Where Shadows Lie.

[SW Freak]

Prologue: The darkness within

There was silence. The last gunshot had rang out, the final scream had echoed away, and even now my own breathing was slowing, my heartbeat nearing a stop. I was dying. It was obvious. I clenched my fist. My own hand felt...different now, the tattoe the gun had burned into it gone. I sighed, closed my eyes and drifted away, letting the darkness within take hold...


Only to open my eyes again, and peer around at the perfect white landscape. I focused hard on the surrounding landscape. I seemed to be in a room of some sort, immeasurably big, with a domed roof light years above. And yet I couldn't see any of it. I just knew this to be the truth. I stood and looked at my stomach, and the sudden abscence of the mortal wound that had resided thereupon just recently. I rubbed a hand over my chest, searching for the hole that the bullet to my heart must have created. I found only smooth skin and the silky cloth of my shirt. I lifted up my hands and looked at them, hard. The burn marks were gone from my left hand, and it seemed that the wound the knife had made on my right hand had simply ceased to be. I was marveling at all this when I heard heavy footsteps behind me. I turn and looked up at the newcomer. And up. And up. Finally, my eyes came to rest on his face, some ten feet up. His shoulders were a full ten feet across and enormous wings sprouted from his back. He had an unruly beard and long, shoulder lenght hair, both white. He wore a white robe of that seemed to shine and around his head there was an unearthly glow.

"You've got to be kidding me." I muttered.

"Maximilian Milanez. Come with me."

The huge man strode away. I hesitated and he turned and beckoned. I shrugged.

"What've I got to lose? I'm probably dead already."

I hurried after him and he started off again. We walked for several minutes before coming to a bridge. He stood aside and pushed me forward. I glanced at him before walking forward again. A wind blew up from the chasm that the bridge spanned and plucked at my overcoat. I glanced down, over the railings of the bridge and swore. Below me, flowing like a river, were...memories. I saw a christmas scene from my childhood, then a night out in a bar, then the resulting hangover. I gaped at them all as they sped past silently below. I turned my head to look back at the huge man but he had disapeared. I swallowed and then walked on. The bridge seemed to be miles long, and all the while the river of memories sucked at my mind. Finaly, I reached the end of the bridge. A second man waited for me there. This one was larger than the one before, and seemed to radiate a light so bright I couldn' make out his features.

"Maximilian Milanez. You are dead."

I opened my mouth to respond but I couldn't make a sound. I licked my lips and tried again.

"I...I guessed."

"But there are things that must be done. You must return and fight a war for me."

"And why can't you fight it yourself? You're an angel, arn't you?"

"I am. And I am fighting this war. A demon has realeased his minions upon the earth, and he seeks to take control of both Heaven and Earth. The only reason he has not subjugated the earth yet is because we angels have been fighting his will. You must destroy the demons on Earth."

"And if I don't?"

"You will do this. If you do, you shall see Sara again. And you may be together for eternity."

I gaped at him. He couldn't have known. No one did. And yet...

"Where am I?"

"You are between life and death, in the Sanctuary. Soon, we will send you back to the earth, not as a human any more, but as a divine being, and you will go with our blessings and purge the darkness with holy light. When you return to Earth you will meet up with Alexander Mendez, a human demon hunter. Together you shall rid the world of the demon's unholy minions."

"And I thought death was the end."

"Not for you, Maximilian. For you, it is simply the begining."

[VO]

Sorry, I hadn't commented on this before, SWfreak, but this is good, and I have no idea how I missed it :p

I'd like to see more. :)

[SW Freak]

Wow. Thank you. Thank you very, very much. Well, now that I know that at least one person is interested in it, I'll rewrite part two. Had it writen up, but then Word decided to die on me. Thanks again.

[Madcap_Magician]

This is actually quite good.

[SW Freak]

Okey, update: There are various things going on right now, not the least of which school and a webcomic I'm trying to get done. I'm going to be putting this story on hold indefinitly. I'll probably return to it at some point, but not just now.

[SW Freak]

Chapter 1: Like a vengful spirit

When next I woke there was no more light. Instead, I was lying face down on something pitch black that filled my vision. At first I thought I had been mugged and left for dead, but then my memory returned to me in a flash. I groaned.

"Why me?" I muttered, trying to push myself up with my arms.

My muscles didn't want to cooperate; they felt like rubber under the skin. I collapsed, swore and then heaved myself up to a kneeling position. I clutched at my head until it stopped spinning and then reached up. My questing hand brushed against a ledge and I pulled myself to my feet. I looked around for the first time and found that I was in an alley. I tried to gather my thoughts and found that they were slipping away like water. Glancing at my hand, I saw that it was a window ledge that was holding me up. My gaze traveled upwards until it settled on the glass itself. I stared at my reflection for a moment, eyes wide. Shock kick started my senses again as I reached over my shoulder. My fingers brushed something feathery.

A pair of glossy black wings.

I withdrew my hand and tried to manipulate them. They felt odd, like using a limb that had gone numb, but I quickly grew used to them. Spread to their full lenght, each one was at least as long as me and brushed against the walls of the alley.

"Mother of God..." I breathed, awestruck. "Or maybe God himself..."

A scream broke my concentration. I looked to the mouth of the alley in time to see a suited man slam a woman against the wall. Her head hit the stone with an audible thump. The man leaned forward, holding her head against the wall with one hand and restraining her body with the other. He lowered his mouth to her neck and for a moment light from a nearby street lamp illuminated his face. I stifled a gasp. His face was nowhere near human, looking instead like a snake's. Fangs gleamed in his mouth and his eyes glowed red. I was about to shout out when a second movement caught my gaze, this one dragging my eyes upwards. A shadow was dropping from the roof, looking for all the world like a vengful spirit. It touched down silently and straightened up. A knife glinted in the light for a second before its owner plunged it deep into the creature attacking the woman. The reptile-like man drew back from the woman and let out a shout. His attacker, who I could see was a man from his outline, tore the knife from his shoulder, spraying the wall behind him with blood. The snake-man spun to face him and was rewarded with a plam to the chest that threw him backwards with much more force than seemed possible. The creature hit the wall behind it with a crack and slid down it. The shadowy man didn't hesitate for a second before driving his knife into the stunned creature's throat. He left it there and stood, turning to the woman. I couldn't hear what he said, but the woman nodded and ran. It was then that I stepped forward.

"Greetings Maximillian. I was told you would be coming."

"Oh? That's nice. Who by?"

The man turned, grinned and tapped his head.

"Them," he said simply before bending down and tearing his knife from his opponent's throat. The dead creature slumped to the side. "Demon. Get used to seeing them. Now that I have one of His own angels on my side, I'll be able to take out some of the bigger ones."

I opened my mouth to correct him and then thought better of it. Instead I looked down at the place where the demon had been. There was a hole in the wall where the knife had pierced it. I raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Oh, where are my manners? Alexander Mendez." Alexander extended a leather gloved hand.

I took his outstretched hand and shook, ignoring the tingles I felt as my palm hit the warped air around his. As I withdrew my hand I tried to surreptitiously rub some life back into it. Alexander noticed and laughed.

"It takes some people that way. It means it likes you."

"It likes me? The glove?"

"Oh yeah. If it didn't, you wouldn't have any whole bones left."

"I see..."

I looked Alexander up and down. He wore a pair of baggy black jeans, a white overshirt and a red undershirt. A pair of heavy duty pistols rested in underarm holsters and he had a foot long serrated knife strapped to each thigh. On his right hand he wore a skintight black leather glove which seemed to warp the air around it as he watched. His black hair was spiked up and he gazed back at me through steel grey eyes.

"I'll show you to my workshop," he said, turning away.

I followed him as he walked out of the alley, trying to keep my wings tucked close to me to make them look like part of my overcoat. I turned towards anyone who passed us in an effort to hide them. Alexander turned the third time I did this, frowning.

"Will you calm down? They can't see your wings. Don't they teach you anything?"

"Oh...Really?"

"Yes! Unless you want them to see your wings, they'll remain invisible to any eyes not trained to see them. Now hurry up!"

I hurried after him as he strode away, still slightly jumpy. I wasn't as sure as him that I truly was an angel, but I felt it was safer just to agree with him. After a few minutes of walking, we reached a nondescript apartment block. He led me inside and into a room on the second floor. Guns and various weapons lay scattered across a table within, as well as numerous files. Alexander closed and bolted the door before throwing me a file. I opened it and glanced at the picture of a very attractive woman inside.

"She's the first target. Get whatever you need ready. We move in thirty minutes."

[Madcap_Magician]

This is one of the best stories I've read here in a long time! Good writing!

[SW Freak]

..What? Like, seriously? You're not just ****ting me in an effort to steadily build up my self estime and then take me down in one swift moment? No?

Sweet! Thank you. Chapter 3 will be a while, since it's kinda big.

[Nyerguds]

Wow... this is absolutely great. Seriously, I GOTTA get more of this :eek:

[Wesforce]

Yay! Always good to have new stuff in FanFic, and I'll keep reading too :color1:

[SW Freak]

Chapter 2: A freefall into hell

“Night Shadow?” I repeated for the umpteenth time. “Who would seriously name themselves Night Shadow?”

“It’s just her title. Her real name is unpronounceable in the human tongue and would make your eardrums burst if you heard it in the language of the demons.”

“Right… Well, I guess I should have figured. Makes about as much sense as everything else that’s happened since I died…”

Alexander risked glancing across at me before turning his eyes back to the road.

“So…what is your story?” he asked, turning the car onto a road moving to the outskirts of town.

I turned my face away from him and gazed out the window, following the raindrops falling outside. I had never trusted anyone in my life, and I didn’t quite feel like starting now, even if I was dead.

“My story’s…complicated. Maybe I tell you later.”

“Hmmm…” He glanced sideways at me again and shook his head slightly.

“But what about you? How is it that you found yourself fighting unholy creatures from Hell?”

Alex chuckled at my description of his occupation.

“I guess it was just my life’s calling. My family has been hunting demons for generations. The daggers were my father’s, the glove my brother’s. I made the gun myself. Kind of my coming of age, so to speak.”

“You’ve been doing this since you were a kid?”

“Well, my first solo hunt was when I was 18. But before that I went out with my dad.”

“So where’s the rest of your family now? Don’t they hunt together anymore?”

I was becoming interested in Alex’s story.

“Not as such. My dad’s retired. Permanently. He slipped up when fighting a Lord, and when that happens you don’t get a second chance. My mother died years ago anyway. My brother couldn’t handle the loss of our father. Dad was much closer to him anyway. So he disappeared. I have no idea where he is know. Could be dead for all I know.”

I shuddered. The seemingly uncaring way in which Alexander spoke gave me the chills.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why? It’s not your fault. I’ve never understood people being sorry about death. My father lived a full life, and I know he’s in some Sanctuary-like realm or other.”

I looked around, thinking about Alex’s words. A huge building suddenly loomed out of the darkness around us, squatting beside the road like some waiting beast. We pulled up on the opposite side of the road as it and Alexander killed the engine. The only other building nearby was a bar with all its lights off. Alex glanced across at me.

“Ready to go?”

“Yeah. About as ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose.”

We climbed out of the car and gazed over at the hulking building. It was a nightclub, music playing so loud within we could hear it floating out through the thick walls. I strode around to the back of the car and pulled the boot open, reaching towards the weapon within. Suddenly I stopped, confused.

“What is it?” asked Alex, his voice sounding distant as I near ignored it.

“I’m…not sure. Give me a second.”

I drew back away from the car and held my hand out in front of me, palm upwards. Hidden pieces of knowledge awoke in my mind, and I waited patiently as they unfurled and became clear. I concentrated hard. Motes of light appeared above my outstretched fingers. They orbited each other a few times before drawing together and forming a crystal-like pistol. As soon as it was fully constructed it gained weight, and soon it was a slightly reassuring lump in my hand. I held it up to eye level and peered at Alexander through it. I laughed at the absurd weapon and then pressed the clip release. The magazine slid out soundlessly, revealing a row of bullets all seemingly made of the same crystalline material. I slammed the clip back into place and held out my left hand, creating a matching pistol and wrapping my hand around the grip.

“Okay. Now I’m ready. Let’s make some noise.”

I considered my latest lease on life.

“In the name of God,” I added.

Alexander smiled mischievously and led the way inside. We pushed our way through the double wooden doors and into a lobby area. A demon lazed behind a counter set into the wall just before us while two more, armed with machine guns, stood on either side of a pair of heavy metal doors. The demon at the counter looked up uninterestedly at us.

“Leave any weapons in your possession on the desk. Admission is three grand.”

“Do you accept lead?”

“What?”

Alexander didn’t repeat himself, instead pulling both pistols from their holsters. The guards on either side of the door swung their rifles up. I dodged to the left, pumping the triggers on my pistols. When the bullets struck the demon I was aiming for, he jerked. A surprised look passed across his face for an instant before he screamed. He fell to his knees as white light spread over his torso. As he slumped forward, he began to disintegrate, as though rotting a thousand years faster than natural. By the time he hit the ground, he was nothing more than a collection of bleached bones with shreds of flesh hanging from them, the rest of him mere dust hanging in the air. Meanwhile, Alex was running forward. Each of his guns flashed twice and a sound like thunder in a barrel echoed through the lobby. The second guard was slammed against the wall with the force of the bullets, his head thumping against the wall as it jerked backwards. He tried to raise his weapon, but Alexander had already reached him. Both guns were pressed against the demon’s head, and again the thunder echoed. This time Alex’s enemy fell to the ground, decisively dead. The final occupant of the lobby who wasn’t on our side peered over the counter at us. His hand slid slowly towards a button set into the desktop. Alex noticed and darted over to him. He ground the barrel of one pistol into the demon’s hand while the other end was pressed against the demon’s head.

“Bad idea.”

“You think you stand a goddamn chance in there? You’ll die in seconds,” spat the demon doorman.

“Pity you won’t be alive to eat your words.”

The demon’s eyes widened a second before Alex pulled the trigger. At point blank range the effect was messy. Alexander moved away and the demon fell behind the counter. Without a word, he and I moved over to the doors, standing to either side of it. I didn’t even have to listen hard to hear the sound of heavy metal music playing loud enough to cover the sound of our ten-second battle.

“I’m gonna’ regret this in the morning,” I muttered, before shoving the doors open.

Alex and I strode into the cavernous dance hall, weapons held at the ready. A veritable wall of demons before us, all of them either dancing, drinking or fighting. A huge gantry rose from the mass of creatures, upon which the DJ stood, watching over everything like a guard dog. It was easy to tell from a glance that it was a woman; the skintight silver costume brooked no argument to the fact. A mask, seemingly made of steel, covered her face, totally blank of all features save a pair of eyeholes.

“Holy…okay, maybe we should be discre-“ I began.

I was cut off as Alexander raised his right arm, resting it across his left arm in front of him. A red dot danced on the DJ’s forehead. The flash of light drew her attention. She began to shout something but was cut off as very deadly and very selective thunder rolled again, throwing her to the ground behind her music system and even drowning out the music for a moment. A hundred pairs of eyes shot up to the gantry and then began scanning around the cavernous hall, searching for the DJ’s assailant.

“What in the hell did you do that for?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“I’ve fought her three times before. She is damn hard to kill. I wanted a head start this time. There, see?” Alex pointed to the gantry.

I stared in disbelief as the DJ rose up again from behind the sound bank. She defiantly flipped both middle fingers up and then cranked up the music until it was almost at pain level. She screamed profanities at the sea of demons below her and pointed towards Alex and I.

“We. Are. Screwed,” I stated plainly as the demons turned to us, pulling various guns and weapons from sheaths and holsters.

“Not yet. Start running,” replied Alexander cheerfully, slapping me on the shoulder before darting to the left.

I sprinted to the right as the bullets started flying, eyes fixed resolutely on the bar. The barman levelled a pump action shotgun in my direction but he was quickly cut down as I squeezed the triggers of my pistols repeatedly. Dust floated into the air as he slumped down behind the bar, decomposing quickly. I rolled as I reached the bar and straightened up behind the solid metal wall that served to separate the barman and the drinkers. Thumps told me that the aims and bullets of the demons had followed my travels. I knelt with my back to the bar, breathing heavily, adrenaline starting to run through my system. The whole thing had become a freefall into Hell. I was too excited to notice. It brought back memories of attacks I had led in my life. With a whoop, I stood and spun, facing the wall of demons. I depressed the triggers of the pistols quickly and was rewarded with a chiming sound, the equivalent of a normal gun making a click sound. I stared stupidly at the guns for a moment before realising myself enough to duck behind the bar again. I discarded the pistols and watched in fascination as they shattered a few seconds after leaving my hands. I then took up the deceased barman’s shotgun. I stood and fired. Several demons were thrown to the ground, cut down by the cone of buckshot that emerged from the barrel of the gun. I pumped the lever and pulled the trigger a second time. Risking a glance in Alex’s direction I saw that he had literally thrown himself into the midst of the demons, knives spinning and flashing. Even as I watched he added another five to his already high kill count.

“Damn, but he is good,” I muttered as I ducked down behind the counter again.

I searched my mind frantically for a weapon. Thoughts of automatic rifles settled to the fore of my brain and a pair of MP5s were sketched in the air before me. I opened my eyes as I finished crafting the weapons and snatched them from the air. Bullets ricochet and thudded against the bulkhead of the counter. I pressed my back against it and rested my head on it. My hands curled around the grips of the weapons with white knuckled ferocity. Memories rushed back in my mind, of the raids I had made, my men beside me. Anger accompanied them and I welcomed it, accepting the rush of extra energy it gave me. I gritted my teeth, spun and stood. My boots clattered across the floor as I ran forward and planted my foot on the bar. I pushed myself up and leapt. There was whip-like crack as my wings snapped out and bore me aloft, beating furiously to stop me from falling to the ground. I sprayed bullets randomly into the band of demons beneath me. Dust sprayed up as I scored several lucky hits, but soon my opponents were shooting back. I wove and I dodged, wavering just on the brink of a second death. I continued to fire all the while, until both guns gave off their high chiming tone. I swore and chucked away the one in my left hand, leaving the limb outstretched after I had let go. Unheeded below me, the gun shattered, sending splinters of the crystal into the faces and chests of demons. I dropped the clip from my remaining gun and formed a new clip in my free hand. It made a satisfying click as I slammed it into place.

“Max!” came a cry from below.

I looked down and pinpointed Alexander as he waved one arm in the air. Noticing he had gotten my attention, Alex turned back to the most important task of the moment. Swift slashes with his knives kept the encircling demons at bay. Any who got too close found that the hunter’s skill with the knives was to die for. I swooped down towards him, arm outstretched. Alex spun and reached up as I neared him. I clasped his wrist in a sailor’s grip and heaved with all my might. My strength coupled with the momentum I had gained in my flight succeeded in swinging him upwards. At the apex of his spin, I released my hold on his wrist. Alex soared forwards, ramming his knife into the handrail of the balcony before us. As I watched he pulled himself up and vaulted over the rails. I turned away as he began to attack the partygoers therein with gusto. I fired into the crowds again, though the gathered dust and particles of dead demons obscured my vision. I flew along the wall, eyes searching for new targets. A sharp clicking, like the sound a dog’s claws make as it runs over tiles, drew my gaze to the wall. I had just enough time to register a creature on the wall before it leapt at me, bearing me to the ground. I bounced as I hit the ground and my attacker rebounded off me, flipping in midair so as to land on his feet. My rifle lay in shards a few feet from my arm. I pushed myself quickly to my feet and glanced around. A circle of demons surrounded me. They held back, snickering and jeering, as the demon that had dragged me down sauntered forwards. He was the same kind of snake-like creature as the first demon I had seen and hissed at me through huge fangs.

“Come on, nancy boy,” he jeered, fists raised before his face.

I narrowed my eyes and lashed out with my own fist. The demon blocked it easily, almost moving quicker than the eye could follow. My other hand shot forwards. As it raced towards his face, I concentrated on knives. There was a glimmer of light and a moment of uncertainty as my hand collided with his as he tried to block. Then he screamed and jerked backwards, clutching at his wounded hand. He looked up just in time to see a second knife coming towards him, this time striking home between his eyes with a sickening splat. He blinked and fell backwards, rotting before he had even hit the ground. The other demons drew back from the fallen one. They tripped over themselves in an effort to get away. I looked around at them and then felt the faintest of crazed smiles tilting the sides of my lips. I held my arms out to either side and willed a second pair of MP5s into life.

The demons swore and tried to scatter as the light gathered. Any of them that it touched began to burn in a bright white fire. I opened fire, spinning around as the guns discharged. I soon became lost in the midst of the dust that represented the sum total of the dead demons’ remains. A shout to the right made me turn. I raised the guns and emptied the last of the clips as a dark figure ran screaming towards me. Another shape leapt at me. I ducked and rolled, avoiding the flying figure by a hair’s breadth. As I turned, I frantically searched my mind for a weapon. Somehow, my thoughts turned to those of swords. A broadsword formed in my hand, gleaming as the light struck it. As I swung it, it made a sound like silk being cut. The demon who had leapt at me was caught in the middle by the blade. A small scream escaped his lips before he fell away. I looked up as I realised that I had reached the gantry. The DJ, who had been watching the fighting for the whole time, noticed me and hopped up on to the music system. She leapt forward, flipped in midair and landed a few feet away from me. She reached behind her and drew a short sword from a hilt at her waist. I took a couple of steps backwards and then turned and ran, overcoat flapping behind me. A demon loomed up out of the dust. I brought the sword up in a diagonal slash, tearing him in half. A second demon suffered the same fate before I broke free of the ashes that littered the air. I swore as I neared the wall. Footsteps behind me warned me of the approach of the DJ, who had chased me through the dust.

I placed my right foot on the wall, pushed up and then pushed off with my left foot. My adrenaline-dosed senses seemed to see the world in slow motion, so that I was watching my sword swing through the air at half the speed of normal. I saw it strike a glancing blow to the DJ’s mask that tore it off her face. I saw the face behind it. Saw the face of my wife.

I stumbled as I landed and stared in horror at the face that had haunted my dreams for months. Sara reacted faster, raising the sword to plunge it into my neck. A final gunshot rang out in the silence and the knife flew from her grip. I snapped out of my stupor and we both looked towards the direction of the bullet. Alex spun his pistol on his finger and aimed it at Sara’s head.

“Alanis! Leave us,” boomed an unseen voice suddenly.

Sara looked up, nodded, and drew back into the dust.

“Wait!” I shouted as she disappeared from sight.

Someone laughed above me. It was a beautiful sound and made me momentarily forget about Sara. Night Shadow was gliding down from above, black dress billowing around her, blonde hair streaming behind her like a comet’s tail. She landed lightly on dagger-heeled shoes and stared haughtily at us.

“Well, well. You are surprisingly able for such pieces of filth. But what made you think that you could simply waltz in here and destroy everything I have built. You have achieved nothing. I can simply reincarnate all of my lackeys who fell today. And then we shall finally be rid of the last of the Mendez family.”

“There’s one problem with your plan.”

“Oh? And what is that?”

“The whole thing revolves about your still being alive in five minutes.”

Alexander’s knives seemed to materialise in his hands.

“The way I see it, you won’t last two.”

The smile disappeared from Night Shadow’s face and her features twisted in a mask of fury.

“Pretentious insect! I will crush you before you lay a finger on me!”

With that the conversation stopped and the fighting began anew. Alex leaped forward, knives held before his face. He stabbed out, but the high demon deflected both blades with her hands. Then she slammed the palm of her hand into Alexander’s chest, sending him flying backwards through the air to collide with the wall. I ran towards her from behind and raised the sword to separate her head from her neck. She laughed again, half turned her head to look at me and then hit me with a backhand slap. I was knocked to the ground with the force of the blow, as though she had punched me. I scrambled to my feet and faced her.

“What did you do to my wife?” I demanded.

“Whatever are you talking about, insect?”

“You know. She’s dead. Why is she fighting for you?”

The demon princess’ face portrayed only confusion. She shrugged.

“I know not what you talk about, human.”

“Liar!” I snarled and ran towards her.

She dodged to the side as I slashed downwards with force enough to crack the tiles as my sword struck them. I glanced to my side, glaring at her. She yawned and then, seemingly without trying, sent me flying through the air and sliding along the ground. Then she stalked over to the recumbent Alexander and hauled him up. She pinned him against the wall with a hand at his throat. Drawing back her hand, she lay it straight so that her nails pointed straight at Alex’s neck. As she was about to stab forward, Alexander’s eyes snapped open. His hands rose and plunged the knives into Night Shadow’s stomach. She jerked, looked down and then laughed.

“You think that will stop me, maggot?”

“No, but it certainly distracted you enough so that he can stop you.”

I used the distance I had covered while the demon’s attention was focused on Alex to the best of my abilities. I rammed the broadsword into her back almost to the hilt. The effect wasn’t as instantaneous as it was with lesser demons. She dropped Alex and ran her hand along the blade as white cracks formed in her back, spreading out from the sword. Then, with mounting urgency, she tried to grab the hilt and pull the weapon from her back. Alexander grabbed the hilts of his knife again. Night Shadow looked into his eyes, fear in her own. Alex didn’t meet her gaze, instead bowing his head and tearing the daggers sideways, flecking the walls with blood as they left her body. She gasped and fell to her knees. She looked up to the sky.

“Is this how it should have been? Was I on the wrong side after all? Please, Lord…I’m scared…”

Then she fell backwards, slowly, inexorably. I knelt and caught her quickly and pulled the sword from her back. Then I threw it away and lowered her eyelids. Alex turned away.

“What was she talking about?” I asked, standing up.

Alexander stayed quiet for so long that I thought he hadn’t heard me.

“I said, wha-“

“I heard you.” Alex sighed. “I guess you should know. All the demon princes and princesses used to be angels. They all fell from Heaven thousands of years ago. They’ve never had strength enough to try and take over the world since a year ago. It’s odd. As though someone was giving them the power.”

The demon hunter paused, stared into the middle distance and then shook his head.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Let’s go. We still have a lot more to do.”

As we began to walk away, something began to glow behind us, casting a bright white light over everything. Alex and I looked at each other and then slowly turned back to the body of Night Shadow. The cracks had spread over her whole body. The light spilled from them, obscuring the demon’s body. It pulled away from her corpse. Or rather, where ir had been; all traces of her had disappeared. Instead, the light hung above her body, forming a humanoid shape with wings not unlike my own spread behind it. It hovered towards us, bobbing up and down as its wings beat.

“Thank you,” it said, in a voice like the chiming of bells.

Alexander and I stood awestruck as it floated closer and planted a light kiss on each of our cheeks.

“You have shown me the way home. I will forever be in your debt.”
With that it floated upwards, through the roof and away into the Heavens. We were silent for a while, searching for the right words to express what we had seen.

“Whoa,” I said finally. Alex nodded silent agreement.

We were silent a moment longer before we turned away and trudged towards the door. I looked up as a whistle sounded from the balcony above. Sara stood above, waving something in her hand. As I focused on it, my eyes widened.

“Alex! Run!”

“What?”

“Just move!”

We began to run as, behind us, Sara depressed the button on the detonator in her grip.

[Nyerguds]

Wow... that was amazing :cool:

[SW Freak]

Thank you. Thank you very much. The next chapter will come soonish now that I know that someone is interested in it.

[Nyerguds]

I read it as soon as I saw there was an update.

I just don't visit this forum much; my bookmark goes straight to the RPG forum :p

[Master Chris]

Mmmhmm, that was some delicious fiction, my good man.

I must admit, I'm not one for Buffy-esque demon hunting type adventures but this one was quite tasty.

I demand more fun-flavoured demon murderisation, so that I may gorge upon it, spin a cocoon out of my own mucous and pupate into a beautiful butterfly!

My ultimate evolution is in your hands, amigo, don't let me down! :D

[SW Freak]

Um, thanks, I think...

Anyway, I just wanted to know what you guys like so much about it. I mean, I don't think it's as great as you guys make it out to be. What is so great about it?

[Master Chris]

Well, you take interesting characters, put them in interesting scenarios and have them do interesting things. Simply put, you paint a vivid picture, with great ideas and the narrative is pretty good.

As for improvements, I think you need to reformat your posts, as the translation from Word to the forum post doesn't work (I'm assuming you just copy and paste over from a word processor).

For example, you wrote:

“Night Shadow?” I repeated for the umpteenth time. “Who would seriously name themselves Night Shadow?”
“It’s just her title. Her real name is unpronounceable in the human tongue and would make your eardrums burst if you heard it in the language of the demons.”
“Right… Well, I guess I should have figured. Makes about as much sense as everything else that’s happened since I died…”
Alexander risked glancing across at me before turning his eyes back to the road.
“So…what is your story?” he asked, turning the car onto a road moving to the outskirts of town.
Now, I would have seperated every piece of dialogue from the rest of the text with an empty line, as such:



“Night Shadow?”

I repeated for the umpteenth time.

“Who would seriously name themselves Night Shadow?”

“It’s just her title. Her real name is unpronounceable in the human tongue and would make your eardrums burst if you heard it in the language of the demons.”

“Right… Well, I guess I should have figured. Makes about as much sense as everything else that’s happened since I died…”

Alexander risked glancing across at me before turning his eyes back to the road.

“So…what is your story?”

he asked, turning the car onto a road moving to the outskirts of town.That's just me being a format-nazi but it does make what you've written a fair bit easier to read, yes yes? I do, of course, acknowledge the possibility that it was just a case of a botched Copy+Paste. Nevertheless, it would be up to you to go thorugh the post and correct such tiny errors, either before posting or making a quick edit afterwards. I like seeing well formatted writing, as it demonstrates that the authour is willing to put in the time to make his work as perfect as possible.

[Nyerguds]

I dunno... I generally don't put THAT many open lines, especially in the middle of a dialogue. But yes SWfreak, you should separate SOME paragraphs :p

[ein1017]

I like it. I too wrote a story but for a quick writeup (My story) it sucks compared to yours! are you sure you are not my dad? I mean he writes pretty good too. I admit I not much interested in this type of stuff but it did grab my attention. Keep doing this and you might get a book out. Fool's Tavern was writtten by a 13 year old kid.

[SW Freak]

Okay, Chris. I'll do that. Next chapter should be up...before Christmas. Maybe.

[Bean]

I like the story SWF, And am now awaiting the next installment.
(Really, its honestly good!!)

[SW Freak]

Chapter 3: A Shadowy Past.

Alexander and I were thrown across the street with the force of the explosion. I shot through a window in the building opposite with a cry while a solid thud informed me that Alexander had hit the wall. I lay on the floor for a moment and blinked until the spots dancing before my eyes faded away. Then I clambered to my feet, pulling myself up on the surface beside me. I looked around the building I had landed in. It was a bar, closed for the night. I reached across the counter, which had been the anchor I had pulled myself up with, and grabbed a bottle of beer. I flipped the cap off it on the edge of the bar and took a long drink. Then I climbed out the window, looking for Alexander. As I glanced at the nightclub, Alanis/Sara fell into my field of vision. We stared at each other for a moment before a gout of flame hid her from view. When it cleared, she was gone. I stared at the spot where she had been before looking for Alexander again. He was sitting with his back against the wall, looking at the flaming wreckage that had been the nightclub. I stood beside him and silently passed him the bottle. He stared at it and before draining it and throwing the bottle away.

“Anything broken?” I asked him.

“Nothing except my pride. How about you? You still in one piece?”

“Seems that way,” I replied, looking down at myself.

Alexander looked up at me and his mouth dropped open. He pointed to my shoulder. Confused, I reached up and felt around. My questing fingers found a large shard of jagged glass.

“Oh… ” I said, sounding much calmer than I felt. “I must be in shock.”

It was then that I became aware of the dull throbbing in my shoulder.

“You should get that looked at.”

“Well, you’re looking at it and it’s not getting any better,” I muttered before gripping the shard, gritting my teeth and pulling it out.

I looked at the blood stained piece of glass as pain raced up and down my arm and along my shoulder. Alexander jumped to his feet.

“What the hell did you do that for?” he demanded, shocked.

“To remind myself that I was still alive.”

He looked at me in a confused way.

“It hurt,” I said simply. “One day, God forbid, you may find that you need to be alive so much you’d do anything for the feeling. Ever since I woke up, I’ve felt like that.”

Alexander looked into my eyes. He mustn’t have liked what he saw, because he looked away quickly. I ran a hand over my shoulder, searching for the wound. All I felt was smooth, whole skin. I looked at my fingers and found that they were not covered in blood, as I had expected. I realised Alexander was talking and switched my attention to him.

“Well, next on the list is Somahtel. I have no idea where to find him though. We’ll have to use some bait.”

“What kind of bait do you use to attract a demon?” I inquired.

At that point, we were both distracted by the sound of drunken singing. We turned and looked down the road, to where a drunkard was stumbling around the corner. He made his way down the road in a series of lurches and staggers, all the while singing at the top of his voice.

“We use someone like him,” said Alexander, and moved forward.

The drunk continued singing as Alex approached. Alex stepped behind him and slammed his balled up fists into the base of the drunk’s neck, knocking him out. Alexander grabbed him as he fell and hoisted him up onto his shoulder.

“So now what?”

“We leave him where Somahtel can find him.”

We swore in unison as we heard police and fire sirens in the distance. Obviously, someone had heard the explosion and called for help. We bundled the drunk into the car, climbed in after him and drove away down the road. Then, with more vehement swearing, we stopped several meters on and climbed out again. A huge piece of metal, propelled by the explosion, had slammed through the hood, rendering the engine useless. We lugged the drunk into the shadows and made our getaway on foot. Half an hour found us in a dark back street beside a row of apartments with the drunk groaning on the floor. Alexander and I hid in the shadows, crouched down, ready for action.

“Why this guy, anyway?” I asked, my stare fixed on the drunkard.

“Somahtel devours people’s hearts and souls. He prefers party animals, so I figured our young friend might be enough to lure him out.”

“And we’re just going to let this Somahtel guy have this guy?”

“Of course not. We’ll stop Somahtel before he can hurt the innocent.”

“Oh. Well, that’s reassuring.”

We sat in silence for a few moments, watching the guy clutch at his head as he woke up. Then Alexander looked at me.

“We’ll have some time to talk before Somahtel shows up. Start from the beginning. Who are you?”

I sighed and looked down at the ground.

“Okay. As you already know, my name is Maximillian Milanez. I am…well, was, the head of the Vamps gang. There was a member of the gang, name of Sergi. Ex-Russian Mafia, or so he claimed. He was a pretentious and power hungry little bastard. Always causing trouble, but in a way that didn’t draw a lot of attention to him. He got others to do his dirty work for him. Eventually, he crossed the line. He…” I swallowed away the lump in my throat as I remembered the scene again. The smell of blood seemed to fill my nostrils once more. “He had my wife killed. That led to all out war. By this time he had a huge number of people behind him, hungry for the power and money he promised them. That trail of bodies that’s been in the news for a while is the result of the war.”

“But that war was months ago.”

“What? It couldn’t have been! I died on the second of February.”

“Yeah, it’s June now.”

“Really? Damn. I didn’t realise I was dead for so long. It felt like only a moment.”

From the street there was a whooshing sound and a sharp intake of breath. I looked at Alexander.

“Who was keeping an eye on the drunk?”

Both Alexander’s eyes and mine snapped back to the where the drunkard had been. The street was deserted. Alex and I rushed out into the open, looking around frantically. I saw a dark shape scaling the wall of one of the apartments, a second figure slung over its shoulder.

“Up there!” I shouted as my wings snapped open.

I grabbed Alexander’s arm and leapt into the air, my wings beating furiously to keep both of us airborne. The figure reached the rooftop and jumped up onto it. I cleared the roofline a second later and levelled out, gliding over the ventilation shafts that speckled the roof. The figure spun and slashed with the thing in its right hand. A dark shape, like a blade, spun towards me. I dropped Alexander onto the roof and then barrel rolled out of the way. The thing spun past me, hissing as it scythed through the air. I straightened up in time to see Alexander roll as he hit the rooftop, roll and come up running. I flew on and watched as our prey dumped the drunk and ran on, faster now that he wasn’t weighed down by the recumbent alcoholic. Alexander barely spared the comatose stranger a glance, instead speeding up himself to catch the demon. The cloaked figure leapt the gap between two rooftops and Alexander followed. The flare of gunfire lit up the night. Somahtel leapt another gap between buildings and then took a sharp left turn, spinning once more and slashing again with the object in his hand. Alex rolled to the side to avoid the dark blade and then straightened up and continued on.

Somahtel slashed twice more and I could see that the object in his hand was a scythe, the handle glossy black and the blade gleaming silver against the moonlight. As he ran, Alexander fired twice, blasting both of the flying blades out of the air. I swooped down towards the demon, but a flying blade, shooting straight for my forehead, forced me to swerve sideways. The blade grazed my wing and I faltered in my flight, injured wing flailing uselessly as I tried to keep myself airborne. I shifted my weight and landed on my haunches in time to see Somahtel running away, a dark patch of shadow against the darker night. I jumped up and ran after him and Alexander. The chase went on for several blocks, Somahtel always just dodging our bullets. Eventually, we neared the higher skyscrapers. Somahtel leapt towards one of them. He smashed through the glass of a window and ran through the darkened building. Alexander and I followed suite. We skidded to a halt in a long hall.

“Where’d he disappear to?”

I spun as I heard the doors of the elevator down the hall slide open. Somahtel stood silhouetted in the dim light coming from the elevator.

“Down there!” I shouted as Somahtel scurried into the elevator.

I shot down the hall, Alexander in tow. Somahtel turned, shouted something and then jumped up, bursting through the trapdoor in the top of the elevator. Alexander and I reached the elevator in time to hear a sharp snapping sound and feel the elevator slip and then jerk to a halt.

“Damn it! Get out! Get out now!” Alexander shouted, pushing me out of the elevator.

There was a second snapping sound and the elevator began to drop. I looked up from the edge of the shaft and saw Somahtel holding onto one of the severed support cables. Then I dived down the shaft, falling towards the elevator below. Alexander jumped up, through the trapdoor and reached his hand upwards. I stretched my arm out, dropped a little further and grabbed him. Then is shifted my weight and flung out my wings. Alexander and I were jerked upwards by the sudden resistance. I flapped my wings and flew up the elevator shaft. A metallic clink from above made me look up. A small sphere, about fist size, was falling down from above, bouncing off the walls as it dropped. I stared at it as it fell past me, inches from my face, and then gazed up again. Suddenly, an explosion sounded far below. A second glance downwards revealed flames racing up the shaft. I swore and doubled the beat of my wings. I shot through the shaft doors Somahtel had gone through and levelled out. The flames shot through the doors, dissipating several meters from the shaft and yet still managing to singe my wings. The sudden rush of warm air blew me off course and I fought to correct myself as I headed straight for the windows that occupied the entire wall ahead of me.

“This is your stop!” I yelled, dropping Alexander a few feet from the wall of glass.

I kept on going and hit the wall shoulder first. The joint went pop as the force dislocated it. The glass held for the merest instant of a second before giving away under the sheer force I had hit it with. I began to fall head first towards the ground, pain making my senses fuzzy for a moment. A glimpse of the solid, fatal and above all close road below me shook some sense into me and I threw open my wings. I was jerked up for the second time in as many minutes and then corrected my flight until I was heading upwards at an angle. I levelled out as I reached the floor I had crashed through the window on and began peering through the glass in an effort to find Somahtel. A darker patch of shadow caught my attention and I began to fly parallel to it. The demon, almost invisible in the darkness, took notice of me and took off, running in the only direction available, which happened to put him directly beside me. Only the glass separated us. My right hand hung limply down, useless, but my left arm was still good. I stretched it out until it was pointing at the windows. My fingers wrapped around the butt of a gun yet unformed and motes of silver light began to orbit my digits again. They congregated inside my curled fingers and sped out again, this time moving with a purpose. They quickly drew the shape of pistol in the air. The weapon gained weight as it was completed. I smiled. Almost subconsciously, I had created a Desert Eagle. It had been my weapon of choice in the former life. I fired three bullets as quickly as the weapon would allow me. They impacted into the window mere centimetres from each other, sending cracks skittering across the face of the glass. I turned at almost a right angle and rocketed forward, heading straight for the damaged window. As I neared it, I shifted my weight forward, spinning a half-somersault so that my legs hit the glass wall first. This time I got through with no difficulty and skidded along the ground accompanied by a shower of glass. Pushing myself to my feet awkwardly with my only good hand, my dislocated arm still hanging uselessly, I chased after Somahtel. He saw an opening and jinked through it. Alex pulled level with me as I halted just outside the door he had slammed shut in his wake.

“Count of three?” I muttered.

“Wait a moment,” said Alexander, grabbing my right arm.

Before I could voice a complaint, the man jerked my arm upwards. There was the slightest of pops before a scream escaped my gritted teeth. I shouted one long, incoherent obscenity to relieve the tension. Then I took a deep breath.

“Much better. Thank you.”

“No problem. Shall we?”

“Okay…one, two, three!”

We kicked the door open and then ducked hurriedly as another floating blade hissed through the air towards us. Alex ran forward in a crouch, almost moving on all fours. I rolled into the hall beyond, gun held level before me. The first glance told us that Somahtel had eluded us. The demon hunter and I strode cautiously down the hall. A nervous glance through the door revealed a similar lack of our quarry. As I walked back with a shrug, something fluttered past my face. I looked up, and was rewarded with a piece of plaster in my eye.

“Up there,” I said, pointing with one hand and rubbing my eye clean with the other.

Alex looked up into the large hole that had been torn in the roof. He raised an eyebrow.

“Subtle. Gimme a leg up.”

I laced my hands together and held them at waist height. Alex placed his foot in my hands and jumped up at the same time as I lifted. He caught hold of the edge of the opening and hauled himself up. I spread my wings and flew up after him, hovering just above the gap in the floor.

“You go that way, I’ll go through this door,” Alexander said, indicating the doors on either end of the hall.

I nodded and glided away down the hall, my wings brushing the walls on either side of me. I touched down for a moment to push the door open and slip out before, once I was sure the coast was clear, taking to the air again. There was something oddly soothing about my flight. It felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and I was free. I almost missed the second hole in the roof as I glided lazily beneath it; as it was, I only touched down several meters away from it and turned back. As I walked carefully towards it, I caught the sound of running feet and the all too familiar noise made by metal meeting metal. Another of the grenades I had encountered earlier bounced down from above. A dark shape passed over the hole briefly and a disembodied blade swung out of the shadows. I mentally shook myself and took to my heels as the blade dissected the explosive. The bomb detonated behind my as I sprinted between the cubicles. I swore as I neared a second window.

“Not again,” I muttered as I took aim with the gun I still held from earlier.

Four closely placed bullets shattered the glass and emptied the clip. The gun shattered as I threw it away and leapt out the window, gouts of flame licking at my feet. I opened my wings and glided a little away from the building, far enough to escape the effects of the explosion. As I doubled back, there was a second sound of shattering glass, and Somahtel was suddenly soaring towards me amidst a storm of glass shards. He grabbed my shoulders, forcing me down. The wind screamed in my ears as we dropped through the air. We rolled and punched at each other, getting closer to the ground as each second passed. It was only luck that I was on top when we hit the window.

It was an old church, closed for renovations; it’s huge stained glass front window already in disarray. Somahtel hit the glass back first and we both bounced as we hit a set of scaffolding someone had left up within. We bounced again as we hit the hard stone floor and I was thrown away from him. I slid along the glass-strewn floor until my head collided with one of the wooden pews. I struggled to my feet and looked for Somahtel. He had disappeared, leaving only a patch of dark blood on our landing spot. Getting more nervous by the second, I scanned the church. Still there was no trace of him.

“Imbecile! Why did you convert?”

I spun as the voice echoed around the cavernous church. Somahtel was still out of sight and the echoes made it impossible to determine where the demon was hiding. I decided to stall until Alex got here.

“What in the hell are you talking about?”

“You had it good. It was perfect! And then you decided to ruin it? For what? Love? Idiot! Our Lord could have gotten you a thousand women better than the one you had.”

“I never worked for your coward of a leader! I’ve never seen your kind before tonight!”

“No, I believe you have. You’ve worked towards our goals your whole life, and you never realised it?” There was a mocking edge on the voice now. “Never thought that your mindless killings were wrong? Humans truly are amazing. Able to simply ignore the fact that they are worse than the lowest demons of hell.”

“Shut up! We were never as evil as you are.”

“Oh, perhaps you weren’t. But, then again, you have yet to see just how evil I can be!”

I spun as I heard wood splinter behind me and then threw myself to the ground just in time to dodge the blade. Then Somahtel was bearing down on my again, scythe in hand. I grabbed his wrist as he sought to bring the blade down on my face. Then his other hand lashed out and grabbed me by the throat. I got my first look at his face as he lifted my head to smash it into the ground. He had black hair tingeing to red and mostly human features. All in all, he could be considered fairly normal if not for his eyes. They were black holes, voids in the world. As I stared into them I could see myself reflected back in the inky blackness. The only thing to indicate he was actually looking at me was the tiniest pinpricks of white in the centre of each orb. Then he pushed me back down and my head connected with the stone floor with an audible thud. I groaned and grabbed his hand as he tried to lift me up again. Gathering up my strength, I twisted his hand. Something within went crack and Somahtel’s grip lessened. His attention diverted, I was left free to drive my knee into his groin. Though I was previously unsure of demon genitalia, my suspicions were confirmed when Somahtel let out a scream and rolled away, clutching his afflicted area as though afraid something would drop off if he took his hand away.

“How do you like them apples?” I muttered, hauling myself to my feet.

As I moved forward to kick him, another form slammed into my side. I had a hazy feeling of a foot slamming into my ribs before I was driven to the ground for the second time. I rolled away as a foot tried to stomp on my head. Scrambling to my feet, I raised my hands, ready to fight. My mouth dropped open as I saw the newcomer.

“Sara?”

She was worse off than when I had seen her in Night Shadow’s nightclub. Scars and cuts criss-crossed her face and arms. She had exchanged her one-piece suit for a black tank top and tracksuit trousers. It was a perfectly ordinary set of clothes that was offset by the large curved sword in her hands.

“Sara? Sara, it’s me. Max. Don’t you remember?” I knew I was almost pleading, but I couldn’t help it. “What’s happened to you, Sara?”

An unpleasant laugh drew my attention back to Somahtel.

“You believe you know her? I must have hit you too hard, angel. This demoness has never before graced the Earth. Though, that name…Sara. It sounds familiar.” Somahtel grinned. “Ah yes. Your former wife. I’m sure his lordship would be pleased to know that Alanis here brings about such memories of the slut. Unfortunately, you shan’t survive so it makes little difference. Alanis, dispose of him.”

Somahtel swept away as Sara stepped forward. He pushed the door of the church open.

“Hey! Don’t walk away from me, you coward!”

The demon spared me the slightest of disparaging glances before laughing and turning to leave. I caught sight of a shadow beyond before there was a muffled boom and Somahtel was thrown back into the church, propelled by a shockwave that blew all the windows along the front of the building out. Alanis spun as Somahtel soared past her and slammed against a large statue of Saint Michael slaying the dragon. There was a nauseating fleshy sound as the demon prince landed square on the protruding horns on the dragon’s head. Alexander, his face still impassive, raised both of his homemade handguns and started pulling the triggers. Somahtel’s body jerked as bullet after bullet pounded into it. Finally, the hammers fell back on Alex’s pistols and the firing stopped. A weak groan rose from Somahtel’s lips and the scythe fell from his hand. He twitched twice before falling still. I released the breath I had been holding in. Then I turned back to Sara.

To where Sara had been.

“Sara? Sara?” I shouted, knowing that I’d get no answer.

Sighing, I looked across at Alexander.

“Took you long enough. Is he dead?”

Alexander strode over to the recumbent form of Somahtel. He leaned close to check and then drew back in surprise as the demon drew in a sudden breath and opened his eyes again.

“No! You…shall not…beat me!” he spat in a series of laboured breaths.

Alexander slowly returned his pistols to their holsters and drew his two knives. As he lifted them to strike, they caught the light, turning the scene into an eerie tableau drawn in shadows under the glare. Then the blades dropped into the demon prince’s neck. The troubled breathing stopped suddenly.

“Yeah. He’s dead.”

“Good.”

As we walked out of the church, I tried to push the feelings of guilt out of my head. The things the demon had said had reminded me of some of the truly atrocious things I had done. But there was no time to dwell on it. With a screech of tortured rubber, Sara tore around the corner in a car.

“Down!” I shouted as she flung her arm out.

As I ducked, I heard whatever she had thrown scream over my head. Then she was gone, roaring off into the distance. I stood up a little unsteadily, trying to calm down.

“Come on! We have to go after her!” I said, heading off in the direction she had driven off in. I stopped as I realised that Alexander was standing still, as though rooted to the spot. “Alex?”

He didn’t move. He looked down with unfocused eyes and reached up to brush the dagger buried in his chest.

[Agent Rose Owns You]

Hey, I remember this fic! Glad you decided to start working on it again! ^^ Love how you made my character. I'm always the stereotypical mean bitch in our rpg's, aren't I? lol

[SW Freak]

I have an announcement to make. I've decided to give Where Shadows Lie a break. I do believe it could be better, but I'm too lazy to reformat my writing style. That, and couples with the fact that I only have a vauge idea of where I want it to go, means that I feel that I should just do it another time. If, for some strange reason (Perhaps you have a concussion), you are saying "Oh no. It's not gonna' get finished.", have no fear. I will finish it. Just... not now.

[Bean]

Aw, it's been left on a serious cliffhanger too, I enjoyed the story immensely, and am sad to see it stopped, but that is your decision to make.

[Artificial Idiot]

Riveting stuff there SW Freak! Despite the fact that in the end you have to force me to read it, I really did enjoy it! keep it up... or I'll kill you. :shifty:

[SW Freak]

Heh. Bring it, Master Aies! :p

Anyway, just a general announcement, but part four is in progress. No idea when it'll be done.

[Artificial Idiot]

I'll do more than bring it, me laddyo! I'll shove it through your ear until it comes out your nose! How do you like THAT, eh? Eh!?

Does in progress mean like when a games in progress, and then the release date gets pushed back several months at a time... until when wefinally get the product we just don't care anymore?

I hope not... :scared:

[SW Freak]

Nope! In progress in this context is something akin to Half Life 2, which you know you will buy no matter how long you have to wait for it or how much you have to go through to get it.

Admit it...

[Bean]

I'll be camping outside of the store... er... thread :p

[Artificial Idiot]

Psst Sw Freak.....



Move yer arse! :shifty: :p

[SW Freak]

Ah, beg off Aies! :p

I have exams for the next two weeks. Anything I can churn out must wait.

Again. I know. I'm horrible at this. Sorries.

[Nyerguds]

omg I should've read this soo much sooner. I've been too busy lately.

Great work, Goliath :)

[AI]

I wonder whatever happened to that Goliath fellow... *strokes chin*

(Yeah, it's thread necromancy, but hey - The whole thing is about the undead so it seemed fitting! :p)

[SW Freak]

Goddamnit, Aies. Now I have to actually work on it. Jeez! :p

[AI]

That was the plan! :D

[EliteGi]

Nice work, maybe you'll actually get chapter four done someday...!

[SW Freak]

Hmm...that sounds vaugly accusatory. :p

I'm working on chapter four now, but I've hit another wall. How exactly does one kill a horde of killer kittens?

[AI]

With toxic balls of wool, of course.

Now get to work, you lazy fragger! It's been over a year since an update! :p

[Wesforce]

Can I give this another jolt while the RPGing's going hot? :color1: