Michael sat in the library, the book he was given open wide, welcoming him into the past. With every page turned, Michael welcomed the memories of his ancestors that came flooding back, as well as the new knowledge that he never understood before.
'So, the Great War was a battle between the necromancers and the magicians? And the necromancers believed that they could summon the apocalypse and recreate the world in their image?' Michael thought to himself, trying to shake the images that came into his mind.
Reading on, he discovered a chapter that took his interest: "The Theft of the First Blade". Upon reading, Michael learned that the First Blade was created from the jaw of a donkey, and was used to kill Eve's second son, Abel by her first son, Cain. The First Blade was given to the Magicians for protection by the High Lord, after brandishing Cain with the 'Mark of Cain' - a curse that prevented Cain from dying a premature death, as punishment for his crimes. The blade was kept in the crypt's vault, hiding it from every magical being in creation, with the intent to destroy it.
The First Blade was stolen during the Great War with no record or person confirming who stole the blade. To date, the only evidence throughout history was during a battle between the Necromancers and the Magicians, the one of the Four Horseman, known throughout history as 'War,' presented himself to the factions and told that his brother 'Pestilence' had fallen, bringing about the destruction of magic.
Michael sat back in the chair, rubbing his eyes with his hands forcefully, almost hoping that it would help him make sense of it all. Thinking it all over, Michael got up and walked into the near training room in search of Opal, hoping for some clarity.When Michael entered the training room, he saw Oscar sitting on the floor, crossed legged and eyes closed. Michael avoided him as best as he could, not to distract him and approached Opal who was sitting on the near benches looking through her phone.
"Hey! I saw the Shaman you told me to visit. He's an odd one. "
"Odd how exactly?" Opal asked, putting her phone back into her pocket.
"Well, he kinda avoided my question and started talking about the Great War. Gave me this book where I read about a theft in the vault. Something sent from the High Lord himself. I was wondering if we could take a look? See if we can find out what it was that was taken? It might even help us find the girl." Michael explained, showing Opal the book the Shaman had gifted him, hoping he could persuade Opal to accompany him.
Opal agrees and stands up off of the bench, walking slowly to Oscar and placing her hand gently on his back."Hey, Michael and I have to check something out in the vault. We won't be gone for long. Just stay here and keep meditating. You're doing a great job."Oscar nodded and proceeded to close his eyes once again.
Michael and Opal made their way to the vault, talking along the way.
"So, what did Master Arkhold have to offer you?" Opal asked, curiosity in her voice."He didn't know much about it all. Said she was likely to be part of the Great War. A survivor potentially?" Michael explained, giving as much information as he was told himself."That doesn't sound like him. He's the most useful resource we have.""Maybe he doesn't know what I'm after. I don't know Opal.""Did he say anything about me?" Opal asked, brushing her hair behind her ear."He said he taught you how to make the 'potion' that gave me those memories, but that's about it. Why? Should he?" Michael asked.As Opal opened her mouth, the entrance to the vault, a large metallic door stood at the end of the hall."Come on! That's it!" Opal exclaimed, a sigh of relief escaping."A big door. That was supposed to stop people from stealing?.""There used to be guards silly. Rumoured to be the best Hunters in the world!"
As they approached the door, imagining the door opening, the door swung open, exposing the riches inside. The halls were filled with different amulets and ancient weapons, standing proudly upon pedestals and mounts. Opal was fascinated, running from one to another, a huge smile on her face as she did so. Michael was not so interested, his main focus was searching for the First Blade's old home. At the end of the hall stood a crumbled pedestal, left in ruins from age.
"This is where it would have been." Opal began to explain, looking at Michael's disappointed face, "The First Blade. The weapon Cain used to slay Abel. No one knows how or why the blade was stolen. Not even who took it. The legend goes, a warrior, neither Magician nor Dark Magician stole the blade and faced off against the Horsemen, slaying Pestilence and unleashing War's wrath upon the world. Destroying all Magic in the universe.""But if War destroyed all magic in the universe, then how can we do what we can?" Michael asked.
Opal frowned. "My parents. They were born into the world as second-generation Magicians. Practitioners of Ancient Black Magic. See, magic is like a river. You can't take all of the water out. To stop it, you can either block it up with a dam or split it into different paths. See, War only blocked it using a dam. By people learning old black magic as a hobby or to con people, different paths were forged in the river, leading to you and me. Some were mutated, Werewolves and stuff like that, and some were pure, as you and I." Opal explained.
"Right, but you told me before that we were the only ones left.""We are. Oscar is only magic because it's in his blood and it's only there because his ancestors practised magic and stopped. The river still flowed but never did more than that. Any Magical beings, my parents, for instance, are hunted. Hunted by Reapers sent by Death, the day we have to face them, I hope we are ready. Magic is illegal in Heaven I suppose. Probably as a punishment for the fall of Pestilence." A tear began to run down Opal's face as she remembered the horror of losing her parents. Brushing her face with her fingers and wiping the tears away, she walked away from Michael, leaving him in the vault next to the ruined pedestal.
Leaving the vault, Michael made his way back to the library, picking out all books related to the Horsemen and the Apocolypse, reading in his room when he did so. He scanned through all of the different texts that he had picked up, finding a correlation throughout each. There were various Horsemen throughout time. When one fell, someone else took their place.
'What if this warrior that was in legends took over from Pestilence?' Michael thought to himself. He decided to pay a visit to Master Arkhold, knowing he was closer than ever to finding the girl.
The charity shop looked just as it had before, with the same old lady at the tills. Michael made his way to the back and demanded to speak to Master Arkhold.
"Ahh, Michael! What can I do for you young Magician?" Master Arkhold asked."I read your book. It took me to the vault where I learned about a warrior who stole the blade and killed a Horseman."Master Arkhold nodded, "If you knew all this why send me through all this trouble? Why not just tell me?" Michael questioned, fire in his voice."This is not my battle young one. You came to me for assistance in a battle my brothers need not be part of." Master Arkhold explained.""Battle? What battle?""The Apocolypse. The end of the world. They know what you are doing. All four.""What four? The Horsemen? What has any of this got to do with the girl? Why can't you just make some sense!"
Master Arkhold held out a manuscript from the table behind, "Open this Magician, for it tells all you need to know." Michael did as he was instructed, unravelling the ribbon tied across the manuscript, unveiling a word that had no meaning to Michael: River
"River?" Michael asked, "What does this mean?"Master Arkhold's eyes turned black and his voice coarse."A girl, trapped between realities. Never truly existing. One horseman falls, another must take their place. Find the girl, stop the darkness."Michael stood back in fear. Unsure of what to do next, Michael screamed, "Why must you talk in riddles old man!"Master Arkhold grabbed hold of Michael by the chest and pushed him, except Michael didn't fall over, he was pushed out of his body and into the astral plane. Watching as his body fell to the floor, the same words echoed in his mind: "Seek the truth in the Fury and Fires." Soon after, his soul regained his body as it crashed to the floor. Without another word, Michael ran as fast as his legs would carry him back to Opal, fear still coursing through his blood.
YOU ARE READING
Devil's Coming
Action*This book is unfinished and will likely stay unfinished so things might not add up or make sense, i have had many DMs about when I am finishing it but it is not happening in the near future currently* After his life was saved by a mysterious girl...
