Crown Of Ashes

In the beginning.There was word And the word was god

EPISODE: The Eternal Wanderer
Someone is calling.

Ed: "Who the hell is calling at this hour?"

Picks up the phone.

Mark: "Hey, Ed."

Ed: "Please, in God's name, leave me alone. It's literally 5 a.m."

Mark: "Pff, weak."

Ed: "Mark, I'm gonna punch you through the screen."

Mark: "Shiver me timbers. Anyway, I'll start packing up."

Ed: "God, how much do you hate yourself?"

Mark: "Alright, bye, boo-boo."

Ed: "I hope you crash your car."

Mark packs his stuff up and starts driving.

Mark: "Hmmm, alright, I'll take that road. The Wendy's manager scares the hell outta me."

30 minutes later...

Mark: "Huh? What's a guy doing on a cold road like this?"

As Mark gets closer, he sees a completely nude person in this wintery hellhole.

Mark: "What if he was robbed?" But then he spots a weird F-like symbol engraved in the guy's hand. His common sense kicks in. Gun out. He doesn't start the engine and speed away. Nope. He's worried. What if this guy's really been robbed? Or worse?

Although, he wasn't shaking from the lethal cold...

Mark: "So what if he's dead?"

But the weird dude stands up and faces him—

Mark: "Holy crap, that's a tall, white-haired monster."

Standing next to him makes Mark shiver, like the devil's standing right there.

Somehow, Mark gathers strength. He grabs his keys, adrenaline kicking in, runs to his car, and slams the engine on before flying out of there like a bat outta hell. He looks back, but where's the devil dude?

Gone. Like the air swallowed him up.

Mark: "Well, that's... confusing. I'm gonna just sleep it off at my brother's house."

9 hours later...

Mark: "Ragh! I can't sleep. What, now I'm paranoid?"

Can't stop thinking about that mark. Duh, of course, he can't.

Mark: "Alright, internet, show me something before my brother comes back from the grocery store and thinks I'm losing it."

30 minutes later...

Ed: "Honey, I'm hoooome. I brought some stuff."

Mark: "Not now, Ed. I'm trying to concentrate."

Ed: "Aye? Ohhh, the web. I know some good sites. Trust me, it won't disappoint."

Mark: "No, I'm trying to figure out if this is a cult, a gang, or something worse."

Ed: "Oh, I know. The Cane's mark. It's probably a tattoo. I mean, it looks cool."

Mark: "No, he had it engraved in his arm. And he was naked in this freezing weather."

Ed: "And? What, you think there's a cult trying to become immortal? Dude, immortality sucks. You can be sliced, diced, and you're still alive. Regeneration's probably made up."

Mark: "What do you mean 'made up'? Of course, it's made up—it's immortality!"

Ed: "Read the Bible, Tata boy."

Mark: "The wha—anyways, when's mom coming?"

Ed: "Right about—"

Ding-ding

Ed: "Now."

The door opens.

Stranger: "Hello there."

Ed: "Uh, we don't have any money right now, so sorry?"

Stranger: "You bafun, I'm not here for that."

Ed: "What did you call me?"

The stranger steps in.

Stranger: "Well, there you are."

Mark: "Uh, do I know you?"

Stranger: "No, but your ancestors do."

Ed: "Aye, monkey brains, what do you think you're doing in my house?"

Stranger: "Oh, Ruth, save your anger for later, please."

Ed: "What? How'd you know that?"

Stranger: "Ruth, what a horrible name. What, are you a dog?"

Ed: "I'm neither a dog, nor am I a bafun."

Stranger: "Oh really? Then what are you? One of billions of people wasting their lives. Living for satisfaction. Living to die. Tell me, 'Ed,' does anyone in this world love you for you? Not for being their brother, son, or friend."

Stranger: "No."

Stranger: "Has anyone loved YOU, Ruth?"

Ed: "Who the hell are you, and what do you want?"

Stranger: "I go by many names, in many languages and metaphors."

Stranger: "I am the end. The end of the universe, and the end of every single atom. And the end of myself, too."

Ed: "Wha... you're death? Like, literally? Just boom, and humans don't exist anymore?"

Death: "No, not literally, you dumbo."

Death: "As long as I'm alive, nothing ends fully."

Ed: "They go to heaven?"

Death: "They go nowhere."

Ed: "So they become ghosts?"

Death: "What are you even talking about?"

Death: "When a person or being dies, they go nowhere. They still exist in nowhere, but not much of them remains."

Death: "Alright, this is getting way too weird. Where is he?"

Mark: "The guy with the sick mark?"

Death: "Cane."

Ed: "Figured."

Mark: "Even if it's Cane, why do you care? He's suffering, and you know he should."

Death: "Yeah, that's propaganda. God doesn't exist, as far as I know."

Ed: "Death is atheist? Wow, I need a drink."

Mark: "What? Then who was Christ? What about angels?"

Death: "Yeah, Cane kinda played all the famous roles. Christ, a lot of saints, even Alexander the Great. And a bunch of genocidal people."

Mark: "Hitler?"

Death: "Nah, but he was Stalin. Now he's a homeless bum."

Mark: "Wait, they all look different, so how?"

Death: "The mark is a fallen angel."

Death: "Looks like the Morning Star isn't as bright as it used to be."

Ed: "You still look like an old person."

Death: "I'm as old as creation."

Death: "Oh, and don't go to Wendy's too many times."

Death: "Anyway, I better be going, since you two dumbos don't know anything."

Death: "I'll check the place where you saw him."

Mark: "Wait."

Death: "What?"

Mark: "Do you believe in mankind?"

Death: "... No."

The Horseman stood up and left.

Ed: "Looks like he knows everything."

Mark: ":|"

-------------------
EPISODE: The Mark Of The Fallen
Mark sat there, frozen, trying to process everything that just happened. Ed, on the other hand, was already chugging down a bottle of whiskey like it was his last day on Earth.

(Mark): "So... What now?"

(Ed): "I don't know."

(Mark): "death basically told us that we cannot be saved,god doesnt exist!
Who were we praying for!"

(Ed): "why are you asking me like I have an answer?."

(Mark): "And you're just drinking?!"

(Ed): "Yup." slams the bottle down "Bro, what else am I supposed to do?! You think my first reaction is to write a book about this? i aint dante!"

Mark couldn't argue with that logic. His mind was racing. The so-called 'mark' wasn’t just a symbol—it was something alive—a wicked power, Death said. If that was true… then what exactly did he see last night?

Meanwhile, Somewhere in the Dark

The winter storm raged on, the wind howling through the abandoned town on the outskirts of civilization. A single figure stood motionless in the middle of the road. Snowflakes melted against his burning skin, yet he didn’t shiver, didn’t react. His piercing, inhuman eyes stared into the abyss

A voice whispered to him from the mark on his hand.

(???): "They saw you, Cain. They know you're awake."

Cain—if he even went by that name anymore—slowly looked down at the glowing scar in his palm. His mind was a mess, fractured by thousands of years of existence. He had been everything: a saint, a king, a warrior, a monster. And yet, here he was—nothing more than a mere evilness in the snow.

He clenched his fist, silencing the voice.
This isnt what he wanted
Wimpering in his arms for he knows that he cannot deny the power

Even when that men showed up he restrained himself but at the last second
He lost to the devil
Although he spread his unholy wings and flew as far as he could

Back at Ed’s House

Mark sat in front of his laptop, scrolling through every conspiracy site, every ancient religious text, every forbidden archive he could find. None of them gave him the answer he wanted

(Mark): "if cane is pure evil why didnt he attack me,and what is he even doing now?"

(Ed): "I dunno, dude. Probably regretting life. Or undeath. Or whatever the hell his deal is."

Suddenly, the lights flickered. The temperature in the room dropped instantly. Mark and Ed exchanged nervous glances before they heard it.

Thump.

A single knock at the door.

Both of them turned toward it, dread settling in their stomachs.

(Ed): "Bro, if that's cane, tell him I ain't home."

(Mark): whispering "Shut the hell up."

Slowly, Mark stood up and walked toward the door. Every instinct screamed at him not to open it. But he had to know.

With a deep breath, he reached for the handle and yanked the door open.

Nothing.

Just the cold wind and empty darkness.

Then—

A whisper. Right in his ear.

"Know your place mortal."

The door slammed shut on its own.

Mark stumbled backward, his heart nearly stopping. Ed had already grabbed a baseball bat, holding it like it would actually help against something celestial.

(Ed): "Yeah, okay, I'm calling a priest."

(Mark): "We need to leave. Now."


Elsewhere: The Watchers Stir

Unbeknownst to them, they had already drawn the attention of something far worse than Death.

High above, where the sky was blackest, eyes began to open.

Angels.

Not the old testament angels that humans fear

No

The kind that made men go womp womp themselves upon seeing them.

And now?

They had noticed Cain was awake.

And they were not pleased.

------------------------
EPISODE: The Trumpets Of The End
BREAKING NEWS

Across the world, at the exact same time, a loud, ear-piercing trumpet shook the skies.

(?): "What the hell? These fake-ass news stations…"

Switches the channel.

News Anchor: "It is estimated that roughly one-third of the world's land has been burned to the ground by an unprecedented fire that spread so rapidly, it killed people across continents. The most affected regions include the United States, China, Russia, and Brazil.

Scientists believe that a cluster of medium-sized meteors or asteroids struck the Earth. Some, however, are calling it Judgment Day or Doomsday, following biblical prophecies.

The true number of deaths is unknown, as most bodies were reduced to nothing but ash. However, early estimates suggest that approximately 4.15 billion people have perished.

May God forgive us all."

(?): "...What the fuck is going on? Are y’all joking?"

The Horsemen

The news continues, but the voice of the anchor begins to distort. Then, something else comes through the speakers…

TV Broadcast: "There have been multiple reports of people witnessing strange figures—quote, ‘the Horsemen.’ The Horsemen of the Apocalypse—"

Suddenly, the TV shuts off.

A deep voice fills the room.

(??): "One... to bring destruction like the world has never seen."

(?): "What—who's there!?"

(??): "One... to drain the land, leaving only hunger and dust."

(?): "Show yourself!"

(??): "One... to spread plagues, turning every breath into death…"

(??): "And one… to end it all in the end."

(?): "What the hell are you!?"

(??): "...I don’t know."

A long silence. Then, the voice speaks again—softer this time.

(??): "But I know what you are… my son."

The air turns thick, suffocating. The figure steps forward—his skin, rotting and red as blood itself—his presence like death made manifest.

(??): "I have made a mistake. A mistake I regret so, so much."

A beat.

(??): "And I swear… I will not let anyone else die."

The rotten figure vanishes in an instant, the sound of wings flapping violently against the wind.

(?): "What the f—"

His head explodes.

Fate and the Sisters

A shadow lingers over the lifeless body.

(??): "Fate, my old comrade…"

From the darkness, a voice—light, mocking.

(Sister 1): "Let me guess… started a war again?"

(??): "You know I could kill you, right?"

(Sister 1): "Oh, absolutely! Wow, so scary." She smirks. "But then what? Sure, maybe you'd beat the Middle Sister. But you know how strong our Elder Sister is."

Silence.

(Sister 1): "Ohhh… You're afraid, aren't you? Who do you fear? Gabriel?"

More silence.

(Sister 1): "Or… Michael?"

In an instant, he grabs her by the throat and lifts her into the air.

(??): "Screw Michael. Screw Gabriel."

(Sister 1) (struggling): "You have your brother’s blood on your hands. No matter how many times you try to wash it off… it never comes off. That’s the real curse."

She grins through the pain.

(Sister 1): "You fucking coward."

A violent surge of energy ripples through the air. His hands grow heavy. She vanishes, leaving only a shadow in her wake.

The figure stumbles back, shivering.

A new voice cuts through the darkness—calm, composed, ancient.

(???): "...Hello there, Sammael."

------------------
EPISODE: Bound By Blood
Mark collapses, writhing in pain. Ed is panicking, rushing his brother to the hospital. But as they enter the ER... everyone is on the ground, screaming in agony, just like Mark. As Ed looks down at his brother, there's an intense, oppressive aura filling the room. The doors fly open with violent force, and a man walks in with a massive grin on his face.

The man stops in his tracks, then yells across the room to Ed:

?: "Ahhh,I see... That's one deep, dark nothing you've got there, Ed..."

Ed: "What the—"

?: "You can smirk, joke, lie to your brother, lie to yourself—but not to me! I can see inside you, Ed! I can see... how broken you are. You're not hungry, Ed, because inside, you're already... dead."*

The room chills with an icy silence.

?:"dead..like those innocent kids you've killed!
Doesn't matter how much you eat, drink, sleep to try and fill that black hole... I can see how defeated you are. You can't win, and you know it, but you just keep fighting! Keep going through the oceans! HAH!"

Ed: "What are you?"

Famine: "I am Famine! All these people, their bodies eating themselves, their souls mixing good with wicked. My brothers will be here soon."

Ed: "What do you want?!"

Famine pauses, suddenly aware of something. Wings flap loudly in the distance.

???: "Get out."

Famine: "What? Who are you?"

From the shadows, a giant clad in pure golden armor steps forward, wielding a massive Excalibur. He glows with divine radiance.

???: "Do I need to repeat myself?"

Famine: "Oh... Commander Raphael, yes sir, as you say."

With that, Famine vanishes in the blink of an eye.

As soon as he disappears, everyone in the room begins to stir, slowly waking up from the nightmare that had overtaken them.

Ed: "Brother, are you okay?"

Mike: "Wha-what happened?! Where am I?"

The armored giant reaches up and removes his helmet, revealing a face so commanding that it immediately calms everyone in the room—like staring at the child of a god.

Ed: "RAPHAEL?!"

Gabriel: "No. My name is Gabriel."

Ed: "Eh? Why did Famine call you Raphael, then?"

Gabriel: "Raphael is dead... and this is his armor. I'm hiding."

Ed: "Oh... so you're another lapdog?"

Gabriel: "No. I won't harm you. But you should avoid everyone and everything else... except for the beings of this planet."

Ed: "Ohhh... okay..."

Gabriel: "I'm running away from everyone since the apocalypse started. Angels, horsemen, Greek and Norse gods... they all want me dead."

Ed: "Cool. Really."

Gabriel: "I escaped from Heaven. After Raphael died, they all just went crazy."

Ed: "Yeah, but why are the gods trying to kill you?"

Gabriel: "I made a lot of deals..."

Ed: "And the Fate Sisters?"

Gabriel: "I sleep with a lot of women, and the middle sister is hot as fuuuuck..."

Ed: "Wow... just... wow. I don't even have words for that."

Gabriel: "I'm a man too."

Ed: "That's your vessel?"

Gabriel: "Yep."

Ed: "Bruv... Richard Speight Jr?"

Gabriel: "Fanboy..."

Suddenly, a group of angels bursts into the room, shouting:

Angels: "Do not move, you unholy being!"

Gabriel: "Yep, brainwashed."

Angels: "You will be smited with all the humans! Do not take another step!"

Ed: "Ain't they outnumbering you a bit?"

Gabriel: "Ed, you are cursed with Cain's blood! You are strong. Take this."

Gabriel pulls out something strange from his cloak—a jar with what looks like a donkey's jawbone inside.

Ed: "What is this...?"

Gabriel: "Cain used this weapon to kill his brother after Lucifer hid inside him. Come on.