Dark Messiah: The Angel of Death

Kody Kuehl

My mouth lets out an audible sigh as I wander across the faultless soil of Heaven. Angels gather and converse as I walk down the golden road. Their wings flutter gently as vibrant white feathers fall softly to the ground. I watch the feathers disappear as they fall upon Heaven’s soil. My feet tread lightly upon the spotless golden path, and as I leave the village I can see Kingdom Hall. Its five pristine towers reflect the eternal sunshine of Heaven. Four of its blue crystal towers are placed in the four corners of the massive castle. They are connected by four giant walls that stretch evenly across the landscape. Fine jewels of every hue shimmer within the clear blue walls. A massive rainbow arch acts as the frame for the hall’s enormous platinum doors. Yet, every piece of the immaculate castle is dwarfed by the final tower. The fifth tower, which stands in the direct center of the castle grounds, is the single most magnificent piece of architecture that has ever graced the plane of existence. The brilliant ivory tower boasts a shade of white that is purest in all creation. Its peak shoots so high that it eventually disappears within the billowy clouds. It is said that no being has ever seen the pinnacle of the massive structure. They say the sight of its perfection would damn the purest soul, every soul except the one who resides in the tower of Kingdom Hall, the Lord almighty.

My very soul cringes as I walk beneath the massive rainbow arch. Its colors pulsate, painting a masterpiece in full spectrum on the canvas of the sky. The huge silver doors close effortlessly behind me as I enter the castle ground. Servants rush wildly within the walls, running errands for the saints and arch angels. Only the purest souls may reside within these walls. They are hand-picked by the almighty, they represent the chosen few. As I pass, some of the angels bow their heads, and others stare awkwardly, for it is not often that a mortal treads upon Heaven’s immortal plane. I walk up the glossy silver steps as I ascend towards the center tower. I continue upward as two holy knights step forward to meet me. They are wearing gold helmets, but I can still see their icy blue eyes beneath the armor. Every inhabitant of Heaven carries the very same gene. It matters not what form they took in their past, for once they enter the realm of the holy, they evolve into the master race. Fair blue skin, silky gold hair, perfect figures, and most notably, piercing green eyes. I reach beneath my dark robe and produce my amulet. The guards quickly stand aside, bowing their heads in silence. I enter the interior of the tower as I tuck the trinket beneath my cloak.

The immaculate halls shimmer brightly and it takes my eyes some time to adjust. Slowly, my vision returns, blurry at first, but slowly regaining its sharpness. I enter the center of the Lord’s tower, stepping onto a pedestal. A bluish gold light glows beneath my feet, outlining the symbol of the Lord, a perfect pentangle. The pedestal begins to move, and I brace myself as it glides upward. It flies higher and higher, until the floor below is unrecognizable. Beautiful crystal windows decorate the smooth gold walls of the tower’s interior. The beautiful colors begin to transform as they eventually melt into a vibrant haze. Then as the pedestal slows to a halt, I am raised into the throne room. The ruler of this throne is the only soul who knows my name, and my true purpose here. He is my master, my king, and my employer. He is my Lord, God the father almighty. As I enter the throne room I rest my left knee on the floor. Kneeling, I bow my head in respect as I recite the creed aloud: "I will to my Lord be true and faithful to my lord, and love all which he loves, and shun all which he shuns." A gruff voice thunders through the hall: "Arise old friend, we've much to discuss."

My soul rejoices as I leave Heaven’s atmosphere. It may be the pinnacle of civilized life in the universe, but I much rather prefer a nocturnal climate. Eternal sunshine may suit the angelic race, but my soul feasts on the banquet of darkness. My Lord rules the kingdom of the holy, and I traverse the realm of the damned. He can not allow his spirit to be tainted; therefore he cannot involve himself in mortal affairs. He needed someone to sit at his right hand, someone to banish the souls of the wicked. He needed a soul who would give up immortal life for flesh and blood. Lastly, he needed someone to protect the gateways to Heaven. The Lord searched eons to find that specific soul. I am the right hand of God the father almighty, Lord of the Heaven and the universe. It is my hand that punishes the deeds of the wicked, my gavel that judges the quick from the dead. It is my feet that tread through the valley of death, but I fear no evil, for I am the Lord of darkness, the harvester of souls, the reaper of the damned, the bane of the wicked, I am the sleep from which no man awakes.

I am the dark messiah, the angel of death.

As I clear the gravitational pull of the planet, I look behind my ship on the stern camera. There is nothing to be seen, the massive planet of Heaven is gone, and darkness is all that remains. Yet, beneath a godly cloak of translucity, lies an angel’s paradise. Inside its invisible shell, the Lord has conjured a separate galaxy. The realm of Heaven was created to reward those that live good and holy lives. It is, in all actuality, a giant planet covered by a cloak. There are only two minds in the entire universe that know the dark secrets of Heaven, and it is my job to protect the longevity of those secrets. My Lord rules the universe, that much is true, but his power is not absolute. For there is one entity whose influence casts a shadow over the sunny fields of Heaven, free will. All mortals hold this attribute within them. Yet, most do not see the potential that hides inside them. It lies dormant within them like a sleeping dragon guarding its hoard. It lies atop a king’s ransom in gold and jewels, dreaming of grandeur, power, death, and destruction. It sleeps softly, until it is awakened from its peaceful slumber by its master. The beast spews forth like the flames of a thousand suns, and finally the mortal’s true power is realized.

God cannot exist without disciples, and his immortality is determined by faith alone. As long as his apostles believe in his power, he shall remain almighty, but if heresy spreads, and his religion dies, so does he. If the secrets of Heaven were to be released, chaos would rule the universe, the Lord’s rule of tranquility and equilibrium would shatter. Since my Lord cannot interfere with free will, it is my sworn duty to rid the universe of evil. It is my blade that drains the blood of tyranny and sin. I have received my mission from the Lord, and now I set a course for planet Draco, the dragon home world.

Space, I shall never grow tired of its mysterious ambience: so desolate, so quiet, so dark. It soothes my mind, as it bathes it in an inky liquid. The blackness enters my ship, it squeezes between the hull and slowly fills the cockpit. It rises higher and higher as the sound of silence grows. My legs are immersed, but I feel no dampness, nor do I float. The liquid laps against my face, and soon it covers my sight. Darkness covers my world as the liquid enters my ears. The opaque substance flows through my ear drums as it follows the canal until it reaches my brain. I pray for this silence to last forever, yet the Lord does not hear my call. "Lord, I would give a thousand lives to make this silence eternal. Have not I given a thousand already, have not I sacrificed the quota?" Alas, the silence does not last; it is slaughtered by my dreams. My soul is cursed, for at night when I lie in my chamber nearing sleep, I begin to drift from reality. My dreams haunt my very existence, and I can hear the souls of the damned call to me. The voices belong to those whose lives I have ended. They beckon to me, "Soon we shall meet again brother." Even the souls of the wicked know my fate, for it is the same as theirs, and my holy pendant does not grant me complete immortality.

A holy symbol, crafted by the Lord himself was bestowed upon me, a necklace containing a jewel darker than ebony. The stone lies in the center of a large golden crest. The ominous anti-crystal pulses with a dark aura. It contains the souls of damned, sealed away for eternity in everlasting torment. The jewel harnesses the dark energy of the souls, and in turn, siphons a portion of their power to me. The aura prevents me from aging, and heightens my senses to a level that is higher than any living being. Though my body may not age, my soul is blackened from years of death. Yet, I trudge on, not resting, not thinking, not feeling, only living, for life is the only treasure I still possess. As I lie on the bed my eyes grow heavy from exhaustion. My eyelids slowly drop, pulling the shades over my pupils. My world is black, and as I drift from consciousness my amulet pulses. Dark waves of torment enter my head, as legions of the unholy invade my dream world.

I stand on the shores of the tranquil sea, as the light of Ersapies’ twin moons palisade across the water. The forest planet is still, as night reigns eternal across the southern hemisphere. I lie on the blackened sand as I let the sweet tropical air enter my lungs. It is heavy, almost intoxicating as its dark oxygen is fused to my blood. My veins carry the tainted oxygen throughout my being, and slowly the drug takes affect. I stare into the night sky, and my eyes dance with the luminous bodies above. My soul is at peace in the darkness as even it begins to relax. The dark sand cradles me in its warmth as it molds to the shape of my body. Far away are the troubles of the past, and I am finally at peace. Oh, if this night could last forever, untouched by the treachery of light or the villainy of sound. Let me bath in this darkness forever, let me drown myself in the sea, and I shall reside in the rooms of her ice water mansion. Gracious death, when my mortal line is severed, I beg thee to carry my soul to this place. Leave me to wander its ebon beaches in the afterlife. How I wish my request could be granted, but a sound breaks the silence of my thoughts. The sound waves skip across the water until they reach my ears. A crisp snapping sound fills the air, like ice cracking. My eyes frantically search the surrounding area, as I use my ears to trace the sounds origin. I stand awestruck as I stare into the once perfect sky. Jagged cracks slither across the night sky like evil serpents. A blood red light pulses from beyond the cracks as they continue to spread across the blackness.

Then, to my horror, a piece of the sky breaks loose and it begins to flip as it hurtles towards the ground. Crimson light pours through the hole in the sky as the massive chunk collides with the ground. The glossy section of stars and blackness shatters as it hits the ground, sending shards of planets everywhere. My heart is pounding, and as I run into the ocean to escape the collision more pieces begin to break away from the heavens. Like a perverse jigsaw puzzle, more and more glossy pieces begin to fall revealing a blood red sky. As I dive beneath the cool black water the sickening sound begins to fade. I dive deeper and deeper to escape the chaos above. My heart is pulsing rapidly, coursing a tonic of blood and adrenaline through my veins. I close my eyes and pray to awaken from this nightmare. I cannot stay beneath the waves much longer, as my lungs begin to ache. Craving oxygen, my brain sends a signal to my legs. Sending silt across the calm water, my legs propel my body towards the surface. As I open my eyes the glossy surface of the water begins to bleed in a dark scarlet hue. The once cool water begins to heat up as I break through the glass surface of the sea. My eyes stare in terror as ruby droplets of water fall from my brow. My once perfect dreamland has transformed into an unspeakable nightmare. As the sea begins rolling to a boil, I run towards land and dive upon the black sand. I yell aloud as I nurse to my scalded legs, when the beach begins to shift beneath me.

The black sand transforms into parasitic insects, and I spring from the ground as one begins to crawl up my leg, and burrow beneath my skin. Leaping to higher ground, I pull my ebon knife from its sheath. Frantically searching my body I can see a lump moving down my arm. The creature within rips through muscle and sinew as it burrows deeper into my flesh. I trap the beast between my forearm and palm with the razor sharp blade of my dagger. Gritting my teeth I drag its edge across my wrist as my life’s blood flows forth. The filthy demon springs from the river of blood as it lies helpless upon the rocky ground. My foot snaps down upon the demonic bug as its outer shell produces a crisp crunch, collapsing its organs.

Clutching my bleeding wrist I turn around and observe the scene in front of me. The stars have been slaughtered, replaced by a sky of scarlet red, brooding with dark ominous clouds. Lightning pulses within the dark bodies, waiting to release its fury. With a snap the jagged electric spear collides with the ground beneath my feet. The soil beneath me quakes, as tremors spread throughout the land. Suddenly, the rocky ground below me shoots upward forming a red stone pedestal in the sky. Standing atop the stone column I can see across the scorched land. Cracks riddle the once perfect soil, as flames pour from the broken ground.

The once pristine sea is horribly disfigured, as it transforms into an unholy river. Its serpentine body weaves across the land, circling it nine times as it flows with a boiling crimson brew. A sickening smell rises from its fumes, a smell of metallic fire and rotten flesh. Grim towers cover the landscape, adorned with the bones of creatures long deceased. A remorseless flame burns atop each fiendish tower, licking the scarlet sky. Screams pierce across the charred landscape, pleading screams of torture and agony. My entire body quivers at the sound of the shrill cries.