Teen Ink

Chapter 4 Follow Me

Awakening was difficult, not painful, just difficult. Why was her body so stiff? She had only been lying there for minutes. Her eyes refused to open, yet she could see so clearly. She wanted to call out to Frederyk, but her mouth felt like it was sown shut. Her ears felt muffled as she struggled to hear.

“The Black Plague is yet another attempt on our lives, Frederyk. He crafted it with the Devil, and now he uses it on our people. There only seven of the original immortals left. This Reaper has broken all the rules and you are the only one strong enough to kill him.”

“Just as I would not kill him before, I will not now. I did not want the original position, so I gave it to James, what he does with it is his decision.”

“James has long been dead, my friend. We tried to find you, but it seemed like you simply evaporated.”

“My brother is dead?”

“Yes.”

“Who killed him?”

“The current Reaper. No one knows he is or where he is at, at the moment.”

“You have drawn me in. We shall begin preparations immediately. My brother’s death will be avenged.”

Isabella listened to the conversation and knew that the angel was right; this Reaper was killing immortals and damning their souls to eternal hell. She was now wrapped up in a completely different world than before. Isabella fell back into her original sleep.

___



“Let fire rain on the cities of Earth, and the souls of their people shall burn,” Satan said to the shadow standing next to him.

“And may the flesh of the immortals be skinned from their twitching bodies,” the shadow sneered, his figure changing into that of a traveler. A third person came into the room and knelt at Satan’s feet.

“Follow James’s orders to the letter and you will be rewarded,” Satan intoned. The figure laughed manically and rose.

___

Their departure from the kingdom was quick and effortless. Isabella’s brother would take the throne, and the people would prosper.

Traveling would be no problem. According to Damien the journey would be three days to any normal person, but with their strength and endurance they would be at their destination by nightfall of their second day. Like any forest night brought with it an ominous feeling. The Reaper would be bound to continue watching him until confronted by the party.

During the late evening of their first day Isabella finally broke the silence that had shrouded them since leaving. “Who is The Reaper?”

“I do not know, but whoever he is, he’s a dead man,” Frederyk growled through his teeth.

“I do not believe she is speaking of the man, but the position itself,” Damien spoke flatly. “Is that so?”

“Yes Damien it is, I would like to know the nature of this villain.”

“The Reaper is not evil, the people who hold the position are,” Frederyk commented. “In all honesty the whole point was to reap the souls of the people who were not good or evil. It fell upon The Reaper to determine the destination of those souls after death.”

“This has happened only a few times, because only the most powerful men can take the position, and that is by killing the previous Reapers. Power tends to cause lust for more, that is when deals with the Devil are made.”

A figure materialized behind Frederyk. Leaning forward he whispered into his ear, “I would know about deals with the Devil.” Frederyk whipped around, darkness flying from his hand. The figure slammed into a nearby tree. His face was covered in nearly decomposed flesh, eyes flashing from black to red.

“Before I kill you I will ask your identity,” he informed the figure.

The creature laughed, reaching for his cloak. Upon removing the hood, the face of a skeleton was replaced with a man of about twenty-five years of age. “Frederyk, I am disappointed. Has it really been that long?” Suddenly a knife was at Frederyk’s throat. “Now Damien, I have some family business to discuss. Demon, secure the girl!”

Frederyk brought his elbow into Damien’s stomach. Turning around he slammed his knee into Damien’s head. “You have until the exact count of three to get your hands off of her,” he said to the demon as he drew his sword. “One…” the demon brought his hand to Isabella’s face.

“I think the master will enjoy this new edition to Hell. What about you James?”

“Two!” Frederyk said raising his other hand.

“Three!” An entire inferno was unleashed from the area where James was standing. It struck both Isabella and Frederyk. They felt discomfort, but not the searing pain of being burned alive. Both collapsed, unconscious.

___

Frederyk awoke still in the forest, charred grass surrounding him. Yet he did not notice that, what he did notice was that Isabella was not there. Frederyk looked up and carved into a tree was a message:



Follow me to Hell.