Seven Years is an Eternity in Hell

Chapter 1: Alexandra

"I have won this small battle with you. I have dismembered your pet and his rider. I have broken every single bone in your lover's body! And now you stand before me, so weak that you can barely lift that sword of yours. How did you come to sink so low?" I ask of the young man standing nearly right front of me.

"Because I'm not afraid to fight and neither were my friends. We have won even though it seems we have lost." He says lowering his sword letting it fall onto the ground. "We have the one thing you lack. Conviction." As soon as the last word comes from his lips I'm nose to nose with the child.

"You don't seem to understand. That's all I have left. That and pain. The pain you feel when the one you love leaves you to die in the desert. TO BURN IN THE FIREY DESERT THAT IS HELL!!! DO NOT EVEN BEGIN TO TRY TO SPEAK TO ME OF CONVICTION BOY!!" I begin screaming at him and he takes a step back tripping over a dead body. "I WAS LEFT IN HELL FOR SEVEN YEARS ON EARTH, AN ETERNITY THERE!!! I was left for dead...with the devil as my savior he brought me back here so I can extract my revenge on the woman I loved...." He has the look of true fear in his eyes now, all bravado is gone and puddle of piss begins to form under him.

"I'm sorry..." He says but that's all he is able to get out before I start again throwing back my hood, showing him how badly scarred I have become. "These are the marks of Hell and a loved one's deceit. I lived, I died, and now I live again on this earth." I turn around, pick up his sword and drive it through his skull. "Now die for good." I leave the body where it sits.

Another waste of life. I take no pleasure in killing these boys and girls but they give me no choice when they attempt to take my life. There is only one reason I am here and that is to kill the woman who took my heart and left me for dead. To show her that crime doesn't always pay. That despite my love that I feel for her I can show her the most hatred that I've ever shown anyone in my life.

She's eluded me for a good decade and I've been lagging behind her always. It's like she's trying to lead me somewhere. The young man I just killed was a native to this planet. This hundredth planet I have conquered with my army in tow. My body grows weary as if in need of sleep but I do not sleep unless there is a vision or message from my master. I gesture to my second in command to begin the clean-up. I head to the nearest bed chambers and close my eyes.

When I open them again I am sitting at a table surrounded by red faced men in bulging suits. "Jason." Lynx says across from me. "I'm impressed as are many here now with the progress you've made but we're also disappointed in your apparent failure to capture Alexandra."

"I'm trying my hardest to find her if my conquests didn't hint at that. I am literally searching planet by planet, system by system, galaxy by galaxy for her. Our troops comb every uncharted territory for her." I look around the table. "We've made headway and gathered many leads that I'm doing my best to follow personally but with a hundred personally conquered planets its slow going."

Lynx looks me in the eyes. "I'm not questioning your determination just your results. If you fail us or are doing this to further your life on the secondary plane, we will not be pleased." With that he snaps his fingers and sends me back to my body.

I sit up with a jolt. I leave the room, repositioning my hood as I walk to the main doors. I cross the now spotless great hall. I must admit one thing demons are good for its cleaning. I sweep through the room accompanied by my second. "We have another lead accompanied by photographic evidence Sir."

I turn to him. "Show me Shayde." We leave the building and go towards my ship, The Morning Star. We approach it and enter the bay. The room is filled with silence as we cross through. The Quartermaster shouts and all the crew there is driven back to work, moving the cages of animals, crates of minerals, barrels of liquid, and boxes of weaponry.

We cross the bay to the quarters and go to the comms center. I take a seat at the long table as Shayde turns the projector on and several photos of Alexandra are beamed on to the table. I swipe through them. "Where were these taken?" I look at one that has her looking straight into the camera. It's as if she's there again. I clinch my fist. "Where. Is. She?" I ask through clinched teeth.

"In the gamma sector of Alpha Centauri. On a planet called Draxus." He says with a glance at his tablet. "Set a course there immediately." I rise and start to leave the room. "Inform the captain and leave behind a platoon to watch over this place. I rather like it." Shayde nods. "Yes milord."

"Good. If you or anyone else requires me, I will be in the training center with the newest recruits." I leave the room and make my way there. The closer I get to the center the louder the grunts and crashes get. I take a deep breath and can smell the blood of the newer, fresher demons coming into my service.

I open the door. "Attention!" The colonel shouts and the room falls silent with the clack of heels. "Lord Jason. It is indeed a pleasure. What brings you to my small center?" Colonel Sabal says coming up to me. I look at the blue intermingled with red faces. "I'm here to spar Colonel." I say shaking his hand. With the other I remove my cloak and sword belt. As it falls I hear some mutters. I spin to the blue bloods.

"Who wants to go up against me?" I ask releasing the hand. "Or should I ask the good Colonel to pick?" Sabal steps up next me. "O'Shara step forward!" A male demon from the back pipes up. "Sir!"

"Come spar with the Commander. I feel you'll give him a challenge." O'Shara steps forward to me and I go towards the sparring circle. "Whenever you're ready demon." I say cracking my neck. He immediately rushes me and I leap over his broad shoulders. "And here I thought you were a thinker." I block his incoming swing and jab him in the stomach and as he bends over in pain I break his nose with my knee. The warm blood gushes out and onto me. I push him away and he collapses. "A challenge Sabal? He was a toy." I step out of the ring as the squad pulls O'Shara to the infirmary.

"He was the best in his class." Sabal shakes. "I knew you would crush him." I nod. "May I help you train these maggots?" He nods. "I'll turn over the reins to you sir."

"Thank you Colonel." For the next hour and half I train the Zeta squad into a formidable force. "Lord Jason. We have arrived at Draxus and are awaiting your command." Shayde says from the doorway. I rise from the back of my most recent trainee. "Have we conquered this system yet?"

"Yes sir." I stand and look around the room and find Sabal. "Keep them fresh. I might need them later." He nods. I fasten my belt and cloak back on. "I will descend to the surface alone dressed a diplomat. Then I will search for her. Alone. She is mine. You'll be in my ear Shayde. I'll need intel."

Shayde nods. "I'll prepare everything immediately milord." With those words I proceed to go to my chambers and prepare for seeing her and for killing her as slowly and painfully as I can. She will be made to feel what I felt for an eternity.