Awakening

Darkness...
Hunger...
Darkness...
Hunger...
Voices...
Darkness...
Hun ... Voices?

Yes. I hear voices. Softly at first, but they grow stronger. It has been a long time since I last heard another human being. Seems like ages have passed. But now I hear voices. Glorious voices. There are two people, one male and one female. The sounds they make are as sweet as music. Oh, what joy to be in the presence of others once again. I hear a door open.

"You have got to see it Professor. It's everything I have said." It's a young, female voice, sweet and melodic, though I am unable to place the accent.

"We shall see, Lilith" That must be the professor. This one definitely sounds like he has wisdom on his side. I can also detect a hint of German in the accent. "Pull back the cover and let's take a look."

I wonder what they are talking about. Lilith sounds quite excited. Then the darkness fades slightly. The grayness of the light filtering through my eyelids still stings my eyes. Must be from the long period of darkness. I wonder how long it has been, a couple of months, or maybe a year?

"See, perfectly preserved." The awe in Lilith's voice is apparent. "You would think he had died yesterday."

"Hmmm."

That was the only response given, and then there is silence. All I can hear is someone pacing (the professor?), someone fidgeting (Lilith?), and muffled sounds from outside the room. I wonder where I am. My eyes just won't seem to open. If they are looking at a dead man, then I would believe that I am in a church or temple.

The thought takes me back to when I was last in a temple. It was the Temple of Solomon, when those self-righteous Templars had control of it. I was looking for the Stones of Fire, twelve various gems that where placed in the Breastplate of Judgment and used to defeat the enemies of the Israelites. The stones had been lost for centuries, but I had heard rumors that put the stones in the temple, and I needed those stones so I could ... what was that? Did I just get poked? There it is again.

"It seems to be in good condition," that was the professor. "Where did you say you found it?"

"We uncovered it at the cave," the lilting voice of Lilith chimes. "We found it laying next to three other bodies that where wearing armor, though they were mainly just bones. Carbon dating puts them to be from around the time of the Crusades."

"The Crusades? That explains the bones. Was this body in a different location? Was there any indication as to why it didn't decompose?" During this entire exchange, I could feel somebody poking and prodding me. "This body shows no sign of decay. I would almost believe it wasn't really dead."

Dead? Are they talking about me? I am not dead, am I? I ... I am just having trouble moving, right? They must have me strapped down so they can ... do what? And they talk of the Crusades as if it had happened a long time ago. It couldn't have been that long, could it?

"No professor. There was nothing in that cave that would indicate as to why this body didn't decay." There's a couple of footsteps and then I feel a hand rest on my upper arm. "In fact, it was buried under quite a bit of debris. It looked like he got caught in the cave-in that trapped those Templars that we found in there."

"I guess it is possible that the cave-in could have, somehow, protected the body; though I have never seen it before. Let's take a look inside, maybe there is something there that will shed some light on this mystery. Could you hand me that scalpel, please."

The cave-in? Yes, I remember the cave-in. It happened just as I started to confront that Templar about the stones location. After he witnessed me kill his friends, I had him begging for mercy. He would have told me what they did with those stones if it wasn't for the cave-in. Just how long was I buried under all that rock?

Then I feel some pressure on my chest that starts to trace a line towards my stomach. At first, it just feels like something pressing against me. Then it starts to sting a little. Then I feel pain. I try to scream and slap at whatever is on my chest, but all I can do is cause my arm to move a little. I hear a sharp intake of air.

"What is it, Lilith?"

"His arm, professor. It moved! It moved as if it was reaching for something!"

"It moved? It couldn't have moved. Not even nerves would cause a twitch after this long. See, there isn't even any blood in the body."

Blood. I remember blood, too. Sweet tasting blood, the sustenance of all life. Without blood, there would be no life. Even demons and angels can bleed. Then there is more searing pain and new cuts are drawn across my chest.

"But, I swear I saw his arm move. And it wasn't the movement that could be attributed to nerves. It was reaching."

It feels as if they are peeling the skin off of my chest. The pain is almost unbearable, but I don't want to lose consciousness. There is no telling what they would do to me then. I must get my arms to move. I must!

"It was probably just your imagination. With the excellent condition this body is in, it is easy to imagine that it is still alive. What the . . ."

I feel the sweet intake of fresh, clean air through my nose. I can smell the stirrings of fear in the room, and the sweet smell of innocence. I smell the acidic smell of smoke, and the smell of incest. I can even smell the familiar smell of dust. It has been too long since I smelled anything at all. But most of all, I can smell blood.

"What is it? What is the matter?"

"He took a breath! But that is impossible!" There is a clatter as something hits the floor.

I can feel the muscles in my body start to respond to my mental commands now. I feel my hands slowly clench and unclench. I slowly start to sit up, and I hear a scream off to my right. I still seem to be unable to open my eyes, but I don't need them. I can sense the people in the room. I can smell the fear. I can smell the sins. I know right where they are.

The hunger in me is coming back now that I am no longer obsessed with the voices. The unbearable hunger. It is calling to me. Silencing all other sounds in the room. Pulling me. I can feel my body moving, slashing out and I can feel my claws rip through flesh. I let my instincts take control. Without my eyesight I would just hinder my body form getting the sustenance it needs.

Eventually the screams die away and I feel the precious life force that is blood enter my body. With each gulp, I feel my strength come back to me. I can feel the sweet tingling of the cuts on my chest healing, and my eyes. I feel the tingling in my eyes, too. That must be why I wasn't able to see.

I open my eyes and I am hit by a wave of revulsion. I have my jaws clamped firmly on the neck of a man in a long, white coat. This must be the professor. I can smell the sin in this one. Strong sin. So strong that I can smell it through all the blood I see sprayed on the walls. It smells of incest and idolatry. But did he deserve this, to die like an animal lead to slaughter?

I release him from my grip and he slumps on the ground, his lower jaw slowly moving up and down as if in a silent scream. I step back from the body, a growing sense of dread within. The sheer exhilaration I feel as his strength is added to mine causes me stomach to turn. This curse that God has bestowed upon me for my treachery is a cruel fate for anyone. Not only does it affect my sanity, but also I must feed on the mortals that I used to protect before I sided with Samael.

I must find a way to redeem myself. I was once pure of heart. I was once innocent.

Innocence. I smell innocence. I turn and a new wave of revulsion hits me. Lilith? There lies sweet, innocent Lilith, on the floor, covered in blood. I slowly make my way towards her, tears forming in my eyes. How could I have done this? She was innocent, no sin to speak of. And yet I have taken her life from her. Again this curse haunts me. I bend over and lift her broken body to my breast. The tears flow freely now.

After a few minutes I gently lay her back down. What have I become? Why have I taken one who was as pure as I had been? This curse of God's will is to blame. Yet, I feel all the guilt, for it was my decision to join Samael in his crusade against God. And for what? The promise of power or wealth?

No. I, Olivier, the Archangel of Judgment, sided with Samael out of pride. I believed that I was better then God, that I knew what needed to be done with these mortals, and Samael promised to make me his advisor. Now I am cursed for leaving God. I have been cast down out of Heaven and banished to Earth to wander for the rest of eternity.

Is this to be my fate? Must I walk the Earth for eternity? I walk over to the window and look out at the strange buildings there. How much time has passed? Has God forgiven me? Or, has he forgotten me. Either way, my path is clear now. As the dawn in this new world I have returned to shall attest, I will not spend the rest of my days in self-pity. I will find a way to overcome this curse, and I will find a way to redeem myself in the eyes of God.

This is my new pledge, my new master. Redemption.