Last Son: Book One

Chapter 3 Ride with the Sky

Samael found himself lying near the seashore, with the crashing waves splashing against his face. Slowly waking up, he sat up and noticed that although the sun was shining, the sky still held an eerie darkness. He searched the ground around him, desperately looking for his sword, but to no avail. Frustrated, he reached into his pocket and retrieved the Azureus orb, a mysterious artifact he possessed. Confused about his current location, Samael muttered to himself, "Where am I? I know I'm still near the village, but where exactly?" As he held the Azureus orb, it suddenly transformed, revealing a world map. Samael was taken aback by this unexpected revelation. The map displayed a travel destination point, all the way to the east coast. Closing the Azureus orb map, Samael sensed trouble approaching. Pale black-eyed creatures began to hover around him, their presence unsettling. Samael instinctively reached for his sword, only to realize it was missing. Swine-like creatures with human body shapes emerged, grunting and baring their sharp fangs, releasing toxic fumes into the air. Alongside them, a dark-skinned, four-legged wolf-like creature growled, showcasing its razor-sharp teeth. Realizing he was defenseless, Samael despaired, muttering, "Darn it! I won't be able to defend myself." Just as all hope seemed lost, the Azureus orb bestowed upon Samael his unusual long steel sword. Grasping the sword firmly in his right hand, he swung it onto his shoulders, feeling a surge of confidence. "Now that's more like it!" he exclaimed. Samael assumed a battle-ready stance and charged towards the creatures, swiftly striking them down with a single powerful blow. As he walked towards the water, believing the battle to be over, another wave of creatures emerged, even stronger than before. Undeterred, Samael turned around, raised his sword, and sprinted towards them, claiming another victory. But just as he vanquished the last creature, a third wave, stronger than ever, surrounded him from all directions. Feeling overwhelmed, Samael glanced at the Azureus orb and asked, "Okay...what else can you do?" As the creatures closed in, the Azureus orb teleported Samael out of harm's way, leaving him in awe of its teleportation ability. With newfound confidence, Samael wielded his sword and incorporated teleportation into his battle technique. "Now that's what I'm talking about! I'm loving this new technique," he exclaimed. Having cleared the beach, Samael's relief was short-lived as he witnessed new creatures rising from beneath the sand, resembling human figures. Perplexed, he muttered, "What the hell? What are those things?" These creatures stood at an imposing height of six to seven feet, possessed black eyes, and sharp claws, emitting horrifying sounds. Determined to eliminate them, Samael vowed, "Whatever you are, I will send you back to the ground!" Utilizing his teleportation abilities, Samael managed to eliminate a few of the sand-human creatures, but to his dismay, they quickly reappeared, now presenting him with an even greater challenge. Overwhelmed, Samael whispered to himself, "What...what the hell is happening?" As he fought relentlessly, a dark storm approached, bringing with it dark clouds, lightning, thunder, and tornadoes. The more Samael fought, the more creatures seemed to emerge, and the approaching tornadoes added to the chaos. Realizing he couldn't stay in this perilous situation, Samael exclaimed, "Dammit! I can't stay here, or I'll die!" Sensing his desperation, the Azureus orb conjured a wooden raft, providing Samael with a means of escape from the sand-human creatures. However, as he began rafting away, the sea turned violent, forcing him to fight for his survival. Several hours had passed, and the relentless storm continued to batter Samael's wooden raft, leaving him drenched from the pouring rain. Eventually, the storm subsided, and Samael, exhausted, passed out. In his unconscious state, he found himself in a dream, reliving the past events that had taken place inside the sanctuary on the twelfth level of his father's promised land. Within the dream, Samael witnessed himself facing a sinister creature from the depths of darkness, a creature that would have devoured him if not for his partner's heroic intervention. "I'm not leaving you," his partner exclaimed. "I'm not asking you to stay. Now go!" Samael was pushed off the edge and descended into the darkness, landing on a dimly lit platform. Before him stood a door, emitting a faint whisper. Intrigued, Samael approached the door, its surface displaying the number one. As the number glowed with an ethereal light, the door transformed from brightness to darkness, the number turning into a blood-red hue. The voice beckoned Samael once again, "Come! Come to the other side." Overwhelmed with curiosity, he placed his hands upon the door, slowly turning the handle, and stepping through into a mysterious world far from his familiar hometown. Abruptly, Samael awoke from his slumber, his raft having collided with a massive rock. He managed to make his way onto land, his thoughts consumed by the enigmatic dream he had experienced. "What was I seeing?" he pondered. Weary, he collapsed to the ground, only to be greeted by an ominous darkness that blanketed the sky. Determined, Samael rose to his feet and forged ahead, following a narrow path illuminated by fresh blood markings that served as warnings. Guided by these macabre messages, Samael trekked for hours until he stumbled upon a resting area. Gathering wood to start a fire, he sought solace in reading from Tom Prince's diary. The entries revealed a cursed village, its inhabitants possessed by an unspeakable evil. These corrupted souls had mustered their armies to wage war against God's people, who stood as holy defenders of peace and the future promised in the Azazel land. The war had been brief but devastating, with the men of God valiantly falling in defense of their sacred territory. Exhausted, Samael succumbed to slumber, and as the night passed, a new day dawned, albeit dimly lit. Stirred from his rest, he resumed his journey, following the tracks that led him along the path for several more hours until he arrived at an abandoned village. Reading a sign that read "Welcome to Aza Village," Samael struggled to recall where he had heard of this name before. Fleeting glimpses of his dreams flashed in his mind, but the mystery surrounding this landmark remained unresolved. Samael continued to travel ahead, his steps heavy with the weight of the dead villages he had encountered. As he entered the small community, he couldn't shake off the eerie feeling that surrounded him. The grey-pale, black-eyed creatures loomed around, their presence sending a shiver down his spine. Samael gripped his unusual sword, raising it over his shoulders, ready for a battle that seemed inevitable. "Damn time!" Samael exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and relief. "You ugly creatures have been making me feel so anxious. It's about time I put an end to this." With a swift motion, Samael teleported, utilizing his unique skill against the creatures, effortlessly slaying them without breaking a sweat. "That's it?" he mused. "Looks like these creatures fear the power of my sword." Undeterred, Samael pressed forward through the village community, his determination unwavering. As he explored further, he came across the village's pre-k school, but to his dismay, it was devoid of any signs of life. The absence of children, staff, and teachers left him perplexed. His eyes fell upon a disturbing message written in fresh blood on the wall, casting a darker shadow over the scene. "Kids are taken." Leaving the school behind, Samael moved on, driven to uncover the truth. He arrived at another community within the village, only to find it just as lifeless as the previous one. "What happened to all the people in this community?" he wondered aloud. Determined to find answers, he ventured into another school, this one catering to students from first grade to sixth grade. The worn-out exterior hinted at the hardships the building had endured. Inside the school, Samael meticulously searched the area. The cafeteria stood empty, and the classrooms on the ground floor were boarded up. Undeterred, he ascended to the second floor, where the disturbing markings on the walls became even more pronounced. A trail of fresh blood caught his attention, leading him down a hallway that turned out to be a dead end. The two-floor school seemed devoid of life, except for the faint glow emanating from his Azureus orb. Puzzled by the orb's mysterious teleportation ability, Samael found himself in a dark, cold area, the air thick with a foul smell. He spotted a lantern on his right and reached out to grab it, hoping to shed some light on his surroundings. However, the lantern unexpectedly blew out, leaving him momentarily blind in the darkness. Thankfully, the Azureus orb bestowed its radiant light, guiding him forward. As he ventured through this hidden floor, Samael encountered a few swine-like creatures, swiftly dispatching them with his sword. Finally, he arrived at a massive set of double doors, their imposing presence hinting at the secrets that lay beyond. Samael cautiously approached the sign that read "Training Room," his curiosity piqued. With a skeptical expression on his face, he attempted to open the double doors, only to find them locked. A flicker of annoyance crossed his features as he instinctively raised his sword, prepared for any surprises. To his surprise, as Samael poised his weapon, the doors swung open on their own accord. Intrigued, he lowered his sword, his gaze scanning the dimly lit room beyond the threshold. A sense of unease crept over him as he realized that something or someone else was in control, manipulating his surroundings. As he stepped into the room, Samael couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. His eyes darted around, searching for any sign of the mysterious observer. The room itself was shrouded in darkness, with no visible presence save for a live monitor, silently tracking his every move. A mix of curiosity and caution welled up within Samael. Who or what was behind this eerie display? He knew he had to tread carefully, prepared to face whatever lay ahead. With a determined resolve, he ventured further into the training room, determined to uncover the truth behind the enigmatic force that seemed to be guiding his every step.