Elias Drahomines And The Soul Scythe: Beginning My New Life

Chapter 1

   "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" I kept repeating it as I ran. With each step and every glance back, I got more and more scared. My pulse got quicker, my heartbeat deafening, urging me to somehow go faster than my pursuer. It seemed that every few seconds I would step in a puddle on the sidewalk. To be fair, the rain was powerful that day. Lightning struck in the distance, the sky above me thundering a few seconds later. The towering buildings around me seemed to look down at me with pity. I glanced back at my pursuer and another strike of lightning gave me a good view on him.

   He was a tall man, wearing a black logoless hoodie and jeans as well as one of those bad quality DIY plate masks with 2 little red horns above the eyes. I couldn't see eyes or any of his skin. His hands were covered by a set of black gloves. His knife seemed to wait for me to falter and get close. I couldn't hear his breath, he didn't slow down, HELL, he didn't seem to get hurt. I had thrown a rock right at his face before and he bounced it off in an instant. It was a big rock, I think even The Rock would need to slow down after a hit like that on the forehead.

   I turned back forward making sure I wouldn't falter. I didn't have a plan, all I could do was run. The streets were strangely empty, no people, no animals. I didn't know my way around the city, mainly because I lived over a state away from it. I wasn't a real New Yorker. I had come here to visit my older sister who had wanted to live in the big city.

   The rain kept pouring, seemingly infinite. It had been raining for the last 9 hours. Or 10, it's tough to tell how long I've been running but I'm pretty sure it had to be a long time. "Why?!" I shouted/whined at my pursuer. He didn't speak, he was barely human to me. It was like looking at a monster who did a poor job at acting like a human. I looked ahead, seeing a turn up ahead, maybe I could get him off my trail this time. It was a small and possibly meaningless hope but hope nonetheless.

   It was a risk as I had learned from experience. After the first 2 times I tried getting him off my tail, he just seemed to get closer. This was probably the only experience where I was thankful for all that track running and weekly marathon jogs around town. I silently prayed to whatever God existed that what I was about to try would work. I pulled out my own knife, hoping that it wouldn't come down to a real fight but being prepared for it.

   I took a deep breath and turned, I glanced back and saw that he had disappeared. I slowed to a stop, holding my knife in hand and waiting, but he wasn't there. I turned back forward and there he was, right in front of me. Before I could even react, he shot me through the head with a gun that came out of nowhere.

    Crapsicles. Here we go again.

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   "Are you serious?" I looked around the empty void, waiting for him to show. "I know you're here! You're always here!" Far out in the darkness, I saw 2 glowing white eyes. I drifted through the abyss, getting right in front of his eyes. "You said there was nothing supernatural in that world! You said it would be normal. How was that normal!?" I screamed at him. He silently stared at me, something he didn't do often. He was usually quite talkative when I died. "Listen... I have orders. I made a spirit to kill you cause it's time." I was taken aback. He hadn't talked about this in a long time. I knew it was coming, but I didn't really know when. "Are you saying that today...?"

   "Yes. Today is your 1,000,000,000 birthday, Excalibur." He used my void name. He used the name of my existence. He hadn't called me Excalibur since my cycle had first begun. "I can't believe it. You have to be kidding." Dreamer shook his head. For some it looked like 2 eyes swaying, but I knew how he moved. It was one of the things he taught me. "I'm afraid so. According to tradition, tomorrow will be your final life. You can design it in any way you want, but the outcome will be the same. You have been preparing for this for nearly your entire existence. May the One True guide you on this journey." I nodded to him. His white eyes disappeared like dust blown away by a breath of air.