stone ground. As she stood, her red hair dropped down to the floor in flowing lust. Her eyes were intimidating. She longed for the darkness to come back more than she wished it away. If she would have known the intense nature of those eyes, she would never have wished the darkness to escape.

“Created by God himself, I was one of the first to enter the Garden of Eden with Adam. I was the first whore of Lucifer and I am the birth mother of every single creature that stalks the humans and you ‘hate-children’ in the night. I am the cause of every nightmare that children have before they slept.” Each stride she took, walking down the stairs was as silken as her voice. She was seductive by nature if not by right. The ground under her feet turned into grass, flowers blooming on each step of her soft feet. It was almost blasphemy for such a creature to produce such beauty. She slowly walked closer to her. The light from the torches cast shadows on the walls of the cavern. Shadows that did not match her current form.

“To call me a Demon Prince would actually be laughable on contrary and actually not true. I am the only seat that was above the princes. I only answered to Lucifer himself. I am perfection amongst chaos. I am the Demon Mother. I am the sole reason why you stand before me. I am not some lower wheel ‘hate-child’. I am your mother. In your blood runs my blood, no matter how diluted down the lineage it has gone. I have no idea which one of my spawn decided to rape your whore of a mother and spawn you and nor do I care.” The intensity in her voice grew as she gained closer steps to her form. She though believed that the darkness was fear. She thought the unknowing was fear and that such fear was greatly warranted. She knew now that there was more fear in the knowing. She wished she didn’t know. As Lilith stood in front of her, her left hand touching under her chin with just the first finger, she thought she would be struck dead on the spot. It was the most gentle and warm touch she could have felt, but so was a bear before it gnawed off your head.

“You come into my domain and you do not announce your name. You only come asking questions of me, demanding answers as if I’m a lower wheel. You intrude into my den and you have the mordacity to not even announce your name ‘hate-child’. My own flesh and blood doesn’t even tell her mother what her name is. As if I am suppose to know which one of my children raped her whore mother and the name is suppose to just come to me in some divine intervention.” Her voice turned from lecture into malice. “I do not work within divine intervention. Nor do I work within miracles, hope, faith or blessings. If you wish for such fantasy then continue to pray to your God that does not answer.” The hand slowly slipped down her neck, touching the cut, covering her fingers with the light trickles of blood and as so Lilith moved them to her mouth, sucking on them as if touching honey.

She didn’t know what to say in such a presence. Lilith was correct. She was a completely different “wheel” of her own. She commanded such authority that the completely pressure of it was mind numbing. The threat was there. It was solid. Her throat was dry from the utter fear in her heart. She was in that paralyzing state of fear that she promised that she would not go into. She couldn’t help herself. Her body was shaking and her heart was racing. Never has this woman felt any type of dread in her entire life. For over one-hundred years she has never felt anything even coming close to the fear she had in her soul. That is what it was. Fear that ran so deep in her veins that it crippled her soul. The only words that could escape her lips were “I am sorry for my rudeness mother.” The response seemed to have been a proper one. It was a response that was more befitting to her. “My name is Bleu. I wish only to ask you some questions that might help me in my search.”

Lilith’s lips gave a long and ensuring smile. The respect was commanded and it was given. She licked her lips as she stared down at Bleu with such a commanding authority. “Very good Bleu, my child. Now why don’t you tell your dear old mother what it is you are searching for. But I must warn you. As I told you before, Lucifer is dead. He hasn’t been seen from or heard from for over two hundred years. He died and is long gone. So I would hope you have another question to please your mother.”

That wasn’t the answer she wanted, but she couldn’t leave Lilith without knowing as much as she could. Something told her that Lucifer was very much alive and in so this knowing she would find him and truly get answers for questions she longed for. “If you still tell me that he is dead, I will still look for him Mother Lilith, but I believe he is very much alive. But if you will not allow me to know his location, I would at least like to know the site of where he died. I wish to know where he died so that I can find clues on where Lucifer is hiding.”

Lilith could only chuckle at the words Bleu had delivered. Bleu did not chuckle though. She only knew that this day was the first day of where her life would change forever.