Blind Loyalty

I thought I was invincible, impenetrable to all forces outside of my body, my mind. Maybe I was, but my demise would not come from outside. I had never seen it coming, the betrayal of one who could not care, and of one I thought could. I will never recover from this betrayal, no, because it is too late. I’m trapped in Limbo, my friend, but I am given this one chance to recollect my beginning, my middle, and my end. Pay attention, for as of now my comfort can only come from having my story told.

I was a warrior, a general even, of an army that may still be conquering. I know not, for I can only see so much from this window given to me. However, the army was unique, it was full of demons. I was a member of the very race they tried to eliminate. They were ignorant of my true origin, however, for concealing my face was the mask and black apparel given to me by my caring and understanding leader, Orion.

Not only skin, but what I thought was impure skin. Indeed, my humanity was as impure as the most disgusting waste when I had that state of mind. If ever an unworthy piece of flesh stood out from a tear, I would cut at it until it was covered in blood. Yes, my friend, this deed sickens me now.

Oh, but my skill! Had you seen me wield my long silver blade once sheathed at my back, cutting through my human enemies, your hair would have stood up and blood ran cold due to fear! I have no doubt in my mind that I could have challenged the Head General to a duel and would have easily dismembered him, but no, I would never do that to a friend.

However, he was not my best friend. My best friend was there with me all the time. We were side by side in combat, our laughs thunderously cackling in unison as the screams of the now dead filled our ears! He never left, no, he couldn’t leave. If he would have left my life would have shattered. He did worse, as you know, he betrayed me! I was indeed a demon because of him, and I regret deeply what that hellish fiend had done to my life! He deserved nothing but death, and I assure you as I died, I took him with me!

These may be the details of who I was, but what was it that killed me? What was it that had changed me? The answer lies in disobedience as well as obedience. As a general, I was commanded to undergo several missions individually. Individually, but my friend always came with me. That one rule I did not follow. The missions were that which changed me, that fed my bloodlust until I sought nothing else other than to murder one by one to destroy the human race. I had thought my humanity was a curse, and I was set on missions to destroy it. My friend, this is my story, the mission which ended up killing me.

The pathway was light, for it was morning, but it was also darkened by the trees. Yes, the trees cast shadows on the dirt path I tread, but even through the white of the mask could I see, for my senses rivaled even the owls who stalk their prey by night, and the dogs which are pained by the highest of notes. Was the pathway straight? No, but it wove left and right like a ribbon, for scarcely was I ever gifted with a straight path!

My friend spoke, and he spoke coldly. Such was the voice of my friend, the voice which had beforehand frozen my blood, and rose the hairs on my head. When he conversed with me, he also did so calmly, for what could he fear as long as he dwelled within me? "Vacis, the time is now! You must remember your cause, the riddance of the accursed ones."

"This is my hometown, you realize? Do the best you can to free me from pity, from guilt, and from sadness in this battle. You are best at that. Let us fight side by side once more, and I assure you we will return victorious!"

"Vacis, you have a good mind. It’s sad that you cannot be a demon, as am I. Just remember that once you finish this mission, you will have your reward. Statistically, you will be deemed equal with Orion, and be forced to duel him."

"Duel him? Is he not also-"

"I had thought you had let go of your silly human emotions! I guessed wrong. This mission will do you good. Oh, look! We are nearing the town gate! This is always fun!"

"Indeed, friend...it is..."

As always, the words of my friend were proven correct, for out of the shadows we could see the light set at the large wooden gate, with two gluttonous guards blocking my way. Large were their stomachs, and their faces glowed with lack of wisdom, and the fulfillment of foolishness. When I had drawn nigh, they had made their move.

"Aye, ye are neither a moichant nor a commona, and I c'nnot rightly let ye pass until ye get permission from the mayor."

I had seen the shock, yes, seen, for even his lips quivered as he spoke, in his voice. His use of big words combined with his misuse in pronouncing those words amused me greatly, so greatly that I decided to comment on them. "Hmm...how can I be threatened by one which is unlearned, and one which is so gluttonous?"

This had obviously infuriated the guard, and his friend spoke up. "Back off!"

I had faced enough insolence; at the speed of a bolt, I had unsheathed my blade and severed the head of the first guard, while sidestepping to the other guard and cutting him in half from down to up. The blood rushed quickly from their bodies, and the ground was soon covered in their remains.

I picked up the head of the first guard, and his face was in shock. "Vacis...it seems you had given him no chance to change emotion!" He laughed, and I laughed with him. It was not just a laugh, however. That was our call, our call to the townsfolk. They always scurried to the door...always...

Now, the door usually could only be pushed by five of the strongest men in the village, but back then I was stronger than twenty. Swiftly, yet with a strong force, I kicked the door open. I heard the snap of metal, I had broken the lock as the door slammed into curious bystanders close to the giant door.

The people which had been lucky enough to not get hit by the door stood in complete shock, petrification. Slowly, a poor balding man walked up to me. He was in terror, in pain, and the aged wrinkles on his face probably showed even more than they had before. "You...you killed my sons...who are you?"

I showed no remorse, I showed no mercy as I lunged my blade into his stomach, spilling blood. I heard the screams of many...the cries of all ages...the mourning of those with children...but did I care?

I took the time of chaos and panic to observe my surroundings. They knew their escape was futile. It was a walled town, and a great one at that. The gate was the only way out, and who was standing at the gate?

They were normal houses, good sized for a good town. The pathways were neat too, the grass cut evenly. They’d all be ash in a minute.

I quickly leaped unto one of the nearest houses, tearing the roof to bits with my blade. I started cutting through the furniture, the walls, the people. I did this on many houses, but it soon became boring. I wanted to burn them. Burn the houses. Burn the people. Burn the walls.

Calmly, as the survivors fled in futile to the closed off gate, I picked up two large sticks. Now, it usually takes a long time for one to make fire with such two sticks, but I say to you again, I’m stronger than all. In one rub, flames sparked, and I through them on the wall next to the grass. Everything was interconnected somehow...everything would burn.

I waited until they burned. Yes, I waited calmly as chaos and fear struck the town and as several citizens attempted an escape. I decided to lay on my back. What was once morning was now night, but I could see. Even through the white mask I could see, for even my senses were stronger than others. "Vacis, you are doing a splendid job! Listen to their screams, listen to their pain, and even listen to their mourning!"

"I can’t."

"Say again?"

"I am unable to hear their screams."

"Why can you not?"

"I don’t know, but as soon as I started my rampage, everything was blocked out. All I heard was silence. I am ok, though. I hear the fire dying down. I’m going to hunt some stragglers."

I arose from my position, and immediately scouted the area for any sign of survivors. For a long time I had found none, but a turn led me to a homeless man, a homeless man clinging onto a tree. I walked up to him, and felt the fear in his heart.

"Are you afraid of me?" The homeless man nodded, and I slowly unsheathed my blade. "Here, let me end your fear." I slit his neck open.

"My friend, I believe I am done."

"You have spoken too soon, for behold! A child stands behind you!"

I quickly turned around, and saw a young male child standing behind me. He had a sword, a sword much too big for his strength, but he held it nonetheless.

"You...you weren’t going to try and kill me now, were you?"

The child shook his head in fear. However, I showed no sympathy. They were all the same, humans. All dirty, disgusting, and cursed. Even the children disgusted me. I did what I always did, and ended his life. "Rejoice, your curse has been lifted."

Finally, I was done! My mission completed, I was free to return to my family! However, the betrayal starts here. "Ha...hahaha....hahahahahahahaha! Vacis, you ignorant fool! You had gone and killed your family! The homeless man, was he not your father? The child, was he not your nephew? Orion has accepted you, but I will not!"

My vision went blurry, and I became numb. The ground slowly rushed up to meet me, but I could not feel it. I could barely move. I was petrified. Then suddenly, the laughter of my friend died down, but was replaced with a painful high note that echoed throughout my brain. I could not bear it.

I brought myself up, my vision more blurred than before, but I could see other things clearly. Yes, I saw the souls of those I had killed. They had looked at their bodies, showing no pain and no remorse. There were thousands of them. I walked a little further, the high note still echoing in my head, and rested on a tree, trying my best to stand still.

Then, as if taken from the very horrors that drifted through my mind, the souls stopped looking at their bodies. Each of them looked at me, surrounding me with their eyes. They chanted, they chanted terrifying words. "Behold, the Accursed One!"

Me? Accursed? The very thought brought much burden upon my soul, and I could not bear it. The high note still echoing, I brushed past my victims, even as they continued chanting. I couldn’t stop the painful noise, but I still tried to find a refuge.

Finally, I thought I had found one. It was a cemetery, the town cemetery. Also, the echoing strangely stopped at the sight of it. I thought I was ok, I thought I was fine. However, I decided to search the cemetery. My horrors returned as I had looked upon...as I had looked upon...

My grave. My tombstone. Memories of the time I ran away from my home flooded back to me. I even remembered the time when this tombstone was placed for me when I left. I was completely depressed, but not suicidal...yet...

The echoing was gone, but a new terror came. I heard the screams, the screams I could not hear before. These hurt worse, emotionally, physically, mentally. I decided there was only one escape now. My best friend had betrayed me, but now he dies!

I put my body level to my tombstone, my height. Raising my blade, I thrust it through my chest, piercing the tombstone with it. Now it would have a body.

This physical pain affected me not, but even so I saw the blood spill from my wound onto the ground. My arm barely strong enough, I reached up to my mask and threw it to the ground. I looked down, the light blinding me, and I saw the blood spill and completely cover my mask. No, my sins would not be forgiven. I would have to bear them. This will haunt me...

Slowly, the pain started to go away, but that was merely because my soul was seeping out of my body. I was slowly dying, but I was at peace. I died, and my best friend died with me.

Upon death, I was subject unto the punishment of the gods themselves. Upon death, I had a complete realization of what my life had been like. My pride had destroyed me. My strength had proceeded unto the growth of my pride. My hatred had proceeded unto the growth of my bloodlust. My misunderstanding proceeded unto the growth of my hatred.

I’m in Limbo now, my friend. My punishment? The reliving of this day...forever...