AS SHADOWS SCREAM (BOOK ONE)

Chapter 18: 'I am the sins of the world'

*Dedicated to spite- whose incredible book 'Born From Chaos' has some of the best mythology ever and is just an incredible imaginative story that you need to read*

Detective Monroe opened his mouth and the shadow beast spoke in a deep, dark ominous tone, 'you have failed but then again, did you ever really think you could succeed?

This was an inevitable outcome. You are so pathetic young James Crowley. You don't even understand your own abilities. You see sin in everyone and you are tethered to the darkness but you can't control it or use it to your full potential. Instead of using the darkness you let it overpower and overwhelm you. I sense the pain it has brought and believe me, it has brought me much joy. Now your father, there is a man who had control.
 He was almost a worthy opponent. You are nothing like Thomas Crowley.'

James heaved himself into a seating position. His whole body wrought with unimaginable pain. He struggled through strangled breaths and managed to muster up a few words and said, 'how... father... how.'
'How... father... how.' The shadow beast mimicked James sarcastically then continued menacingly, 'how do I know your dear old dad? He was tethered to me as you are.
He tried to stop me just as you have attempted and I killed him just as I will kill you.'
James eyes opened in shock. This was the same beast that killed his father.
He needed to keep the shadow beast talking. The longer it talked, the longer James had to try figure out a way to carry on. He had come too far. This was not the end.
The shadow beast had possessed Detective Monroe to hurt James.
 The beast believed his possession to be a deep psychological blow and maybe it was at first but not now. Now, as James looked at the face of his friend he was reminded of Monroe's words to him. He had to keep fighting and he had to destroy the shadow beast whatever it took. The beast had told him that James did not know his full potential, that instead of controlling the darkness, he let the darkness overwhelm him.
This meant that he could control the darkness. He could do more. There was hope.
James looked up at the shadow beast and asked, 'how?'
The shadow beast curled the detective's lips into a wicked, malicious grin and answered,
'I am darkness. I am the sins of the world. Every dark thought, every evil deed, it feeds me.
Humanity created me. It was all your sin, all your darkness that built up and gave me life.
You didn't think that every time a psychopath spilt the blood of an innocent a demon would rise from hell and go on a killing spree? No. it is just me, the living embodiment of humanities sin.' The shadow beast walked towards Cain, who was still lying on the hospital bed slowly bleeding out and murmuring softly. The beast gestured to Cain and said, 'when this brilliant mistake of a human brutally murdered that delicious young innocent virgin, he opened a gateway to allow me back on this plane of existence. Yes, I killed your father but he was smart, skilled and I underestimated his resolve. He used very old, very dangerous magic and used the darkness in ways I had never seen. In killing him, I was sent back from whence I came. That will not happen again. You will not have the luxury of death, not just yet. You will bear witness to my triumph. You will watch as I unleash hell upon earth.
You will bear witness to the death of every one you know. The streets will be bathed in blood, bodies will litter the roads and you will witness it all. You see sin and darkness so this is my gift to you. I will show you everything. Only after you have witnessed your failure.
Only  after you have seen and felt the death of every human on this planet, then you will know death.'


During the shadow beasts whole angry tirade, James had been concentrating and focusing on controlling the darkness in him that was tearing him apart. In his mind he pictured himself pushing all the shadows together. He focused on the darkness and pushed it all together into a pulsating ball. Slowly the pain started subsiding. The shadows stopped screaming inside of his head. Slowly he started taking control. The beast had told him that he did not know his full potential. Now was the time they were both going to find out.
James closed his eyes, focused on the darkness, opened his eyes and screamed.
A pure primal scream of absolute rage. James' hands curled into fists so tight that his nails drew blood in his palms. James rose to his feet with a steel hard look in his eye and his jaw jaunt with determination. The shadow beast swung the detective's arms forward trying to throw James against the wall but James remained standing strong, the beast's abilities having no effect on him any more. The shadow beast took a step back and James took a step forward. He raised his right arm out towards the beast and said, 'you should have just shut up and killed me but it seems you acquired more from humanity than just anger and rage.
Your vanity and pride are your downfall. In your blind boastful tirade you taught me two things. One, that I have the ability to control and use the darkness and two, that you are darkness.'

James curled his hand into a fist slowly and drew his arm back, pulling the shadow beast out of its host, Detective Monroe. The shadows engulfed the room screaming loudly.
Echoes of death rang throughout the dank basement. James quickly dropped and rolled forward towards where he had dropped the watcher blade. He then picked it, rose and in one swing he sliced the watcher blade across Cain's throat. He then lifted the blade and plunged it into Cain's chest. There was an earth shattering, deafening roar as the shadow beast imploded into nothingness. James collapsed to the floor with a smile on his face. It was done. He was going to see Casey again and all was well just like she said it would be. He took control like his father had and now the world could spin some time longer.
Even at the darkest of times there was always hope.

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