Hell is Coming!

[todd2point0]

A whole year has passed since Hell’s gates broke open, and the legion of demons began its quest to burn Earth to ashes on its way to conquer Heaven. At first the world’s military struck back, but bullets and missiles only slowed them. Most would just pull themselves back together and just keep on fighting. After a few weeks we turned to the leaders of the major religions to give us answers, but more than that. We were looking for hope, and when neither came, the world plunged into chaos.

Small pockets of resistant groups sprung up all across the world. It appeared that small bands of religious warriors had come out of hiding to fight the demon horde. While most of the demons were bestial if you were really unlucky a demon lord or master would find you. These vile things looked almost human; however, small horns or a tail marked them as something else. They held far more power than their lower counter parts. It is said that some have the power to leaving nothing but ruins where a whole city used to stand in just a few minutes.

Hell on Earth had finally come, and Heaven just sat up in the sky like nothing was wrong. Where had God gone? Or was there ever even a God? These questions started plaguing mankind. Something must be done. The demons must be pushed back. Can humans unlock the secret to winning the war and saving Heaven, and Earth?

[Mephisto]

He opened his eye's to see the glare of the hot sun. The warm sun mixed with the rest of the first good night of sleep he's had in weeks was almost enough to make him think the world was normal again. But alas he smelled the vile stench of corpses.
As he jumped down from the tree he mumbled to him self, "Next time I wont Leave demon body's near where I sleep."

After eating some rations he had carried with him in his back pack, he began to stretch. The snap and cracking of his muscles were music to his ears. he gathered his food and checked over the body of the demons one more time to check for valuable's and other useful item's. After making sure he had not forgotten anything, he was ready to begin the long walk to the nearest town.

While walking down and old abandoned road he thought about what had led him to this point. His teacher high-priest Malkin had told him he must eventually find allies, that he could not stand alone against the hordes of demons. He knew that against a few rogue demon packs he was fine, but it was nothing. In order to make a difference he must find people who could make use of his power. But being a half demon himself he knew it wouldn't be easy.

The hard days of training swept through his head like a tsunami, all the thoughts just swirling. No one thought sticking out more than any other. suddenly he heard the distinct sound of hooves clacking on the road. The chaos of the demon invasion ensured that gasoline had become worth its weight in gold, so horses and other alternative forms of transportation had become common. He dove into the bushes, making sure he was unable to be seen by the mysterious horse rider.

[todd2point0]

David watched as the last of the demons twitched one final time before it let go on the few strings of life it held onto. He couldn’t help feel a small pain in his chest, for every demon he killed his old life grew further and further behind him. It’s been a full year since his home town was attacked, and his whole life changed forever. Back then he was just a normal person…..just a normal human. Now he was much more. Now he was something else. It was still hard to say out loud even after all this time, but he couldn’t help but face the truth. He was a half demon.

Everything changed that day his house burnt down. After he escaped the fire he ran until his leg couldn’t carry him anymore. He collapsed in the woods a few miles from his home. All he could do at first was stare off at nothing, but then something started to stir within him. It started slowly but then began to grow, and grow. All at once he saw himself standing up. He looked down at himself but all he could see was the thing that used to be his mother’s body being held up by that vile demon. As the image faded away he realized that he felt different. He knew he wasn’t injured, but still something didn’t feel right. Than all it once he remembered. The demons had just left him there. Why would they do that? This is when his world changed in a far greater way then it already had, as he checked himself over once more of injuries his hand past over his chest right where his heart should be. David frozen, he couldn't feel his heart beating.

It took him weeks to come to grips with this. It took him even longer to except that his mother had slept with a monster, which made him a monster.

One morning he awoke from one of the worst nightmares he’s ever had, which is saying something considering recent events, after he stopped screaming he looked down at his hands to find armor plating floating and spinning around his forearms that ended in claws.

In the year that followed his powers grew daily. The more he used and experimented with them the more he found he was able to do. It didn’t take him long before he realized he had to stop the demons that had taken his old life away. He ventured forth following major roads, and using his new found powers and strength to kill the things that he hated so much. He was at peace with what he was, but he would never forgive the monsters who took away his home, his life, and the little family he had.

From time to time he worked with small groups, but they never trusted him so he moved on. He heard stores of other half demons popping up here and there, some fighting with the demons becoming slaves to the lords while others fought to reclaim the Earth from the horde.

David snapped out of it. “I really need to stop day dreaming about the past”, he said allowed. He knew no one was around, but if felt good to hear his voice all the same.

With a snap of his hand all the remaining plate mines he had created floated up into the air and vanished. They had quickly become a favorite of his. Small bombs created with four translucent plates that contend a large amount of energy that would explode when anything none human got to close.

It was time to move on. He had spent the last month clearing out all the low level scum that scavenged this city. He wasn’t really sure where he was, or what city this was. Almost all signs of what was here, and who lived here were completely gone. All he knew was he was heading west towards where they say the attacked started. Just outside of San Diego where the first gate had opened, he figured that would be the place to maybe get some answers as to what’s really going on and how to stop it.

He had only faced low to mid level demons, and none of them could do the things that he could. That meant that the thing that was his father must have been a lord or master class demon. David wanted to test himself. He wanted to know just how powerful these things were.

[dhusted34]

Twenty-eight years. That is how long it has been since the old man has felt anything. Emotion, pain, pleasure...none of it mattered anymore. His family was gone, and he knew that they weren't in Heaven. He looked up and saw it everyday, but for some reason he just knew they had been rejected. They weren't in Hell either; that he also knew.

Corbett was sitting in his house, on a dusty wooden stool, drinking a glass of water. He no longer wanted to taste. He ate as little as he had to, and made sure that it was as tasteless and bland as possible. There was nothing in his house but a mattress, a stool, a cardboard box for putting his rations in, and a photo of himself along with his wife and two girls. He spent everyday doing the same thing. He would wake up, have a small meal, talk to the photo, and then watch the war rage outside.

That's right, war. It had started one year ago, and it hadn't changed Corbett one bit. Demons had marched out of Hell through special gates to march on Heaven, but to get there, they had to go through the middle part...Earth. And Earth was where Corbett was. Quiet, emotionless, and completely not interested with the war.

After he finished his glass of water, Corbett went out onto his front porch and sat on his stoop. Every house in his village had been demolished, save his own. Neither side found reason for it to be destroyed, so it was left standing. He peered out across empty lots and burnt fields only to see one of the gates with the demons pouring out. Immediately the human resistance engaged them with everything they had. Swords, guns, clubs. As he looked on he witnessed many lives being extinquished. Corbett had no reaction. They were all one less person or demon that would potentially bother him at home.

Both sides quit coming to Corbett for help. Several times he had been asked to join either side. Each time he said the same thing in a very emotionless way. "Not interested." Corbett was a middle man. Neither good nor evil.

[Mephisto]

As Dravin waited in the bushes for the stranger to ride by. As soon as the horse came upon him, about to walk right by it reared up and let out and ear piercing shriek. He knew something wasn't right. He knew the horse couldn't see or sense him. He peered up from his hiding spot, still careful not to be seen. There in front of the horse stood two demons. He held still to see what would unfold from this, but of course if they attempted to attack, he would jump into action.

The demon just stood there for a second with out speaking. His wings coming to their fully rested and closed position. Both him and his companion were flying class demons, meaning fast and more intelligent than your normal run of the mill garden variety demon. It finally spoke. " Hello pretty lady. why are you out here in this abandoned road all by your self?" It's was voice raspy. Dravin knew at that point this chance encounter would not end well.

Before the demon could open it's mouth another time and before the rider could reply he launched his attack. His primary weapon, chains that extended from his palms. He discovered in his training with Malkin that he could access his demonic powers and decided to embrace them. He launched his attack at the demon that spoke but narrowly missed, and hit his companion, the other demon, right through the side of its rib cage. Foul liquid exploded from the demon, as he fell trying to keep his insides inside, to no avail. In that split second the demon that was speaking just moment before, opened it's wing in an attempt to get into the air and hopefully counter attack. He made about ten feet into the air before Dravin had his other hand fire a chain, in a motion so flawlessly executed that he whipped it around and the tip of the chain reached around the foul beasts neck instantly, severing its head from it's body.

Dravin then moved from his hiding stop in the bushes and spoke. "I mean you no harm, I merely couldn't let those creatures attack you." As he came into the full view of the horse's rider he saw her face which was covered by a hood, hiding her face when viewed from either side. But now he could see she was a vary beautiful women. She then spoke in her soft almost melodious voice. " I was hoping to run into some one like you. " At that moment she fired a dart from underneath her cloak, which had knocked Dravin out as soon as it pierced his skin.

[todd2point0]

David woke up with a start. He could hear something moving off to the left of where he had fallen asleep somewhere in the forests of what used to be the center of the U.S. Lifting himself up off the ground as slowly as he could. Standing up he surveyed his surroundings. Nothing looked amiss, but as David learned. Looks can be very deceiving. He slowly started circling around where he heard the noise. As he made his way around a small clearing came into focus, and what he saw broke what little human heart he had inside him.

What was left of must have been a small family trying to escape one of the nearby towns covered the clearing, but the real horror was that three small demon children were feasting on them. He could barely contain himself when he thought of the terror the family must have felt when confronted with these vile monsters.

After he snapped out of his rage he knew what must be done. He could make them suffer as they made that family suffer, but he was still tired from his fight last night. He had used up to much energy, and was not paying the price for it. That wouldn’t stop him though his mind was already made up.

While the young demons rolled around in the blood and organs of the family David readied himself. Even young demons such as them could be dangerous if you didn’t take them seriously. He closed his eyes and called forth his powers. He created red translucent plates around his forearms that ended in hard sharp claws. Then he formed more plates around all the vital spots on his body: heart, neck, spine, and lower legs. He then called forth a bow formed of flexible cylindrical plates. He slowly pulled back on the draw string, and immediately a bolt of white energy began taking shape. He steadied his aim on one of the monsters, and let the arrow fly. The moment the arrow left the bow he allowed it to vanish. He then took off into the clearing. Just as the bolt landed home lifting the demon child up into the air and pinning it up against a tree he broke into the clearing. The pinned demon twitched twice then died. Never missing a step he slammed into the closet demon as it was still confused as to what was going on. David dug in his claws into the demons flesh causing it to scream out in pain. He had to take care of this one before the other decided to attack, so he stopped and started pulling the demons head off. He needed to hurry, but he wanted them to suffer too. As the head popped off he felt a sharp pain shot up his leg. The last demon had bitten into his thigh right above his plating.

“Damnit!”, he screamed. He had miss judged their height and was not paying the price. Normally a demon bit was toxic to humans. Lucky for David he wasn’t a normal human.

He looked down at the beast and pointed his fist at it. David then caused the armor around his forearm to rocket off colliding with the demons skull with the force of a semi. He heard the creatures bones shatter and new it was dead.

“Great, now I’m in even worse shape than before”, thought David. He started limping back into the woods. He needed to get out of here before higher level demons sensed his presence. It would take a few days for his new injury to heal seeing as how he wasn’t completely immune to the poison.

Little did he know, but a very powerful master had already found him.

[Eric Easy E Pelka]

”You son of a bitch! Ungrateful little bastard!” A man shouted abrasively at a young teenage boy who sat crying in the corner of a small dark room. “She’d be here still if it wasn’t for you stupid fuck!”

The back of the man’s hand crashed down powerfully upon the pale bony cheek of the young man. The tears blurred the boy’s vision as he fell from his chair to the splintered wood flooring, his face bleeding profusely from the wood chips that gashed the right side of his face. This was only the beginning for the boy though, as the burly man followed his initial assault with a series of kicks.

When the boy was limp and barely breathing, the man spit on the fractured body of the young boy, before picking his bottle of whiskey up to take a massive swig. Empty, the man pitched the bottle against the wall above the boy sprinkling a shower of glass upon the still body of the boy. The man turned to walk away and paused before the doorway.

“You’re the fucking bane of my existent. You killed her, you little piece of shit. Hope you suffer the way I do…I’m done with you.”

“Focus!” A loud and commanding voice boomed from behind Tallucio. “Letting your mind wander like that will get you killed by the adversaries of God.”

Tallucio had been training for the past three hours, repeating the actions of his Master, Ezio. Even though he was occupied his mind would drift back to the pain trapped inside his heart. It was painful for the young man. He was thankful for his new life, grateful for Ezio’s kindness, yet at the same time his heart felt empty as if he was to blame for all the harm that befell his mother.

He didn’t care about the war. He didn’t particularly feel responsible for the fate of this fallen world. What was there to care about? Abusive fathers? Dying innocents? A poor sickly boy who was powerless to his own plagued past? Still he pressed on, obeying the incessant orders of the Noble Italian warrior. He owed him that at least, for giving him some semblance of a normal life.

“Clear your mind Tallucio,” The man closed his eyes and spoke softly. “Meditate; pray; ask God to take your worries. We all have our demons inside us. That is why these hordes have become so successful. They awaken their little ally within our hearts.”

Tallucio was silent. His heart beat slowed. He prayed, clearing his mind, allowing his thoughts to drift upon the face of his Holy Savior. Ezio nodded and placed a blind fold back onto the young trainee. The master than stood in front of him and stood in a martial arts stance. Without a word he attacked, jabbing for the calm face of the insipid boy.

But there was no sickening crunch of bone. The boy dodged the attacks flawlessly, not losing an inch of ground. Ezio smiled and went directly into a roundhouse kick. Tallucio however smoothly grabbed the ankle of the older man and rolled to his right, carrying the momentum of the strike over top his body. Ezio was sent head over heels toward the far room of the antechamber. Reestablishing his orientation, Ezio flipped in air and landed on his feet just before striking the wall.

“Magnifico Tallucio! Molto magnifico il mio ragazzo!” The man was so excited for his pupils performance that he couldn’t suppress using Italian (English had become widely used amongst the remaining denizens of the world). “I think you are ready to test yourself!”

“I will fight some of the other students?” Tallucio was pleased yet confused; no one as young as he was allowed to enter battle.

The older man allowed a smile to crack across his lips, “No. You will come with me outside of the City; we will venture into the Roman wild. Go and prepare yourself, we leave bright and early in the morning.”

Tallucio was impressed, yet as he left the training room, his smile faded. Images of his mother once again began to creep across the plains of his deeply scarred mind. He could almost hear a voice in the background saying, “Aren’t you going to fix this?” Yet he felt powerless to his ill fortune.

[Mephisto]

Dravin could hear voices speaking, then he remembered what had happened; how he had save a girl on a horse and she shot him with a dart. He immediately opened his eye and reached for the source of the voice, only to find that he was chained down.

Every one in the room jumped as Dravin erupted from his slumber. They all knew that those chains wouldn't hold him for long if he chose to really apply his full force. They all knew he was a force to be reckoned with. They over came their initial fear and quickly resumed there duties. With in seconds a young women walked from the shadows and spoke.

" Please, calm down. I will explain everything in just a moment. But I must ask you not to try and break the restraints. " Her voice was caring and compassionate, something unexpected by Dravin. He was also surprised by the fact that he did not sense that he was in danger, so he complied. Realizing if they had wanted him dead he would have been killed by now.

She ordered everyone to leave the room, and as if it had caught fire everyone was gone, save for the women and Dravin. She stared at him for a long second took a deep breath then spoke in the same soothing voice she had before.

" Don't speak until i am finished, for i have much to tell you and not much time to tell it. Let me start by apologizing for the the means we used to get you here, and by introducing myself. I am Janice, leader of the human resistance group DEMON EATER. I brought you here to ask for your help. We are searching out demon/human hybrids to help us fight. We had to sedate you to bring you here to our main base, and could not risk the chance of revealing our location in case you chose not to help. I hope you understand. We are losing this fight and we need beings like you to help us. I've had my spies watching you for some time and I feel you could be a great ally to us. We know of your past and I feel for you, however we have all had our lives stolen from us. But we can regain our happiness again, we can make these creatures pay. If we stand side by side, We can repel this invasion. We can make sure that our loves ones have not died in vain. I can Give you time to think, and release your restrains; give you food and drink but I hope you understand that I can not allow your to wonder where ever you want, you will be escorted every where you go. Now come, I'll have a room made ready for you." She then stood and approached him gently put her hand on his fore arm above where his wrists were chained and spoke once more. "There are guards outside this door If you decide To kill me and try to escape, you will be dead before I hit the floor," She winked jokingly at him then unlocked his chains.

[dhusted34]

He had watched enough. It was getting later into the day and Corbett stood up from his step, and returned to the shelter of his home. That's all it was anymore, a shelter. The house gave no warm feeling of comfort or security. All it was, was a tool for keeping the wind and ash of of Corbett's face.

A glass half full of water was sitting on the counter of the sink. Corbett walked over, turned the tap on, and began to rinse the glass out. His cleaning was done for nothing because he immediately filled it up and began to sip on the water. He glanced out of the window and watched one last bit of the war.

"Dumb oxes, what are you fighting for. Neither place is better than the other, and this place isn't either." As Corbett spoke the words, his eyes drifted from the action to a dead tree. A tall, dead, and crumbling tree. Corbett turned away from the window and strode over to his stool.

He sat down and then glanced up at the wall. There they were, his family was looking back at him. But it was only a picture, and that is all it would ever be. Corbett would never feel the embrace of Dolores again, nor here the laughing and playing of his beautiful daughters. And then he suddenly gave up everything. He dropped the glass of water on the floor, then slid the stool away from a creaky board. Corbett ripped the board from the floor, revealing a a handgun with one bullet laying next to it.

Corbett reached down, grabbed the gun, and loaded it. He prepared it to fire, and then held it to his head. This was it, he was finally going to rid himself of all these broken memories. With one last glance out the window, he retracted his gaze, and then placed it on the picture of his family. Where he was going, he surely wouldn't be with them, but at least he wouldn't be here anymore. Nothingness was awaiting him.

Just before he squeezed the trigger, a tear ran down his cheek. What was this wetness? He hadn't cried in years. And at that moment he realized that maybe all was not lost. Maybe he still COULD fell. Even if it was sorrow or regret, at least it was something. He pulled the gun away from his head, and fired it straight into the window, momentarily shattering his view of the battle. Nothing lasts forever. And Corbett vowed he would live to see the end of this war. Maybe then he would be able to get answers on his family's whereabouts.

[Eric Easy E Pelka]

It was twilight. The stars peered out from behind the smog filled clouds. The smell of brimstone was in the air. The Italian country side was ravaged from constant battle and bloodshed. Yet none of that mattered to young Tallucio who fought off the urge to sleep. He had yet to find his true desire to battle the hell fiends that waited outside the walls of the Vatican. Sometimes he wished they would slip in at night and eviscerate him before he even woke. It would be easier than dealing with the vivid nightmares and memories of his tragic past.

Still his eyes were heavy as he lay still in the dim glow of a candle’s flickering flame – the peace of his small chamber luring him into slumber. It wasn’t long before his resolve faltered and his eye lids slipped softly shut, the world disappearing before him.

“Tallucio,” a small sweet whisper crept into Tallucio’s ear. He did not wake. “My son?!” It beckoned increasing its volume.

Tallucio’s eyes snapped open, but he remained still, a chill climbing through his veins. His eyes darted around but there was no one to be found, just a low lit chamber full of sullen dreams. He closed his eyes again, trying to shake off the trepidation clawing through his body.

“How can you ignore your mother like this?” The whisper was closer now. “Tallucio, you don’t belong here…within these pretentious walls.”

Tallucio sat up quickly and looked around the room looking for the source of the whisper, “Madre?” Tallucio questioned timidly, “Momma?” Tallucio’s eyes had filled with tears, the sound of his mother’s voice too much to bear.

There was no answer; just his heavy breathing breaking the peace of the dark room. Tallucio forced himself to lie back down, and in no time drifted back to sleep. But his mind wouldn’t silence. Was he going crazy? Had he truly heard the voice of his mother? What did she mean by “You don’t belong here”? Though his eyes were closed his mind was very awake, as he searched vainly for some coherent answer.

[Mephisto]

It had been a few days since Dravin had met his new allies. He had accepted Janice's request to join demon eater. Now it was time for him to accept his first mission, one that would take him to Italy in search of a school of religious monks training to fight demons. He would have to find a way to cross the ocean in times when boating was expensive and controlled buy what was left of big business industry.
As he was now allowed outside of the HQ he became fond of standing on the roof of a tower in the middle of the complex. He enjoyed the stars on a clear night. As he stood there on this night staring at the stars he heard foot steps approach. He knew the scent, the sound of the foot steps, it was Janice. She stood beside him for a long while they spoke.

"You sure you are ready for this.?"

Dravin's only reply was "You know as well as I do. I'm the only one who can go and find new stronger allies. I'll be gone by morning don't worry.

Janice replied with a calm Dravin had grown used to. "You better not fail or I'll pull you from hell my self to kill you."

That night Dravin packed his things. He was happy to have a mail sack as his new carry bag as it gave him more room for this things and it was water proof. He filled it with some clothes and other trinkets giving to him by his new allies. As soon as he was packed he hopped on his horse and went speeding into the night. He knew that the odds we're bad that this warrior monk monastery even existed and if it did was doubtful that it was still there. All he could do was hope.