Dead Gardens - Chapter 2

It seemed like the winged creature was eating one of those snail-like humanoids we saw earlier, so it didn’t really mind us much, but not for long.

Before the fog lifted, what seemed like a skinny human being with pale skin suddenly appeared before my very eyes. The creature doesn’t have eyes; it only had two small holes on its forehead. The rest of its face is nothing but a big mouth. It was walking in all fours with his body shaped like it was bent to be turned into a perfect rainbow-shaped atrocity. Seemingly sensing me without the need for vision, the mouth-face monster ran towards the only living soldier running behind us.

When the smog covered the surrounding again, two gleaming red lights approached the other soldier. Swiftly, the red light lunged towards the soldier, leaping in a forward motion. The poor soldier tried to fight the winged, red-eyed monster by swinging his sword. The valiant soldier managed to dig his sword straight into the winged creature’s head until the darned beast fell dead.

However, before the soldier could pull his sword away from the monster’s skull, something hidden within the smog had already yanked him away somewhere I cannot see. I then heard countless sounds of creatures chewing something along with the soldier’s scream. The agonizing last screech of the warrior stopped when I heard the sound of what sounded like a giant hoof stepping on metal.

Gres continued to run, not even minding the continued deaths around him. No more warriors were running behind us. It’s just the two of us left.

Confused, I screamed at Gres, “WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER ONE?”

Before Gres could reply, a booming roar of a beast resounded throughout our surroundings. “SHHRAAARK!”

I screamed out loud as I realized that the beasts had finally reached us. I felt sharp fangs ripping my left leg with a single bite. I didn’t even know what happened; all I know for sure is that Gres fell into the ground with blood coming out of my foot.

“Shit…” Gres whispered with a groan. There’s an arc-shaped bite mark on his side. Some monster must have bitten him, which appeared to be similar to the creature that tore my feet. “Curse you, King Denwyn…” He said as I saw life slowly leave Gres’ blue eyes.

I extended my arms towards him to cast any spell I had that could possibly heal him, but nothing worked. He’s dead. Gres is dead.

I’m drained, turned into a useless thing again. Gres laid lifeless on the ground as I crawled towards him with puddles of blood around my feet. I still have hopes that I could save him.

Just a bit more.

If only I was a bit stronger…

Just a bit more…

If only my body was stronger; if I had a body as sturdy as Gres’.

We’re dying because I’m weak.

I am so fucking sick and tired of being weak.

No more.

I just want this life to end.

I guess those people who betrayed me has succeeded. I will die here. And they will relish on knowing that. My former friends, my enemies… How can they sleep well at night knowing that they had left me to rot in this hell?

My eyes slowly blurred. Countless shadows of varying sizes approached me. They hid beneath the thick embrace of the cruel smog.

I then remembered Gres’ last words…

He’s right…

Curse you, King Denwyn!

You and your courtiers must die; you betrayed me, and you betrayed these fallen soldiers! As I live, I will continue to curse your name until you and your throne turn to ashes! I will never stop until the paradise you enjoy in the Firmament incinerates!

Curse you, King Denwyn!

If given a chance, I would personally behead your children, bed your wives, and turn your soldiers into women! All of this I will do with you naked and tied up like what you did to me as you pillaged my village and denounced my nobility. I will humiliate you. Given a second chance, I would destroy you. If the gods are listening to me, I wish they would smite your heart and incinerate your lineage!

But then again…

Patches of darkness are already forming around my blurry vision; countless shadows darkened my sight. It seems that I’m really dying… I just hope… I just hope that I’d have more time…

But…

I guess this is okay too?

I am so tired.

I lived an eventful life. I made a few inventions. I had a lovely lover, a few great friends, proud parents, and significant achievements others would die to attain. But those whom I thought I trusted had ensured that none of those would matter. My lover is dead now, my friends fell protecting me, my parents are hanged for the sin of birthing me, and my achievements would only be nothing but specters looming above my dying body.

Do I really wanna die like this?

“Are you giving up?”

The smart answer is “yes.”

But no…

Not yet…

I’m not ready.

No.

I don’t wanna die.

No!

“Then raise your head, human.”

I did as the voice commanded. It sounded so domineering that it felt like life had slowly crept back up to my body again just so I can follow his demands. When I opened my eyes, what beheld me was an endless dazzling gleam that almost blinded my weary eyes.

It was beyond human comprehension, so utterly benign that my fear for it alone is the only thing keeping me alive.

“BE NOT AFRAID!” The voice commanded as the figure hovered above me with a domineering gaze.

What I saw is a man with four heads: the head of a man with curly auburn hair, a lion with a few missing fangs, an ox with only one horn, and an eagle with a slash wound on its left eye. They’re all facing my direction, connected to only one singular human body. These faces peer out from the center of an array of four wings, rooted from the back of the hovering being before me. He uses two of his golden feathered wings to levitate, sending a clear breeze that blew the smog away. Meanwhile, its other wings are covering its body, but I could still see the paleness of his bare skin. What took my breath away was the countless humongous eyes all over his golden wings, all peering right at me with domineering judgment.

The monsters tried to approach us, but they died whenever they inched near the four-winged creature.

“Who…” I asked before shaking my head with a frown. “What are you?”

The human head opened its mouth and spoke, “It matters not. Be not afraid. I have not arrived to harm you; I have come to aid you in perishing the measly beasts of the field.”

“You have not answered my question,” I proclaimed, crawling closer to my sudden savior.

“… a dying god.” The lion head opened its mouth and spoke those solemn words.

I chuckled. I don’t know why I did so, but I find a twinge of entertainment in seeing a dying god aide a dying man. “I see. At least I can relate to you on something. We’ve both come here to die.”

“Indeed. But both of us will live.” The ox head said with the same domineering tone it once had earlier. “I know why you are here, for we are one and the same. Your king had exiled you; my fellow gods had banished me. We both seek a place in the sky, but their gates no longer answer for us. Our people abandoned us, those whom we swore our dying piety to; I simply wish to return and reclaim my rightful place. And you?”

I gazed upon the dying god. I replied without a second thought, “Revenge.”

“I see.” The eagle head says with a sharp tone. “Simple, but enough to carry your soul back to the Firmament. I like you, small may you be, but a dreamer still. I ask you, son of man, do you wish to live?”

“Yes,” I uttered weakly with all the remaining hatred that still lay dormant in my thin and weak body.

The god then opened its wings, revealing its wounded, bleeding, and naked pale body. It reached out its wispy arms at me and spoke, “Take my hand and confide your wish unto me.”

I did as he asked, trying my hardest to crawl with reddened eyes to reach the god’s hand. I gripped him tightly before speaking with a hoarse voice. “I wish to destroy each and every single soul who betrayed me in the Firmamentgod or men, peasants or kings, I do not care!”

“I long for the same.” The god’s four heads uttered simultaneously. “Accept me, and together, we will create a world that will cast a deep shadow upon the shimmering walls of the Firmament!”

I uttered weakly, “I am Aleph Von Erich, a former nobleman of the Firmament, and I accept you!”

The four heads of the god replied, “I am Dominion, a former god in the Firmament, and I accept you.”

Thus, with our two weakened and thin hands gripping each other, we began to smudge the first-ever stain on the spotless brilliance of the Firmament.

We will bring that empire down. Literally.