Apollyon's Saint The Rebellion · 2016-07-28 · The sixth part in the series Apollyon's Saint. Chapter One Visions of destruction were gone. Now just the visions of nightmares remained

Apollyon's Saint The Rebellion

By Zachary Koukol

Copyright © 2014 by Zachary Koukol All rights reserved

The sixth part in the series Apollyon's Saint.

Chapter One

Visions of destruction were gone. Now just the visions of nightmares remained of asgard. nude and

with dripping lips Frigga pulled away from Gabriel. She got up from the wool blanket, leaving Gabriel

in confusion. While she put her clothes back on, they remained silent. Strange feelings of being

violated came over him. At first it was as though he was being used for the pleasure of gods. Frigga did

not look the least bit satisfied though. If anything she had the demeanor of a prostitute. She was

Emotionless, the job was done and she had other rituals to attend.

"You better put some clothes on, the others will be joining you again soon." Frigga said.

"Oh..okay, the prophecy was it all true?." Gabreil said.

"Some of it was, though the visions were unclean. You did not wash well enough. But I will leave it

to you to decide your fate. Goodbye for now Gabriel. " Frigga said just as she finished getting dressed.

"Goodbye frigga.." Gabreil said. He did not want to say any more since it was already a awkward

situation. Gabriel could taste the meadmilk in his mouth as he got dressed. It was a disgusting

combination but so was the whole ritual. All Gabriel had left to put on was his shirt when the door burst

open. Frigga timed it so she was leaving just as the others came in.

"Eww gross put a shirt on!" Lura said as she walked in.

"Gabriel as soon as you are dressed we must leave the village" Odin said in a rush.

"Am I going home?" Gabriel asked now fully dressed.

"If you wish, or if you wish to stay you must leave our village. You have read the book and seen the

prophecy. But it is to dangerous to keep you here." Odin said. Thinking about it for a moment Gabriel

knew he was not ready to go back home. Asgard was as good of a home as any. He thought of the

knowledge he could acquire here. But the real reason was hidden by every excuse he could find. She

was standing expressionless just across from him.

Gabriel stared at her staring away from him. When he first set eyes on her it was like the first time

man saw Everest. All logic, fear, and ignorance says it's impossible. The heart of man says it's worth

trying, even if it kills me. She would devour him, and they both knew it. He could leave Asgard and

spend eternity in regret. Or stay and love a woman long dead to the world. Just the thought of it was a

ceremony held at the gates of hell by Apollyon. Opening those gates would unleash nothing but eternal

suffering. If he walked away now and went back to Apollyon then there might be more hope for him.

"If I were to stay in Asgard where would it be?" Gabriel said.

"At the edges of the forest is a river. There to is a bridge separating Asgard from Midgard. Along

the river is a small cabin. It's a dark corner of Asgard. Where one can find complete solitude. It is

where many have gone to be free from distractions. A place of imagination and creativity." Odin said.

"So I would be alone there?" Gabriel asked.

"Well if you wanted to be alone you could be. All I can tell you is if you do stay I cannot promise

your safety. Time will continue once more and they will know you are gone." Odin said.

"So what happens if I decide to leave?" Gabriel said.

"If you decide to leave now, you will return to the cliff as though you never left. If you stay and

want to leave later on then simply cross the bridge." Odin said.

"What happens when I cross the bridge?" Gabriel said.

"You will return home, and whatever time Passed while you were gone you can't gain back." Odin

said.

"Do I have time to decide?" Gabriel said.

"Time....he remains defeated no more. Do not waist, tick tock he crys. I kidnapped into a black

hole? no who would know. I remain unbeaten....tick...tock" Loki said.

"As loki said....there is no more time. If you go home you must go now." Odin said. Gabriel thought

about it for one more moment as the others watched him waiting.

"I....I guess...I will stay in the cabin here in Asgard." Crossing her arms and looking down, Lura

tried to hide her anger. Tiffany may have had a slight glimmer in her eyes. Though Gabriel was the only

one who could see it. She remained expression less and turned her attention to Odin.

"Very well, Loki and the girls will lead you to the cabin." Odin said motioning them out the door.

"Pins prodding....mind. No more holding on to moments found deep in the darkness of the universe.

Time has come, time for WAR! But no we will not poison the wells. We will poison the sun, intoxicate

the moon, and rape the stars!" Loki said twitching and leading them out the door. As the cold crisp air

hit Gabriel, it felt as though he was captive for years. The light of day hit his eyes. Though it was not

too bright like a clear day. Looking up there was no sun. Just bright glowing clouds. The smell of mead

and sex was carried with the cool air.

The berserkers moved from the longhouse and formed a square formation around them. They

marched alongside of them as the festivals in the street cleared. Now it seemed everyone was on high

alert. With his head twitching and moving back and fourth Loki scanned the rooftops. Odin held his

staff with both hands ready to smite anyone who might assault. Once they made it to the gates the

guards and Odin fell back.

"I will be staying here for now. Loki and the girls should keep you in good company." Odin said.

The moment Gabriel made it past the gates they Slammed shut. The sounds of cheers from the village

cried out. It as clear that Gabriel was a unwanted guest in Norse heaven. The only heaven that Gabriel

had seen, outcast him. Walking through the clearing of buried loot, Lura ventured away from the

others. She was not happy that Gabriel wanted to stay. Lura treated him more as a threat and was

keeping her distance.

"So how far out is the cabin?" Gabriel asked since he had left his wool coat behind.

"Just there" Loki said pointing in the direction that he was not leading them.

"Well why don't we walk that way?" Gabriel asked just as they stepped into the dark forest.

"Me a mad captain? Oh I know these seas. Please....follow.....follow me! No I say I don't think I

know anything at all. Even if I did know of something I would only hope that man would challenge it. I

have a feeling, a superstition that knowledge is prison walls for imagination. So you may be

intellectual, and I delusional, but who will ever really know? So do we walk the known, or step into

imagination and find." Loki said as he pulled grass from the ground and threw it in the air.

Lura was now a good distance from them in the woods. Gabriel could see her Every so often

through the trees. On all fours Loki was now crawling in the ground like a dog. Every so often he

would stop and eat some dirt or bugs on the forest floor.

"It will be okay, we should be there soon." Tiffany said smiling at Gabriel. Suddenly loki stopped,

shadows raced through the forest ahead of them. Gabriel was able to see that they were not just

shadows but wolves. One pure black wolf ran right up to them. The others not far behind him.

"Don't move." Tiffany said from just behind Gabriel. The black wolf lurched forward slowly

bearing his teeth. Just feet from Gabriel the wolf was closing in on their prey. Loki still on all fours

quickly took the form of a sheep.

"Baaah" Loki said in sheep form. The black wolf turned to Loki while the others came charging in.

Just before the pack made it to Loki he transformed into a mountain giant. A foul looking creature with

a massive gut and puss filled wort’s. Only small patches of hair grew on its head. It wore no clothes and

had a sever fleshy disease near its genitals.

"Woooarh" it cried out charging the wolves. A few of the wolves turned and ran. While some bit

into the giants legs. Grabbing one wolf in one hand and one in the other the giant slung them through

the air. They crashed into trees and fell dead to the forest floor. The black wolf ran to its fallen pack

members. Turning his head towards Gabriel its eyes glowed yellow, then it turned and ran.

The ground shook as the giant fell to the forest floor. Puss filled blisters and wort's burst as it

trembled on the ground. The skin of the giant melted away and transformed back into Loki. Coughing

up blood and laughing in the fetal position.

"Oh no..argh...hugh..no help for loki. Look at you a bird of love. Then when wolves come what do

you do? Fly birdie...fly Away....arghaha!" Loki said choking on blood.

"I am sorry Loki I would have helped but I did not know what to do!" Gabriel said going over to

help Loki up. Loki shrugged him off and got back on all fours.

"Oh it's fine you only immortal. Leave it to me, some awaken from nightmares crying in fear.

While I awaken laughing!" Loki said crawling through the forest again.

"Where is Lura?" Gabriel said scanning the woods.

"She can handle her own, she might even be at the cabin already." Tiffany said.

"Okay....so why would wolves attack us in Asgard?" Gabriel said shivering.

"Wolves look for weak. That's why wolf comes to you. Wolf don't like you!" Loki said."

“Well they are looking for those who sneak into Asgard through the forests. They would have

devoured you to protect Asgard from those who don't belong." Tiffany said.

"But i cannot die." Gabriel said.

"Yes that is true but being eaten by wolves for eternity would not be much fun!” Tiffany said

laughing.

“No I guess not, so will they come back for me?”

“Yes they will keep hunting you. Once the other creatures of the forest know you do not belong.

They will hunt you down as well. It's nothing personal, but this is not your heaven.” Tiffany said.

“I don't even know where my heaven would be really. The only one I can think of would be up

there in endless space. No god's, or known civilization's, eternal nothing. Heh, maybe it's the one

heaven I can still achieve. Being blasted into space where the exposure would put me into a deep sleep.

I could be frozen in time, until my body was ground to dust.” Gabriel said looking through the forest up

at the stars.

“No more talk!” Loki said as he walked on two feet again.

Birds dive bombed through the tree's. Taking a look at Gabriel and then retreating to the skies.

Gabriel had so much he wanted to say if only the forests of heaven were not attacking him. As they

walked, thought's of endless nothing, or eternity with Tiffany filled his mind. Now that he could not

speak, it was all he wanted to do.

Though even if he could speak to Tiffany he would not say the words he wanted to say. If only

words were echo's of the mind and not its prisoners. Like your first crush, you imprison your feelings

thinking some day you will open up to them. Then the time passes by with the feelings. Regret is then

all that remains. Years later you look back and wish that you were not a prisoner of your mind.

Gabriel was sure he would never speak the words to her. The ones that he would hold captive and

live with. He was not even sure what his true feelings were. Whatever it was, it was keeping him from

his heaven, and stuck in hell with the god's.

Buzzing down right in front of him was a humming bird. Gabriel focused in on it just as it jolted

back to joust at Gabriel. Just as it did Loki grabbed it from the sky. It buzzed around trying to get free.

Looking around Loki searched for a place for the bird. Shrugging at Gabriel he put the bird in his

mouth. With full cheeks his eye brows raised. Then he slowly chomped down. After a few chomps he

seemed to enjoy eating the humming bird alive. With one big swallow he opened his mouth and let out

a single blue feather.

With a disgusted look on her face, Tiffany went past Loki in a rush. Loki and Gabriel quickly

followed behind her. The branches of the trees reached out towards Gabriel as he walked past. Even the

ground itself started to feel like walking on quick sand. The forest shake and shuttered with sounds of

snapping timber.

Now even the tops of the trees started to bend down and close in behind him. Loki and Tiffany

gained ground ahead of him as he was being left behind. Now the tree's burst and fell down. They were

blocking all sides as the ground sucked Gabriel down. Pulling himself up over the fallen trees Gabriel

could no longer see the others.

An owl arose from the wreckage of trees with an angry look. The feathers on his head stood up and

he glared his red eyes at Gabriel. The owl started in a sprint towards him and then took flight. With a

vicious assault the owl hit Gabriels face talons first. Digging in and then ripping away with a screech.

Gabriel tried to cry out for help but just as he did branches smashed into his torn up face. One solid

branch knocked him down on the ground.

Screeching, snapping of timber, and wings flapping were all Gabriel could hear. Deep cuts on his

face stung in immense pain. All he could do was cover up as heaven assaulted him once more. With

eyes tightly shut Gabriel could not even struggle. A sinking feeling overtook him as he lay on the fallen

trees. The others most likely did not even know he was gone.

Opening his eyes and turning his head all he could see were edges of earth above him. As though

looking up from a sinking grave. Flapping his wings just above the grave the owl hovered ready to

place the nail in the coffin. Suddenly the ground shook and with it the arm of a giant swung out

slapping the possessed owl from the sky.

Reaching down into the grave, the giant pulled Gabriel from it. Though he was not at all a gentle

giant. Feeling his bones crush in the giants palms, Gabriel was not sure if he was being saved or further

tormented. Still in the giants crushing and foul smelling hands it ran through the forest. Trees still fell

down in their path as the giant hurdled them with Gabriel in his arms.

With a rib cracking squeeze the giant hugged Gabriel tight and tucked his head. Like a football

player prepping for a hit he smashed through trees and pieces of wood shattered and fell to the ground.

In extreme pain Gabriel could not even look to see what was happening. All he could see now was

darkness as the whole forest enveloped them.

"Roooooarghh!" The giant screamed as it jumped head first into the air. For a moment all Gabriel

could feel was as though he was flying. That and the timber smashing into them. Crashing into the

ground the giant entered a death roll. Like an alligator hanging onto Gabriel, they rolled down a steep

slope. Each time the giant rolled over him he could feel the new sensation of a bone breaking or the old

ones reminding him they were smashed. No way to see, or even breath Gabriel was simply trapped in

his mind and body of suffering.

Finally after what felt like hours the giant let go and they rolled to a stop. Still in too much pain

Gabriel could not move his broken limbs. Even his skull felt as though it was crushed and his eyes felt

smashed into the sockets. Although his ears rang like trumpets, he could faintly hear the sounds of

running water over rocks.

"Gabriel! Are you okay!?" Tiffany's voice echoed through the ringing in his ears and head. Of

course not he thought, i cannot even respond. Then again maybe it was better than being buried alive.

He could hear the coughing and laughing from Loki transforming back into his normal form.

"Hahahargh tha...that was.....FUN?!" Loki said with a coughing laughter.

"Look he is better now! I like him like this, maybe we will keep him!" Loki said looking at the

mangled remains of Gabriel.

"Now Tiff....any? Did I tell you since I first saw you I loved? No not loved at first sight.

Too...mushy like mushroom..YUCK....maybe....I am an avalanche, you just jump into me and I will

carry you to the grave!" Loki said bursting into laughter.

"Loki you love everything at first sight." Tifanny said shrugging him off. Gabriel could only listen

to Loki try to seduce her with his god like powers.

"Come kiss me! I am an avalanche!!" Loki shouted as he leaned in for a kiss. Tiffany turned away

just before he could kiss her. Gabriel had no idea what was happening. He could hear the sound of Loki

sniffing the air. Loki smelt her hair just as she turned away. Running and jumping into the air Loki

danced around shouting

"I am an avalanche!!"

Tiffany sat down next to gabriel and watched as loki danced around. Her rejecting him seemed to

amuse his lustful madness more than a kiss. The ringing in Gabriel's ears faded and the weight on his

eyes lifted. Pulling himself into a seated position he could see blurry images of Loki jumping and

dancing.

Grabbing his arm Tiffany helped him up to his feet. Looking around he could see a small log cabin

at the edge of the woods. One door in, and widows on each side of it. Just above the door was two one

handed battle axes hanging up and crossing each other. A small chimney was bellowing smoke up into

the sky. It was the most welcoming site that Gabriel had seen since being in Asgard. Oddly there was a

graveyard just behind the cabin. Mounds of stone, timber, and ruinstones marked the graves. A river ran

next to the cabin. It was not very wide but deep and quickly moving.

"Can we go inside?" Gabriel said shivering.

"Yes it should be nice and warm, Lura has a fire going." Tiffany said.

Quickly Gabriel walked to the cabin and went inside. It looked much smaller outside but once

inside it was the size of a studio apartment. Fire glowed through a smokey haze filling the room. The

walls had Norse weapons lining it. A large bed was in the room right next to the fire place. As well as

some wooden chairs, one of which Lura was sitting in.

Rushing to the fire Gabriel sat down in a chair next to it. Tiffany sat down as well and they just

stared into the flames for a few moments. The sounds of Loki shouting could still be heard. Though

they were distant as he danced through the forest. It was getting darker and the flames glowed brighter.

"I used to use fire to burn away my pain. Or I would even cut my flesh trying to free myself from

torment. I always wished i could just melt my skin away to expose the monster the world had made."

Lura said with flames glowing off her cheeks.

"We all deal with pain in our own way. Each generation is the same but they all do it. I smoked

crystal to make mine go away." Tiffany said.

"I always tried to drink mine away. It never worked though and now I cannot even do that!" Gabriel

said.

"I guess pain is just our curse, and resisting it only causes more misery." Tiffany said.

"I wish I could have been like those other girls. Everything seemed so perfect. Good looking,

friends, and not rejected for the ones they loved.....Heh fuck them though.....Do I have to stay here with

you guys or can I go back to the village. Because heaven is becoming a real drag." Lura said getting up.

"You can go if you want to, but i wish you would stay" Tiffany said looking up at Lura. Lura looked

back at Tiffany and then looked over at Gabriel. Giving him a glare she walked out of the cabin. As she

opened the door smoke rolled out of the cabin. She paused with the door open.

"It looks like he found you..." Lura said as she closed the door and left.

"Huh what did she mean by that?" Gabriel said.

"I...don't know?" Tiffany said getting up and opening the door. She too paused in silence staring

into the sunset.

"You better come look." Tiffany said. Gabriel got up from his chair and walked over to the

doorway. As he did Tiffany slipped back inside. First Gabriel could see nothing but the sun setting over

Midgard. Then looking across the river he could see a figure standing on the bank. There with a wicked

grin and out stretched arm was Apollyon. He was pointing right at Gabriel as to say

"found you!" Looking into his eyes Gabriel was not afraid. He did not know where he was or if he

was safe. All he knew is the same line that was always there separated him from Apollyon. On one side

was a heaven that he did not understand. The other the world he despised, and there stood Apollyon his

only enemy.

Gabriel simply stood there on the moral waters of the middle. The dividing line that kept the worlds

from colliding. Gabriel pointed and smiled back at Apollyon. Then Apollyon dropped his hand and had

a look not of anger or resentment but of a pleading missionary. For the first time his shoulders dropped

and he turned and walked into the forest on the other side. As he did Loki grabbed rocks and threw

them at him from the other side.

"No dominion here! Loki mocks souls here not stupid serpent!" Loki shouted throwing rocks at

Apollyon. One hit him but it simply bounced off and Apollyon gave no notice to it. Fading into the

forest Apollyon disappeared. Though coming out from the forest behind him was demons of all kinds

marching to the river. Some mutilated masses of flesh. Others with red muscular skin and twisted

horns.

They lined the river banks and marched back and fourth. To Loki though it was just a game, he kept

throwing rocks at the demons and laughing. Gabriel just watched on as one cried out in anger and tried

to wade out to Loki.

"Come on! Come come all!" Loki yelled and laughed at it grabbing his crotch.

"I will make you mooo and moan. A pretty little cow for me to violate!" Loki said laughing

hysterically. The demon made it towards the middle struggling against the current. Then he stepped into

a deep hole and sunk under the waters. Looking around the side of the doorway Gabriel did not see the

demon come back up. Waters of morality drowned another demon but more waited on the other bank.

Watching on the light of day faded out. The demons paced back and fourth and every so often Loki

would hit one with a rock. Their cries of anger ignited Loki's childlike curious laughter. Each time he

would jump up and down pointing at the angry demon and laughing. Going back into the cabin Gabriel

sat down next to Tiffany at the fire.

"This is...madness" Gabriel said sighing and looking into the fire. Tiffany just remained silent, she

knew all too well what madness was.

"I think I am insane, none of this is real!" Gabriel said grabbing his head.

"Well what is reality? We know About our universe or the world around us. Even if you are insane,

who would really know. The world does not even know who or what they are." Tiffany said.

"I just know if this is reality then i would rather be insane. If this is insanity, then how do i get back

to reality." Gabriel said.

"We all face the reality of insanity. Some people call it the afterlife, but to me it's heaven or.....i

guess beautiful insanity?...I don't know Gabriel, Odin is much better at explaining these things than I

am." Tiffany said.

"I just don't know what to do now. Sit here in this cabin....and why is there a graveyard back

there.....in heaven?" Gabriel said still grabbing his head.

"I asked the same question to Loki, he said even heaven hides its secrets. I am not sure if it means

that...or something deeper. You never know when Loki answers a question!" Tiffany said laughing.

"Maybe they can bury me there, sounds better than going back to that hell on the other side of the

river.”

“You are looking too far into things, lets sleep for now and you can decide things in the morning?”

Tiffany said as she got up from her chair.

“Well I guess you are right, the only decision I want to make now is who gets the bed!”

“Is it not big enough for two?” Tiffany said smiling as she started to undress next to the bed.

Looking away Gabriel walked over to the bed as well. Knowing all to well how perfect she was

physically. But that decision was made as well, and indulging in her would bring only further torment.

Crawling into the bed he faced away from Tiffany. Feeling her enter the bed he simply closed himself

off and pulled the fur blankets over him. Through the laughter of Loki throwing stones at demons in the

night, they fell asleep.

Chapter Two

Tossing and turning the night was a restless one. Just at the halfway point of sleep and awake a

dream would awaken him. Though laying there he could not tell what the dream was about. Looking

over at Tiffany he was not even sure if the dream was there. Maybe when he fell asleep he returned to

reality. One that was simply overshadowed by the insanity he was living in. Laying in the bed he could

feel Tiffanys leg slide over his. Although the bed was large she was in the middle of it. While Gabriel

was almost falling off the edge.

In her sleep she did not show the guards that her mind held up during the day. Looking at her she

seemed as though she was approachable. Every part of Gabriel wanted to run, to get away. He knew he

had fallen for her. Though he hated everything that it meant. It was a battle against instincts of the heart

and logic of the mind. Thinking back to when he followed his heart, he knew he was a fool. A blind

fool who was not living in reality. One who assumed his wife loved him and that they had a happy life.

While her heart was torn and the divide with true feelings hidden from him. Getting out of bed he

silenced his heart. This time logic would prevail and he would know reality. Even if that was the

insanity of living in hell without her. Looking out the window the moon lite up demons in the night.

Loki was no longer throwing stones at them. Now he was off digging in the graveyard.

Watching as he dug a grave like a dog Gabriel turned away from the window. Taking one last look

at Tiffany in her slumber he walked out of the cabin. Closing the door behind him he gazed on at the

countless demons. There was no way past them back to the land of mortals. They waited like huntsman

knowing their prey would leave its den. Turning around Gabriel grabbed the battle axes above the door.

He was crossing that bridge, though legions of demons wait for him. Gabriel could not stay in

Asgard and wait for his fate. He knew his fate, he was alone and he would decide it. One ax in one

hand and another ax in the other, he walked over to the bridge. There was no real plan except to face

his demons. Making it to the start of the bridge he could hear a woman’s voice shouting from behind

him.

"Wait Gabriel! Wait!" Frigga said lightly jogging out of the forest like a penguin in panic. Waiting,

Gabriel watched as she ran up to him. Her shouting gained the attention of Loki and he walked over to

see what the fuss was about.

"Here Gabriel I have something for you." Frigga said handing him a necklace. The cord was made

of leather with a silver pendant. The pendant was round with four gemstones on it. One blue, one red,

one yellow, and one green. The gems glowed in Gabriels hand as he examined it.

"And these two" Frigga said handing him two more necklaces. These ones simply had a single

pendant. One with a red gem and one with a green.

"What do I do with them?" Gabriel said confused.

"They allow you to see the present time of the ones wearing it. Odin has a blue gem necklace.

Tiffany will have the yellow. The other two single gem necklaces can be given to anyone. Once they

wear it and you wear the one with four gems. You simply hold your pendant in your hand. Place your

index finger on the gem of the person you want to see. So for Tiffany you would use the yellow gem.

Call my name and you shall be with the one wearing the gem you choose. Lastly you must not let

anyone take these from you. It would endanger all of us if it were in the wrong hands." Frigga said.

"Ummm ok..." Gabriel said placing them in his pocket and grabbing his axes once more.

"He will imprison you Gabriel, I have seen this. But with my gifts you can be anywhere and with

anyone you choose.....I almost forgot to leave the spirit world, hold the pendant and say Midgards

calling. You will go back to where ever you were." Frigga said as she bowed and walked away. Loki

tilted his head and looked at Gabriel holding his axes.

"What were you searching for in the graveyard?” Gabriel asked Loki.

“Cursed with potential I search hollowed ground to bury this gift. Poisoning the cold embrace

amongst the stars, for a life of solitude. Though there are many graves to stumble over in the mind.

Some unknown and fresh with soil. Just be careful where you dig or live with the monsters you create.”

Loki said looking around in the sky. Gabriel looked at him for a moment trying to process what Loki

had said but Loki broke his concentration.

“My mind's sobriety sure could use some drug's to handle your reality!” Loki said as he turned and

ran back to the graveyard.

“Goodbye Loki and Frigga, maybe we will meet again on the other side....” Gabriel said.

“We will meet again, farewell!” Frigga said waving goodbye to Gabriel. Gabriel turned to cross the

bridge. On the other side the demons had created a impassable column. The demons could not set foot

on the bridge though, sparking an idea. As Gabriel walked across he had only moments to decide how

he would get past them.

Standing just feet from the edge of the bridge Gabriel stopped. The demons reached out for him.

Eyes filled with lust and rage. One fell over trying to reach him. It fell right through the bridge and into

the river. Like the one before him it never came up again. Not giving up any ground though the demons

still reached out for him.

Tightly gripping his axes Gabriel swung at their Outstretched arms. Having never fought with one

handed battle axes he did not know what to do. It did not matter though, these axes were like none

other. Cutting through demons like it was nothing. As though they had no bones even. Each swing

severed a limb as blood sprayed out onto Gabriel. Going into a rage he swung sometimes not even

directing his swing.

Demons fell to the ground and through the bridge. As did their limbs, and even heads as Gabriel

chopped into them. Though they were many, he still had his only advantage. Morality and a building

courage in only himself. Still the demons piled up rather than waiting for him. It was clear that they

could not think clearly. All they could do was attack like wild beasts.

With arms exhausted Gabriel stepped back. Mounds of limbs and demons lay just across the bridge.

They just kept coming though, and it was time for a new plan. Watching as the demons swarmed in he

knew there was little hope. Getting up, tired and covered in blood he was ready to give in.

"Always remember the word of your god. And he said man will be created in OUR image. Not just

his, but ours. There is some of us in you Gabriel!" Odin shouted. Gabriel turned around to look but

Odin was not there. It brought on a small but meaningful revelation. Did the bible really say that?

Thinking back to the beginning of the bible. It did say man was created in "our" image and not mine.

So if he was created in the image of the gods. Then he was meant to be imperfect. After all no

human is a true saint. Maybe it was Gabriels imperfections that made him in their image. After all if

there was one god it would not say our. If man really was created in the image of gods then they too

would reflect the image of man.

It would be like Looking into a mirror. From both sides, the images would simply be the same.

Maybe the message was to humble Gabriel, or humble his image of a god. Either way he could not

forgot the insanity of religion. It can be looked at in any way you like. Unfortunately it can also be bent

to the way that power hungry men want it.

Dripping with blood of demons Gabriel starred into their dead eyes. Mankind always easily gave

into them. After all how can you resist, when there are so many. You bring one down and ten more

spring up. Gabriel was too tired to swing away at them any longer. Looking over the edge of the water

below he knew he wouldn’t let them take him.

Stepping over the edge he splashed into the waters of morality. If those waters carried him to the

banks of hell or heaven it did not matter. The waters were his only option now. Drenching his clothes

he sunk clenching onto his battle axes. Looking at the light above he could see hundreds of demons

jumping in. Like piranhas boiling the waters for their prey. Above him in the water they tried to fight

the current. They could not though and were being washed down river.

It was pure torment for Gabriel drowning as the waters held him captive. Fighting for air he

watched as demons disappeared in their wakes. Until finally the waters above him were calm. As they

were the waters carried him up from the rivers floor. Without even swimming Gabriel was pushed to

the surface. Sunlight filled his vision as he gasped for air. The waters pushed him to the bank and he lay

there for a moment in the mud. The blood of the demons, and they themselves were washed clean.

Looking around the bridge was gone. So was the cabin and Asgard. Nothing remained but a river with

Forests on both sides.

Pulling himself up Gabriel searched for his axes but they were gone. The river faded behind him

and the forest looked like those of his home. Walking through them he could make out the path running

from his house to the old one. With an uneasy feeling he walked down the path towards his home.

Everything now seemed less magical. The forest was not as lively as that of Asgard. Then again they

were not attacking him either.

His house came in view through the tree's. Only it looked like it had aged significantly since he had

been gone. Though it felt like he was there only yesterday. The old pick up truck was gone, and the

driveway was overgrown. Windows were boarded up, some with broken glass in front of them. One of

the step's to the porch was broken and graffiti covered the outside.

Symbols of witch craft, demons, and gang signs littered the walls. The front door was boarded up to

prevent people from getting in. Walking up on the porch Gabriel searched for a way inside. He was not

sure how much time had passed since the house was in poor condition before. Now it just looked as

though people vandalized it. All the while he was walking around looking for a way in, he was waiting

for hells whores to show their faces.

Gabriel hoped that maybe enough time had passed that they moved on. Maybe hells whores had

been exercised by a priest, or demonic pimp. Walking around the house showed even more signs of

witch craft. Some type of a voodoo doll hung from one of the up stairs window seals. A noose was

around its neck and it blew back and fourth in the wind.

Finally he found a way in through his kitchen window. It was boarded up but someone smashed it

up and left it wide open. Inside he could see signs of creatures living in the house. Animal poop was on

the tile floor. Walking into the living room he saw his couch still there. It was shred into and looked as

though it was used for a den. The TV that never worked was gone though so he would be short on

entertainment.

Candle's, condoms, and trash lined the living room floor. It was hard to see everything though since

the boarded up windows blocked out the light. Gabriel started walking up the stairs and could see how

sever the vandalism was. The railing was all busted up and holes lined the walls. It was as though

someone went on a rampage with a sledge hammer.

Once upstairs he looked down the hallway towards his room. One of the back rooms door was

knocked down and blocking the hall. Peering into the room with the voodoo doll he saw more trash and

candles. Turning around he saw that his bedroom door was shut, and in decent condition. Some how it

had survived the destruction. Turning the knob the door squeaked open. His window was not broken,

but red paint gave it a stained glass look. The room was empty except for a witch craft circle was lined

on the floor in chalk. It was a star with a circle around it and candles lined the outside.

His room was clean of all trash though, and the walls were free of holes, or gang graffiti. Though

there was intricate paintings on the wall. One was of a demon dancing, while on the other wall was a

giant oak tree. The demonic paintings were like the Sistine chapel, but the faces were grim and horrific.

Demons took the place of angles, and the moon and stars were painted on the ceiling.

Sitting down on the floor Gabriel just looked around at the pictures. He could see that his closet

door was open and writing lined the walls inside. Getting up, he opened the window to allow light to

come in. The rush of fresh air was nice, and removed the stale air in the room. Light revealed more of

the bedroom and gave Gabriel a less uneasy feeling. Walking up to the closet he began reading the

writing's on the closet walls.

“Mother of night, hide this temple from those who seek to defile. Cloak in shadow's hell's altar so

fools stumble past. Barricade these walls in webs so when they stumble they are trapped. Haunt their

souls while they beg to see the light. Dispatch their cries through the webs straight to hell. Awaken the

destroyer so he may feast in my temple of night.” As he was reading a note on the floor of the closet

caught Gabriel's eye. Picking it up he could see it was a scroll of sorts written in blood.

“A life for life, a curse for a curse, soul for soul, demon for demon and eye for eye. Five sides to the

star, five spells I call for one and all. Bring him back, back from the depths, my love and lust. From an

unmarked grave and a unknown corpse. A unexplained disappearance and untold death. From the

shadows or the grave I call to bring him back to me. I summon from hell, heaven or earth the one who

once walked these halls. His name came from the divine though he is just a man with a name. A man

who I have claimed and marked with spells of love and life. This my final spell, the last drop of my

blood drips to revive my love.” A dragon crest painted in blood was at the bottom of the scroll.

Gabriel rolled it back up and laid it back down where it was. It was clear someone tried bringing

him back, but who could it have been and why? Gabriel did not know he had any real admirers or at

least not one that loved him. It was creepy yet mysterious and warming to know that someone went that

far for him.

Blinking his eye's Gabriel could feel a rough and heavy feeling to his eye lids. The light of day

fading with his will to stay awake any longer. Laying down on the floor away from the circle Gabriel

closed his eyes. Thunder roared in the distance and the light faded even more with howling winds.

Opening his eye's he then saw bright sunlight. Getting up from the floor he walked over to the window.

The sky was filled with what could only be defined as war.

Rainbows, clouds, clear sky, patches of fog, rain, snow, hail, and wind all collided in a tangled

mess. One spot had tornado like winds, while in another it calmly rained. Then only feet away it

snowed. The earth was being battered with every type of weather imaginable. He wondered what the

rest of the world was thinking. Could it be that this chaos was only in his woods. Or was the whole

world seeing what happened when the gods start a war. If only he could drive into Axal and see its

undoing. Redemption had finally came to that little shit hole called civilization.

Looking up into the sky now he could see fireballs like comets. They were flying through the air

and then out of a cloud came a funnel. All around the Spiraling funnel was lightning. Until a tornado of

lightning bolts formed. It was so bright that Gabriel squinted his eyes. The fireballs were sucked from

the sky and exploded into the lightning tornado. The last fireball hit it and with a giant flash of light

they were gone. In their place was rainbows radiating in all directions like sun rays.

From the distant horizon came a swarm of ravens. They flew into a storm cloud and they

disappeared. The cloud rained down black feathers. All over was a clash of nature and the divine. Every

inch of the sky was in a disarray of ever changing elements. Though he could only see what was

happening through his window.

Would mankind fight back, or could they even do so. Maybe mankind was just collateral damage

and earth the battlefield. If only he could see beyond the window in front of him. Though maybe it was

his last shred of sanity. Beyond the window was a world without sanity.

Laying back down on the bed Gabriel felt in his pocket and still had the necklaces. What was the

point in knowing what was happening he thought. There was no way to change the outcome. Like a

dream he could do nothing in. Or it would just be another nightmare for him to see. The only way out

was to trap himself inside his mind.

With his eyes closed in his bed. it could all go away. He could stay in the lands of imagination and

daydreaming. Back to when gods were only in imagination. When he was just a drunk mourning his

wife and child that he thought was his. Even then he could still sometimes dream of a better day. Now

dreams would only be a reminder of what was.

Loki in his delusional rants made a point that now made sense to Gabriel. Dreams are poison, and

all you can do is wake up from your nightmares laughing. Agreeing with thoughts of Loki was like

stepping into Asgard again. A heaven that doesn't make sense. A heaven for madmen and a god of the

insane. Then again chasing dreams can be a nightmare if you don't see that the dream is the chase.

Hours passed as Gabriel did anything to escape his reality. Pretending to be someone he was not, or

living a life he did not have. Seeing places he never had or would. He even tried meditation but deep

breaths brought in the rank smells of the old house. Thinking about anything but the truth was coming

easy after hours of practice. He was becoming the author of his own lies and they were his only escape.

Then one thought had to slip in the defenses his mind was building. As it did the walls came

crashing in and the hopeless feeling Returned. The one thought that made him weak. It made him run,

and hide from the devastation it would bring. Pushing it away did not help and there was nothing he

could do. He hardly knew her except for seeing the blue prints behind the monsters creation. They

hardly knew each other but she could so easily creep into his mind.

Thoughts of her could spark any emotion within him. Ones that he killed and buried would rise

from the dead. The thoughts brought only questions that were answered by more emotion. The

apocalypse was happening and all he could think about was her. His mind was in a tug of war with his

ego and her. More hours had passed and he was exhausted with himself. As he drifted to sleep his only

thought was why did I not tell her. Why did I not tell her I loved her as I left her.

Of all the demons he faced that day, regret was the only one remaining. Slowly Gabriel drifted to

sleep. Dreams of falling woke him from the deep sleep. In a panic he opened his eyes. Flashes of light

from fireballs and other magical explosions in the night sky flickered in the room. Closing his eyes

again he quickly fell back asleep.

"Gabriel!" Tiffany's voice called in the darkness. It was pitch black all around him. Jolting his

vision side to side, did nothing. Then suddenly a light glowed dimly. It slowly got brighter and he

realized he was in Tiffany's trailer home. The capsule that held nightmares of so much abuse. Turning

around he could see Tiffany in her youth. She held her hands out covered in blood. Cuts on her wrists

gushed blood out on the floor.

"I am made of skeletons. Skeletons hidden in this worlds closet, and tonight they Dance!" Tiffany

said as she held her wrists up.

"I know.....I need to imprison myself from self harm. Its just these skeletons keep escaping. Can

you keep them quite? Will you save me...." Tiffany hit the floor and landed in a pool of blood. Looking

up Gabriel saw Odin stepping in from a shadow.

“If only I could find the words that bring color to dark canvases of broken souls. Its just these dark

words are all I find...” Odin said with a look of sadness. Gabriel looked back down at Tiffany slowly

dieing in a self made pool of blood.

“Death is a beautiful and natural fact of life. Suicide cheats that beauty, leaving pain and questions

to a unanswerable problem.” Cain said from behind Gabriel. Startled Gabriel turned and looked at Cain

who was just behind him. It was as though they were randomly showing up from shadows. Hearing

noises behind him Gabriel turned again. Odin was gone and in his place stood Loki.

“You say! Society's the monster? In the dark its just me and you, we can search for monsters. None

will be found, only the nightmares that WE created.” Loki said walking up to the pool of blood on the

floor. Reaching down he touched the pool of blood with a outstretched finger. Once he touched it his

whole body turned dark red as blood. Then he poured out on the floor into a larger pool of blood.

The blood turned into a black pool, out from it on all fours was the concubine of Bethlehem. Her

flesh still stitched together in a wretched mess. On the floor in front of the concubine was the razor

blade that Tiffany used to cut her wrists. Grabbing it the concubine cut away at stitches near her mouth.

Once the stitches were cut away she held out her tongue. It too had stitches and was a bloody mess.

With blood running and winces of pain she cut her tongue free of stitches.

She tried to speak but only coughed up blood. Then words slowly started to form in a shattered

voice.

“Society needs a rebel.” She paused in awe of the sound of her voice. Blood continued to spew

from her mouth and tongue as she held it open.

“Not a rebel of violence and madness. But a rebel with a heart.” She said in a less broken tone as

she wiped blood away from her mouth.

“So start a rebellion to love and respect our humanity.” As she finished she dropped the razor blade

and crawled over to Tiffany. Grabbing her hand she covered her wrists and held her.

The sound of an explosion went off waking Gabriel from the dream. Opening his eyes he saw only

darkness, then a flash of light, not from lightning but a comet. Orange light as though from a fire filled

the room. Looking on he could see that he was not alone. Five wretched looking hag's with pale scaly

flesh were sitting on the edges of the witch circle. Then the light faded as a lump of fear raised from

Gabriel's throat. Trying to move was useless, his arms and legs were bound.

“Have you missed us Gabriel?!” A crackly old voice said.

“Who are you!” Gabriel shouted out in fear.

“What you don't recognize my beauty! I am deeply offended by you sir. It is me, Emma!” Emma

said.

“Great, I didn't like you when you were pretty. Now you whores look like your souls, wretched!”

Gabriel said.

“And we were going to give him a chance!” One of the voices of the women said.

“We have a present for you outside!” Another voice said.

Cold clammy and razor grips clung on to Gabriel. Tormented and twisted faces smiled at him in the

moonlight of the room to mock him. Lifting him off the ground they carried him out of the room and

down the steps. Once downstairs he could see the door was open and some how night had instantly

turned to day. Looking outside Gabriel saw a metal container waiting in the sunlight.

The hags tossed him in though the metal container was almost too small to fit in. The edges hot

from the sun and burnt as he struggled against it. Taking one last look at the sky Gabriel could see a

white dove. It flew up towards the sun with an olive branch. As it passed the sun it changed into a

raven. Black as midnight, in its mouth was a Dark and mangled branch.

With a hard thud on Gabriel's head the container slammed shut. Chains clanged over it as they

sealed it shut. Gabriel could see no light as he felt the metal prison lifted up. As he was being carried

off, Gabriel knew what was happening.

"We are free, free to our own will, which enslaves us." One of the hags said as the air in the

container went stale. Panic set in, an eternity in the dark without air. Thoughts of the grim reality raced

through his mind. He thought of how we try to convince our minds we are happy and to stay positive.

Faking our reality to cope with madness. Then they call you crazy for accepting the truth and not

convincing our minds otherwise

The feeling of falling came over his struggle with positivity. The container crashed into the earth

after a brief period of falling. The sounds of dirt being tossed over the container, sealed his fate.

Eternity buried alive, no one would even know of his existence. The sound of dirt faded, and then

silence. This is it Gabriel thought, eventually there would be no oxygen. He figured at that point he

would simply fall asleep. The brain would be deprived of air and would shut down. Maybe it would

recover like his wounds. But then it would not be long until the process started over.

He thought about screaming, but who would hear. Then he remembered the pendant around his

neck. Though his hands were bound he was able to wiggle one hand free. Holding the pendant in his

hand, he tried to remember how to use it. He could not see what color of a gem was what. Running his

fingers across them, he picked one.

"Uhhh" he said holding the pendant. Shit what do I do, he thought.

"Frigga!" He shouted. In an instant he went from a cramped metal container to a rocky shore. The

sounds of waves crashed behind him. Looking up, he could see grassy hillsides. Turning around to look

behind him, he saw the ocean and a heavy fog. A cliff sprang out from the hills in the distance. Waves

crashed into them. On the top of the cliff was cars and people pointing off to the sea. Looking in the

direction they were pointing, Gabriel could see viking longboats coming out of the fog. People shouted,

but he could not understand them.

Looking down at his hand and body. He could see he was still in a physical form, but not sure

where he was. The pendant was still on his neck and now he could see the gem he had chosen. It was a

deep and dark blue. Like the depths of the ocean, it was Odin's gem. Though looking around did not

reveal Odin. Gabriel walked towards the shore so he could see the boats better. The ground was rocky

and rugged, trying to walk even a short distance was difficult.

He still had all of his senses and it all seemed perfectly real. Just as though he touched someone to

see their sins. Taking in a deep breath, he inhaled the moist air. Holding it in for a moment and then

exhaling. It was much much better than the stale air in his hollow ground prison. Gabriel thought about

what was happening to his body. Was this like a dream state, was his body suffocating underground.

What if I went back, he thought. Would I be in a brain dead state? Most likely not yet, but in a few

hours or days. Maybe now he would live as a spirit.

Vicariously spending eternity through the pendant. Now that the worlds collided, he was nothing.

The very thing he wanted, was now his next curse. Was he living, dead, dreaming, or was he anything

at all. Reaching down, he grabbed a rock. It felt real in his hand, coarse and rugged. The sea had tainted

it and gave it a rough crust. A strange white film covered most of it. Slinging the rock, it crashed into a

wave. Then suddenly the rock was right back where it came from. Untouched, and completely dry it sat

mockingly.

Picking it back up it felt the same. Was it the same rock, Gabriel thought looking at the spot it came

from. Throwing it once more, it just missed the white top of a wave. Gabriel looked back at the ground,

and there it was again. Cause and effect had vanished in whatever plain of reality or insanity he was in.

Sitting down, Gabriel looked at the rock. It was not just a rock, but a symbol. A reminder that he was

going insane. Whats the point in nothing, what can you do with it. The rock he picked up was nothing.

Grabbing it again and holding it. It had weight, and feeling, but it was not there. He set it down in a

different spot. The moment it left his hand, it vanished. Then there it was untouched in its normal spot.

Thunder roared in the fog before him. But this one little rock turned everything he knew upside

down. It was clear that he no longer had an impact. Not even a pebble in the sea could change its path

by his will. What was the point in being just another bystander? Why not just go back to the hollow

ground he thought. Let his body start the vicious cycle. Deaths blessings, then the curse of rebirth. The

thoughts ceased as the sounds of longboats crashed into the rock shore. They did not even attempt to

slow down. Or avoid their crash landings. Wood split into sending splinters and debris in the air.

The largest of all the ships was heading right for where Gabriel was sitting. Not even flinching, he

looked on as it collided with the shore. The front of the ship screeched into the rocks next to him.

coming to a halt and narrowly missing him. Looking up Gabriel examined the sail. White as snow and

bowing to the wind. From the side of the ship appeared Odin. He looked out on the shore, then stepped

out on the bank. A wave swelled up behind him as he stood still on the shore.

His eyes almost locking with Gabriel's. Just before the wave engulfed him Odin turned to face it.

For a moment he raised his staff. The wave quaked and the water bubbled and boiled. But Odin

lowered his staff and the wave crashed into him. He could have calmed the seas but allowed the wave

to hit him. Maybe it was so that he could feel mortally flawed. The wave had passed leaving a soaked,

wet and vulnerable god in its quake.

Odin was a absolutely brilliant god, but he wore his weaknesses. One eyed, old, frail, and looking

like a god cast out heaven. As though he was a fish out of water. Then Gabriel starting thinking about

Apollyon. The angel kicked out of heaven to earth. Had Apollyon worn his weaknesses, then mankind

would have devoured him. So he grew into a dragon, that struck mankind where they were weakest.

Turning them into the beast that he was and conquering their souls. It was a moment where Gabriel

could relate to the destroyer. When all that you love rejects you. When everything you despise engulfs

you. That is when you either become a moral devil or god.

Odin walked up on the shore past Gabriel. Getting up Gabriel watched him as he walked by. People

were standing around on the hillside. There was cars parked on the hill watching the crash landing of

an ancient heaven. Sounds of ships bursting onto the shore continued to ring out. Odin looked up at the

gathering crowd of people. He held out his hands, palms up. Water Still dripping from them. His staff

fell to his side and bounced on the rocks.

"The time is here, I will rewrite the art of war. With the art of humility. I will devour these egos and

crash the fortifications they have built!" Odin said, turning to his ships. Raising his arms in the air as

clouds of ravens flew over head. Thunder shook the earth and with it Loki and thousands of berserkers

footsteps. They spilled out from longboat debris. Looking up at the hillsides, Gabriel could see

everyone getting back in their cars and fleeing.

He figured if he was in their position, then he would do the same. One tall a lanky man stayed and

was walking towards the shore. A few others watched him to see what would happen. The sounds of

chopper blades battered the air in the distance. It appeared from over the hills and then hovered above.

Loki looked up at it with a curious smile. The lanky man had made it just a few hundred yards from

them.

Loki stepped out and headed towards the man. Stopping once he was halfway to the man so that he

could look at his belt. He pulled out a paintbrush, he Looked at it and then the man. He shook his head

and put the paintbrush back. The man was now feet away from Loki. Loki continued to frantically

search for something. Jumping backwards the man had startled Loki. The man looked as though he was

high or drunk.

"Its ok I'm not going to hurt you!" The man said holding his arms out to hug Loki. Loki stepped

back, but the man was too persistent. Loki's eyes got huge as the man hugged him. In one motion he

pulled a bone handled dagger from his side. Thrusting it into the man's kidney region. Loki held the

man with his other arm as blood welled from the man's lips.

"I will paint this world red, so you can dream black." Loki Whispered in the man's ear. As he let

him go, the man fell to the rocky shore. Blood ran over the rocks sending a message to all who

witnessed it. Gabriel could not understand why Loki killed the man. After all he was welcoming him

with open arms. Though maybe to Loki it was a disgrace and a insult. They were after all a war like

culture, wrong or right was only a concept.

Those who witnessed it ran for their cars. The chopper stopped hovering and began to fly off.

Suddenly though it just stopped. The rudders halted in mid air. With that it fell from the sky and hit the

earth in a explosion of dirt and smoke. Cars that were once speeding away, just died. People tried to

start their cars but they would not start. Electricity was sucked out from their batteries. It went up in the

sky in strands, and then vanished somewhere in the atmosphere.

Once the batteries were drained The strands of electricity vanished. A power line on the hillside had

a much larger strand of electricity coming from it. The Electricity was quickly drained and then it

vanished. Miles away was a huge explosion. Gabriel felt the shock wave and the earth tremble. All of

the power was drained from the planet. Planes crashed to the earth in explosions. It was a complete

black out, and earth returned to an era without electricity.

Gabriel watched as the strands faded from the sky and planes fell to the earth. Some people tried

and tried to start their cars. While others got out and ran for their lives. It was mass chaos and

confusion, but to the gods it was judgment day. Not just judgment of man, but of the gods themselves.

Loki cheered and danced with blood on his hands. Odin simply watched the sky as a dark cloud of

ravens covered the sun.

The berezerkers formed a column behind Odin. Looking off at the sea Gabriel could see two more

ships making their way to the coast. One was dark, black with a dragon head on the front. From its

mouth fire and smoke bellowed. On the ship stood Hel, old and deathly. Her skin was a pale blue and

her eyes pure black. With her came Baldur free from the depths of the underworld. He was a massive

god, rippled with muscle and scars. In his hand was a mighty two handed battle ax.

Baldur's gaze pierced towards Loki. Loki was still dancing and cheering. Completely unaware that

his brother was finally free. The other ship was made of white wood with brown grain. It was nothing

of this world. On it was Frigga, and the rest of the Norse gods. Just before the two ships crashed into

the shore, Baldur leaped from the ship. He landed on the shore charging right for Loki. Some of the

berzerkers did not move in time and were plowed over.

Loki was still completely oblivious to the charging god. Baldur raised his ax above his head. Just as

he started to crash it down on Loki, Loki turned. With dagger in hand he thrust it into Baldur's exposed

stomach. The dagger sank in all the way to the hilt. The ax came swinging down but Loki jumped to

the side. It was just inches away from cleaving his skull.

As soon as Loki hit the ground, his skin trembled in an eruption of puss and protruding muscle.

Almost instantly he changed into a mountain troll. Baldur pulled the dagger from his stomach and

blood squirted out. Odin started to run towards them.

"Let them settle it as Norse!" Tyr the god of war shouted. With it Odin stopped and fell to his knees.

He watched on as his two sons battled on the shores of Midgard.

Chapter Three

Baldur Lifted his ax from the sands and swung it sideways at Loki. The blade cut into a puss filled

Wart and it exploded.

"Aaaaarrgh!" Loki cried out in pain. Just as Baldur prepared to swing again Loki unloaded a

massive hook. Baldurs whole body shook from it as he wobbled backwards trying to stay on his feet.

Stumbling with rolled back eyes, Baldur swung his ax and it missed Loki. Baldur fell to the ground and

as he did Loki jumped in the air. While in the air Loki had his fist cocked back. When he landed he let

out a vicious punch to Baldurs unconscious head. Loki landed in the sand next to him.

Baldur tried to sit up, rolling over on his side he shook his head. He looked confused and dizzy, as

though he did not even know where he was. Loki jumped on his back holding on to Baldur's neck with

one hand and punching him with the other. Baldur fell face down in the sand and tried to cover up from

Loki's troll punches. They were slow but when they landed Baldur's head bounced off them with

violent force. Finally one landed and it refueled his rage for Loki.

Baldur's eye's rolled back and then back again. With a grimace he grabbed onto Loki's leg and

pulled with all he had. Baldur took a few hard punches but he was able to pull Loki off his back.

Baldur's face was bloody, swelling, and covered in sand. Loki fell to the sand with a shock wave and it

blew sand all around him. Looking up at the sun Baldur held his hands up at it. His eye's glowing with

pure white radiating light.

From the sun came a ray of light, it landed and swirled around in his hands. The ray of light formed

a white streak of brilliant light. It quickly formed into a glowing javelin. As it did Loki rose to his feet

and started a tired and slow charge. Loki was sucking as much air as he could through his troll nostrils.

But it was as though he could not get enough to fuel his troll blood.

Just before Loki reached him, Baldur threw the radiating javelin. Loki turned sideways so the

javelin would not pierce his heart. It tore into his shoulder, and shot out midway through his back.

When the javelin hit the sand it vanished into a pile of ash. Loki collapsed into the earth holding his

shoulder in pain. Gabriel could see through the hole where the javelin pierced.

Looking through the hole he could see scorched flesh. It barley grazed Loki's darkened troll heart.

Gabriel could see the bottom corner of his heart pounding through the hole. Light from the sun peered

onto his heart and smoke smoldered from it. Until nothing but smoke filled the hole in his body and his

heart glowed with fire.

“ERRGHH!” Loki cried out in pain as he turned his heart from the light of the sun. The light faded

from the hole and the fire burned out into a charcoal corner of his heart. Loki no longer sucked for air

but took short, quick breaths. Each breath was filled with pain from a scorched heart. Baldur grabbed

his ax as Loki withered in pain.

Standing just above his brother, Baldur raised his ax one more time. Pausing with it raised to the

sun, the blade glowed in orange flame like his hatred for Loki. Springing up from the ground, Loki

lunged for the ax. Baldur swung it down just as he did but Loki caught it before it could smash into

him. For a moment they struggled and Loki opened his giant troll mouth.

Teeth rotten, black, and missing bit down on Baldur's throat. Ripping away from his neck, Loki tore

flesh away and left broken teeth behind. Baldur released the ax and tried desperately to guard from

another bite. It was no use, Loki plummeted back into his neck with so much force that they both fell to

the ground. Like a pit bull Loki stayed latched to his jugular.

With each of Baldur's struggles he would rip harder into his throat. Until finally no air would reach

the god of lights lung's. As Baldur looked up at the sun a tear fell from Odins blind eye. It crashed into

the sand and changed it and the rocks of the shore line black. The darkness spread all around him. The

berzerkers in its radius fell to their knees. Their skin turned to black and then they crashed, dead on the

ground. The spreading darkness stopped before it got more than twenty yards from Odin. It retracted

and slithered back towards him. It shrunk down into a little black tear drop. It was like a solid stone tear

drop. Odin picked it up and held it in his hands.

"Stop!" Odin shouted as Loki let go of Baldur's torn throat.

"I shall be the one to finish my son!" Odin said with a sad grimace. Odin walked up to Baldur and

Loki backed away. His face was covered in Baldurs blood and he had a crooked troll smirk.

"You were trapped away for so long, my son and my light." Odin said holding Baldurs head in his

hand.

"Now I shall free you from your prison!" Odin said as he placed the black tear drop in baldurs

mouth. As he did baldurs skin turned from a radiant white to black. Ravens circling in a cloud above

swarmed down. They completely engulfed baldur and then they flew to to the sky. Baldur was now

gone and no where to be found. Blood was all that remained from where Baldur once was.

"When a god dies, and heavens fall, where do souls go?" Gabriel asked as though someone could

hear him. For the first time the kingdom of norse wept. Their heads were held low and tears ran down

their faces. Loki just looked up at the sky smirking.

"Baldur! Not my baldur!" Frigga cried out. Odins face turned from sadness to anger. It was all loki's

doing and it was him who fueled Baldurs blood lust. Loki condemned Baldur to non exsistance the day

he cast him to the underworld. Odin knew this just as well Gabriel did. Loki now starred into Odins

enraged eyes.

Instantly loki turned around and started to run for his life. Troll legs plotted along the sand and

made the ground shake. As he ran his troll skin exploded and from it ran a coyote. Though no matter

what form he took he could not outrun his wounds. The coyote fur was covered in blood, and the hole

to his heart was still there. Though he now moved much faster than he did on two legs.

"After him!" Odin yelled to the berserkers. The look on their faces was the same anger as Odins.

They ran after him just as fast as they could. Though it was just a light jog since they carried weapons

and shields.

"No need to hurry my love." Frigga said to Odin as she walked behind Odin. The other gods

followed as well and Gabriel was left on a shore line of broken ships. Gabriel did not see a point in

watching gods kill each other. Though it was either that, or play out the life and death cycle over and

over. Gabriel got up and followed a short distance behind the gods. He could only hear sounds of their

whispers but not words. Why were they whispering Gabriel thought. Maybe they are just as deceitful as

mankind. Like any moment they could strike their frail king.

They had only made it a few hundred yards when another fight broke out. This time it was mighty

Thor, who pushed Hel to the ground.

"You and your poisonous tongue! You have no reign here old woman!" Thor shouted to Hel who

was covering up to defend herself. Thors fuse was just as short as any Norse.

"Must we kill each other!!" Odin shouted throwing down his staff.

"Just strike me down now and spare me the humiliation! " Odin said.

"He is a mad man, plotting against me!" Hel shreiked as she got to her feet.

"I do not plot, I strike!" Thor shouted back as he smashed his hammer into the ground. The earth

shook and the air smelt of electricity.

"Should us Norse not unit? Should we be the laughter of gods as they see us self destruct? Or do we

take back our rightful homeland...MIDGARD AWAITS! Or the emptiness of death without Asgard. No

Valhalla, no loot o plunder, only a void in the hearts of the living. So let us decide here and now. Do not

wait for me to fall, bring me down here and now." Odin shouted in anger.

The other gods reluctantly change from their battle stances. It was clear that there was still

unfinished business. But for now they had to make peace to wage war. Odin began walking again and

so did the others. The berserkers had already made it over the hill. Sounds of gunshots cried out from

over the hill. First a few, followed by many. They rang out in a automatic hailstorm. Odin began

running to see what was happening.

Gabriel started to run as well and quickly passed Odin. Once over the crest of the hill, he saw where

the shots came from. A small city, of maybe five hundred was below him. On the edge of town was

military infantry, police, and civilians all armed and firing at the berserkers. Round after round hit the

hillside. The berzerkers withstood many gun shot wounds. Some held their shields high as the were

torn into by bullets. The berzerkers were not like an average human. Only after many shots would one

fall dead. Odin made it to the top of the hill near Gabriel. Bullets buzzed past them though none hit

odin.

"Man and their wretched ego! Egos are for those scared of the dark unknown. So they create ghosts

rather than face fear. Now they shoot at god's with their ego rather than embrace them....Must war be

the only way?" Odin said.

"There can be no other way. Though they go to battle as cowards behind their weapons. They fight,

but fear true combat or the glory of being a combatant." Tyr said.

"Valhalla only awaits true warriors, and so we must create it here. We should destroy these cowards

so that Valhalla can be reborn among Midgard!" Thor shouted as a bullet grazed his armor.

"Warriors of Asgard may you build the halls of Valhalla with their blood." Odin said. Just as he did

the berzerks made it to the edge of town. Some had fallen riddled with bullets. But it was not enough to

stop their army. They crashed into men with guns and began tearing them apart. Some humans turned

and ran, while others were being sliced through. Slowly the ringing of gunshots ended. While the

sounds of cracking skulls and screams were all that remained.

One man dropped his gun and rather than running away he walked into the battle line of the

berserkers. With a solid thud a berserker hit him right between the eye's with a one handed battle ax.

The blade sunk in and the man dropped dead. A few of the men were able to run away and flee from the

skirmish. Those who didn't were slaughtered without mercy.

In the street was a cop who tried to run but was hit in the leg with a throwing ax. With hands held

tight he looked up to the sky and began praying. Another throwing ax flew through the air and landed

in the police officers chest. The blow knocked him back but he was still moving. A berserker

approached him and stood above him watching the man suffer. Almost instantly the police officer

pulled his pistol from his holster and shot the berserker multiple times until he fell dead next to him.

Looking up the officer could see the other berserkers coming for him. His comrades were now all

brutally killed for choosing war against a warrior divinity. The officer fired two more shots at the

berzerkers. Though he failed to kill any of them. Gabriel watched as the officer then turned the gun and

fired his last shot. It was to his own head and his misery was over.

Odin and the other gods did nothing but sit and watch in silence. It was as though they were

spectators in the opera of savagery. Gabriel knew that mankind would turn on the gods. They did not

understand them, and they seek to destroy the unknown. By using the only thing they know of, war. But

maybe it was Loki who murdered that man by the same logic. Both the gods and man were corrupt

beings. Gabriel wondered what their differences were if any.

His heart ached as he watched those men being killed. It was as though they were cattle for the gods

amusement. Looking at Odin he wondered if he felt the same suffering that Gabriel had. Maybe only

for his own warriors, though the motives and emotions were unknown. Now the battle was over and the

edge of town was left with deaths silence. Mangled and mutilated corpses backed in the sun as swarms

of crows flocked above.

The crows circled into a funnel in the sky and suddenly they began their decent. The berserkers

stood and watched as crows dived from the sky to begin a feast of flesh. Thousands came down from

above landing on the defeated corpses. Beaks tore flesh as they quickly devoured the body's of men.

Bones crumbled to their beaks as though they were made of glass.

A young boy stood in the street with a toy truck in his hand. Tears had ran down his face but they

no longer fell although the streaks remained. He just watched with a horrified curiosity and the first

pains of loss on his face. Gabriel watched the boy as Odin and the other god's strolled through the now

devoured corpses. Crows pecked at the ground cleaning up any scraps that might remain.

There was nothing but blood and torn clothing remaining. It was one example of how easily

disposable man was to the gods. Fear and disbelief was all that was left for the small town, and the

world. It did not make sense to Gabriel since they could have easily disarmed the men and spared them.

Maybe the gods had no more lessons for mankind. Mistakes were paid in blood, and blood would build

the halls of Valhalla.

Odin approached the child with open arms, though the child stayed frozen. Odin clasped his hands

together and as he did a vibrant light glowed in them. Separating his hands he presented a black lizard

to the boy. It was as though he was performing a magic trick to impress the child. Though the child

simply turned and ran screaming for his life. Odin looked surprised at the child's reaction but the gods

had no control over the power of choice.

Gabriel could tell by Odin's face that the Norse were losing the war already. They were warriors

who could earn respect only on a ancient battle field. Now they were nothing more than a legion of

Apollyon. They did not have the weapons for the war they were facing. Faith in fear could not spread

like faith in love. Mankind feared the Norse which is why they faded into mythology. The Norse were

now marked as the enemy and blood cannot build a kingdom.

Men, women and children all fled the town with no time to take any belongings. The town was now

empty as Odin and the god's walked through the streets. Berserkers broke into building and pillaged

through houses. Though it seemed their plunder and loot was man, but none remained.

“We will make our fortification here, Berserkers set watch and make defenses. God's of Asgard, let

us meet and decide or course here in Midgard!” Odin said as he walked into the towns courthouse. As

the god's walked in they looked around at the set up of the seats. Most of them were confused and just

sat down where ever. Hel sat down in the judges seat, while Odin sat in one of the defenses chair.

“This is where man decide what is just? Judging a rivers currents is as though judging man. You

will never know until the undertow drags you down to the depths of its soul. ” Heimdall the god who

protects Asgard said.

“Ha! why not settle it on a battle field? Why here, where there is only seats? These are no warrior's

simply children playing with words!” Tyr the warrior god said.

“Silence, we are not here to judge man. We are here to decide the fate of the Norse kingdom.... I do

not know why the people of this town all fled. We cannot win this war if they do not worship us. We

will fade in the silence of defeat.” Odin said.

“We must fight them!” Tyr said.

“As we did today?” Odin said.

“Why are we fighting man, they are our weapons against the other kingdoms?” Freyja the goddess

of fertility and abundance said.

“They choose to fight us as the sea choose to guide us to war!” Njord god of the sea said.

“You decide the course of the sea Njord, it too can guide to peace.” Frigga goddess of prophecy

said.

“Peace! what is our kingdom in peace!” Hel shouted as her eyes turned from black to glowing

amber.

“So should we make war with our ax to defeat our enemy?” Odin said standing.

“These people are our axes, and we have many enemy's here in Midgard. Shall we fight them

unarmed in blood lust and watch our kingdom fall? Our pride, courage, honor, and culture must not

over come our senses. We are a defeated kingdom coming back to claim victory once more. Though we

cannot do it without our wisdom of defeat.” Odin said walking down the isle.

“We must face many battles, but not all can be won with brute force! Odin shouted.

“So we must give up all we believe in for victory? Then we are already defeated!” Hel shouted

jumping from her seat.

“Would you prefer we fight here amongst each other? Or out there against the seven kingdoms? We

must come to reason, we cannot fight this war without mankind.” Odin said.

“Then let us vote!” Heimdall said.

“Now it is you who sounds like a child of words!” Tyr yelled.

“Then face me without your words!” Heimdall yelled back. Both Heimdall and Tyr sprung to their

feet with weapons drawn.

“BE SILENT IGNORANT FOOLS!” Odin screamed as the whole building shook. Paint and dust

fell from the ceiling to the floor. Both Tyr and Heimdall sat back down with heads slumped in defeat.

“Yes dearest let us vote for what we shall do with man.” Frigga said in a soft voice.

“When you wish to vote simply stand, do not speak!” Odin said.

“Those who wish to wage war with all of Midgard stand now” Odin said. Just as he did Heimdall,

Tyr, Hel, Njord, and Thor all stood.

“Now be seated.” Odin said.

“Those who wish to face our true enemy and spare mankind stand now.” Odin said as he stood. So

did Frigga, and Fryja. Then Heimdall, and Thor stood once more.

“What are you fools confused!?” Hel said.

“Its....A draw? I know how to settle an even match.” Tyr said drawing his ax. Odin sat back down

rubbing his head as though it ached.

“We will not fight amongst ourselves as Loki and Baldur did today. The votes were invalid, we will

destroy all who oppose us.” Odin said pausing. As he paused Tyr held his weapon in the air cheering.

“But!.....If they do not oppose us, we will welcome them in our kingdom.” Odin said.

“Hah! We once welcomed those who fought with courage. Now we welcome cowards?” Hel

shrieked.

“So you are suggesting we welcome those who want to destroy us? Then kill those who don't?”

Frigga said.

“My words are final, all who disobey me will be banished. Now we must decide the fate of Loki.”

Odin said.

“You once told me that words are like moments, we can have thousands of them to find one

sentence of brilliance. I have heard your word many times, and still no brilliance!” Hel said. The gods

looked around the room.

“Baldur picked the fight while Loki's back was turned.” Tyr said.

“Yes it was unfortunate that Baldur died, but Loki had no choice.” Fryja said.

“Yes but Loki picked that fight when he sent Baldur to the underworld.” Odin said.

“Then Loki finished it, even when he was out matched.” Tyr said.

“They are right Odin, although my agony and yours has blinded us. Baldur was the light of Asgard

but must we lose two children?” Frigga said as a tear ran down her face.

“From this point on, Loki is no longer banished from our kingdom. We will send scouts to track

him down and bring him home.” Odin said.

“Let us now focus on the war?” Hel said.

“Yes Frigga has located most of the Kingdoms and some of the rebels. Tiffany is with the rebel

Cain as he searches for Gabriel. Right now they are just outside of Gabriel's home waiting for him. For

now we must build our defenses and prepare to attack.” Odin said

“Hel, I want you and some of the berserkers of your choosing to scout the surrounding area. Return

to us with any threats, or with Loki.” Odin said as Hel rose from her chair and headed out.

“Heimdall you are in charge of our defenses. Make our walls appear weak but as strong as Baldur.

Frigga we must map out where our enemy's are and figure out what their plans are. Fryja you will be

our diplomat. Find the local Villages and seek to make peace. Tell them that they will be protected here

in the Kingdom of Norse. Though you must be a lone diplomat Tyr will shadow you. Do not let the

people see you Tyr. Your army will move in stealth behind her. Ready to attack any threat that she

might face. The crows will watch over you both, when they swarm so shall you Tyr.” Odin said.

“And I?” Thor said.

“You will stay here with me, and Frigga. We must stay together because there are many threats

coming our way. We will need your hammer and bolts to fend off the gods.” Odin said standing from

his chair. The gods began leaving the room with their orders. Gabriel's mind wandered to what Odin

had just said. Tiffany and Cain were in Axal searching for him. Though how could they ever find him

buried in the ground? It was still a small glimmer of hope. The thought of Tiffany searching for him

was more hopeful than the thought of being free from his dirt prison.

It was a intriguing thought to use the pendant to find Tiffany. But he could not help but follow Tyr

out of the courthouse. Gabriel was still searching for his kingdom in the war. He had to see if Odin's

words were enough to bring some hope for mankind. It was clear though that his kingdom was one

divided. So he had to see if they would remain that way.

Once outside Gabriel could see that the town had already changed significantly. The houses were

being torn down for wood. Berzerkers worked all around him dismantling things. began gathering a

small army of berzerkers outside of the courthouse. They fell in ranks and only the soldiers that were

fresh gathered. Those who had been injured were left to work on defenses.

Hel had already gathered her force of only five men. They dropped their gear and took only their

axes. The men she choose were the smallest of the berserkers. Fast and agile they made perfect scouts.

Gabriel watched as they quickly ran out of the town. Heimdall was standing around a group of

berserksers. Gabriel could not hear him but he was pointing as though he was ordering them on what to

build where.

As soon as the issues were ordered men started digging and building where he was pointing. The

berserkers were void of choice, they just followed orders instantly and without question. Though the

other Norse gods could control them as easily as Odin. They were the perfect army but their generals

made them seem weak and easily manipulated.

Fryja began walking out of the town alone, but with a swarm of crows above. She truly was a

irresistible beauty. Her grace was nothing of the other Norse. She was muscular but still had all the

features of femininity. Blond braided hair, blue eyes, and the perfect proportions of power and beauty.

It would be hard to resist her as a diplomat.

As she left the town Tyr and his army marched behind her. Gabriel followed them and they stopped

just on the edge of town. They let Fryja walk as though she was defenseless and alone. Just as she

faded from their site over the hill they quickly marched to the top of the hill. Even Gabriel had to jog to

keep up with the men.

Once at the crest of the hill they all laid down and began crawling towards the top. Tyr was in the

lead and was also crawling. with one motion of his hand they all stopped. Looking up Gabriel could see

the flock of crows getting farther away. Walking to the top of the hill Gabriel could hardly see Fryja

who was vanishing once more.

Loud bursts of thunder and lighting came from behind him in the town. Turning around Gabriel

looked back at the town. Just in that short amount of time it now looked more like a Norse village. It

had a complete wall of scrap wood around it. Watch towers were placed every thirty or so yards on the

wall. Lightning lit torches around the town. It looked even weaker than the walls in Asgard. A mesh of

colors from different types of timber.

Changing his attention back to Tyr and the men Gabriel turned around again. But they were already

gone. He was standing right next to them and now they silently sneaked off. They were already running

across another ridge and the crows were no longer visible. At full speed Gabriel ran as fast as he could

trying to catch up. His legs and lungs burned running down the hill and then up the other.

Luckily the men crawled to the top of the next ridge and waited laying in the grass. Gabriel ran up

to them and they remained perfectly still. Stopping Gabriel tried to catch his breath as he walked to the

top of the hill. They had only gone a few miles but another small town was in view. This town even

smaller than the previous one.

Men with fire arms lined roof tops and windows. Fryja held her arms in the air to signal that she

came in peace. Some of the men watched the cloud of crows while others were mesmerized by her.

Gabriel could hear the men shouting orders but could not understand them. It sounded like they wanted

her to stop but he was not sure.

A shot rang out that was well off target and landed in the dirt a yard away from Fryja. It was now

clear that it was a warning shot and they wanted her to halt. She kept calm walking towards the town as

another warning shot rang out. This time it was a little closers to Fryja.

“Charge!” Tyr shouted with a blood red face of anger. The Berserkers once again charged another

town. The god's did not understand man and man did not understand the god's. Shots erupted from the

town and began bombarding the hill side. On a far away hill Gabriel could see Hel and her five men.

They watched for a moment and then ran off over the other side of the hill. They did not get involved

with the conflict, but their orders were to report threats.

“Please stop! Please!” Fryja cried out falling to her knees. A bullet ripped through her shoulder and

shot blood into the air. Her white gown now turned red over her heart. She fell clenching her shoulder.

The crows began plummeting from the sky and attacking the men on rooftops. One man lit a large

bundle of wood and kindling on top of a roof. It was a signal fire maybe for other men in the area. The

fire started out under control but quickly started burning the building and engulfing the man in flames.

Tyr had made it to Fryja and lifted her from the ground. Bullets zinged past him and a few hit

home. But Tyr did not even flinch he simply picked her up and ran from the battle. The berskers were

taking heavy loses as automatic rifles tore them down. This was not even one tenth of the force that

they took the other town with. Tyr carried Fryja over the hillside and set her down where Gabriel was

standing. She was crying though not in pain but sadness.

“Why didn’t you wait!” Fryja cried.

“They were going to kill you!” Tyr said.

“I don't think they would have shot a woman!” Fryja shouted.

“They would have shot a goddess and that is what they did, just look at you. We cannot make peace

with these people. They do not understand us, or our language. To them we are just invaders looking to

destroy them.” Tyr said. Gabriel looked back and could see that the Berserkers had suffered defeat.

They never even made it into the town before they were shot down. The hail of bullets was even

stronger than the first attack.

Crows continued to swarm the town though as the men directed their fire at them. Though the

crows could devour flesh in monstrous fashion, they could not withstand a gun shot. Crows and

feathers fell from the sky and rained down black. The crows had killed all the men on rooftops but

those inside shot them from their window seals. They were now like fish in a barrel and thousand of

crows littered the ground dead.

Looking around Gabriel could see Tyr was gone. Over a far hillside he could see him carrying Fryja

is his arms as the sun set in the distance. It was their second defeat in a day of many losses. Watching

the sunset Gabriel pulled the pendants out from his pocket. The Yellow pendant glowed in his hand. It

was his link to forever be with Tiffany. Though the same link he always had with her. Imprisoned with

emotions that could never be set free. Gabriel placed the yellow pendant around his neck and held it in

his hands.

“Uhhh....Frigga?” Gabriel said. As he did he was sent into darkness.

Chapter Four

Gabriel found himself in a dark forest. Looking around Gabriel could not see anything but the

forest. The light was dim from over cast, but fire balls and comets would fly by lighting up the forest.

The shadows of tree's danced to the glow of light from above. The sky over the forest was much more

intense than the Norse were.

“Are you sure this is where he is?” Cain said from behind Gabriel.

“Yes it is where the witches buried him.” King Abimelech said. Turning around Gabriel could see

Tiffany standing over a hole in the ground. Abimelech and Cain's heads could be seen peering up from

the hole.

“They hid the spot well, I watched them cast a spell and then foliage grew where the fresh soil once

was.” Abimelech said.

“Apparently they made hard rocks form over the spot as well!” Cain said as his shovel rang off a

rock. Old and frail Cains arms shook as he tried to lift shovels full of dirt. Tiffany just stood above the

hole watching the two men dig. looking down at them she had a worried look on her face. Gabriel

could not tell if she was worried that they would find him. Or that she was worried that Cain would be

the one to find him.

The shovel rang again, not on rock but on metal. Cain looked up and smiled at Abimelech as he

gained a new burst of energy. The two dug more frantically as Tiffany sat down on a fallen log and

watched the chaos in the sky.

“I wounder where they are all going?” Tiffany said still looking up.

“Where what is going?” Cain said still digging.

“The comets, and balls of fire?” Tiffany said.

“I think it's just a magic show to horrify mankind. The god's are no longer omnipresent, so they

send reminders of their power in the sky.” Cain said with a unsure voice as he dug. Then Cain smiled

looking down at the metal coffin that Gabriel's body was in.

“Help me up.” Cain demanded holding out his hand. Tiffany reached down and pulled him up from

the hole. Abimelech lifted one end of the metal box and set it upright.

“Hold on Gabriel we will get you out soon.” Cain said. A smile ran across Gabriel's face. If he only

knew that he was standing right next to him. But being a ghost was growing tiresome with so much

going on.

Abimelech pulled himself from the hole. With one hand he grabbed the chain around the box and

pulled it out from the hole. It was impressive but then again Abimelech was a massive being. He began

unwinding the chains until they fell off the container and into the dirt. Cain came over and lifted the lid,

Gabriel leaned over to see himself in his coffin. It was a surreal moment seeing himself dug up from

the grave. His skin was blue and purple as though it was oxygen deprived.

“He.....He is dead?!” Cain shouted in a confused rage. Tiffany rushed closer and grabbed Gabriel's

hand to feel his pulse. She turned her head from Cain and Abimelech as she felt for a pulse. Gabriel

walked around to see her face in that moment. Tears welled up in her eye's as she felt his wrist. Then a

sigh and a smile.

“He is alive.” Tiffany said trying to down play the excitement on her face. She got up and walked

away into the woods as if she was uninterested. Though it was simply a ploy to hide the tears that ran

down her face. Now Gabriel knew without a doubt that she shared the same feelings that he had for her.

He wanted to run up and hug her but he was still just a ghost. Even if he wasn't he had to pretend that

they were not interested in each other.

Tiffany was still a spy and Cain did not need to know that. If Gabriel showed his feelings for her

then Cain would assume that there was more going on. Possibly revealing that Tiffany was a spy for the

Norse kingdom. Gabriel hoped that she was just as he was. Tossed in the middle of war where no side

was worth fighting for but his own.

“What should we do?” Abimelech said confused.

“I don't know maybe he is under a curse?” Cain said looking at Gabriel.

“Lets take him back to camp and we will go from there.” Cain said grabbing one end of the box.

Abimelech grabbed the other side and they began carrying it through the woods. Gabriel grabbed the

pendants in his hand and tried to remember how to get back to physical form.

“Uhhh Frigga take me back!” Gabriel said but nothing happened.

“Frigga I want to go back to my body..” Still nothing. Gabriel followed behind the men as he

started to panic. He thought about all she had said but could not remember how to get back. Searching

his mind they walked for what seemed like hours but was only minutes. They approached a camp of

wood huts and dug outs.

Men and women sat around fires chewing on bones and scraps. They looked deprived and like a

camp of vagabonds from ancient times. Looking around Gabriel saw archers up in the tree's keeping

watch. The camp was fairly large and looked to consist of a few hundred people. Cain and Abimelech

walked through the camp and carried the container into a large hut guarded by five men with home

made spears.

They did not look like warriors or kings but starved men. Gabriel walked into the hut, inside was a

fire pit, bedding and some chairs made from branches. Tiffany was sitting on the bedding closing her

eye's as she leaned against the wall. The walls of the hut were made of tree's and the insulation was

mud and straw. She looked exhausted as she opened her eye's.

“He is cursed!” Cain said.

“Cursed?” Tiffany asked.

“Yes I think the witches placed a curse over him. But his color is coming back and he is now

breathing. Its just he wont wake up.” Cain said.

“What are we going to do?” Tiffany said trying to act worried. She saw the pendant and must have

know what was happening.

“I say we attack those witches and if they don't remove the curse than we burn them!” Abimelech

said.

“You really think we can defeat Morrighan one of the oldest known goddesses? Or did you forget

that the witch in love with Gabriel summoned her?” Cain said. Abimelech looked down at the ground

out of ideas. When Cain mentioned Morrighan you could tell it sent chills up Abimelech's spine.

“We will figure out something, for now he stays here with you Tiffany. You will be his guardian and

if anything happens I hold you responsible.” Cain said walking out of the hut. Abimelech followed

behind as smoke ran out the door behind them. Tiffany looked down at Gabriel and smiled as she laid

down in her bed. Gabriel just watched her as she fell asleep.

“What am I going to do!” Gabriel shouted. He was furious with himself for not remembering

Frigga's instructions. As the night turned into early morning Gabriel sat in the corner of the hut. He had

given up the idea of freeing himself. He would remain a ghost of ignorance. Now his mind drifted to

the dreams he had in the house. He thought of one of the quotes in the dream. He could not remember

who said it but the words echoed in his mind.

“Society needs a rebel. Not a rebel of violence and madness. But a rebel with a heart. So start a

rebellion to love and respect our humanity” The person who said it was unknown but the words were

true. Gabriel thought that if he could ever get free from his prison then he would be that rebel. If the

gods wanted war then he would be a leader of peace and defy them. He could create a refuge for

humanity and end the suffering.

He did not know how he could save people from the war. But he had to try as long as there was still

an eternity of blood in his veins. He vowed to bring humanity peace and understanding of the god's.

Although he knew little about them, he knew more than most. There was only one god that he knew

that would not let them live in peace. Apollyon was the wedge between him and peace, but if they

could hide from him then they could find peace. If even for a little while, but then again a piece of

Apollyon was in all of us.

Gabriel waited for what seemed like days as him and Tiffany sat silently in the hut. No one

disturbed them and Tiffany only ate and drank very little. She was looking drained and the effects of

famine where starting to show. The god's and their army were now in the flesh once more. With that

came all the consequences of the flesh.

She was begging to looked worried once more. Like maybe Gabriel was in trouble, lost or not

coming back. He watched as she sat down next to him and held his hand. She laid her head down on

the metal coffin and stoked his hand with her thumb until she fell asleep once more. Gabriel just

watched and waited for what might come next. Then Tiffany's head jolted up and she looked at Gabriel

once more.

“Gabriel? if you are listening please say these words. Midgard is calling, and so am I!” Tiffany

shouted at him. Gabriel jumped to his feet fumbling for his pendant. He tightly grasped it in his hand

and smiled.

“Midgards calling, and....” Darkness cut him off before he could finish what he was saying.

“So am I!” Gabriel shouted into the hut. Opening his eye's Tiffany jumped on him hugging him.

Then she pulled back and sat down on her bed.

“Soo...sorry..” Tiffany said.

“Its ok Tiffany we don't have to act anymore.” Gabriel said but was quickly cut off before he could

finish.

“Yes we do, they cannot know about us Gabriel.” Tiffany said whispering.

“You are like the atomic bomb in world war two and I am your Hiroshima. They will use me to set

you off and bring a destructive end to war.” Tiffany whispered.

“They must never know, only we will know and even that is too much.” She said still whispering.

Gabriel just looked around in anger. He knew she was right and he was faced once again with his age

old battle.

“Yes, you are right. If a day ever comes just know I will be here waiting.” Gabriel said whispering.

A smile lit up across Tiffany's face.

“I know you will, but we all must sacrifice in war. Its unfortunate that love is one of the first things

to go.” Tiffany whispered.

“Now I must get you to Cain he has a lot to talk about. But mention nothing of Asgard or the seven

kingdoms.”

“Where will I say I have been all these years?” Gabriel said.

“Tell them Apollyon had you captive. But you escaped and when you came back the witches got

you.” Tiffany said.

“Yeah about them...Morrighan is in Axal?” Gabriel said confused.

“Yes, but I will let Cain explain that to you.” Tiffany said pointing at the door. Gabriel got up and

walked out. The guards greeted him and shook his hand smiling. Gabriel was unsure of why they were

so happy but he shook their hands anyways.

“Gabriel!” Cain shouted running from a forming crowd.

“Back up fools, back to your posts!” Abimelech shouted pushing people away from Gabriel.

“Back in the hut Gabriel.” Abimelech said forcefully pushing him back in.

“Ok Ok! calm down!” Gabriel barked back.

“Sorry it is for your own protection.” Abimelech said bowing his head to Gabriel.

“Its been far too long!” Cain said smiling at Gabriel.

“So where have you been all these years?” Cain said sitting down on the bed.

“Well its a long story....But in short Apollyon had me trapped inside a cave. He wanted me

imprisoned so he could continue to build his legion. But once the war started his grasp over me faded. I

escaped and returned home. Once home I found that room...” Gabriel said.

“Yes a powerful witch in love with you took over the house. It wasn't long before she even

captivated the other inhabitants.” Cain said.

“Who is she?” Gabriel said.

“Ashley was her name, but she gave her life for you. Through a ritual to bring you back. But you

could not be rescued. Somehow the spell in failure summoned the great Morrighan and she has taken

over Axal. The town worships her, and she is starting her kingdom of Celts. But that too is a long

story..” Cain said.

“Wait Ashley did all of this?” Gabriel said in disbelief.

“I guess she was truly in love with you.” Tiffany said.

“But a witch?” Gabriel said.

“Love can make us do many things. She turned to the dark arts believing that you were dead. So

she traded her life for yours.” Cain said.

“Enough of this, the war?” Abimelech said.

“Gabriel I know this is going to sound outrageous. Their are seven kingdoms, or seven religions

who have fallen from heaven. They are here to take over the world and create a utopia. Or at least their

version of one. So they all are here and at war, gods now walk in the flesh.” Cain said.

“So what about the God? the one that is suppose to be the almighty?” Gabriel said.

“Well god has yet to show, though Apollyon is now free and roaming earth in the flesh. Thee god

has yet to show in the flesh. That is why you are so, so important Gabriel.” Cain said.

“Really how so?” Gabriel said.

“You are the only one who can bring his wrath to mankind. Remember? as long as there is one he

will not destroy the world. You are and have always been the one.” Cain said.

“So how do I call upon his wrath?” Gabriel said.

“Sin, the ultimate sin and you will taint the very ground we stand on. We all have committed it

either by lineage, or with our own flesh. Not you, you still remain the one person who can call an end

to all of this.” Cain said. Gabriel pondered for a moment.

“So let me guess you want me to commit the ultimate sin?” Gabriel said.

“Yes, as I always have, I am still cursed as are all of us.” Cain said. Gabriel got up and walked over

to the door.

“You already know my answer Cain. It remains as it always has. I have no side, this is not my war.”

Gabriel said walking out.

“It is your war, as long as you allow war!” Cain shouted from inside the hut. The people were still

gathered outside. They all reached out to Gabriel smiling and cheering. Gabriel walked through them

shaking their hands and embracing them. He walked until he saw a ladder leading up a tree. There on

top was a watch tower. Gabriel climbed the ladder and then stood on one of the branches. Looking on

he could see hundreds of people. Cain, Abimelech, and Tiffany watched him from outside of the hut.

“You are heavens abominations?!” Gabriel shouted.

“Yeaah!!” The people cheered.

“I don't believe that though!” Gabriel shouted and the people grew silent.

“Look here we are in the flesh once more. Look at Cain, he has been cursed as a wanderer of earth

since the dawn of man. Yet there he is once again in the flesh. He can finally live again free of his

ghostly ways.” Gabriel said pointing at Cain.

“I don't have all the answers, but I know war is not the answer. There is one weapon we yield over

any god. That is the power of choice, we can choose peace!” Gabriel shouted with a hoarse voice.

“But what if hell comes and kills us? what choice is that?” A man in the crowd said.

“So let hell come! I have seen hell and I won't be captivated by fear..... Should we fake our love and

have faith in our fear?” Gabriel said.

“So what should we have faith in?” A woman asked.

“I wont lie to you and say that I know. I don't know if we will find truth in death. But I do know we

find lies in life, pain in honesty, and faith in disbelief. I won't lie to myself or to you to feel better or

fake a moment. I am a corruptible and ever changing being who is wrong more often than right. So if

you have faith in anything, then let it be in my honesty!” Gabriel shouted.

“So we should what....Follow you?” A man said?

“Yeah what do we do, your honesty wont fend of hells legion!” Another man yelled.

“That is absolutely right sir, my honesty won't fend off hells legion. But it will hold back heavens

wrath long enough for us to fight hell and make peace with life.” Gabriel said. With that the crowd was

silenced, even Gabriel did not expect to find such courage. A man who once wanted only death was

now standing up against the gods and giving his faith to humanity. Even Cain's rage was silenced with

Gabriel's words. Tiffany's face was lit up with a smile as she watched a coward turn to a saint.

“So who is with me?!” Gabriel shouted and so did the crowd. Gabriel climbed down from the tree

and once again embraced the people now with open arms. Their hugs were weak from famine and lack

of sleep. Once Gabriel made it through the crowd he walked back to Cain and the hut.

“So are you with me?” Gabriel said looking at Cain, Abimelech and Tiffany.

“Its madness, but I am with you. Some day though you will see things as I do.” Cain said.

Abimelech simply nodded his head.

“Of course I am!” Tiffany said as she hugged him. Gabriel watched Cains face with her in his arms.

He looked surprised but no one expected that speech.

“So what do we do now?” Abimelech said. Gabriel pointed into the hut and they all walked in.

Night was once again approaching and the people headed for their huts and warmth of the fires.

“There is lots for us to do, but first we must regain the strength of the people. I know these forests

are full of food. The river below the canyon are full of fish. We need to feed the people and worry

about their health first and for most. Then we will worry about Axal, the witches, Morrighan, and the

other god's. For now though we must sleep and tomorrow is a fresh start for humanity.” Gabriel said

laying down on the floor of the hut.

“Very well.” Cain said with a sigh as he and Abimelech left the hut. Tiffany laid down on the bed

and Gabriel and her eye's locked as they fell asleep.

About The Author

“I don't write for money, or for my words to be read. I write because it takes me to dark corners in

my mind that I was to afraid to go.”

He is not the typical writer, if there even is such a thing. His resume most likely is not suitable for

fast food chains let alone literature. But that's the beauty in writing, it doesn't really matter who you are.

But if you must know..

He is 28 years old, born and raised in Craig Colorado. He dropped out of high school to join the

working world. Another failure in the public school system. He has worked as a butcher, casino cook,

truck driver, concrete truck driver and finisher, now he works for the government. The Colorado

Rockies are still his home.

Zach loves psychology, mathematics, physics, nature, and the outdoors. His daughter and wife are

his world and he thrives to give them the best life he can.