10 pervs things my wife disliked of me....

"That's all. I want a list of a minimum ten things and a maximum of twenty things that annoy me about you.That's all" That was my wife remark to me and I said okay. Here is my contribution.

I had to use Jonathan Blake as cover again.....sorry Jonathan.
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"Jonathan Blake, can't you leave your socks in the laundry basket?" I had to raised my voice as I bend my back to picked up his dark socks from the floor. He is one sloppy bastard when its comes to arranging his things. He calls them organized chaos and forbids me to do anything lest he loses his items. But I have told him that if that is equivalent of the Amazon Forest, even the natives would get lost in there.

"Well, Mrs Blake. I thought after being married for thirty five years you would had known all about me. After all, I am naked to you since we got married." I hate him when he is smirking on his 'naked truth ' to me.

"Well, Jonathan Blake. I been married to you for thirty five years and by golly, if it was not for Ryan Reynolds leaving me for that french Cherie Nicole; I may not had married you then. You are always second best to me." I knew that would hurt anyone's pride but not my hard headed old man of mine. He has shagged me to the bed railings and for that I have given him three kids, so he knows where Ryan Reynolds cannot out best him there. I remember the number of times I told him I have a headache and he thinks an aspirin cures all. Well, it did for him but I left holding a sackful of him in me.

"Oh my God, Jonathan Blake. Don't tell me you can't keep your aim straight? And please......there is a lady in the house." I had to bend my back and raised the toilet seat as he never does it every time. The last time he did was his poor mother was here; God bless her soul as she did not had endure him that long like me. She kicked him at eighteen and only sees to her grandchildren' twice a year on a overnight stay. The bathroom cleaned and I retired to my domain in the kitchen.

"Oh, no. Jonathan Blake! Don't tell me you ate the whole pie I baked this morning? It was for my Ladies Club meeting this afternoon. Jonathan Blake, you are an inconsiderate bastard." I know he is one which is why I baked two instead of one. If I don't feed him at home, he would be camping at the drinking hole eating sausages and fries for life. Its not that he minded as he is ever greedy for anything meaty. Trust me I know. I can showed you the bite marks at you know where. Well, at least I am feeding him non-fats meat which is good for his cardiac.

The phone rang and I had to picked it up. If you expect him to picked it, you would be sleeping under the tombstone and he would not answer you. He is one lazy bastard in the house. I answered it and slammed down the receiver.

"Jonathan Blake, did you pay the phone bill? They are threatening to cancel the line and that includes your cable TV." I knew that would hurt him. He has a very selective memory on him and its all got to do with his masculine personality. If his cable TV gets canceled, he would be doing shadow boxing for a while instead of shouting at the idiot box in place of the personal trainer.

Then I heard the sound of something crashing in the living room. I rushed in and I saw him on the floor with an unturned ladder next to him.

"Jonathan Blake, you are a failure in DIY. If I leave it to you all these DIY, it would  be DIE for you or me. What in heaven and earth made you try to climb the ladder in this room?" I looked at the ceiling and I can see why. He is trying to fix the bulb there. "Well, Jonathan Blake. If you called 999 and tell them you done murder, they could see you in the Electric Chair before Christmas. So please don't do it in my living room please."

I pulled him up and sent him packing to his armchair. I picked up the bulb and straighten the ladder. I climbed up and fixed the bulb. It was then I saw him standing below me looking up.

"I hoped you like the view, but I can assure you its all there plus and minus in some places. So stop peeking." One thing about him is he is always looking over my shoulder or under it as if he is the supervisor and I am the apprentice. I told him many times, if I was to command him; it would be me coming at first base and he holding at the last base. That tells you his performance in the Olympics.

"Oh, please. How many times I told you to used the tissue from the box? Its designed to adapt to your murky discharge from your nose and the index finger is not designed to go there." He thinks he is one midgets in Snow White and always singing 'heigh-ho'. I am sure my vacuum can picked up his 'gold nuggets' but I am not keen on looking for it under the coffee table or anywhere.

"Jonathan Blake, do you know where the astray is? Do you know why we put it there? No, its not for paperweight.......you are already are doing fine as one. Care to put the pipe there and not dropped it every where? Look at me, old fool. If you know where to deposit your millions; can you do the same for your left over tobacco ashes or I would tell you how a piper feels when he sits on his own pipe." I took up his pipe and tapped it on his forehead. He may be one stubborn fool but he is also one messy one.

It was then the door bell rang and I walked over to opened it.

"Oh, hello ladies. Please come in and have a seat. I would have the tea and servings ready. Here is Jonathan Blake my old man." I introduced him reluctantly as he remained seated there while seven ladies trooped in. They are members of my club and I am the host.

Or I thought I was until Jonathan Blake took over.

"Mildred, would you bring the pie out too. The ladies would like to taste it too." That obstinate old fool has done it again. He is overstepping me and playing his charm on some ladies I invited over. Darned foll has not lost the touch since he convince my father he is a better man than Ryan Reynolds. God, why did I ever believed him there was ants beneath my dress that night thirty five years ago.
Bastard is a real charmer and I am married to him.
Bliss? I supposed so. Its not everyday you get marry a millionaire then.
( ten points I dislike in Jonathan Blake: sloppy, stubborn, bad bathroom habits, greedy, lazy, selective memories, libido performance, nose digger, dropping ashes and charmer when its come to other ladies. )

Crusaders Part 34

Present

But we are not in Wales but another continent with more harsher receptions. Hell's Half Acre is not different from the Badlands of the south; a recent development of the land. The Hell's Half Acre Lava Trail crosses the desert through the rough terrain and contorted landscapes created by multiple lava flows. Instead of demons and darker creatures, we are greeted by the entourage of native dressed on mounts.

"Halt the assemble of Warrior of Light. We are the protector of this land; the Shaman Warriors. We pledged to remove the demons of these lands and even for those who traveled within the companies of the angels' warriors." The one who spoke is a tall man dressed in the native dressing and don the eagle feathers on his headgear. His associates numbered five more and they are all dressed alike except some who wear the furs or skins of other great creatures.

"None who travels with the Light of Warriors, does not bear demonic actions or causes. So we are not an adversary of yours and there is no need for us to answer to you. But if you grant us the Christian way of safe passage and food we would be most appreciated." I seek to delay the inevitable battle by means of reasoning from them. I know who they seek but we cannot offer him in this crucial moment. But I know forthright the coming answer as I see the six warriors of this land move apart to stand before us in an arc formation.

"I am afraid the Christian way does not apply to us whom you viewed as the New World. We have our ways which may be seen to be unrefined by your ways, but its the way of our father's. We begged no forgiveness for our way but we  demand respect of our ways as we would of yours."The Shaman are bow dismounting from their horses and taking hold of their power wand. Its not any wand like what we seen before. Here the wand looks more like a stick withy intricate carvings on them in the images of creatures and man. "Give us him and we allowed not only safe passage but a series of hospitable of stops with food and rest."

The Shaman offers much yet he request is only a sacrifice of one demon. I looked at my friends and they all know the answer which I was to offered. I was to say my piece of words when the hand of the demon was placed on mine.

"Take care of my Lord and tell him to seek the Key to Nowhere. There the next route of my Lord's father would be revealed." Judas whispered to my ear and walked ahead of us to stand before the six Shaman warriors.

"I am here to be relieved of my demon self by your ways. Do your worse so I be sent to the Underworld swiftly. " Judas declared himself and walked forth among the six warriors.

"All of you may passed now." I told the rest to go through and they rode past Judas but everyone looked at him as they past. I was last and I see in him there is no remorse to be sacrificed for his Lord. But when I passed the six warriors ring when I have the leader of the warriors riding next to me.

"He would be treated as such of a brave warrior but I asked of you that you remove his Lord when your task is done." He looked at me in the eyes and I nodded on his request I do not why I agreed but I did. A decision I would find hard to perform when the time come. But I know one whom I may had to perform as its my task. A conflict in my objective; I doubt not so as I was to save the father and not that of the son. We rode on without Judas and on my first stop of rest, I took Ben aside to speak him alone. We were both holding our goblets of wine when we stepped outside.

"Why did you not intervene to help Judas? You could with a swing of your hand and yet you did not." I glanced at the young Lord of the demons.

"I would if I could but my powers are depleted from the last fights and in the tunnels. I spoke to Judas in my his mind to do the needed and he did exactly that. He knows my father's importance to his own and he regretted not of his decision. But I feel my powers are returning and I begged of you a short time to recover." Ben did not show any emotions as he re-count his action. I swung out my right hand at his face using the goblet as my weapon.

"Confer with me the next time before you act. Or I swear it would be you that I sent forth on the request for a demon's head." Ben took my blow and licked at the blood on his lips. He then took a drink from his unfinished drink before replying to me.

"You should had told me you are adding that into my wine as its does taste nicer with the blood."

Our ride through the lands of the Shaman was not with any incidents as arranged by the Shaman's. Soon we reached the land of the tall pine trees, and my squire takes the lead most times. I rode up to him and spoke to him.

"You may ride another path and to take the ocean route back to England. You need not relieve the memories here."

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Ten years ago

"Marcus, speak not of revenge now as the six tribes seek you to answer for the murder of Tomas. You cannot stay here any more and must be sent to another land." Marcus who was to be a squire for a great warrior., shook his head to clear the thoughts in his mind. He was rescued from the mob of creatures who all assumed their true identities to pursue the traitor now. Marcus was wounded in the fracas but he was saved by his father's trusted subjects who had taken him to safety.

"Marcus, you are no more of Mons and not of our people. You would be carried by the carriage to the far lands where the sea meet the land. There you would board the available ships to go forth where we may never seek you again." Marcus heard the words but his wounds prevent him from replying but he did nod his understanding. The trip to the coast was long and allowed him to recovered from his wounds.

He bought passage to the nearest and next to sail but he was taken aback that its only morning when the tides would carry the ship out. He hide out in the docks among the dead fishes and snoring sailors but his senses picked up a coming danger. He decided that the danger he is to face would need more than his claws. He searched the place and found what was needed; a fisherman's pike with its jagged blade. He weighed his weapon and find it fitting to combat not one but three of his kind. They scent him out and surrounded his hiding spot as they fished him out. There are three of them and they come in their savage form far from the familiar forest but they share one objective; my death for their leader Tomas.

I faced them with my human self as I do not want to fight them as one of them as that would be like killing your own kind. I held the pike in my hand and I challenged them to fight me.

"Have at me, you curs. I know all of you since small but your intent today puts you not as my friend but an enemy." They come and had me cornered which was their wrong move, as all hunters knows a wounded animal in a corner is a dangerous prey which many hunters has learned in their afterlife.

The one on my left is a young one and he is half crouched for a jump on me if I am distracted. The center one is the leader as he is older and seems to command the other two in the strategy. He is the least f my worries as he may be cautious in his moves. Now the one I am tempted to deal first is the one on my right as not only is he young but he is impatient from his agitated movements. He is feigning lunges at me to grab my attention to him, and he is what you may termed as crazy or a rabid creature. As he looked at me with his foaming mouth, I feared he has a more personal vendetta here. He is the one I took on first with my run forward and a leaping on the strength of my toes. Instead of a high slash movement, I did a side swing with my pike on the rabid creature who had jumped to join me in mid air.

My blow on the creature left side had it howling in pain as it falls to its right onto the older creature. On my descent I twisted my arms to bring the swinging pike on a downward slash that ripped into the rabid creature's left shoulder. When my pike made the slash I had twisted my body movement to the side to land facing the two fallen creatures. I was not to stop as I hit out one more time with the pike on the fallen creatures catching the elder one in the inner right thigh and severing some of the legs tendons. Both creatures are now injured and laying on the flooring as I pulled out the pike to thrust it once more into the rabid creature injured side with the jagged edge cutting in deep to the innards. Then I pulled the pike back with force and removing part of his innards with it. The rabid creature howls no more as he lies dead on the elder one.

"Keep clear, young one or suffer the same fate." I stared at the last standing creature who now saw what a bloody mess a battle can end up in, was taken aback on his earlier intentions. "Take your leader and withdraw. I shall not pursue as I am leave this land. Tell that to the Elders if they do seek me, their fate would be like the dead one."

The two surviving creatures left the docks while I am still leaning onto the pike for support. My injuries have all broken their seals to spurt out blood but I am needed on a ship soon in time. I kicked out at the carcass to the side of the port and watch it sink into the water, and then I returned the place where I have kept my spare clothes.

It was a cloaked man who board the ship to sailed for England, leaving behind a legacy he hope one day he would return to claim for his.

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Present

"No, master. The time for my return is never set before but I think now is a good time to see if its right." I looked at my squire and nodded to his request. I fear I may have need of him at my side in this tall pine forest.

Crusaders Part 33

Fourteen years ago

"Micheal, would you please catch up?" Micheal heard his father but he was fixated by the unfolding scenery of rolling hills and valleys. They are on the island of Wales to see an old associate of his father who just sailed back from the Far East. But the more reason was Micheal's father is answering to a distress call from his old associate.They met the older man in his humble home and was invited to stay there.It was over the after dinner drinks they were told of the incidents that befall the retired associate.

Micheal listened to the two men while his eyes laid sight on the dusk over the outside land. Micheal ears pricked up when he heard the place was haunted by an unknown beast who had taken not only livestock but also two innocent life's who walked the hills after dusk. Their remain were found the next morning; mauled by some beast that was of big frame and strength.

"George, was it a tiger like the one we saw in the east?" The Elders spoke at great length of the predators they seen and hunted in their hey days. But Micheal was to see a sight he was never seen before; a dark shadow was seen racing across the hills. Then he saw another following the one that just raced past. He jumped up from his seat and rushed to the window but his father was upset at being interrupted by my action.

"Micheal, sit by yourself and stop being a prancing monkey." Micheal wanted to tell the older man but he looked back at the hills and see nothing there. He knows that even if he calls the older man he would not be able to explain what he saw. He may be laughed at or ridicule for making up the tale.

At the break of dawn, Micheal was there alone at the hill which he assumed was the right one to looked for tracks to prove his tale. He did find tracks but they are not clear on the ground as this is a common path of many who walks by here to go to their farms or town. Its just that Micheal arrived too late to identify the tracks.

But the incidents was to provide another victim; a farmer on his drunken march at the hour too late by himself. His body was found not far from the hill I was looking for the tracks. Micheal was not to give up as he widen his search for more clues on the hill. Soon I found something which may be a clue and I followed the clue until I came to see a deep valley. He shudder to think of walking there alone without his guns so he walked back.

"I would come back at this night." Micheal muttered to himself.

While his father and his associate choose to discuss their battle plan, Micheal took up his weapons and tucked them into his belts. He had carried four pistols and two arquebus He also carried a blade of one foot long; a item from his Far East stay and a small dagger alongside the lantern he need to light up his way. He made his way up the hill and then followed the track he followed that earlier morning. The hill turned to darkness but he refused to lit the lantern as he stood by the valley. He debated to walk the valley or wait here as the dark night made the place ever more ghastly to standing here. Micheal held on tight to his coat to keep the cold away but still he refused to light any fire to warm the body.

It was a long night wait but it was to bear results, I saw them coming out of the valley. I was to move when a hand tap me on the shoulder. I turned to look at the person who did that. It was an old man who don the frocks of the faith.

"I am Father Arwen of the House near this valley. I am also the shepherd of the parish here. Do not go forth by yourself until you hear me out. What you see are the hounds of Cŵn Annwn or the Hounds of Hell. But they are not your seek enemy although they do roam these forests at the dark of the night. Your prey is a man brought predator who he used to scare the folks of late so that they would sell the land. Come with me and be away from these mythical creatures so that they be of their own roaming. I would reveal to you the man who brough the hardships to these lands." The man was to lead Micheal down the hill on the other side towards back to the estates of the area. They stopped before a large house on the slope of the hillside not far from the place where he had seek sheltered.

"Beware the house you see before you. Its the house of the man who terrorize the neighbors for his own purpose. Behold his home housed a secret tunnel to inside the hill where he keeps his pets. Seek them and be rid of them so that these people can go on as before. B ut be known only silver would harm them." The man in the frock walks away without a second glance.

But how does the man of faith knows of Micheal's intention and why does he not aid the young man. But Micheal was soon taken aback by the howling he was to hear. It came from within the house and he rushed to it. He crashed down the entrance door to see himself in a hall with a few doorways to their respective rooms. But the scream of help was coming to him from the door at the rear. He rushed to it and opened to reveal a corridor with more doors. He proceeded on with his drawn pistols as his arquebus may be of bad option in this cramped condition. He walked down the corridor until he reached the end where a staircase awaits his descent,

He went down but this time lighted up his lantern that he carried with him. It shone up the narrow corridor ahead although they are some lamps lighted up in fair distance apart. As he waked down the corridor he could sensed the pungent smell of death and evil. Soon he came in upon a two rows of cages of which two of it had its gates opened. Before him is a man lain dead with two large gray wolves feasting on the man's body. Micheal took up his pistols and shot the wolf each in the head. But it does not stop them as they looked at him with their eyes clouded in blood red looks. They seen him now and ignored the dead man carcass on the floor.

"Oh, my God. What could be these beasts that even the solid iron bullets would not kill?" Micheal threw aside his spent bullets and retrieve the spare ones. Then he remembered the old man's words and he also threw those pistols. He looked around at the place for something that could tell him more of what he is facing and maybe of silver content. He saw the pistol on the table next to him and laid before it are some iron balls coated in silver. He picked it up the pistol and noted that it was loaded. He point the pistol at the nearest wolf and pulled the trigger.

This time the bullet tore into the wolf's head and it stopped the wolf. The remaining wolf on seeing its mate killed back up and slipped into one of the cage. Obviously, these wolves are trained by some one but that person could be killed on some careless moves. Its not the nature of wolves to be caged and treated like soldiers unless you are a braver soldier yourself. Micheal rushed forth to close the cage gate before the wolf decides to come forth again.

It was then Micheal turned to see another set of hounds coming in to the place. They are no ordinary hounds as they ventured in ever quietly and stood by the dead man. The rest of the wolves are now curled up in their respective corners and whimpering in low murmurs. Just as I thought it was to end, I see a sight not seen before. From the dead man body, a silhouette of the spirit of man was seen to arise from it. The spirit would then float out and the hounds would follow it suit as though it guarding it to its next destination. Then all was silent including the wolves which are still in their corners. If these are the predators of the hills, then they must be put down or they would kill again. More so when they are without a handler, the killing spree could be more drastic. I retrieved my pistols and placed them on the table. I took the silver coated iron balls and load it on my pistols.

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Crusaders Part 32

11.

Present

"Judas; the betrayer of the Son of God. The odd one among his disciples now confronting me with a bunch of lesser beings. Be gone!" Baal shouts his command and with a wave of the hands he had swept all the newly demons against the wall; shackled to the stone wall and not able to move. But Judas still stands there wondering what did happened to his demons.

"The one called Judas now is without his lackey. So what should I do to him? Spank him perhaps or have him ripped apart into shreds." Just as Baal has completed his statement, the nine demons on the walls appeared to be shredded into strips beginning with their skins and then their flesh. Rivulets of blood stream out like rain drops onto the flooring as the cries of pain can be heard from all nine.

"Forgive me, my Lord." The one who was arrogant to be named after the last disciples of the Son of God, fell down on his knees to asked for forgiveness. His plea was overshadowed by the gory scenes of those on the wall but Baal was laughing now.

"A demon of mine would never plea for leniency. We embrace pain and death for all eternity. You are a disgrace to the ranks." Baal raised his hand but his show of power was stopped by my rapier at his neck.

'Let Judas off the punishment or I would thrust rapier into your neck. You bloody well know the effect it would have on you." My rapier is not of any rapier but one given by Gabriel with the blessing of the Legion of the Son of Lights. My rapier on being laid into a demon body be it his fingers to his chest, would incurred a thousand thrust more on his body as if its being thrusted by those many rapiers. Its the spell on my rapier which allows such a deadly effect on whoever I laid it on. All the demons I have battled and thrusted this sharp rapier died immediately as if they been stabbed a thousand times but the wound you see on them is only my rapier marking.

"So be it. You asked for his life and I give it to you, But hear this, Sir Black. You owe me one and I would asked for it soon enough. Make sure I did not asked of yours." Baal lowered his hand and sat back on his seat. "Have you tried the mutton?".

Our leaving of the mesa was not without a major event; the storm had to clear as its loads however many is still limited in numbers. But not of the spikes which are of magical properties that they do not tire. As the last of demon was vanquished, the devourer of dead meat swarmed n for their meal followed by the coyotes and later the insects of the ground. The flesh stripped and the bones soon to followed until what was once littered with bodies now plain as the ground. Then blood that lies in puddles on the ground was absorbed by the ground beneath. Soon a coyote is seen running holding onto the last piece of bones being chased by its own siblings for they too desire the last meal of the event.

Judas compromised on his life to lead us to his previous masters. The one who commands him lived in the tall trees forest up north. But we seek him to complete our mission. Baal told us to get there the fastest is to travel the lava tubes to come out at Hell's Half Acre. He said he knows of one way as spoken to him by his father, the 'El Mal pais'. Its near to us in the so called badlands of south west of this land. It also housed some lava tubes which would connect us to the ones leading to Hell's Half Acre.

"Oh for the sake of sanity, please do not take that route. Its cursed and only the demons of the highest levels dares to venture it." Judas was pale in looks as he warns us.

"Demons of the highest levels? Who dares to usurp me from my level? None, lest he is my father but he is only my equal on the ranks. We will proceed and I would protect you all with my power and influence." Baal opens a portal for us to proceed and we did to find ourselves some distance from the mesa. It now a dark silhouette behind us as our mounts take us on our journey to the badlands.

Our eyes are shown more of the same scenery; dry grounds with high steep mountains and deep gully but amazed yet was that vegetation can still be found here although they are sparse and thorny on their skins. But we were greeted more with the local inhabitants of demonic proportion. They are paying their respects to their Lord but not all are really just watching. There are the silly ones who just had to come near. Let me give you an example; shape shifter walks too near to Baal gets his personal handshake. Its just that they don't last the next minute as Baal served him a blazing barbecue with that handshake.

"Only for demon's." Baal was justifying his action. Soon we reached the destination of our next journey; an abandoned silver mines due to the unspoken incidents that happened here. We dismount our mounts and move on foot to the entrance of the mines. "Stay close to me as there are some areas which are dangerous if you want on your own".

The squire looked to me but I shook my head. I do not need him to be Clawler as yet. All five of us walked in with Baal or Ben as he prefer to be called now leading the way. A lava tube is like any tunnel except this one is very dry and smell of brimstone. We move on and Ben leading the way telling us where to turn and wait. Those places we wait as others has the right of passage over us.

"Local residents gets priority as they are moving on deadlines. That is the rule on the passage way." I looked at the demons passing us; they are also towing along lost souls and some I saw are in chains. "Bad ones which we had to bring in by force. They would learn on how to serve when we cleared their conscience in Hades."

But as the High Lords have their presence here. Twenty of them blocked our way, but Ben walked up to them. He ordered them to move but they refused. He used his power to eliminate them but after five of such battles in a row, I find Ben is taking longer to fight these battles like the last one. I had to assist with my rapier.

"You are getting weak, huh?" Ben nodded on my question. But he was smiling by then. "Why the smile?"

"We reach the Hell's Half Acre, and about to exit the passage." The Hell's Half Acre lava plain, about the size of a county. The area still has traces of lava which flow from the ground. Hell's Half Acre was created as magma and volcanic gases drained from underneath the lava field. When the heat subsided, it left behinds hummocks, or "hills" of lava. The lava field was used by many as passage through the rough terrain of the mountain range.

Micheal walked up and looked at the landscape.

"Reminded me of Wales."

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Crusaders Part 31

Three Months ago

"Gabriel, tell me of the Fallen Angels." Micheal has always wanted to asked the question but the time was never right until now.

"There are angels; but they are also good and evil ones. You know of the fallen ones from the Bible but beware there are still the ones which still sits above ( Revelation 6:13, 8:10-11, 9.1 ). They are part of the fallen but they just want to hang back for other reasons. We do not know who they are and why they are staying back. You heard of the concept of fifth column; I fear we have one with us up there Maybe God knows but he is not telling; he is always giving them a chance to redeemed or faced banishment." Gabriel looked up at the skies and smiled. He is probably counting how many are true and which are the false ones.

"Do you know I once was with Lucifer? We used to sit and talk; argue on views and sometimes even refused to meet for days. Childish" Perhaps but it was fun then. Until he decided to get real with his views." Gabriel looked at Micheal and smiled. "Do you argue with the rest like we do?"

"Sometimes. But back to the subject here; what did happens to these Fallen Angels who arrived her and roam here. In Genesis 6.2 they could take the form of Man. If they could roam among us, they could be mixing with our women. You knew of the Sirens; are they of our doing or from past association with the Fallen Angels. If that was so,how many of us are there out there?" Micheal brought a sore point in the creation of Man.

"Micheal, God took his redemption on their offspring by initiating the great Flood. He saved the ones that deserved to be saved. Mathew 24:7 God acted with no one knowing and not even Noah knows. 'Two man will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.' Only he knew who was to be saved. The flood cleared the scrouge of the world." Gabriel looked back to the skies for the next answer.

"But you are not sure of the purging. If the flood did the task, then why do we hunt them now in the appearance of vampires or demons." Micheal stood up to state his point.

"Because the Son of Man would populate the world but of the Sons, we do not know who are the good and evil now. The Son of Man was not easy to monitored as they have their own mind, and God allowed them the freedom of choice. But some of them took to idolatry and forget themselves. But they sow the seeds of new wave; the same ones you battle the last few years. So be prepare as this war would not end as long as they keep on coming down from the skies as fallen angels. But we can stop them from growing more strength here if we removed them before they can grow. You and your friends are making that difference."

"Gabriel, I hope you are right." Micheal left Gabriel to his thoughts.

Gabriel was not without his own thoughts. His was to God and why was he chosen for this role.

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Present

"You finally arrived. Announce yourselves well, my new guests. I hope the hanging on my ceiling does not defaced the decorations above. They are priceless design which survives many centuries." Baal stood up to faced the newly descended guests who numbered ten of them all coated with dust from their long hibernation on the ceiling.

"Baal or shall I called you by your previous name Haddad. We come here to server the High Lords. His command to us was to await your coming here. We knew then as this is our favorite place to retreat when you grew tired of your father's ranting and beatings. So we wait and bid our time to show you who we are." The fallen angel who spoke was a tall one with wings of cold leather instead of feathers. This angel turned demon raised his hands to show his talons which he hopes to rake our flesh on it.

"But I came not alone as you can see." The angel turned demon point to his accompanied mates. They are an ugly lot of sorts; faces of hyena with the body of dark furs and fangs that gleamed in their fingers.

"You who speaks to me for so long, tell me your name or am I continue talking to you as the unknown one." Baal grows impatience of this conversation. He is feeling more that he is wasting his time as most time he does not confer with this underlings of any kinds below him for long.

"Judas, my Lord."

Further Adventures of William of Baskervilles

This is a character borrowed from the movie "The name of the Rose" starring Sean Connery as William of Baskervilles.
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"William of Baskervilles, thank God for he has granted safe passage for your travel."

I was received on reaching the doors of the Church by the Father himself. It was dark on my travel outside as when I arrived it was pass midnight.

"Thank you, Father Dominic, but you need not wait for me. I am not a man of importance but a courier to deliver these beloved shipment of book." I looked at the packs on the mule which are now being unhitched by servants. It has been a long travel on the back of the mule and I had not stop for any rest as words given to me, that Father Dominic Selville needs them urgently. The priest invited me into his church hall to rest my limbs.

When I entered the church hall, I find the brightness of the place is hurting my eyes. During my last stretch of the travel, I was mostly riding in dark without a lantern as I was not prepared for the rush. I see before me are the servants as they are putting up banners and cleaning the hall for the coming event. I am at a lost as why there was such a need but soon on my travel, my ears had come to hear of his agony as the Count Muller is making his round to this humble church. He is said to displayed irritant when his request were not met and it may be even be murderous to tell him that as whispers shown that he showed no mercy for some before.

"Thank you, Father Dominic." I was offered a drink on seating myself at the long bench at the hall.

"Father Dominic, I would not masquerade my feeling of disappointment to you. Why does the arrogant bastard on hearing of the books could not wait for it. I pray for forgiveness for my remarks, but is it not arrogant of him to demand you have the books by tomorrow. Surely he may be a leader who is beloved by his people would had more of compassion in rage.

Has he forgotten...."I was hushed by the older man in the frock as he led me away to his personal chamber in the church.

"William, forget your pains. We are of the Church may be of power before but now we are powerless. Time has left us with no extravagant influences on the court." The Priest offered me seating in his chamber while he hang his frock before taking seat behind the table of his.

"We survived now on their mercy." The priest continued.

"Currently, the one who sits on the throne is that of the son. He is more haunting as I may put it for his manners are always vary of betrayal and cheat.His ignorant of his rule made him a pessimistic fool. But he is still our Lord. He asked for your books as he was advised that it may contain the needed passages for him to find closure to the voices he hears in his head."

"Voices in his head. Surely he is mad or he is in some romance with a woman. Man has said to hear voices during such relationships." The priest knows my words are to mocked the Count but if he is hearing voices, he is indeed mad or would be of one. "The books I brought are no healer's book but of academic interest. What does he expect to see?"

I stood up and see the books I brought are now stacked next to the wall in the chamber.

"These books are a glimmer of knowledge that we have compiled with our mind and words. They are written in pure form by their writers to the subject matter but again I would reply; none would tell him of clearing voice in the head." I bend down to pick up one. The title says 'Brilliance in Astronomy.'

I picked up another and it said; 'Pure Science; Defining Half Pattern.'

"Voices? He hears voices and yet he wants to read more books. He is a fool. All of us are fools. I should had let these books burned that night." I threw the two books across the chamber. I am fed up with saving what was knowledge to have some idiot take for another. "Your Count needs a healer not read to be one. He is mad."

Father Dominic got up from his seat and walked to me. He held me at the arms and asked that I be calmed.

"William, we do not challenge them as they have done many times with us. Let me show him the books and let him be fascinated by it. I hear his position is uncertain as he had felt discombobulated by his own peers. Soon he would fall but the Church would always be here. We are with God and should not be flamboyant with our works. Do not be sway that we are ignorant fools. We are deemed to be one for now and when the time is right, we would show our true self."

I nod my head at Father Dominic. His words are wiser to mine and I was just tired from the long trip. I was shown to my sleeping quarters and I find it nice smelling of <strong>floral</strong> and some cloves.

"I had it from a trader who went east. The clove ease the mind while you sleep. Please rest as you have done a fantastic task. Now its for me to do the next part of it.You would not be disturbed while you rest and food would be placed for you at the door." I nodded to Father Dominic on his request. He needs not my presence tomorrow and I can rest to my heart content. I sat down on the bedding and find that sleep is still far away from my mind. I removed the book from my personal wrapping to read. The title was; 'Understanding the Mind and Heart'.

Finally I am able to read this without disturbance from outsider. It may tell me how to handle the voices I hear in my mind.

I work Naked at Home

I was writing my tale when the door phone rang. I stood up to answer it but the darned leggings got trapped into the wood cracks on the seat. So I reckon if I just pulled it hard, it would come loose but them fabric tore like wimpsy toilet rolls. Oh, shucks was my exact mutterings. I walked to the security cam and guess who decided to turned up at this hour on a rainy day. I be darned that's my mother in law downstairs and she is coming up to my place now.

"I am coming up now. Be decent, boy and girls." She always said it would be courteous to call before coming in. She did buy us the baby cradle to be placed in the spare room. She also cornered me once to explain to me on the impromtu moments of love can be quite a distinct flavor to our marriage life. Pardon me, as I am as dense as the mule down the road so I had to asked her to elaborate.

"Jim, I am not your Sex Ed or the Porn Director of that stash hidden in your drawer, but there is more to just the bed and drawn curtains at night. Its called a quickie and it can be anywhere. Just make sure I am not around. Or your father in law. He thinks he can still do the home run on four corner bases, but I told him if he can still swing the club, I would consider to throw the cues to him."

That was my first lesson in 101 Sex Ed by your Mum, except she is not mine by birth. Back to my predicament then.

I was not so exasperated by the concept of quickie but I do need one pair of britches now as this one is more like a snap-on from the Strip Dancers. I rushed over to my closet and guess what; all my britches are in the wash. Courtesy of building up the load to justify the coins in the washer. I knew that would get me in some trouble one day.

I could had worn my Scotish kilt but I doubt I would be sitting down with my legs apart. More to my predicament, I have someone in bed and she ain't related to the lady coming up as Bridgite is a old friend. More of a burnt off candle wick of yesteryears, or was it weeks. Incidentally Bridgite is sleeping in the bed in my bedroom which I incidentally shared with the woman whose mother in on the way up.

You are darned right; she ain't ma wife; more like a ex-lover who came over for a nap as she was caught in the rain and my place happened to be nearest stopover point. Her clothes are drying in the dryer and she is flipping nude under the cover.

I was pulling on my kilt when I heard the door bell rang. She is finally here and I just need to close this bedroom door and walked over to the apartment door.

"Hello, Mother. Gertrude is at the shops and I am alone." I did admit I barricaded the doorway with my scottish kilt and shirt that says I love my wife.

"Nice shirt and ....kilt. You preparing for something on her return, I presume." She was giving me the approval looks.

"Oh no, Mum. I am just writing a tale on the Highlands and I thought I get into the character by dressing into it. By the way, did I not say Gertrude is out and I am kind of busy....you know deep into the glens and creeks. So perhaps we can come over and see you for dinner some other day?"  I know I looked stupid holding onto the doorway dressed like Braven, except I have a weaker heart.

"Oh, okay, I know when I am not needed. Tell Gertrude to call me when she is back. As for you, I can assure you that the dressing is quite nice. It reminded me of the fliptop cash drawer at the supermarket. You know it flips up and you can reach in for the cash. " She turned around laughing to go down again.

Oh my God, this woman is a winded up sex toy. Thank God I married the younger version. I closed the door and I bumped into Bridgete wrapped toga style in my blanket.

"Hey, I remember that kilt. You must had put it on for me." I smiled at her as she was there in the dressing booth when I tried it on that day.

The doorbell rang again.

"I be darned." I opened it and its my wife, Gertrude. Her mother is standing behind with the shopping bags.

"I forgot the keys."

I knew I should not had slammed the door. It slammed back at me and I am sitting all alone now in the bar looking for someone without a mother who would come calling in the afternoon. Incidentally, I changed all my chairs to plastic ones and I worked naked at home too.
I do don on the kilt when the doorbell rings. I won't recommend it on a draughty day.

Castle in the Air.

A Jack and the Beanstalk re-told tale with some new flying contraption.
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I am telling you if you ever attempt to fly the Sopwith in the early 21st Century alone over the skies of France, then you are probably loony as I was that bloody afternoon.

My name is Jonathan Blake; born in Bristol, studied at London, graduated from Oxford, landed a job in Nice and now on holiday in southern France. Unfortunately, I took up a challenge by some drinking fellows I met at the local bar, and here I am in this wood encased flying contraption at eight thousand feet. My plight would not had materialized if I had not boasted of my flying license for single seaters.

Anyway, I am supposed to re-enact the fighting scenes of the Great War when the Red Baron ruled the skies before we invented the flipping Spitfires. I knew I should not had told them I had a grandfather who flew in the war; well, he did. He was the navigator in the Mosquito recon planes then. Once he told me, he dread flying which is why he took the task to be a navigator and still get to fly. He wanted to impress my Grandmother then who was a Flight Coordinator.

Okay to me, I was flying the wooden or was it cardboard then; I could not bloody well recalled after three bottles of Burgundy best wine. All I remember was a joystick and googles on my eyes, plus my sheepskin thick flight jacket with the words 'viva le France'. I should had feigned being drunk but that was what I did and got me here.

Okay back to me flying then. I was on solo flight to showcase my talents to the French ladies we met at the bar too. I did some loops as I was trying to scratch my knee and then I realized they have any safety belts on this cardboard set. More to it, they did not bother to install in any cockpit cover. Must had been tough then to shout pass the glass cover. It was on my third loop and mind you, the itch was unbearable then; I think I dropped or fell whichever it was.

We were not expected to jump off the plane anyway so no parachute was given.

I must had fallen off as I mentioned above, and I thought it would be my last rites next to be told to me. I would had prefer Father Francis; he does not pronounce the ashes as asses. It does sound crude when someone tells that at your funeral; from asses to asses.
Okay, back to my tale. I did consider that the end of my life here but I ended up landing on my butt on some marble flooring in the clouds. I be darned with cloud technology in place, I doubt they would actually build server farms up there. There I was sitting on some cold marble flooring and it does hurt although you fallen only twenty feet instead of eight thousand feet. I got up naturally and felt my posterior for any misplaced muscles. There been none, I round me and I swear on the grave of my poor father, I never expected to see a castle here on the skies but there it is. Its a like any castles you seen in the countryside; towers and pointed roofing designs that reaches to the......pardon me; here it would be reference to heaven I guess.

If you ever remembered the tales about castles in the skies, there would only be one tale that would come to your mind. Your memory works as well as mine.

"Hello, old George. Are you the Golden goose?" I turned to looked at the chappie who addressed me as some feathered webbed creature fit for the oven. He is a small lad dressed in green tunic and matching leggings. Kinda make you wondered where he stashed his bow and arrows.

"No, I am no goose or gander. Just as you are not Robin Hood. My name is Jonathan. So what's yours?"

"Me? I am named Jack and I planted this beans that grew up to here. The person who gave me the beans told me there is a golden goose up here. So I climbed up here and I find you. You do looked like one with your dressing."

I be darned that in my aviation suit, I am mistaken for a goose or is it a gander. I corrected him and told Jack his goose is in the castle. We all read the same story and he bloody well not changed the plot. Just before he left for his daring adventure, I asked him how did he climbed up eight thousand feet on some crummy vines.

"Its simple. You put your feet on the top one and said 'go up'. It worked just fine." By George, they had the escalator concept then but lack the technology to do it. I waited for Jack and soon he came running out with the goose in his arms.

"We better hurry, as the Giant coming." I looked at the castle and I see that giant. He is flying a Fokker Triplane and is dressed like the Red Baron.

"He is German. That is Baron Manfred von Richthofen." I shouted to Jack.

"Now we know the tale was originated from Germany then. Can we go now?" Jack is looking at me.

"Take your vine. That was in the story too."

"I would but the vine is at the bottom level and its takes time to reach here. Where is your Sopwith? You are a British Pilot. I am also British. Jack's the name. So can you find your plane please? We ain't got all day."

I looked at Jack and shook my head.

"How do you call a plane in London?" I had to asked him as I was staying some years in Nice.

"Whistle, my fellow islander." I was wondering if I should take offence to that but I did as he instructed. I whistled the hymn, "Mary had a little lamb." I can't helped it as under duress, I sing that most times.

It worked and the plane came back; stopped by us. We boarded it including the goose on its maiden trip. We took off and I swooped down to the ground level. I had to do evasive moves to shake off the Red Baron and soon we came to graze the treetops before we crashed into the field.

I woke up seeing myself in the goose pond with the Sopwith butt flapping its tail at an odd angle. I could see my French friends running towards me with looks of concern. I got out of the pond and waddle to the dried grass area.

"Are you alright, mon Cherie?"

"Never better. By George, can someone tell me when can we fly again?" I spoke to my concern friends.

"Not so soon, Jon. We still have some unfinished barrels at the Golden Goose to consume." We marched on back to the tavern to continue our drinking. The bartender name was Jack; he was from Bristol too. Nice chap to be associated in Nice.

Crusaders Part 30

Present

When you least expect, the unexpected happens; when the ground reveals a staircase down from the surface of the mesa. We were all invited to go down the stairs to inside the mesa. As we walked down the entrance of the mesa, the entrance is sealed from any uninvited outsiders. As we walked down the steps, the way ahead is lighted for us but we felt the confined space as we go down. Soon our journey come to an end, and we come before a large hall with a long table filled with food and drinks.

"Feast yourselves, gentlemen. We may had to wait for a while the storm cleared over the mesa. Perhaps I can introduce myself to the group in more intimate details. After all, its going to be a long wait and its never had been planned for me to join you in all in any battle but this one is most unfortunate. Before I forget my manners, the mutton is lovely and so is the goat's milk. You can say we know how to select the best for our taste."

"Why did your father go missing, Baal?" Micheal was the one which always raised the touchy issues.

"Call me Ben for this moment. I like that name better. My father did not go missing; he went looking for my unknown brother; a son he never knew and neither did I until recently. He thought the offspring of his was in the South so he went there but he went missing since then. My aunt Belial called on the rest to search for him but none would as if they were afraid of something. So Belial then seek the one who was my father's friend before; Gabriel. And the Angel send his best to find my father. I thought you may need help and here I am." Ben as he is now known reached for the apple and took a bite. "I love apples. They are too tempting to resist."

"So tell me...... Ben, did you send those demons to make your story good? Well, I don't buy your story anymore. So we going to terminate the pact and sealed it on our neck." Helmut never liked the idea of working with his patron. He just work on them as its his persona. But I held back on Helmut' rage with my hand. That cool down the German and he settled for a large cut of the meat with his rum.

"Please ignore Helmut. Ben, is there any entertainment we can have? We are getting bored looking at your face."

"Pardon my ignorance of the needs of you guys. Feed your eyes on the scene upstairs." Ben raised his left hand and a portal appeared above us but its not a portal of travel but of projection. We see now the storm has arrived and it deposit not rain but hordes of demons. As they land on the mesa, spikes would rise from the ground and spear them causing pain and death. But still they come and this time; falling from the skies and landing on the mesa to fight the spikes. The spikes they broke are soon replaced as immediately. But its never ending up there the battle.

"Not good enough. Then perhaps this one may excite you more." Baal waved his hand, and the figure of Mama June was brought in by two demons who looks like half bull and man. I think they are also called as Minotaur."Yes, Mama June joins us now. Perhaps she can sing to us a song. Should I asked her to sing "Where has my father gone to"?"

The woman fell to her knees and begged for forgiveness. She keep on saying she cannot tell anything as she knows nothing. Without knowing how, she was levitated to the air and then spin like on a cartwheel for sometime, then she stopped in mid air. Her body was then levitated horizontally and then it went up and down like she was bouncing on the air.

"Stop it, Baal. This is not the way we do things. We do not subject our prisoners to such tortures? Let her go as she may not know of your father's whereabout." I took to intervene as I can see the lady would not last much longer if she was tossed like that. But I was wrong as the lady spoke from her torture. Its not really her, but whoever that reside inside her.

"Baal, you disappoint me badly. I was expecting a more painful mode of torture by comparison to yours. I felt more like on a merry ride with your father on his donkey." The apparition inside the woman spoke up to ridicule the son of Lucifer. I can see Mama June lowering herself onto the ground and stood before us. She reached up to her forehead and tore away at the flesh like a suit from her body. As the skin peeled away, it reveal a demon with scaly skin.

"Skin Walker?" I shouted in surprised and reached for my rapier.

"You insult me, Sir Black with some crude naming. Mine is Jeeze, and I am a Changeling actually. I prefer that name to the one you said earlier." The demon magically produced a long sharp spear and drove it into the Minotaur on her right. It then formed another in the hand and stabbed the other Minotaur in the face.

"Beastly of them to lay their hands on my skin. They deserved the death I served on them." The demon walked towards our table and sat down at the seat furthest away from us.

"Jeeze or you all know her as Jezebel is one of my followers. I am surprised that she has appeared here." Baal was surprised as he considered her as one of his loyal subjects.

"Who is she?" Helmut asked of me. To my knowledge, she was Phoenician princess, who married King Ahab of the Northern Kingdom of the old Kingdom. She helped many of Ahab's followers and also himself to worship of the Phoenician god Baal. It brought the wrath of one who was named as Elijah who challenged the so called false prophets of Baal to a competition, exposed the rival god as powerless, and had of them slaughtered. Since then Jezebel becomes associated with woman of ill repute or whores as spoken by many.

"Yes, I led the warriors to you as I know you would be here...." Jezebel spoke up in defence of her leading the warriors of Light to this land.

"Silence, woman. You did lead them here but not for my meeting but of yours with my father's associated Lords. You worked for them as you once did for me, but no more for long you have left my services. If its not me who helped these warriors, they be dead by now in some dark tunnels or dungeons. So tell me the truth, Woman." The wrath of Baal was not to be trifle with as he slammed the lady to the far end of the hall and stuck to the wall.

"Whom do you serve now?" The voice of the son of Lucifer vibrates off the wall in this place.

"Your father..... Lord Lucifer." She screamed back at him. "He commands me to spy on the High Lords. I did as I was told. Its only when I was told that you have arrived here, I rushed over to see you but the others caught me. The last of it you knew as seen by your own eyes. I did not betray your House but lend my support to them on your father's command."

"Who are they; these High Lords that you mentioned have to come out now. Hide not behind the skirts of a whore and show yourselves." The walls within the mesa vibrates and the ceiling came down, but the ones that came down was not from above which are still battling. These are ten demons of a different sort; they looked like man yet they act like demons.

"Fallen Angels! You showed yourself well in this confines." Baal shout his recognition of the new arrivals.

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Crusaders Part 29

10.

Present

We are standing on a mesa flat at about a hundred over feet high in the south west desert here after Baal had brought us through a portal opening he created in the tunnel. We have escaped the hordes of demons unleashed by the captors of Lucifer but we are now trapped on this high flat table in the middle of nowhere. We can see on the horizon the dark skies are looming wide and heavy with possible rainfall which would be a blessing in this land.

"If you are thinking of rain, I doubt its carrying any, but more demons perhaps. That is a sign of evil congregating in the area and its not of my doing. They are looking for you; both the good and bad demons." The demon who now resembled a young man wearing the native dressing stands before us looking at the oncoming clouds. His back is to us and with a thrust of my rapier I could cause him great pain if not death, but something tells me he could be our allies in the coming war.

"Which side do you step on? The winning or the losing one?" I walked up to the 'so called mini God' as some termed him, but to me he is nothing demon to be expunged from this world. I stood beside him and watched the coming storm.

"Its tempting for you but you did not do it. I salute you, Sir Black. You are truly a true warrior of the Sons of Light. I am tempted however to do the same to you but I have also held my intentions back. I find my wants cannot overreach my needs to find my father. Whoever has taken him hid well from me and the other hunters. I have confronted Gabriel who told me of your quest. I followed suit and managed to get you before you get buried in the tunnels. It was me who called forth the Giants to assist you all. And not Gabriel as his reaches are something .... limited in some places."

"Thank you then but it not like you to extend help. As we not usual to offered one to any demon. But you do want to join us if I am presumed." I looked at the young man and he returned it to me with a smile. "I believed it come with the means to escape this oncoming storm filled with demons."

"We have an understanding then, Sir Black." The demon spawn held out his hand for me to seal our temporary pact of alliance. Its not my first and won't be my last pact with such demons.

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Six years ago

I was still in Dover, and I am laying in my cot to soothe down my weary bones after that dreadful channel crossing on the trawler. The knock came on my door and I asked the person to come in. He is a man of God wearing his faith on his chest. He did not come in alone but in tow a young man who is dressed in the fashion of the streets; more like a vagabond than a young socialite. 

"I am Father Micheal of Dover, and this young lad is my care. His name is Darius, and we are in need of your help. We been referred to by the Archbishop to contact you on your arrival here." The man of faith is well informed as I just landed last evening and they have located me at this obscure tavern off the travelers' path. "Our counterpart across the channel has been advising us of your progress and locations. The Church has a wide network that even the King would be amazed if he was to know."

They allowed me the time to dress up in private before we all convene for a meal downstairs. I needed food before I could do anything but the priest was not in that patience mode. He explained to me that Darius is special.

"How special?" I need to know who I am to protect.

"He is a Lycan, or you would prefer he name werewolf. But he is more than any werewolf. He is a bastard offspring of one of their clans. The others are hunting him for he can be a very important hostage. Or a dead one to reduce the competition among the chosen." My spoon filled with stew stopped short of my mouth when the priest introduced his honored guest. "Before you reply, please allow me explain more. Darius was brought here by another faction who kidnap him from his father stronghold and brought him to England but the other faction intercepted and in the ensuing battle the boy was rescued by the other faction. We were brought the news that the boy was here and the Church was alerted to intervene. We did and Dover did the unthinkable; they rescued the boy and we been hiding him since. Now we are going to hand him over to you. Please take him. Our losses has been high since we intervene." The priest took his sleeve to wipe the eyes of the sorrow he has been through.

"Show me your orders, Father Micheal." The father produced a scroll from his pocket. I looked at it and verified the seal I also read the order and understood what was needed. I am to be a fucking courier.

"Okay, Father. He comes with me." Its my first time I am playing the same field with the enemies I sworn to kill. The Lycan kills at night and now is near to dawn so we have some time to planned. I watched the priest walked of the tavern and stood by the door basking in the dawn sunlight. The priest next step was his last as the pellet from the pistol hit him in the heart. In came charging was not demons but man of flesh and blood. There are four of them and they are all armed with swords and pistols.

"Darius, to my room and stay there." I took out my twin pistols in my waist belt and took aim. First shot took down one with a head shot and my next shot hit the second one in the knee but he would live. So it's down to two more and my rapier was brought in to the fight. They drew their swords and came lunging at me. I parried one and threw stew at the second, but I swung back to use the hilt of my rapier on the first attacker side of the head. Then I jumped over to hit the second attacker with my rapier and we exchanged swings before I got first blood. I kicked at his sword hand and hit the attacker in the heart. I turned back and saw my second attacker recovering from his head blow. I was not taking chances as I pulled my rapier out to throw at the man. It jabbed into his throat below the jaw and pushed him back to the floor.

I ran over to the third man who was trying to crawl out. He would had made it to the door if not for Darius pulling him back. Darius then picked up the stool to club the man's head bloodied. Darius was still clubbing the man when I stopped him but he has the frenzied look on his face. I pulled him off the dead man and dragged him to back of the tavern.

"Get on the horse, and we would ride now." I took the rein of a horse that was there; its not a matter of whose it belonged to but its our escape from this place. Within seconds, we were riding on the horses to London but we would not make it before dark. That is what I was afraid of the sun setting and the darkness creeping in. It was before dusk that I pulled our journey to stop at a local church outside of London. It belong to a friend of mine who is also a priest; Peter Winks, ex-Guardsman and now Church caretaker. When you first meet Peter Winks, you would winked your eyes as he is tall and large man with a big smile; he is that handsome looking. But beneath him lies a deadly man with penchant for more deadly weapons.

"Gerard Black, you son of a bigger gun. So trouble did you intend to bring to me and my small church?" He laughed at his own remarks and he knows most times I come with bigger trouble. I just gave him a brief and he laughed even louder. He asked us to make ourselves at home while he prepare supper; if you considered cold cuts and bread with rum the fare of the table. Peter also send out for some good friends to joined us in the church; they numbered four of them and they looked more like mercenaries than village folks. They are all armed with swords and pistols, plus a long spear or pike. They even have armor chest like the soldier.

We been given a place to rest in the mass area, and Peter brought in some bags of assorted stuff which we can use.

"Thank you for the hospitality but are you not overdoing it?" But Peter smiled at me and walked away to his position. I can feel what he is feeling as if we are facing a major battle. Nothing happened that night but we heard some howling out there.

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