Black Soul Eater

By Bryan Nyaude

Deranged and on the verge of a psychotic meltdown, the villainous assassin known as Rave travels across the galaxy in search for the legendary book of knowledge. He plans to use the book to restore his soul; however, the journey takes him into the path of treacherous, evil humans and monsters from the greatest nightmare. He is forced to make a difficult choice, in the end. Will he forsake his soul for a chance of happiness or will he destroy everything that stands in his way to reclaim all that he lost?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bryan Nyaude
• Release date: Dec 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463682685

Book preview

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BLACK SOUL

EATER

LEGACIES OF MONSTERS BOOK 3

By Bryan Nyaude

All rights Reserved. The characters, events, and settings of the story are all a work of fiction and a product of the writer’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual person, living or dead is entirely coincidental. This book is for your personal use only. No part of this book may be reproduced, introduced or stored into retrieval system, without proper permission from the author.

Copyright © 2019 by Bryan Nyaude

Image Design by Tithi Luathog

Table of Contents

Author’s Summary

Other Books

Chapters

To the Reader

The ghastly tale of the psychotic villain known as Rave continues in this third book. As you may have read, in the first two books, it is not a story of heroic acts of bravery, nor does it have a happy ending. It is a true horror story from your wildest nightmare, and it not for the fainthearted. If you are brave enough to continue, then prepare for the wildest ride into a dark world of unending terrors and monsters.

Other Books by Author

LEGACIES OF MONSTERS BOOKS

PLANET CHIMERA

DARK BOY

BESERK WARFARE BOOKS

END BOSS RETALIATION

END BOSS ANNHILATION

END BOSS A short story

Chapters

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

1

Upon the crack of dawn, I arrived on the outskirts of the accursed city of Ore. Old chunks of earthenware pottery and woodwork lay barren along the pothole riddled road leading into town. All forms of vegetation seemed to have vanished, as if it all had been uprooted by a vile phantom. The town was built upon a hill overlooking a great river, but it had dried up now and was full of black sand. Once a glorious colony city, now it lay in ruins, a testament of the massacres that happened a decade ago. It was cold and ominous, with an eerie darkness that unsettled me. But I was a desperate man and I saw no other choice than to continue forward in peril. Holding Tomrio, my steed of black and silver mane, by the bridle, I covered my nose and squinted. Red ash and soot fell from the sky, green lightning flashing as thunder rumbled. The noxious smell of burning flesh proved to be too hard to ignore. In the wind, I could hear a hubbub of whispers, all coming from every direction around me. Then everything went silent. My horse stopped moving, trembling, aware of something I could not see or sense. I slowly disembarked, pulling my satchel and weapons from the creature, once I realized the spooked animal would go no further. Up above, I could see a low glimmer of sunlight, the sky still as dark and treacherous as a moonless night.

I hope the book is here, I whispered, gently strapping on a holster, with my cutlass on the left side and revolver on the right side.

I trudged forward, ignoring all the warning signs plastered across wooden pikes, notifying strangers not to venture towards the town. The rumors all seemed to be true. I could feel the evil in the air, a malicious and vile intent to kill permeating from the ground all the way to the sky above me. If I continued further, I would most likely perish. My immortality was no longer my trump card as I had been weakened during my battle with Shovan and his companions. What I thought was power emanating from me turned out to be the greatest curse I could ever receive. I felt searing pain from my right hand, as the power of the light slowly began to consume me from the inside out. It was the reason I had journeyed to this savage region of earth, to find this legendary book. It was rumored to have great power, written in runes of ancient languages, and said to possess the knowledge of all things. If anything could remove this cursed radiance from slowly eating me, it would be in the book. But I was a bit skeptical. To think that a powerful book of that magnitude was hidden in such a place brought me nothing but discontent and wrath.

I plodded through black sand, my feet sinking all the way to my ankles as I made my way towards the heart of the town. The settlement looked abandoned and rotting. The buildings, once grand and majestic, were slowly crumbling, the metal structure beneath protruding out. I felt numerous eyes watching me, but nothing stirred within the shadows. Unnerved, I slowly unsheathed my cutlass from its scabbard, my eyes dotting in every direction. There were many passages meandering through the small town, all leading in different directions. I could not see how far each passage went, as they all seemed to extend for miles towards different sections. It would take days, if not weeks to search through every nook and cranny for this book. If it was even here at all, I thought.

Bending down, I muttered beneath my breath and slowly wrote a rune on the ground, marking my first checkpoint to ensure I would not wander in circles.

To my right, I heard a loud whirl of a woman in distress. It was coming from the oddly shaped building with a red door that was slightly crooked. All the window glasses burst outwards, a strong gust of black wind blasting the red door off its hinges. The strange whispers from before began to mutter something in a language unknown to me. I slowly stood up, unaffected or distraught, and did not move a muscle. It seemed I was not alone. And I had no intention of helping anyone, unless it benefited me in any way.

Please, help me, the woman’s voice continued, her voice filled with terror and dread.

Upon hearing her voice call out to me, I did not falter or feel any form of sympathy towards her. In fact, I no longer felt anything. Shovan made sure of that when he stole my soul from me. However, I was curious as to what all the commotion was all about. The thought of it being a trap weighed deeply on my mind. After all, I was not the first person to venture into this town, seeking to retrieve the book. This only made rushing to her aid treacherous, since no one, who came looking for the book, ever left this place alive.

Now what? I sighed, turning my head around.

On the other side of the town, I heard curious footsteps, doors being opened and forcibly shut. A thin and tall figure, clad in a hooded, black cloak leaped from building to building. I could not clearly see a vivid description of the creature; however, I could tell that it was fast and inhuman. It only stopped upon reaching the last building, as it watched me with dark and hollow eyes. I rubbed my brow with the palm of my hand, the hair on the back of my neck standing. This creature was dangerous. I could tell just by looking at its posture and choice of weapons. Long, sharp claws protruded out towards its knees, its face hidden by a silver coated mask. To my disbelief, it did nothing but glare at me. Upon looking back, I realized there were more of these creatures popping out of thin air, each standing on top of each structure, surrounding me completely. They were waiting for something, it seemed. Abruptly, a howling wind erupted, black dust and soot being picked up from the ground and flung into the air. The architecture of the town became barely visible, except for the building in front me. I shaded my eyes with my free hand, scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary. The air echoed with a strange laughter, the ground beneath my feet shifting slightly. Something was approaching. Every sense in my body cried out to me to flee this place at once, but nothing would dissuade my will. I was determined to find that book, even if it killed me.

Black, stinging rain began to fall from the sky, the stench of the liquid far worse than rotting eggs. I could no longer linger out in the open, as it was no longer safe. The enemy, it appeared, intended to lure me into the building in front for whatever nefarious reason. I felt something approach from the rear and rolled forward, pulling out my revolver. Nothing stirred behind me, but I felt like I had been touched on the shoulder. It was probably one of those hooded monsters, if I had to guess. They were nothing like the monsters my old friend, Zad, had made on Planet Chimera, but their appearances had the same effect on my psyche.

Out of options, I dashed forward for the building in front of me, knowing full well what I was walking into. I smiled in a wry manner, enjoying the dilemma unfolding in front of me; the darkness within me had been stirred. It had been too long since I have eaten a soul to replenish my strength. The hunger inside of me had grown to epic proportions and I could no longer take it. But this place had plenty of dark souls, enough for me to devour for weeks, even years.

I burst through the wooden door, knocking off the golden knob to the ground. The floor squeaked beneath the weight of my feet, the tapestry covering the window moving slightly. The structure was a house of some sort, with a stairway leading up to the second and third story. On the table, I spotted old dry apples, rotten to the core. Dishes and metal kitchenware were scattered in every direction, a red stain covering the marble ceiling. Upon closer inspection, I noticed claw marks all over the carpet and dusty, wooden floor. The house had been vacant for quite some time, I concluded. Turning around, I shut the door behind me, shrugging off dirt and debris that had taken refuge on my cloak. The filth and rain drenching all my garments caused me to cough and wheeze violently. Safe to say, my search for the legendary book was off to a rough start. I had heard of this book being hidden here through scuttlebutt from different colony-folk, but none of them could give me accurate information as to whether it was true. In my heart, I knew, I was approaching this matter with a lackluster demeanor. The old me would have destroyed this town and plundered through every valuable in sight. I would have most likely tortured one of those monsters for information, and left none alive.

If only I had my soul, I muttered, pointing my revolver forward, sauntering towards the next door.

Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out an old map parchment, detailing the structure of the town, before it became ruins and debris. It was now damp and barely readable due to the black rain that had soaked into the old paper and ruined the ink. I could barely tell where I was, or the location of the town hall. But to my fortune, I caught a glimpse of sunlight slowly entering through a crack within the wall structure on my left. My silver cutlass glimmered when the light hit it, the golden hilt glowing with a faint, orange color.

Please, help me, a feminine voice whispered, the voice coming from upstairs. Please, don’t leave me here.

I should stop delaying the inevitable, I snickered, twisting my body around, my eyes locked on the stairs leading towards the second story.

I saw no use in prolonging this charade any further; the sooner I dealt with these monsters, the sooner I would return to searching for the elusive book. Her cries for help suddenly stopped, her writhing and convulsing movement following after. Unsure of what was proceeding, I crept up the stairs quietly, careful enough not to leave my backside unguarded. A soft and gentle breeze of cold air hissed from within the old walls, making the portraits on the walls shift slightly. And upon reaching the second floor, I stopped in my tracks, glaring at the door in front of me. There was a faint light beneath the wooden door, the stench of rotten flesh getting stronger. What lay on the other side of this door would soon reveal itself to me whether I wanted it to or not.

My instincts kept yelling at me to turn back and run, but I chose to saunter forward, my head held high. The air coming from the other side of the room had a malicious aura about it—it cried for mass carnage and destruction. It wanted to rip me apart, consume my flesh and devour even my bones. I felt disheartened at first, but my desperation to find this book, cure myself from the light of purity, proved to be a convincing ally for me. I could no longer tolerate the pain, the sleepless nights, and all the hallucinations that came with my insomnia. The thought of descending into madness and perpetual pain was enough to push me forward into opening the door. Massive cockroaches escaped through the crack in the door, blowflies following soon after as I was knocked back by a deadly stench of doom. I closed my nose, rubbing my teary eyes, unable to bear another step into the room. Coughing for a few seconds, I straightened up and dawdled forward, my revolver raised in front of me. My assumption that this house was vacant was entirely false. I observed a fireplace with wooden logs burning in it, massive animal heads mounted on the walls, and a bed with linen covers. The chair in front of the fire began to rock back and forth.

Have you come to rescue me? a woman asked, her face and body hidden behind a rocking chair facing the fire. Her bare feet were a few inches from the hearth, the fire rustling in a low pop. Will you please free me from this place?

I think you have me confused with someone who cares, lady, I replied, ignoring her pleas. I looked around the room for anything of value I could swipe and sell later for some quick cash. I am here for a different reason and I am no hero.

Did you come for the book then, stranger? she asked, her back still turned towards me. All I could see was the top of her blonde-haired head. Will you aid me, if I tell you where it is?

She slowly stood up, in all her grace, the stench clearly not affecting her at all. She was a young, fair maiden with light, blonde hair that reached her lower back, golden eyes that glowed when reflected to light. She wore a tattered dress of fine nobility, and a bright blue necklace of emerald rubies and sapphire. Ordinary men would sure fall for her, would do anything she commanded without a moment’s thought. But I was no ordinary man—her charms would not affect someone like me.

Why do you seek the book? Why do you desire its power? She asked me, walking closer to me, the shackles on her hands and feet rattling in thud and clang. I had not noticed them until she began to move.

It is none of your concern, I boomed, holstering my revolver whilst keeping my cutlass firmly at hand. Well, speak. Where is the book?

If I tell you where it is, will you rescue me and set me free?

That depends on your answer and if there is truth to your wisdom and knowledge.

No, I want you to say you will rescue me from this place. I want to hear you use those words. I want to hear you say it. Say you will free me.

Upon uttering those words, her demeanor and posture changed, her eyes turning dark for a second. She wasn’t human, that much I concluded. Furthermore, the way she phrased her cry for freedom unsettled me. I knew to be wary of what I say next. Moving slowly back, I lowered my stance, preparing myself for the worst outcome possible. The evil aura I had felt before was oozing out of her like steam in a hot teapot. Her face, I knew, was nothing more than an illusion to lure unsuspecting men into her trap. Her face began to grimace with anger upon realizing that I was not planning nor intended to set her free from her prison. Her blonde hair fluttered, her teeth turning sharp and long like those of a shark.

What in the, I rasped, awash with a feeling of dread and terror. This feeling of doom—it had been so long since I felt it. It was rather exciting and scary at the same time.

The room was now covered in old dried-up blood, the floor cracked and dirty. All around me, I saw skulls and bones from several individuals—some human and others of alien descent. This was no mere illusion; it seemed too real. It appeared I had stumbled into her feeding nest and I was her next meal. The door behind me closed, the windows closing, one at a time, leaving me trapped in with her. Long, massive spider-like legs sprouted from her back, her garments slowly tearing apart from the sheer force of her new form.

You said you would help me, she whispered, tears falling from her eyes, which were now turning red. You promised to free me if I told you where the book was.

I promised no such thing, I scowled, pricking my ears in a violent manner. The amount of blowflies in this compartment irritated me to no end. You never told me where the book was.

Lies, she screamed, roaring like a wounded cougar, her skin turning dark and horrid. I want to leave this place now.

Twisting my back to the left, I took my revolver and shot her multiple times in the stomach, planning to maim and restrain her movements. I plotted to wound her until she was immobile, and then take my time extracting information from her about the whereabouts of the book. But to my horror, my bullets ricocheted off her hardened spider-like body, bouncing all around the walls. She cracked her head sideways and vomited corrosive saliva all over the room. It smelled horrible and melted the skulls and bones in mere seconds. If it touched me, I knew, I would be mortally wounded. I jumped out of the way, parrying her spider legs with the hilt of my blade, attempting to get close. My plan to wound her without killing her seemed to be back-firing.

If you tell me where the book is, I may free you, I lied, sidestepping while shooting her on her left clavicle. You will not be able to kill me—not with your current power.

Filthy human, she hissed, her misshapen body finally taking the form of a giant spider. You are not leaving this place alive. You were doomed the moment you entered the town. Everything within it is a part of me. There has never been anyone who ever escaped from my grasp. Why do you think this town is empty? Have you ever wondered what happened to the town a decade ago?

Now it all made sense. The ominous feeling I felt the moment I stepped into this town was her. It was her who massacred the townsfolk a decade ago, but I was not sure as to the reason. To be honest, I didn’t care to know. My ambitions and desires for the book were for my own selfish