Origin of Evil

By Sinistral

 

 

Part One: Gods and Monsters

 

Chapter Two: The Dark Destiny

 

 

Back on the roof of the resistance headquarters Anubis and General Xerxes watched in horror as the two-headed Asp of Darkness advanced on Menas and Armon. Anubis had been rather offended when Menas had scolded him earlier due to his protest at being left behind. He was proud and hated being talked down to, especially by his own brother. However, any hard feelings he felt towards him soon turned into fear as he witnessed both Menas and Armon struggling in the jaws of the giant snake.

 

“Menas! Armon!” he cried in vain. “They’re going to be consumed by the Asp! I knew Menas was bluffing before.”

 

“No, it does not seem to be devouring them,” observed Xerxes. “It looks as if the Asp is trying to sedate them. Keep an eye on those peculiar vapours.”

 

“What in the name of Ra is that creature doing? Has the Asp some ulterior motive?”

 

The captive brothers had fallen unconscious in the teeth of the Asp. Anubis watched helplessly as the creature turned and glided off towards a group of dark hills towards the west, still carrying Menas and Armon in its jaws. The remaining seraphs on the battlefield looked on for a while and then turned towards the wounded. The writhing bodies of seraphs littered the ground. Their cries were terrible and Anubis began to feel ill with both worry for his brothers and sympathy for the poor victims. He was somewhat startled when Xerxes tapped him on the shoulder.

 

“I have to be off to tend to my brave soldiers Lord Anubis. We lost many souls today. I am truly sorry about your brothers. Whatever that monster intends to do to them I hope it is quick and painless. I would organise a search but I’ve lost too many warriors already. I am not going to send more seraphs to their doom. The only thing that we can do is prepare for the Asp’s next attack, however futile it may seem.”

 

Anubis simply nodded. He did not know what to do. His first impulse was to charge off in the direction of the Asp, confront it and save his brothers. But even as he contemplated the idea he shook his head.

 

“If Menas and Armon could not fend off that thing then what chance do I have?” he thought out loud. “If only I knew what it was doing here. The Spirit World has been a place of liberty and tranquillity since the dethronement of father.”

 

He looked around to see that he was standing by himself on the roof of the building, a solitary figure in the midst of the aftermath of bloody battle. He gazed down and observed Xerxes looking clearly distressed. The General was walking among the wounded and survivors, speaking with those who could manage replies and comforting those in pain.

 

“Poor creatures. There is nothing more I can ask of them. This malicious creature must be stopped but I must return to the White Citadel and speak with Osiris. I cannot bear the thought of how Charmian will react to the news. Possibly Osiris can consult the Book of Creation to gain an answer to this. I will not give up yet.”

 

Anubis walked back through the headquarters, pondering the almost impossible situation. When he was once again out in the open he approached Xerxes, who was busy dressing a nasty wound on the forehead of an unfortunate seraph archer. Blood was seeping out of a fresh cut and the General’s hands were soaking. He gave Anubis a serious look, as if attempting to anticipate the young god’s actions.

 

“If there is anything that I or my fellow siblings can do to alleviate your problems we shall do so,” said Anubis, realising the tardiness of his comment only too late. “The situation may seem discouraging…”

 

“Discouraging!” yelled Xerxes. “You do not say my lord! Spare me your ridiculous platitudes Anubis and hurry off back to your White Citadel. We have seen what your benevolence has achieved, absolutely nothing. I have apologized for your losses but that is as far as my compassion will go. Leave now and never return.”

 

Anubis struggled to find words with which to counter the General’s comments, which to him sounded rather ungrateful considering. Either way he was in no mood for an argument and simply turned away from the seraphs and made his way out of the ruined city. As he approached the forest he took one last look at Seraphina. The flames had died down and all seemed quiet and peaceful. He sighed and continued towards the Citadel, never looking back again.

 

 

 

 

Menas opened his eyes to find himself lying on the ground of what appeared to be a cave. He felt incredibly drowsy but noticed that he was not at all in pain. As he looked around he spotted Armon lying close to him. He tried to move towards his wounded brother but did not have the strength.

 

“Armon, can you hear me?” he called out with much difficulty.

 

Armon did not stir. Menas tried in vain to crawl towards him but as he did so he was struck with overwhelming fatigue and collapsed again upon the ground.

 

When he awoke he jolted fiercely. It was much darker than before and he could hardly see his own hands. He reached out blindly in the darkness to see whether he could reach Armon this time. His hand touched something. It felt cold and scaly. Menas leapt back in fright.

 

“You!” he cried in horror. “Get away from me you revolting creature!”

 

As he lurched away from the Asp’s body he heard that terrible deep man-like laugh again. It echoed throughout the cave, rebounding off its walls. With some trouble Menas stood up and tried to move away. However, it was much too dark to see where he was going and he tripped over something solid on the ground. He then had to cover his eyes quickly as a bright purple light suddenly illuminated the cave. When he brought his hand away from his eyes he discovered that he was inside a huge cavern of sorts. The light came from a large torch that was attached to the wall. The torch’s fire, he noted, was the same colour as that of the flames in Seraphina. He looked down to see to his surprise that it was Armon lying on the ground next to him. Armon was awake but seemed to be transfixed.

 

“Armon, it must have been you I tripped over in the dark. Are you all right?”

 

Menas frowned deeply. Armon looked almost insane with terror.

 

“What are you staring at?”

 

He turned around and froze on the spot. The Asp was looking straight into his face, its golden eyes staring right into his. Menas grabbed Armon by the arm and moved away from the giant snake. The Asp let out another profound laugh and grabbed Armon. It flung him to the side and then advanced on Menas. Menas backed up until he felt the cold stone wall behind him. Before he could do anything else the Asp’s head plunged towards his torso and dug its fangs deep into Menas’s side. A cold numbing sensation combined with a painful burning filled his body from head to toe. He cried out in considerable pain.

 

“No!” yelled Armon from behind somewhere.

 

Suddenly Menas felt a strong burning sensation in his chest and he roared in agony. It felt as if someone was trying to tear his heart out with a red-hot poker. Then his terrible pain unexpectedly subsided. He stood up and rubbed his chest, which was still burning. To his surprise he noticed that something had appeared on it. It was a tattoo of a scarlet disc with some strange elaborate symbol. Upon closer inspection it appeared to be an image of the Asp of Darkness with its heads intertwined.

 

“So the legends were true,” spoke a deep voice. “You can only be Menas the Dread Lord of Darkness. I am forever your loyal servant.”

 

Menas looked up. The voice had come from the Asp itself. He no longer feared it. In fact he felt as if he could destroy it with one heavy blow. A wonderful sense of ultimate power surged through his body. He felt stronger than he had before. He felt as if he was the most powerful being in the Universe. It was only then that he noticed that the Asp was significantly smaller than when he had seen it last. He estimated it at no more than twenty feet tall.

 

“Who are you?” he demanded boldly. “Speak if you value your swarthy hide.”

 

“I am Noxious, the great black serpent and faithful slave of Rosencrantz, Archmage of the Demon Realm. Long ago Rosencrantz learnt of a prophecy, which stated that one day he would serve someone who possessed iniquity beyond his darkest imagination. It also stated that I would be the creature to determine that person. That is why I am here and why I now bow to you.”

 

“Can you give me any insight into this?” asked Menas, pointing at the strange mark that had appeared on his chest.

 

“The Menas-Rouge is its name,” answered Noxious. “After the person on whom it rests of course. That sign indicates that I have located the certain individual from the prophecy I spoke of just now. That symbol depicts me. You and I share a bond Menas, an everlasting union of malice. You are the person Rosencrantz has been searching for, the one that he is destined to serve.”

 

Menas shook his head and turned away from the snake. It was just too much to take in. Something dug at Menas and urged him to understand, to appreciate the gift he had been given.

 

“I don’t understand,” stuttered Menas. “Rosencrantz knew of me? But how is that possible? Surely I cannot be this person.”

 

“Feel the power within you. The Menas-Rouge proves your identity. Search yourself Menas. You know this to be the truth.”

 

Menas looked thoughtfully at Noxious and then once again at the Menas-Rouge, his own personal insignia. All of a sudden a thought crossed his mind. If he was destined to be the great Dread Lord of the Demon Realm then surely he could overthrow Osiris and become King of the Spirit World also. If he possessed enormous powers of evil then why was it not possible? Noxious seemed to read his thoughts.

 

“Lord Menas I can feel the anger within you. You wish to depose your older brother and take his place. If this is so then I can be of assistance. Rosencrantz has been watching you for some time now and has seen your potential. He has used his dark powers to create a weapon of such monumental evil that he himself cannot wield it. It is a weapon destined for you and you alone.”

 

Suddenly there was a flash of red lightning and before Menas appeared a long gleaming black sword. Menas saw his hands reach for the mystical blade. As they grasped the hilt there was a sharp crack and the lightning subsided. The sword was smoking and at the base of the blade appeared the same strange symbol that was present on his chest, the Menas-Rouge, the icon of his malicious supremacy.

 

“This malevolent sword is called the Dark Destiny,” continued Noxious. “With this weapon you can destroy the good and summon the evil. If you are to conquer the forces of King Osiris then you must destroy the Book of Creation. All of Osiris’s powers rest therein. It is the ultimate benevolent force in the known Universe and has the ability, however regrettably, to counter the power of the Dark Destiny. Once you have destroyed the Book Osiris’s powers will wither and vanish. However, if you are to consolidate your power you must vanquish all who stand in your way. By that I refer to your siblings, including your own wife Charmian. They must all be eliminated. This must be done before the Book can be used against you.”

 

Noxious then turned towards Armon, who was still sprawled out on the floor. The Asp moved towards him leisurely and then glanced back at Menas.

 

“This one, however, can be of use to us. He has great loyalty to you I believe.”

 

Armon, who had heard all of what Noxious had said, was slowly backing off towards the other end of the cavern. He was determined to escape from the vile monster and the brother he no longer recognized. Menas noticed him; his eyes flickering like clouded rubies.

 

“Will you help me to vanquish our enemies brother?” questioned Menas calmly.

 

“Menas, what is the matter with you?” protested Armon. “That fiend has filled your head with such evil designs that you cannot be thinking straight!”

 

“Armon, we are destined for greater things, you and I. I told you of this once. When I am King of the Spirit World you shall be my right hand. We must only purge ourselves of the obstacles between us and the ultimate power.”

 

“But destroying your own brothers and sisters. Is that not going too far? Why not simply confront Osiris and demand that he share his powers with you?”

 

“What ails you brother?” said Menas, his accent dripping sarcasm and his eyes digging deep into Armon’s. “Why not say what you really think?”

 

“I said nothing,” protested Armon, a new feeling of dread entering his body. “I only speak of negotiation.”

 

“Negotiation is the policy of a weak and faint-hearted individual. I am neither. I will never share any power with Osiris. I will share with no one! Besides, Osiris is the same as I am. He would never divide his power with anyone and for that I admire as well as loathe him. No Armon, Osiris and all the others must be disposed of if we are to secure our positions as rulers of the Universe. It is the only way. ”

 

“But what of Charmian? Have you no compassion?” pleaded Armon desperately.

 

“Compassion!” snarled Menas. “We must put such feelings aside Armon. Charmian would only try to stop us. She must be destroyed along with the others. The Menas who loved her was a different person, a pathetic and feeble character. I am now alone and stronger for it. I cannot let my past love for Charmian ruin my chances of gaining the power I so long for.”

 

Menas stepped forward and put his hands on Armon’s shoulders. Armon shrank back instantly.

 

“Do you defy me traitor! I am offering you power beyond power! By Ra, how can you be so ungrateful?”

 

Armon noticed that Menas’s eyes were no longer as he remembered. They gleamed a sinister bright red. It was as if the Menas he had once known had been replaced by an entirely unrecognisable creature. Armon felt Menas’s malice surround him like a shroud of darkness. It felt cold and uncomfortable and overpoweringly potent.

 

“All who resist the will of Menas shall be destroyed! You try my patience!”

 

Menas was about to strike his cowering brother with the Dark Destiny when Noxious intervened. The Asp blocked the path between the two brothers.

 

“Stay your hand my lord. Your brother will do as you command and within his heart he knows it to be true. You mistake his incomprehension as disloyalty. He will follow you to the end. This has all come as a shock to him.”

 

“Very well my sinuous friend,” agreed Menas with a dark smile. “Look at me Armon. I see in your eyes that you do not recognize or particularly like what you see before you. But regardless of my quest I am still your brother and will protect you for as long as I can. Our time has come to claim what is rightfully ours. You told me yourself that you did not wish to be one of Osiris’s lackeys. Join us brother and fulfil your true destiny.

 

Armon stared into his eyes and sighed. He loved Menas and it was all true. He did desire power, power over his sanctimonious brother Osiris and the others who believed in him – Isis, Charmian, Thoth and the foolish Anubis.

 

“Very well,” agreed Armon finally. “I will not question you Menas. I have always looked up to you and will no longer oppose your will.”

 

Menas smiled an evil smile and grasped his youngest brother by the shoulders. He then turned to Noxious. The Asp had been watching the brothers silently and moved towards them.

 

“Lord Menas I have more to tell you,” hissed Noxious slyly. “My assistance comes at a price. Archmage Rosencrantz requires you to aid me in completing his evil work in this Sprit World of yours.”

 

“Tell me his wish my two-headed companion,” said Menas, the cruel smile still stretching across his face in the menacing purple torchlight. “If I agree with what he wishes me to assist you with then I shall duly comply.”

 

“Archmage Rosencrantz desires to vanquish all of these wretched beings known to you as seraphs. As you well know I have, for some time, been devouring the puny creatures. Swallowing them is satisfying but biting them is even more thrilling as their suffering is greater. Help me to destroy all the seraphs. I have already reduced their precious city to rubble. There are very few left. The Dark Destiny can perform the same functions as my evil venom. This you shall see if you agree to help me. I would advise that you cooperate.”

 

“Why the seraphs? Of what importance do they hold to the Archmage?”

 

“That question can only be answered by the Archmage himself. It is a matter than needs no discussion. The more important question is whether you will help me or not. Do you agree to do so?”

 

“It is a small price to pay for your assistance Noxious and I do agree. Armon I have a small task for you. You will leave at once for the White Citadel. Do not travel near Seraphina at any cost. Once you have reached the Citadel you will inform Osiris that the Asp of Darkness has been destroyed and that I have remained behind for a short period longer to assist the seraphs in whatever way I can.”

 

“Of course Menas,” Armon replied obediently.

 

After witnessing Menas’s temper before he was keen to remain on his brother’s good side. He played up to him, which was not too unlike his normal behaviour. If there was one person Armon did not mind serving it was Menas.

 

“You will then wait for us to come and we eventually shall,” continued Menas. “Make sure that none leave the Citadel. When I arrive I will shake the very foundations of Osiris’s powers and bring them crashing down. He will meet the Dark Destiny and surely his fate. But first I must assist our lithe friend in annexing, or rather massacring, the miserable seraphs.”

 

Menas released a small sarcastic laugh. Armon nodded affirmatively and headed off out of sight. Menas gazed at the mysterious Noxious. The Asp returned his glance. There seemed to be a strong bond between them and both could feel it well.

 

“I have great powers of deception my lord and they are most subtle,” said Noxious.

 

With that he shrank to the size of Menas’s hand and penetrated the Menas-Rouge upon the blade of the Dark Destiny. Menas looked at the sword with delight. It truly was a magnificent blade. Then his eyes suddenly shifted to his own body and he did a double take. There were some noticeable changes in his appearance. His tunic, which had been white, was now black with red patterns. He also had a gleaming golden belt around his waist to which was attached a scabbard, evidently for the Dark Destiny. He was also wearing a long cape, the same colour as his tunic. The finishing touch to his new attire was a black helmet with a visor over the nose. Two snakeheads, not unlike Noxious’s own heads, protruded from the top of the helmet on either side.

 

“Well isn’t that a novelty,” laughed Menas, sheathing the Dark Destiny and racing out of the cave in the direction of Seraphina.

 

 

 

Back in Seraphina the situation had calmed somewhat since the disaster of the previous day. The remaining seraphs were still incredibly worried and none more so than General Xerxes. The General gazed about in despair. The city was in ruins, the population was somewhere around a shocking five hundred, especially after the latest massacre, and the crowning blow – the gods sent to aid them had been no match for the Asp.

 

“So much for their superior power,” the General scoffed. “They were absolutely useless, pathetic. Brave nonetheless, but still pathetic.”

 

The remaining seraphs had assembled before the ruined building that acted as the headquarters of their resistance. Xerxes addressed the remaining seraphs from the roof, almost emulating the actions of the day before.

 

“Citizens of Seraphina. We have learnt a valuable lesson from yesterday’s battle. Do not think yourselves to be inferior to the gods. Look at what they did. That gigantic snake carried two of them off and the other ran home with his tail between his legs. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We seraphs do not need assistance from the gods. They may rule this Spirit World but they will never rule us. They will never conquer us. We may fall to the Asp of Darkness but never to them!”

 

Suddenly there was a large crack of lightning and the sky, which had been clear blue, changed to a dark purple, and a familiar dark purple at that. Many seraphs looked up in fear. Xerxes swallowed loudly. What followed put fear in the hearts of all present. A deep evil laugh reverberated around the city. Many seraphs cried out in terror. Some fell to their knees with their hands over their eyes.

 

“Oh no Xerxes! You will never fall to a god, you say! Well let me be the first to disagree!”

 

Xerxes and looked around feebly. The General could see no one.

 

“Show yourself!” cried Xerxes in alarm. “Who are you? What are you?”

 

“Why up here you wretched creature! Your days have ended. Now it is time to meet your destiny!”

 

Xerxes glanced upwards. A long black sword was flying towards the seraph leader. The General was paralysed with horror and tried to move out of the way. It was to no avail. The sword struck beneath the helmet and deeply into the neck. At that moment a figure materialised with his hands grasping the sword. Before the seraph finally collapsed it took a last look at figure standing in front of it.

 

“Menas!” stammered Xerxes, before the lifeless body fell to the ground and disappeared.

 

Menas it was, looking more terrible than ever before. His black cape blowing in the wind and the Dark Destiny held high above his head. He looked down at the seraphs. All were staring back in fright. Menas let out a cruel laugh and addressed them.

 

“Welcome seraphs! Welcome to the seraph apocalypse! Welcome to doomsday!”

 

With that Noxious emerged from the blade of the Dark Destiny and grew to a tremendous size, bigger than ever before.

 

“The Asp of Darkness!” screamed several seraphs and all began to flee in terror.

 

“Come. Let us finish this once and for all,” said Menas to Noxious and the two of them descended upon the helpless creatures. “There will be no tomorrow for the race of seraphs.”

 

What followed was a massacre to end all massacres. Menas glided about the seraphs slaying two at a time. They collapsed in fits of pain and vanished. Noxious, on the other hand, still preferred his lengthy methods of slaughtering. He swallowed some and sunk his fangs intensely into others. Writhing bodies once again began to pile up. On and on it went, Menas showing no mercy. Many tried to escape under ruined buildings but all were unsuccessful. Menas merely had to wave the Dark Destiny and the helpless wretches flew towards him. This was what the sword was meant for, cold-hearted cruelty.

 

After several hours there were only about 150 seraphs left and they had formed a temporary barricade within the abandoned town hall. They locked the doors and waited. The building was one that had not been badly damaged and seemed to be the best option, the only option.

 

“I’ll crush that building to rubble,” hissed Noxious. “Those seraphs really are fools if they think they can escape their destruction.”

 

“No Noxious. I have a better idea,” said Menas. “I will destroy them from within. Leave these fools to me. You go and search the city to see if there are any seraphs left.”

 

“As you wish my lord,” answered Noxious as he slithered off in the opposite direction.

 

The seraphs inside the town hall were growing anxious due to the silence outside. Seeing their beloved leader fall to the sword of one they had depended on for support was more terrible than anything they could have imagined. They had all felt the blow Xerxes had been dealt.

 

“Do you think there are any of us left outside?” questioned one.

 

“It doesn’t seem likely,” replied another. “That was Lord Menas who slew our brave General out there. General Xerxes was right. Gods are not to be trusted.

 

“Yes,” agreed the first. “Did you see the Asp just appear like that. I’d say the gods are in league with that monster. We can’t go down this way.”

 

“What choice do we have. I fear our time has come. But if we must go down at least we will go down fighting.”

 

There was a loud knocking at the door that made all the seraphs jump with alarm.

 

“Who can that be!” panicked one. “Do you think it could be a seraph trying to get in! We must see what it is.”

 

“No! It will be Lord Menas or the Asp trying to trick us. Do not open that door!”

 

“I will not stand by and have an innocent seraph murdered because we were too afraid to help. I’m going to open it.”

 

“Very well,” sighed the cautious seraph, not failing to utter under his breath, “Not that it makes any difference.”

 

The seraph walked towards the door, unlocked and opened it. A wounded and very weak looking seraph stumbled in. The others inside sighed with relief. The seraph quickly locked the door behind him.

 

“Thank you my friends,” it spluttered. “I feared for one moment that I would be finished. Bolt that door now. Lord Menas chased me here. We must keep him out at all costs. Bolt that door now before Lord Menas can work his magic.”

 

The seraphs hurriedly closed the door, feeling almost hopeful that they stood a chance against their seemingly unstoppable foes.

 

“You’re very lucky,” said the seraph who had let the wounded one in. “What with that Asp and the evil traitor on the loose we are all fortunate to still be here now.”

 

“Perhaps not so fortunate,” laughed the seraph with a new deeper voice. “Caution is the wisest policy when dealing with a force much greater than your own. You should have listened to the wise one. It might have saved you another minute!”

 

The seraph’s eyes dilated and turned a deep red colour. The pupils vanished. The other seraphs leapt back in fear, trembling like mice trapped by a cat. A flash of red lightning surrounded the seraph and it transformed. The evil Menas was standing in its place.

 

Several minutes later Menas walked out of the building, smiling the same evil smile.

 

“That was really too easy,” he said to himself, feeling almost cheated, as Noxious emerged from the eastern sector of what had been Seraphina. “Were there any seraphs still hiding out there my cold-blooded cohort?”

 

“Several,” replied the reptile. “But I was able to catch them. They are finished and you have indeed kept your word Menas. Archmage Rosencrantz is in your debt. You have aided me and now I will aid you.”

 

“Then the time has come for me to face my brother and bring him to his knees. I will crush Osiris and the others and then take my rightful place as King of the Spirit World!”

 

“I am yours to command, say the words.”

 

With that Noxious, once again, shrank and disappeared into the mark on the blade of Menas’s sword. Menas sheathed the Dark Destiny and looked up.

 

“There will be no looking back. My path ahead only moves upwards. For Osiris it only moves downwards.”       

 

 

Continued

 

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