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Christopher
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Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration

0 posted 2000-08-01 09:45 PM



And Now the Beast is Dead

©2000  Christopher Ward


     The beast is dead; now little more than a severed head resting upon my knees.

     Bloodstained fangs reflect a dull crimson at me from beneath the chancrous beams of the moonlight beating upon my sodden brow. The ochre orbs are even now beginning to sink back into the creature's head, hollow with the expulsion of its sticky gray thoughts upon the ground. The once leathery skin begins to flake like midnight snow beneath my gentle touch. Floating up from my lap, they wisp away in large chunks of decay and decadence. Then the low, humid wind blows across the trampled glade, whimpering a clammy denial of death.
    
     I know this beast is dead, this vile daemon of the night. Off to the right a short distance lays the rest of its body…… burned and blackened with the ash of a fiery demise. Four tentacular limbs are sprawled in the pattern of a fallen star. Canted at an unnatural angle, its torso juts up perpendicular to the ground, as if the creature were still trying to rise. My weary eyes keep shifting back and forth between the head and the body in a mixture of fear and relief. Mostly though, I feel disbelief.

     An owl's echo from nearby startles me and I almost drop the gory package resting in my hands. The bird's echoes shrill loudly through the emerald of the nearby forest world, as if to comfort my uncertainty, assuage my fears. I smile grimly as I blink in answer to its call. I need not prove away my doubt; the wisdom of our nighttime avian kin is well known and long honored. If the owls sing it so, then it must be. I must believe then, that this evil soul, this nightmare form sent only to haunt, kill, and feed, shall do so no more.

     And I was the one to vanquish it.

     See, there once came upon the earth an evil untamed. It traveled all lands, with destruction, death and decay the only things remaining in its wake. Where it came from, only a few know for sure. I am one, so I will tell the story.

     Some surmised, but I know, that it was sent as a test from the gods. It was to be the means by which the gods could gauge mankind’s devotion to their supposed cause of goodwill and peace. Man must have failed horribly, for the scourge in the form of the daemon Gringothin continued to march across the planet. It was unstoppable. Kings threw entire armies into the jaws of its waiting hunger, feeding it power in the form of blood and tears. Nothing stopped it, this daemon from the nether regions of nowhere. It was not that it was so strong, nor was it that Gringothin excelled at arms. Rather, it was that this daemon seemed impervious to mortal blows. When a man moved to strike, the daemon would not move to protect itself. Instead, it soaked the blow into skin of stone and then devoured the attacker. And thusly passed through the lands, reaping misery and pain.

     Its march lasted a decade, then a century.


     Slowly, the lands were being erased as one by one, Gringothin would pass through and consume all joy, peace, and love which dared exist.

     Another century, two.

     Finally, after a great span of time, the gods came to regret their actions. They could see that man had been given no choice but to forego peace and love, in the face of such violent hatred. Man had no choice but to hide and run, dispelling their roots and depleting their numbers. The gods realized that if Gringothin were not halted soon, there would be no one left to worship them.

     Now there were some gods, who favored this course. They argued that mankind had outlived usefulness. They contended that man’s un-faith had rendered them unworthy. They wished for man to disappear, leaving room for their own, newer creations. But those words sprang mostly from the lips of the younger gods, the ones who had not been in existence to aid in the genesis of mankind. They felt no bond as would a father to a son. Instead, they felt envy. But their young envy was as to nothing when measured beside the love the elder gods realized they held toward mankind.

     As one, the elder gods concluded that it was time to retrieve Gringothin from the earth, and return him to the pits of hell. So they reached down their hands toward the earth…… and could not touch it.

     No matter what spells and powers they implemented, their hand was held from touching by some unseen force that proved stronger than the entirety of the elder gods’ numbers. And when they found what it was that stopped their hands, they drew nigh to destroying the earth itself. For it seemed that they had wrought this limitation upon themselves, though in a circular manner.

     It was mankind’s fear which prevented the gods’ hands. Man’s fear of what the gods would do were they to reach to the earth again. After all, hadn’t they already doomed man’s hope’s with an insatiable daemon? What would they bring down the next time? So an unconscious societal shield had been raised to prevent the gods from assailing man with yet another plague... perhaps one worse even than Gringothin if that were possible.

     The gods then gathered in their abode overlooking the span of human existence; past, present and future. They counciled for the span of another decade, deciding the straightest course of action. When the allotted span approached, the elder gods leaned back from their work and beheld it with hope.

     Their hope?

     Me.

     Ignore my name, for it matters not. You would not know it, nor will anyone from this day or any day past, nor even for the span of a millennia hence. I was taken from my home thousands of years in your future. I, because the gods believed that in me they had found a man with no fear of them. They had to travel that far, they told me, to find a time when they themselves no longer existed. How else to ensure that the one they chose would not fear them.

     And fear them I did not. In truth, I refused to believe in them. It took them another precious year to engender the belief in my heart that I had not suffered from some malady of the mind. For when I arrived in the company of these celestial beings, I had immediately come to the conclusion that I was insane.

     But as one might expect, gods can be convincing. And after all, I am only a man; they, gods.

     Once convinced however, it took little for them to enlist me to their cause. I could clearly see that if Gringothin were not stopped, my family might not have ancestors to bear them, thereby negating my existence and the existence of everyone I loved. Once I believed this, there would have been little the gods could have done to stop my attempt.

     I could speak now of the preparations for the battle, but allow me to pass this one thing by. It is of little import and bears with it more long telling than the whole of this tale. Let me leave this portion of the story told as - a great deal of time passed as I was prepared for the inevitable battle with the fell daemon.

     And when I was lowered from the skies of the gods, I went with no fear in my heart; of them, of Gringothin. The concept of fear had ceased to exist. All that filled my mind was purpose and protection. I was there to ensure the continuance of mankind. It is a lofty and noble purpose, and perhaps a weighty one. But when one has the grace of gods upon him, such things become trivial.

     Gringothin and I faced each other in the meadow of what once must have been a thriving center of human life and laughter. But now, it was no more than a charnel of ash and ember. As far as my eyes could see, I was met with death, death and more death. And as I raised my silver sword from its scabbard, I faced death in the form of the daemon.

     It must have been a considerable time since a man had dared to stand to face the daemon, for when I did just that, it appraised me with curious eyes and approached nearer.

     “What say thee man,” it’s voice boomed out, stirring up the dust of destruction and spite.

     “I say that this is the day you plague man no longer. Cease,” I shouted in a calm confidence. “And your life will be spared. You are required only to return to the place from whence you came.”

     It looked at me for a considerable time, feeling the power of my words and testing my resolve. Not for a moment did I allow it to fail, nor was I tempted to do so. After all, I had come to believe that this was the purpose I had been born to.

     “Man,” it said in a whisper-shout of humor. “Surely you jest. Know thee not who I am? I am Gringothin, scourge of the earth. No one who has dared attempt me before has done more than hasten their way to hell. Would thou truly do no less?”

     I nodded, then I raised my sword, dubbed Callamiarre, and faced the point at the daemons face. “Then daemon, on this day you die.”

     Gringothin smirked then and lumbered forward to crush me.

     What went from there, well I remember little. I do know however, that with the first swing of Callamiarre, I felt fear. This daemon was stronger than even the gods had foreseen. The centuries of feeding on human suffering had raised it from a minor force, to one which could rival the gods. Yes, I knew fear. But I also knew purpose. And knowing that I was the hope of an entire civilization for millennia to come overrode that fear. What was my life, when compared to that of the future?

     Who can say how the battle went, or how long it lasted. It may have spanned hours or centuries, I know only that I knew time not then, nor do I know it now. All that I could know was the swing of my silver blade, the clash of sorcery and the grip of inhuman strength.

     We fought on the ground, as would men-at-arms. We fought tooth and nail as do the animals of the earth. We fought sorcery, in the air, over the seas, and through our minds. It was a deadly challenge of will, of body, of steel. We swung through the universe in a wily dance of magic, through flame and ice, earth, and wind. Oh, we battled. We tested each other, then exploited the weaknesses. We forwarded attacks and feigned frailty. Forever, it seemed, we fought on even levels, neither able to gain a lead over the other... though often, I must admit, it felt as if I would snap with the very next blow.

     But the gods had prepared me well, and I was fighting for love, whereas the daemon was fighting for malice. And when the blows fell, mine fell with conviction, while it swung with spite.

     In the end, the creature fell.

     Whether by luck, or if the gods were able to aid me, it fell beneath the stab of Callamiarre; my sword, my arm, and my heart. Pierced to the earth through the bowels of its hate, I stood over its now fearful body and wept.

     I wept for the loss of the land which had once been beauty, which had once been green, had once breathed. I wept for those wrestling now in the womb of Purgatory, never to be born. I wept for those whom I loved and would now live. I wept for those that screamed in the belly of this daemon’s dark thoughts. I wept for the innocent and I wept for the damned. And all the while, it laughed and gloated over the desecration, claiming a victory even in defeat.

     It is here that I must admit my first failing; I grew wroth. As I bore the laughter of its evil, I was filled with hatred for this foul creature and its loathing for life. I angered at it for all the souls, which were now drifting in the winds of the aftermath. They, the ones who floated through the Armageddon enforced first by the gods and then by Gringothin. They, the dead souls who traveled as whispers through the destruction of mankind, my kin, and my people. Gone now, all to serve the hunger of this caricature of maniacal psychosis.
  
     And in my hatred, I sought to slay that evil which cannot be slain.

     Pulling Callamiarre from its sheath of the daemon''s flesh, I leaned back. With a cry borne from a time long yet to come, I swung with all the power of my ancestors and rent the horned head from Gringothin’s body in a single sweep. The instant my hands felt the bone jarring connection, I was thrown backward into the forest.

     I stumbled quickly to my feet, fearing that the creature might yet live despite its newly acquired handicap. But it wasn't a living being which burned my eyes as I watched on in horrid fascination. No, it was the hands of the gods, finally freed by the death scream of Gringothin, coming down to pierce through the soul of this soulless creature. The hands emptied its body of the hatred, which fueled its desire, which in turn fed it life. They sucked it away with such finality that a charred husk, half buried in the ground, and a dismembered head, was all that remained of the evil daemon Gringothin when their hands withdrew.

    And that is the story I have to tell. It is the story not of me, but of mankind and the gods who will soon no longer exist. For mankind has turned its back now on them, and why should they not? It was the arrogance of the gods which almost destroyed them. What need had mankind of that which would destroy it?

     Standing, I unsheathed Callamiarre and plunged the blade hilt deep into the earth. I raised the head of the great and fearful Gringothin to eye level. I gazed once more into those now empty sockets and let if fall from hand to split open on the ground.

     I too have no need of the gods. For after all, I am as to one of them now.

© Copyright 2000 C.G. Ward - All Rights Reserved
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774
Ontario, Canada
1 posted 2000-08-01 10:34 PM


WOW Christopher ... you weave a spell-binding tale!  Had me reading with rapt attention throughout.  I loved the witty line:

"I stumbled quickly to my feet, fearing that the creature might yet live despite its newly acquired handicap."

Brilliant work! Excellent description and imagery.  I half expected to look out my window and see this beast outside!  

Great work Christopher!

Best wishes,
/Kit

Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187
St. Paul, MN
2 posted 2000-08-02 12:29 PM


Green for envy, that's right. You're quite the story teller, Chris. I absolutely adored this tale, with the Gods and their quest and then their destruction, wrought by their own hands.. *Bows to the king*

Abrahm Simons

"Keep on dreamin' boy 'cause when you stop dreaming it's time to die" - Blind Melon

Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley
3 posted 2000-08-02 12:42 PM


In the future, I am going to be able to say that I used to know this famous writer..yeah, that Christoper Ward. He's the one you see on all the talk shows. Well, I knew him when he was struggling ...he was such a nice guy! Great writing Chris. I loved it.    
StarrGazer
Senior Member
since 2000-03-05
Posts 679
Texas
4 posted 2000-08-02 01:38 AM


This is great, I was hooked all the way through ... now I'm going to have to search and find more of the things you've written    
Shan

Alicat
Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094
Coastal Texas
5 posted 2000-08-02 09:49 AM


Christopher...very compelling story.  Now, I have a slew of icq messages to catch up on, but I don't mind.  Their waiting was worth the time spent reading.  Thanks for the URL, my erstwhile friend.  


Alicat  

Sudhir Iyer
Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943
Mumbai, India : now in Belgium
6 posted 2000-08-02 10:21 AM


Christopher,
you are a great story teller indeed!
I was so glued to this story, that my boss thought I was asleep at work... better than him noticing I was spending "useful" time on the net  

regards,
sudhir
P.S. just wondering if capitalizing g on gods is something you deliberately missed or just a typo... if I get the time I will be back for more detailed analysis of this...  

LoveBug
Deputy Moderator 5 Tours
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697

7 posted 2000-08-02 11:55 AM


Another amazing piece from the prose-master!

But, of course, I never expect anything less.  

Sudhir, God is capitalized, but gods is not.  

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." -Oscar Wilde
"The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief" -Shakespea

devina
Member Elite
since 1999-10-28
Posts 3539
Cali
8 posted 2000-08-02 05:03 PM


You've definantly kicked some butt with this topic Chris...now I know where your mind is most of the time!! Simply excellent m'friend...To say any more would be to inflate that pretty lil head of yours!!!  

Open arms can be the most fragile in the world...


Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
9 posted 2000-08-03 10:32 AM


Thank you all for your glowing replies... even though I made most of you read it! *wink*


serenity blaze
Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738

10 posted 2000-08-03 11:26 AM


and you can't MAKE me do anything!  even if you ARE A GOD.

Absolutely spellbinding, Christopher!  (and I should know...)  

Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
11 posted 2000-08-03 11:40 AM


Uh-huh... you read it didn't you S'en??? hehe
Sudhir Iyer
Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943
Mumbai, India : now in Belgium
12 posted 2000-08-03 12:59 PM


Chris,
I am sorry for the "gods" remark.

Lovebug, thanks for clearing this bit out... I was kinda ignorant about this issue.

regards,
sudhir

Nicole
Senior Member
since 1999-06-23
Posts 1835
Florida
13 posted 2000-08-03 01:23 PM


Too short.  

This is a really good tale, and has the makings for an awesome story.  Now, I know you have all the free time in the world!  Just expand a little here, there, maybe right over there.  

Seriously, I like.  Me like lots.  (bol)

'specially:

"Gone now, all to serve the hunger of this caricature of maniacal psychosis."

heh...sweet.  Love that line.

N

Irie
Senior Member
since 1999-12-01
Posts 1493
Washington State
14 posted 2000-08-04 02:44 AM


I see how I rate. Everyone else got an invite read this piece
and you didn't invite me? BRAT
HMPF! I'm crushed Mister.....    

I must say this is a fantastic story Chris.
I love everything about it, except for the fact that
I stayed up WAY past my bed time to read it!     Hehe Yah RIGHT!
But seriously...The very begging captured me....
and I was enthralled the entire read!

Well done Sir...and I expect and invite next time! Understand? Hmm? Good!    

Peace


< !signature-->

~Sheri



[This message has been edited by Irie (edited 08-04-2000).]

Silkdragon
Member
since 2000-06-24
Posts 65

15 posted 2000-08-06 01:47 AM


christopher,

this story was fabulous, well wrought and well-worded.  you're choice of language pulls the reader in.  very well done!  i don't know, i kind of felt the ending was a little melancholy...  was that intentional?  the idea of him being as the gods...  i don't know why i found that kind of sad.  like man's arrogance...  i don't know...  it's hard to explain....  sorry for my inept attempt at a response...  LOL  great story!    

erin

[This message has been edited by Silkdragon (edited 08-06-2000).]

jbouder
Member Elite
since 1999-09-18
Posts 2534
Whole Sort Of Genl Mish Mash
16 posted 2000-08-06 09:08 PM


Christopher:

This is an exceptional story.  Only one problem (a VERY small on at that) ... the name of the sword is a little too close to calamari (edible squid) for me.

Besides that, a truly exceptional piece of work.  Very well done.

Jim

Marilyn
Member Elite
since 1999-09-26
Posts 2621
Ontario, Canada
17 posted 2000-08-07 11:07 PM


Whew Chris!! I am glad that I took the time away from my sleep to read this piece. EXCELLENT!

I laughed when I read Jim's response cause I couldn't help thinking the same thing when the name of the sword came up....lmao.



When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shodows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face...

William Butler Yeats

Alle'cram
Senior Member
since 2000-02-28
Posts 1816
Texas
18 posted 2000-08-08 06:26 AM


Christopher,
   Oh, I wanted to cut and paste but your story disappeared before my eyes. This, I found a hilarious read. ??trying to...
"stared into his empty eye sockets"  
mid-way, "the god's to take immediate action, over a span of the next decade they took the shortest route (no longer trying to quote).  
  My first time to visit this forum. I think you did a excellent job on this.  
Some of your lines are too good. I liked!

Bruce
Junior Member
since 2000-08-02
Posts 15
Internet, Cyber-Space, Everywhere
19 posted 2000-08-11 01:25 PM


Kind of long, but I liked it.

Bruce

Sudhir Iyer
Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943
Mumbai, India : now in Belgium
20 posted 2000-08-11 02:11 PM


Hey Chris (Bruce),
Have you started replying to yourself...

or did you mess about with the password ...



regards,
sudhir

Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
21 posted 2000-08-11 02:44 PM


Thank you everyone who took the time to reply! As Bruce said, kinda long but hopefully wothwhile!

Err... Sudhir... This is MY story, not Bruce's. I do think it's funny that everyone thinks I'm Bruce. I swear I'm not. If you pay attention to the styles, you'll see mine is a bit different from Bruce's!

Sudhir Iyer
Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943
Mumbai, India : now in Belgium
22 posted 2000-08-11 03:28 PM


Errr... Bruce(Chris)...
kind of a slip-up then... or a multiple personality syndrome

May I point to /pip/Forum33/HTML/000812.html
where you responded ... as bruce/as chris...  

I am now officially confused and wobbly...  

regards,
sudhir


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