The Devil

By Jaysen True Blood

The battle between the Devil and Uriel for the soul of the world has begun. the pawns are in place. Let the eternal chess game begin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jaysen True Blood
• Release date: Jun 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223000365

Jaysen True Blood

Jaysen True Blood was born and raised in the Midwest where he currently resides. His first taste of writing came early in grade school with a class assignment. a few years later, his love for writing would return as he found himself with another class assignment, this time a poetry unit. through junior high, he would write a series of novels, many poems, and begin his long interest in writing song lyrics as well. In high school, he would learn the value of tall tales, myths and other kinds of stories as he continued to build his store of stories. upon graduation, he went for a semester at a university, where he would write two stories, one of which would become a serial online for about six months. Returning home, he worked at just about anything he could find, but never strayed far from his love of the story. After his first marriage, he signed on with Keep It Coming, an e-zine, where he wrote two serials, "Tales From The Renge" and "Breed's Command" (the same characters appear with Fancy Marsh in several subsequent westerns. The serial was taken from a manuscript written for a class assignment while in high school). H also wrote writing and music related articles for the print version of KIC that came out for just three issues. When KIC went under, Jay was once again forced to work at different jobs just to make ends meet. between 2007 and 2010, Jay would release "Seven By Jay: Seven Short Stories", "The Price Of Lust: Book One Of Faces In The Crowd" and "So Here's To Twilight And Other Poems".

Book preview

The Devil

(Words by Hoyt Axton. Used with permission.)

It’s been raining in the mountains 

And the river’s on the rise

And we cannot hardly reach the other side

And the devil he’s in trouble

I can see it in his eyes

If you don’t give him shelter

He’ll have no place to hide.

The devil deals in dyin’

And he travels in a hearse

He’d treat you like a dog now

He’d like to treat you worse

And he don’t have the answer

And if he did he’d lie

The devil is a joker

And he don’t want you alive.

And some you win

And some you lose

And the winners all grin

And the losers assay

Deal the cards again

Oh won’t you

Deal the cards again?

L.A.’s in California, Lord

I been there many times

It is an education to be sure

I loved a lovely lady there

She opened up my eyes

She ran a dancing school

It was a front, she loved the Lord.

It’s been raining in the mountains

And the river’s on the rise

And we cannot hardly reach the other side

And the devil he’s in trouble

I can see it in his eyes

If you don’t give him shelter

He’ll have no place to hide.

It’s been raining in the mountains

And the river’s on the rise

And we cannot hardly reach the other side

And the devil he’s in trouble

I can see it in his eyes

If you don’t give him shelter

He’ll have no place to hide.

Oh it’s raining in the mountains

And the river’s on the rise

And we cannot hardly reach the other side

And the devil he’s in trouble

I can see it in his eyes

If you don’t give him shelter

He’ll have no place to hide

The devil deals in dyin’

And he travels in a hearse

He’d treat you like a dog now

He’d like to treat you worse

And he don’t have the answer

And if he did he’d lie

The devil is a joker

And he don’t want you alive.

And some you win

And some you lose

And the winners all grin

And the losers assay

Deal the cards again

Oh won’t you

Deal the cards again?

L.A.’s in California, Lord

I been there many times

It is an education to be sure

I loved a lovely lady there

She opened up my eyes

She ran a dancing school

It was a front, she loved the Lord.

It’s been raining in the mountains

And the river’s on the rise

And we cannot hardly reach the other side

And the devil he’s in trouble

I can see it in his eyes

If you don’t give him shelter

He’ll have no place to hide.

Chapter 1

"It’s been raining in the mountains/And the river’s on the rise

And we cannot hardly/ Reach the other side..."

It had been raining endlessly in the mountains for over a week. The normally placid creeks-usually ankle deep-had already swollen into raging, angry rivers bent on sweeping away everything downstream as they roared onward down slope. These raging monsters fed into the river which meandered into the valley from the foothills. And the river had begun to devour the low lying areas of the valley rather rapidly.

Tori had lived in these mountains for most of her twenty years, occasionally trading them for the dull flatness of the lower valley for the winter. Her brother, James, often led hunting parties throughout the region and had been away when the rains came. But she never worried about him. He had always been able to take care of himself. He had always been able to return safe and sound.

Something felt different this time, though. As if this was no ordinary storm and that their lives would be inexorably changed. It was a feeling, a premonition, she couldn’t shake. And she didn’t like feelings she couldn’t shake. They brought bad things.

The last time she had one of these feelings, they had lost Pa. Ma had been first, then Harkiss, then Pa. Philip was still somewhere out there in the woods, alive, but intentionally lost. Sara and Michael had both left the hills for the city, never to return. Thomas had been killed in a war, and David had fallen to his death a long time ago.

She had been three when David had died, and barely seven when Thomas had been killed. She had barely reached her teens when Michael left, and had just turned sixteen when Sara left. Phil left shortly afterward. Then Ma died.

Harkiss had been the moonshiner that grandpappy had been, but that had all ended in an explosion. People had found teeth and bone fragments for miles after the still exploded. After Harkiss’ death, Pa lasted only months. And each loss had been preceded by a dream...and a feeling.

Now was no different from then. Tori had dreamed that this storm was coming. She had felt the dread building–as if something evil was hidden within its folds of rain, howls of wind, and roars of thunder. She just couldn’t place her finger on what.

Outside, the lightning flashed angrily, followed by the loud cracks and ripples of thunder. The house shook as if an earthquake had beset the mountains. Tori was sure that small fires had been started along the timberline and possibly farther up in the mountains, but she was not about to venture out to find out for sure.

All she wanted was for Philip or James to return. She needed someone who would protect her. She needed someone who could soothe her fears. But she had no one. She was all alone.

***

Philip stood atop the ridge just above his childhood home. He knew his sister was there alone. He knew James was away. Most of all, he knew what was loose in this storm. He also knew that it was up to him to protect his sister from it all.

Hell had been loosed upon the earth. An evil like no other now walked in the guise of a man. Philip had seen him.. He had seen the gateway open in the rocks. After all, he had been the one who’d found it and had done everything in his power to keep others away from it. He had fought to keep it closed.

He continued to do so, even after he’d found the stone tablets and ancient deer skins that contained the prophecy. Even after he learned that his vigil and his determined fight was all for nothing.

God forgive me, he whispered, and grant me the chance to keep my family safe.

With this, he plunged from the crest into the forest that blanketed the mountainside. He had to reach the house before the Evil One did. He was Tori’s only hope, though he didn’t know what he could possibly do. He knew that there was nothing a human could do to stop the ultimate evil, but he had to try.

***

James was beside himself. The stranger before him was pale, almost ashen, and looked like death. Yet, for one who should be dead, he was very much alive. His cold, emotionless blue eyes seemed to pierce a person to the soul bearing all their sins before God and the whole universe. Below his hawk-nose, a ribbon of blood-red thinly outlined his mouth. A wild mane of platinum, almost snow-white, blonde hair framed it all.

Seemingly frail in stature, the stranger had an amazingly strong vise-like grip that could bring even a bodybuilder to his knees. James knew he wasn’t what he seemed. He was much more. Exactly how much, James was unsure.

He rarely spoke. But when he did, his words were cold and emotionless. Often, he murmured softly in a language James imagined had not been heard for millennia.

Stranger, James had stated, when the man had joined the group, I don’t believe you’ve told us your name.

You didn’t ask, came the icy reply.

"I am asking now, friend. I must know who