As I Lay Dying (8): The Darkness Rising (680 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: aild
Rating: 1.58 on 28 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Axolotl || ltoloxA (View user info) at 2006-10-03 11:20:09 EDT
Enoch stood in the small concrete chamber, his face bright and cold; at his side were his two second-in-commands, the curly-haired Pharanax, and the female Aretea. Adam and Elizabeth were seated before the command of angels, while their carers stood behind them.
"We know that either you, Adam, or another young man will ascend to our throne," Enoch said drably. "This other man dwells in another world, and at the moment, he is accompanied by a demon. It is either you or him who will survive, and the survivor will inherit the universe."
"I see," Adam said, feeling that his world was slipping away from him. Elizabeth nudged him softly, smiling gently at him. Her brown hair hung loose about her face, her humble beauty a fierce contrast to Opaiosaita's cruel sensuality.
"The two other humans, Jackie McCoven and Jean-Claude d'Aphrodite, will go with you," Enoch said. "Go to the world of this man, and face him. Elizabeth shall go with you."
"We know what to do," Amaliel said in a reverent growl.
"Zophiel!" Enoch barked, looking at the closed door. It opened, and an angel walked in. "Take them all down to the armory to get weapons. Children, go with all my luck."
"Let's go," Opaiosaita said, pulling Adam and Elizabeth along.
Beneath the base, there was an armory filled with every weapon created in every world. Adam and Elizabeth were shuffled through the hands of the ranking angels, and brought into the basement by a long-haired male, Zophiel. He was tall and incredibly skinny, with twitching eyes. Behind them were Jackie and Jean-Claude.
"Opaiosaita has her spears and Amaliel his swords," Zophiel said, pushing Adam forward. "Find a weapon to bring. Stay away from firearms, you two."
Adam laid hands on the sword that Father Mackenzie had given him, standing where he was and gazing through the shelves. There were rows of machine rifles and pistols against the walls, and swords and blades of all kinds. Adam grabbed a leather-strapped breastplate off a shelf and slung it around him. Elizabeth nervously drew a dagger and sheath from a storage box and placed it in her jeans.
"Aye, 'til be a fecking scrap," Jackie muttered, packing two 9mm Glocks in his jacket and a Derringer in his sleeve. "Haven't struck wi' demons since six month ago. I'm getting auld for this, I ken."
"Be careful," Jean-Claude said slowly and deeply, strapping a rifle on his shoulder and loading clips into his pockets. "No need to get hurt. Opie and Amaliel can defend us against the demons, we kill the humans."
* * *
Everything was ready. Adam and Elizabeth were walked out onto the lawn before the base, followed by Opaiosaita, Amaliel, Jackie and Jean-Claude. Zophiel eerily watched them, asked to report back to Enoch their progress.
"Anything wrong?" Elizabeth asked, nudging Adam gently.
"I'm going to throw up," Adam muttered. Jackie and Jean-Claude checked their ammo and weapons, while Opie and Amaliel leaned against one another, building mental energy for a universe transfer.
"You'll make it through," Elizabeth said. "Both of us, together. It's you, and we'll be trained in this world, and run trillions of people."
"I don't know if I want to—"
"Ready to transfer," Amaliel said in agitation, signaling to Zophiel. "See you soon."
The angels grabbed the humans and instantaneously pulled them into the other world. The atoms pushed away, fading into blackness, as the world drew back and another took its place.
******THE HOMEWORLD: DEPARTED AUGUST 31 17:29*****
******THE EXODUS WORLD: ENTERED MAY 14 19:03*******
For more on the Exodus World, see: http://www.ubersite.com/m/72066
Adam breathed in the foreign air of another world, and opened his eyes. He was on a bright, beautiful green hill on the midst of a great plane, surrounded by windmills, canals, and farmland. Plowmen of another world were farming their fields, oblivious to the strangers just entering their world. It was a sunny May evening, and the clouds were set against a perfect-blue sky.
"All right, we're in the Netherlands of another world," Amaliel said haggardly. "Adam, Elizabeth—you stay here with Jackie and Jean-Claude. We're going to set up something so we might not even have to meet your opponent, Adam."
"What's his name?" Adam asked.
"Does it really matter?" Opaiosaita responded grimly, a twinge of sadness in her timeless voice. "Stay here, and be thankful you're safe."
"I was hopin' for some action," Jackie said, disappointed. Jean-Claude laughed, and patted his comrade on the shoulder.
"We're going," Amaliel said, drawing closer to Adam. Adam had an instinct to draw away, but he stayed, feeling the cool breath of Amaliel's parted lips on his cheek.
"If anything goes wrong...if we fail to have your opponent killed...you do want him to be killed, right?"
Adam thought, saying, "If he dies, I'm unquestionably going to be picked to lead the...Enoch's thing? And be the king of the Church?"
"It will all be yours," Amaliel said with a tender whisper. "Anything you dream of. All the riches of millions of worlds, unlimited power, unlimited women, slaves, gold, and the audience and approval of El and a host of angels."
Without a second of thought, Adam answered, "Yes. You...kill him."
Amaliel nodded and said, "Let's go." He and Opaiosaita morphed into their spirits, their silvery, translucent forms, and flitted across the countryside at breakneck speeds into the distance.
"Ah, let's go into the windmill," Jackie said. "Just to wait a while a fo' until they get back."
They walked across the grassy hill toward the gently whirling windmill, grey and bleak. Jackie opened the door and found inside a dark chamber with a high ceiling, the windmill's mechanisms twisting and grinding above. Adam pondered the fate of this opponent of his he had never met, and thought of where he was right now. Somewhere, right now, he was in this world, one of the billions of people...just he didn't know where.
"Anything wrong now?" Elizabeth asked with a smile as they lay down in a pile of immaculate hay. Jackie set himself in an opposite haystack, while Jean-Claude trained his rifle out the window on the outside world.
"Not at all," Adam said, as Elizabeth shifted the knife in her belt to lean in closer to him. "But I think we're going to be safe."
"I'm glad," Elizabeth said, nuzzling Adam's cheek. "Think of the future...how many worlds we're going to run."
"I don't know if I can, or if I want to," Adam sighed, sharing Elizabeth's thoughts.
"We can't, of course not. That's why Enoch will train us. I mean, I guess we're only going to be figureheads. I don't know..."
"At least we're safe," Adam said, leaning back and allowing himself to relax for the first time in hours.
"And together."
AS I LAY DYING
(1) Unto Dust, and story information: http://www.ubersite.com/m/92393
(2) Pillar http://www.ubersite.com/m/92560
(3) The Balances of Justice http://www.ubersite.com/m/92621
(4) Lilies of Sharon http://ubersite.com/m/92934
(5) Messengers http://www.ubersite.com/m/92996
(6) The Demon's Servant http://www.ubersite.com/m/93187
(7) The Front http://www.ubersite.com/m/93836
User Reviews
Submitted by St_Jimmy (user info) at 2006-12-18 15:01:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by JoeyG (user info) at 2006-10-25 14:02:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-10-16 22:30:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Chroniclysm (user info) at 2006-10-11 23:33:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Auto +2 Exodus World
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-10-03 16:54:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 16:30:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-10-03 15:11:48 (#)
Ranking: 2
Tune in for the exciting conclusion of the 38-part series, 'As I lay Dying', to be completed in February 2007!
--
20 parts.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-10-03 15:11:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Tune in for the exciting conclusion of the 38-part series, 'As I lay Dying', to be completed in February 2007!
Submitted by Wiggles (user info) at 2006-10-03 14:49:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 14:24:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Wiggles (user info) at 2006-10-03 14:22:14 (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
---
tool.
Submitted by Wiggles (user info) at 2006-10-03 14:22:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 12:57:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-10-03 12:36:47 (#)
Ranking: 2
i'm giving you a free +2 and forfeiting to you. i can't write right now. it's just turning out shit.
--
Don't worry too much. Think of it as a passing thing, you're a good writer.
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-10-03 12:36:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i'm giving you a free +2 and forfeiting to you. i can't write right now. it's just turning out shit.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 12:23:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by shandythedog (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:52:52 (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:43:44 (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by TheSpook (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:42:20 (#)
Ranking: -2
http://www.ubersite.com/m/93880#2167584
=)
-----
retal -2s are idiotic.
----
generally i disapprove of that busines, hence my impotent ranking powers, but i think spook has donea rather finejob here!
--------
I would expect you to think nothing else.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 12:22:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by ripple (user info) at 2006-10-03 12:12:06 (#)
Ranking: 1
i dont understand why adam would say 'i dont know if i want to be king, but kill my opponent anyways.' meh. it was pretty good.
but virgil is way cooler than adam. anyone who sells part of their soul to a demon has my vote.
---
Virgil is definitely cooler than Adam, that's the impression I wanted. Adam just doesn't want to ascend to such a power from nothing, not as much as Elizabeth does at least.
Submitted by ripple (user info) at 2006-10-03 12:12:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
i dont understand why adam would say 'i dont know if i want to be king, but kill my opponent anyways.' meh. it was pretty good.
but virgil is way cooler than adam. anyone who sells part of their soul to a demon has my vote.
Submitted by shandythedog (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:52:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:43:44 (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by TheSpook (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:42:20 (#)
Ranking: -2
http://www.ubersite.com/m/93880#2167584
=)
-----
retal -2s are idiotic.
----
generally i disapprove of that busines, hence my impotent ranking powers, but i think spook has donea rather finejob here!
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:45:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:44:49 (#)
Ranking: 2
I still hate you
-------
Monkeys taste good with strawberry milkshakes.
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:44:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I still hate you
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:43:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by TheSpook (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:42:20 (#)
Ranking: -2
http://www.ubersite.com/m/93880#2167584
=)
-----
retal -2s are idiotic.
Submitted by TheSpook (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:42:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
http://www.ubersite.com/m/93880#2167584
=)
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:37:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by shandythedog (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:36:04 (#)
Ranking: 0
before i go any further, just tell me: is this a comedy?
-------
No.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:37:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Susie_Derkins (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:34:06 (#)
Ranking: 2
Interesting direction this is going, I figured these stories had to tie in somehow.
------
Yep, you caught on. Virgil and Adam are the opponents, either one or the other.
Submitted by shandythedog (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:36:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
before i go any further, just tell me: is this a comedy?
Submitted by Susie_Derkins (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:34:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Interesting direction this is going, I figured these stories had to tie in somehow.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:29:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I don't think that's the guy. Enoch is God's captain, who was taken into heaven alive.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:23:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sleestack. That's the word I was looking for.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:22:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Wasn't Enoch that lizard guy from Land of the Lost? He used to scare the fuck out of me when I was a little kid.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-03 11:20:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
STILL YOU FEED US LIES FROM THE TABLECLOTH