The Seventh Seal

By Frank Perez

The celestial armies gather under the guidance of Gabriel and his brothers, ready for an all out assault on Hell in an all or nothing gambit.

Broken and bruised after his encounter with Gabriel and Michael, Hunter recovers in Hell with the help of Darkness, preparing their forces for the chaos to come, unaware that Ren has been caught in Hell's web.

Meanwhile, the surviving Gods have their own agenda and the Goddess still sits in the middle trying to protect the Wise Ones with the help of the padre.

Armageddon is only moments away as Hunter tries to prevent the destruction of all we know, and the clock is ticking.

As this chaos and evil disrupt the entire universe, the Goddess D'HarmaSan has reached breaking point.

"They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but I'll let you in on a little secret, the wrath of a scorned woman is nothing compared to that of one that's pissed off and protecting her family."

"And I dare say that the fury of a Goddess protecting all of her children is something that no-one in their right minds would ever want to face."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frank Perez
• Release date: Dec 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370586158

Frank Perez

Frank Perez is cofounder and current president of the LGBT+ Archives Project in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is an instructor in the Office of Professional and Continuing Studies at Loyola University New Orleans, owner of Crescent City Tour Booking Agency, and columnist for Ambush Magazine and French Quarter Journal. He is author of Treasures of the Vieux Carré: Ten Self-Guided Walking Tours of the French Quarter and coauthor of Southern Decadence in New Orleans; My Gay New Orleans: 28 Personal Reminiscences on LGBT+ Life in New Orleans; and In Exile: The History and Lore Surrounding New Orleans Gay Culture and Its Oldest Gay Bar.

Book preview

The Seventh Seal

Chronicles of Hunter

Book Two

Frank J Perez

Copyright 2017 Frank Perez

Smashwords Edition

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Chapter 1

Light colored mist flowed through the dark passageways of the realm created as a holding area for those souls that the God of Heaven felt were undeserving of paradise. From the outset no one individual soul had attained that honor. All had gone through judgment and ended up here-in Hell.

Since the start of time these lost ones had created their own tortures. Each tormented soul bringing to life the individuals worse fears. The darkness was the force that sustained calm amidst the chaos of the realm until the day her master returned, when he would take his rightful place as Lord. She didn’t punish, nor did she reward.

She observed and waited. Growing in strength with each passing soul that showed. Century’s worth of new individuals seeking redemption for things they alone knew all housed within.

The darkness paused for a moment to look in on the soul in front of her. Visions of a decayed and burnt city building came to her. A naked man sitting in his own filth, chained to the wall. Rats gnawed on his genitals as he screamed in pain as a group of children laughed at his misery while throwing rocks. Whatever transgressions the man thought he had committed during his life being were being paid for as his own imagination saw fit and conjured to life.

She pulled back and moved onto the next.

A bleak, desolate landscape stretching out endlessly in every direction assailed her senses. Once again the smell of Sulfur and burning came to her. ‘Why do they always believe Sulfur is part of Hell? Even the ones that create icy-cold darkness include it as part of their world!’ Inside a woman just wandered without purpose trying in vain to connect with the people she saw around her. No-one acknowledged her presence or made eye contact. The punishment she inflicted on herself was an eternity filled with nothing. No love, no hugs, no compassion. The darkness paused for a moment longer studying the misery caused by this torture. It was excruciating and far worse than any of the physical ones that others created for themselves. A torture of loneliness and silence.

She withdrew her awareness. Always a different version of the same sort of torture. Every single one based on the soul thinking that they had broken some kind of commandment from a higher power rather than realizing that the only sin they were committing was actually breaking the words of some deranged people looking to have their name immortalized within whatever religion they grew up with. Sexually repressed individuals or groups that were either looking to gain more power or to cover up their own excesses and perversions. A lot of times, both.

The souls that sat here punishing themselves failed to see the universal truth. What they currently underwent as penance was a creation of their own warped minds. The discomfort they were undergoing would never help them in their journey towards enlightenment. How could they not see that the commandments they had failed to live up to during their lives always conveniently tied up with the beliefs of those who wrote them? If these laws had been truly commanded by a God why would they constantly need adjusting? Why wouldn't the Divine Being make them clear? There would be no need for any form of human intervention!

If only she could make them see the truth.

But it wasn't her place to do so. She made them all as comfortable as they requested. Still, it amazed her that they would only know suffering at their own hands in the one realm that had been formed out of sheer love. For all the potential she saw within them it astounded that they could be so short sighted and continue to believe the utter nonsense that had been dumped on them during their brief mortal lives.

Her lord's realm was vast, bigger in size and number than any of the rest. The God currently reigning in Heaven continued to send souls into Hell, ensuring its continued growth, and it was all hers to maintain until her own master showed up to take command.

She yearned for the day that it happened. Perhaps with his guidance these lost souls would finally find peace and the path to eternal happiness and love. That was her ultimate hope.

And then he’d arrived. Not in the strength she had so often dreamed about but bruised, battered, torn and dying. This was something that she would never allow after having waited so long for him to arrive.

Cradling his prone body, after his battle with Gabriel and Michael, she had treated his wounds and filled him with her strength. Her task simple in her eyes. Her master would recover and he would learn. She would pour her vitality into his own and make him strong again. Tying the strength she held to his and allowing him to dispose of their enemies. Giving him the freedom to be able to turn the poor lost souls in Hell towards the light.

She swirled her mist over his body and began molding her essence deep into his core, whispering knowledge into him at the same time.

‘It was a crazy attempt for you to take on two of the most powerful beings in existence alone when your power is but a shadow of what it should be. He squirmed as the darkness continued. True, it should have been only one of them but you learned a very hard lesson. Never trust any of those brothers again! The same beings had already turned against your own maker, Luxfer. Not to mention your Mother. She placed her trust in them only to be betrayed! Her teachings lost to them as their ambitions grew.’

‘The potential to bring the poor lost souls who currently dwell in this realm to enlightenment can only be achieved through love and light. Our enemies do not fall into this category. They have shown their contempt for the pure ways. Redemption will never be achieved by them as long as they continue to use, abuse and kill without regard to others.’

His sweating body thrashed as images of the darkness continued to burrow deep inside him. She would continue to teach as he recovered, showing him where he had made mistakes and how he could avoid making them next time. Mixing in her love with the strength she gave him. They would stand together eternally. The last true bastions against the evil awakening throughout creation. Eventually Hunter would grow in strength and power and gain justice for the brutal loss of her original master Luxfer and the Goddess.

Both would be avenged.

~~~~~

Hunter rose and stretched his tired muscles. The time he'd spent recuperating had now come to an end. Darkness surrounded him like a lover, empowering him with visions, truths and power. No longer was he the simple Hunter that had begun this journey. He had grown immensely in spirit and now stood as the lord of Hell. The deep slumber bringing clarity to his life and the future paths he must walk.

Bonnie was safe and would continue to be so under the watchful umbrella of D’HarmaSan while Luxfer still held the barrier together that contained the Brethren. These things were all under control for the time being.

Gabriel and Michael were his immediate concern.

The two brothers had trained and fought together under the guidance of the Goddess for centuries. In the time before Hunter had been given his mantle of power, Gabriel had amassed many individuals and trained them. The loving darkness made him aware that the odds of winning any encounter against them was not good. Locating any potential allies with enough strength to help would be useless. The only alternative available to them was to create their own army from the powerful souls already inhabiting Hell and the darkness herself had already pinpointed certain individuals that would form his initial training group. His new generals. She had even taken it upon herself to provide the knowledge required directly into the individuals in question anticipating Hunter's acceptance of what they both knew needed to be done.

'The only thing left,' she added, 'is for you to approve the plan and take your rightful place as Lord of Hell. Everything else has been taken care of and is ready to be put in motion.'

A smile lit his features, Lord of Hell. It had a nice ring to it. The odds would be even with a dark army at his command, and once that was taken care of, plans could be made to take out J’ova. The Brethren would be a walk in the park compared to these.

Bringing to mind the souls that filled his realm saddened and filled him with rage. How could anyone ever think that this torture was the meaning behind it all? Endless suffering, constant torture for what? Because they didn't follow some arbitrary rules created by someone else while they lived? Because they ate the wrong animal or took a drink of alcohol? Because they hadn't died in a way that was acceptable to others? This cannot go on. All these souls need to find the truth. We must find a way for them to be released! D'HarmaSan would be furious if she knew the suffering they endure for no reason.

All of them have been waiting for you, my Lord. Let me show you the ones I have chosen to begin with.

On the silent command from the darkness the group she had chosen marched wordlessly to her Lords chambers. She measured them again ensuring they were still worthy. Each chosen for the potential they carried within. A certain spark in their awareness had spoken to her of what they could be capable of with the right guidance. Drilling deep into the consciousness of each she had taken each of them back to a blank slate, ready for her to infuse the knowledge they would require. All of them were ready to be paraded for her Lord. The final decision always rested with him. Her job had been to provide.

For the first time in her existence she felt a little nervous. This was the first task she had undertaken for her Master and she didn’t want to disappoint. Her eyeless gaze followed the group as they strode in to meet their Lord for the first time.

Hunter sat on a simple wooden chair as the group marched in. Each moving in unison and stopping an exact eight steps away from him. As if commanded they dropped to their knees as one. Getting up from his chair, he paced slowly across the front of the kneeling souls, taking his time inspecting each of those before him. There was no doubt in his mind that the darkness had chosen appropriately and he was not disappointed. He sent his thoughts out to her, 'they are magnificent my love. I couldn’t have chosen better myself.'

Her entire being swelled with pride at both the words of her master and also the inherent feeling behind them. 'I live but to serve you, my Lord. All that you desire I will always strive to make happen, no matter the cost.'

"Please. Let’s dispense with all this my lord business. Your essence is an integral part of me now, and I wouldn’t expect my own heart to address me so formally. Tell me, was it difficult to locate this many? How many others do you think you can find?"

'Millions, my love. The ones you see before you are only a small sample of the total. Each of these souls are a weapon forged within the fires that burn in your realm and instilled with the passion for life that you bring. Many of them are looking for a chance to redeem themselves by perhaps getting another chance at a full life. Others have already started to gain a small understanding about the true path to enlightenment. All of them however, are eager to serve you. Each one a powerful warrior capable of destruction driven by the greatest power of all-love.'

A sad smile crossed Hunter's features, So many lost ones that need our help finding the true path. How can they all be so blind my love? It would only take them a second to reach enlightenment if they would open their eyes and hearts for the briefest of moments! Instead they languish in these self-created prisons! Why? Because a handful of self-proclaimed power-hungry lunatics told them so when they lived? He shook his head once more, The Gods must truly hate Mother to treat her children with such contempt.

The darkness swelled as she felt Hunter's disappointment, searching for a way to help, 'I know love. No one understands the truth the way you do and that's the reason I don't worry about these souls. As long as you're here to show them the way, they will survive.'

Chapter 2

The fight was even more lackluster than the four brothers had expected it to be.

The bodies of twenty other warriors lay broken, shredded and bloody on the sands of the arena around them. The crowd looked on completely stunned. The raw fury and controlled savagery displayed by the four warriors had rendered them speechless. Never had they witnessed a display of such unbridled power and carnage. They all thought it magnificent and a new standard had been set for future games.

For the four brothers standing on the sands of the arena however, it had felt like nothing more than a warm up session. They'd barely broken a sweat and no dirt clung to their garments.

The first couple of attempts by the twenty warriors had been met with tentative defensive replies as all four of the brothers had regained their initiative and the rhythm needed when fighting as one. From there it all turned ugly for their opponents. Twenty warriors who had never known fear or defeat had not lasted another full minute. Nothing in their training had prepared them against the savage assault suddenly facing them. Death had finally come.

Exchanging looks, each brother’s face broke into a grin as memories of their past battles came to mind. As one, they disappeared from the sands of the arena leaving behind a stunned world and one ludis owner who was now bankrupt. His life most likely to come to an end on the very sands in front of him at the hands of those who controlled the games. All of them would scream for his blood and his death would be the only price they would accept. Closing himself away from the furious cries of the crowd, he wept.

~~~~~

The sun’s rays streamed in through the giant lead-lit window overlooking the room. Tiny multi-colored dots hitting the grandiose banquet table sitting in the middle. A table that could easily have held twenty people with room to spare.

The four brothers sat around the table. Gabriel easing back in his chair, a wine-glass raised in front him, Here’s to my brothers, united once more and our glorious first victory as one in centuries. To Us!

To us, echoed the rest.

Servants stood in the background anticipating any need that each of the seated warriors may have. Gabriel at the head of the table, undisputed leader. To his left sat Michael, the Gods most fearless warrior with the largest of hearts. On the other side were Uriel-the calming influence and balancer of the group seated next to his twin Raphael, the healer.

The table in front of the group was overflowing with an assortment of meats, vegetables and fruits. An impromptu celebration decided upon by the brothers on their return from the battle and claiming of the twins.

Popping a grape into his mouth, Gabriel continued I’ve been waiting so long for this moment. You’ll never know how much I missed you all while you were gone. Now, we’re together once more and we can finally take care of the things that Mother wanted from us.

"As we all agreed before the split, I’ve kept certain things moving. I’ve convinced J’ova that we serve him and making him look