Spirits of Darkness: Chaos


Introduction



Decimus Claudius, such a name had been spoken widely among the hundreds of Imperial Roman soldiers after yet another great victory against the Carthaginians.

But then, all of time froze around General all at once. He was with his troops, but yet they and the Earth stood still. There was no sound, except him. He could see, but they could not. He was baffled by such sorcery, and at first though it a dream.

But then in a distance, coming from where the hundreds of Carthaginian bodies littered the ground with blood and bone, a dark figure approached.

It appeared human from afar, but as it drew closer, he saw it to be ghostly. Once the figure was 50 feet from the General, he saw it to be an entity, shrouded in a hooded cloak of shadow. And more frightening was that it was carrying, with both hands, a terrifying scythe on its back, as if trying to conceal the obviously un-concealable weapon.

It walked up to him, stopping 10 feet away. It’s head was down, facing the ground, making it’s face incomprehensible. It then swung the scythe around with it’s right hand and implanted the weapon’s butt into the ground, as if it were a walking stick.

A massive wave of fear then swept over Claudius. He could clearly see the entity’s right arm. It’s arm was partly skeletal, but surprisingly it’s ‘skin’ was gleaming with a brilliant metallic luster.

For 5 minutes it stood there, motionless. Claudius could have sworn that he could hear the sound of immensely small metal gears or some such tiny mechanical device coming from within the entity. Finally, it made a motion. I lifted it’s head just enough so that the General could see it’s hauntingly brilliant blue eyes. It took it’s left hand and pulled it’s hood back. It’s face didn’t scare the General, but instead surprised him even more then it’s arm did.

A gleaming metallic skull stared at him with glowing blue eyes, with no readable expression. Every aspect of it’s face bones were as polished as a brand new spear head. It was as if the thing was a machine! Claudius was yet again baffled by such witchcraft! How could Jupiter POSSIBLY conjure suck a being?!

It lifted it’s left hand out, palm up, in a friendly gesture. And then the abomination spoke.

“Greetings, mortal,” it bowed it’s head slightly and reclined it’s hand. Claudius for good reasons expected it’s voice to be inhuman. But yet it’s voice sounded similar to a masculine soldier’s voice. Not only that, it sounded as highly educated as a senator.

“My apologies for freezing a bit. I was automatically reconfiguring a few of my inner processes.”

“What in the name of the gods are you?!” Claudius was quaking with confusion and fear.

It rose it’s head from the bow, “Many cultures I’ve seen so far have known me by the titles of Bringer of Death, The Soul Harvester, The Grim Reaper, and Yamantaka. But you may refer to me as Cthulhu.”

“So… you are an entity of death?” The General was baffled; he had only sustained minor injuries during the battle. Why would death rein upon him?

“Good question, as in the one as to why I have come,” Cthulhu began, “It is a very complicated reason, so to make it simple for the likes of you, I have come because your birth was accidental.”

Claudius took a step back as Cthulhu continued, “Or to be exact, you were not supposed to survive your birth,” Cthulhu scoffed with annoyance, “That incomprehensible fool, Fate, decided once again to ruin my job by preventing the death of an infant all the way until said infant’s existence has tampered partly with Time, in this case, the Roman Empire’s victory over Carthage. But that though, the wound in the timeline, can be healed. But your presence must be removed for that to be possible since such an existence as you possess is unplanned and therefore unpredictable,” Cthulhu gave the explanation entirely through with a polite voice, even when he told Claudius that he was to die that very instance.

Cthulhu then began speaking slightly more casual, “I don’t know why Fate would let such a thing happen, but of course that bastard can do whatever he desires,” Cthulhu then muttered mostly to himself, “If only Kronus were here, HE’D be able to control his karma incarnate son.”

Claudius, confused partly by Cthulhu’s words, spoke up, “Will I be forgotten, since my existence was never to be so?”

“You shall be replaced with a planned ‘copy’ of you. When I say ‘copy’, I mean he copied all of your actions. So, no, you will NOT be remembered as a winner of heroic battles, unfortunately,” Cthulhu tilted his slightly and continued, “Though it is by policy of the Gods that if any situation such as this is to arise, all will forget you except your blood related family.”

Claudius was confused but still overjoyed, he had a wife and children back home. At least the ones who are important to him will remember. Claudius then had to ask, “Will my family remember you?”

Cthulhu was intrigued, “Hmm… I suppose, it could be possible. It may depend on your family’s oral or written history afterwards.” Cthulhu had never considered such an endeavor. At first he assumed that it may cause problems possibly… 4000 years later? 10,000? I didn’t matter at the moment; Cthulhu had a job to finish.

Claudius thought everything over, and then made his last main question, “Do I have a choice?”

Cthulhu began to answer quickly, but then hesitated and then smiled (if a skinless metallic skull could smile), “Sure I’ll give you somewhat of a choice.”

Claudius listened almost franticly, he had stared death in the face before but not in THIS sort of way! Cthulhu gave the choices slowly, “Either you come peacefully, and suffer no pain. Or. You could fight for your life in a dual to the death with me, which in fact could make you suffer greatly.” Cthulhu was slightly sadistic that moment even if he hated to admit it. He had never before gotten to toy with the fabric of existence this much. Usually he was restricted of most of his power due to reasons that he had no knowledge of. But for another rare time, he would get to play a game of chance. Also he did not know the limit of his restrictions, so he figured that battle with a Roman General might set an example for him to study the extent of the set restrictions.

Claudius thought over the choice. If he walked quietly, he wouldn’t have to suffer. But his mind was made up quickly. The death of a Roman soldier was supposed to be honorable, and on the field of battle. And since no one would know his name except his family… how honorable would a fight to the death be with death. He cared not for any pain. His training was probably more excruciating then a swift death at a sword.

“Very well, Cthulhu, I will fight for my life.”

Cthulhu glared at him and smiled. Typical Roman; choosing honor over conditioning. That was one reason Cthulhu enjoyed reaping Romans.

“Then the table is set, Decimus Claudius, we shall fight here, now, and among the bodies of your slain foes, but first,” Cthulhu stood strait up, now with a flawless posture. He let his hand off of the scythe by an inch around, and even though it was standing up strait, gravity did not tilt it. Death’s skeletal right hand glowed with an intense silver vibe as he continued his sentence, “this weapon of mine would make the dual unfair.” Cthulhu’s wicked scythe then slowly disappeared within itself and in it’s place was a larger then normal gladius within a flawless sheath. Cthulhu, without showing any more of his body, strapped the gladius around his waist. He unsheathed it to reveal it to be as flawless as it’s case.

Claudius did the same with his sword. Though not flawless, it was bathed in the dry blood of his enemies. He hoped to have the blood of an entity on it as well as he takes his last breath.

“Your move,” Cthulhu shifted into a perfect Roman battle stance with more precision than the most well trained legion of troops. Claudius did the same, using the countless batches of experience he had gained over an entire crusade.

The General then struck out. Charging forward 5 feet then he sprang to Death’s right to try and confuse him. Even after the charge, Cthulhu’s stance went unchanged. At the last few feet, Claudius sprang to Death’s left in a quick motion and then he struck with a more dexterous attack then a strong one.

But at one half-second Cthulhu’s stance was unchanged.

And at the other half-second, Death’s sword met his at an inhuman pace.

Claudius was so shocked that he left his guard down much too long, about 3 seconds, but yet he could tell that Cthulhu was not exploiting his hesitation because he was going easy on Claudius. But it was the last time Death gave him a chance, for then his strike was countered by a flurry of quick sword jabs again at an inhuman speed. Claudius could barely keep up with it and he was able to recoil enough at the last strike for it to only slice in 1 inch of penetration.

Claudius took a more defensive stance and let Cthulhu walk up to him. He then attempted to disarm Death as he tried to parry strikes so inhumanly fast. His attempt only gave him a deep gash on his left thigh.

At that moment the General knew that he was now outmatched in melee due to the wound, so he limped as fast as he could go to the Carthaginian bodies. He was not running, but merely finding a dead skirmisher. He took a lance in his right hand and threw it with as much force and precision as he could muster. It would have hit Cthulhu in the face if he not blocked it so easily. Claudius limped farther back, trying to find an archer’s corpse. He tripped on his wounded leg when he found one, and he couldn’t find the stamina to get up. He took the bow in his hands, strung an arrow, and fired. Death chopped the arrow in half before it met his shoulder. Cthulhu walked ever closer, in an open and aggressive stance. Claudius strung two arrows this time, and fired then both simultaneously; a skill he thanked his special training for. Death caught one and chopped the other arrow. Cthulhu was getting much too close. Claudius knew that if he didn’t make this next shot, he would be dead.

So he got ready to string three arrows.

He had never done this before but he had heard amazing stories of great archers using this strategy. First he would fire two arrows to distract the opponent, and then quickly fire the last one for a coup de grace. He was frantic to do so. Adrenaline pumped in his veins. He fired the first and then the third. At first he got the same result, but the third met his target. It hit lower than intended, in this case it hit within the shadowed area of Cthulhu’s cloak; where his thigh was, or supposedly was. The arrow’s impact made Death take a step back only to then stumble and kneel on the opposite leg that was hit. Claudius then saw that Cthulhu did in fact have legs, and had been hit in the right thigh. Death kneeled on his left and stretched out his right to inspect the damage momentarily. Since Death was a few steps away from him, Claudius decided to try and stand up and get to a safe distance, though it was seeming to take much longer to stand up than was healthy for him.

“Hmm,” Cthulhu seemed to be either indifferent or satisfied with the wound, showing no pain, “Well it would seem that you now have an advantage.” Cthulhu yanked the arrow out without screaming like any normal man would. A thick black, blood-like substance leaked out of the puncture. It had penetrated his gleaming leg by at least 3 inches!

“My my, any more hits like that and you might actually cripple me,” Cthulhu smiled a little then, “I assume this means that I can take it up a notch.” Death stood up, showing no disability from the hole in his thigh, and sheathed his sword. He lifted his right arm in a partial flex, and looked at his forearm. Claudius was almost howling in pain over his leg, but still he tried to observe his opponent.

Cthulhu tapped his lower right forearm with his left hand, which made a strange beeping sound. Then he waited a second and then pulled a small lever of some sorts on his right forearm. A small metallic, humming tube came out of his forearm, obviously attached to it, and he pointed it at Claudius. In a split second, the end of the tube facing the General hummed louder and glowed bright blue. But in the second after that, Cthulhu said one word and it immediately changed from blue to silver and a sliver bolt of lightning shot out and struck Claudius!

Claudius couldn’t move; the lightning did not cause pain, but it actually paralyzed him. In half-a-second, the tube disappeared back into Death’s arm and Death then started a charge towards the General. Claudius had been paralyzed only for a second or so, because he saw Death charging his way, and his brain went haywire.

He pulled his sword back out, blocked Cthulhu’s attempt on his life and kicked Death to the ground. Claudius did not know how, but the gods must have some done something. He jumped to his feet. He felt no pain. Cthulhu was back up in one motion. And they were at each other’s toes in a heartbeat.

Parry after parry. Block after block. It was the sweet sense of battle that the General was used to. The same feeling that he also loved.

And finally, right before he was struck, he found an open spot on himself. And it was exploited. Death’s hand glowed with purple vibe as it was logged into Claudius’s right flank. He could feel his insides being inflamed right before he blacked out.

*   *   *

Cthulhu pulled his hand out of the General’s corpse.
“Impressive,” he said as he watched the General’s spirit begin to leak out, “He nearly made me have to fight in a serious manner. I mean really, that arrow went in deep. It must be about time I got this 3 million year old body a tune up.”

He summoned his scythe to his hand as he dismissed his gladius. As the General’s spirit began to fade into limbo, the first stage before haunting, Cthulhu used the Gutterspeak version of a harvesting spell, which then caused his scythe to collect the soul of Decimus Claudius for transport to either the heavens or to Hades… or the Abyss… or whatever those idiotic mortals refer to hell as.

“Well that was entertaining, I’m sure that battle is exactly what the Roman deserved,” he then scoffed, “But what a waste of my time, don’t these mortals know that Death has other cases to attend to?”

Once the soul harvest was complete, Cthulhu then focused on his next stop and cut a wormhole the space time continuum. He jumped through and started to flow towards his next stop.

The last thought he had before entering magical warp was about the Romans family. I hope they don’t end up making a big deal out of this, he thought.