Renascentia Diaboli

Death man’s final frontier.

The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn no traveler returns.

Within an endless abyss, feeling nothing.

Was this my mind speaking or something else?

Rather maddening, my life has become or was.

Death at thirty-two, trying to end slavery in a world I do care for… It really was a bad joke.

The Roman poet Horace was a rather well-known poet in Rome, and one of his quotes that survived through the years was “Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori.”

A translation to English would be, “It is sweet to die for one’s country.” This quote was used in a poem about the war to end all wars. It's a rather ironic name, as it has been joked about before.

The almost pornographic nature if the United States ever got its hands on this quote.

I can’t say much.

I was a fool who died for my ideals.

And what is a country but an ideal?

But it was an ideal, my ideal, no others, that took my life.

Even if this was not my land, I still bleed for it.

For the evils of slavery are too heinous for a man to ignore.

Whether they had become spoils of war or were stolen from their native land. Or the punishment of slavery is too heinous of a thing for any crime.

But what is man but that of heinous acts done to another?

I know that I shall never feel the pain that all of man holds upon itself, but I try to imagine their pain as the Devil himself would feel it.

Why would I dare call myself The Devil?

It was for a number of reasons, but if I were to pick one, it would be the yearning for freedom that every man holds deep within their selfs.

But as it seems I had perished within the battle for freedom; my last thought would be hoping the soul of John Brown will continue to march on.

I closed my nonexistent eyes.

And succumb to the abyss being erased

from time…

from space…

from reality…

“Wake up.

Come on, wake up.”

A feminine voice kept repeating these words until I opened my eyes.

“Good, you're finally awake.”

This woman stood over my body.

Kicking at my leg.

I took a swig from my flask.

“Can a man no longer rest in peace?

Also, who are you?”

“I am Amaterasu, and I’m about to bring you back to life.”

“Why, the last time I bashed a man's head in repeatedly until he was dead because he annoyed me.

Then I killed hundreds of men; why would you bring me back to life?”

“The first reason is you freed hundreds of slaves.

And you helped those people in that cave.”

“That’s it.”

“What, do you want me to retell you your whole life story?

It’s your tale; you tell it.”

“What are you in the first place?”

“I am a goddess, one that you are being pretty rude to.”

“Hey, you’re the one who brought me here.”

I was still lying upon the ground when this self-called “goddess” started to grow, and a bright light shone around her.

“I’m already dead.

Why are you blinding me too?”

“V, you will return to this world once again, but know this: when death comes to you once more, it will be your end.

Now scram.“

The sound of wind hitting leaves invaded my ears.

Sunlight hit my face, causing me to open my eyes.

And just like that, I was back in the land of the living.

Fuck you, Shakespeare.

But it's rather anticlimactic, isn't it?

Well, that is life.

In reality the bad guy gets shot in the face before he is able to give his speech.

And the bad guy may not even be the bad guy…

Where was I going with this?

Who knows?

Pain had filled within like a fire moving throughout a forest.

My body has been this sore for at least ten years.

I moved my hand towards my flask to ease the pain as always, but it seems not to be there.

Looking around, it seemed I’ve been more from the great outdoors to someone’s home.

Also, I seem to be nude.

But my body was covered in a blanket, and it appears I’m lying upon a bed.

Well, you take what you get.

Better start investigating.

Thud.

I’ve rolled out of the bed onto the wood-paneled floor.

It appears that I’m on the second floor of a house from how the sound of the thud sounded. I’m still in the middle of the forest; this also comes from audio evidence that I have gathered since I awoke.

I kept trying to walk, but my legs maintained their belief of bucking on me.

If this was a stealth mission, I would be dead fifty times over.

I gave up on the construct of walking and started to drag myself around to the desk that was across from the bed.

Pulling myself up to look at the top of the desk, I found a note.

It said, “If you’re reading this, you have regained consciousness. You're here because my wife was on a walk and found you covered in blood and mud. She felt bad and carried you back here. Cleaning your room and putting you in an extra room. Your clothes are in the drawer, and the other things are downstairs. Get your clothes on and stuff and leave.

My wife said I was to rude on the last part but I don’t you and just want you to get out of my house.”

I wouldn't trust me either.

I've taken a look at myself, and I look insane.

Putting on my clothes, I continued downstairs.

Dragging myself all the way down.

When I finally got my slow ass downstairs, I found two women inside a kitchen.

One was cooking, and the other was reading the paper.

The headline was “THE DEVIL IS DEAD!” At least someone was happy about my death.

The whole scene reminded me of my past and living with my parents—and I wish it didn’t.

The women reading the paper saw me.

“Hey, it looks like the stray that reeked of death has finally woken up.”

“Funny.

Can I get my knife and gun so I can leave?

I have things to do.”

“Come on, Luna, give the man a break.

And you look at yourself; you can't even stand up. You are staying here till you healed.”

“Okay, I promise.” Luna grumbled.

“I’ve been through worse.”

“No way, mister. I found you pretty much dead, so until you will, you gotten stay here.”

I looked at the woman whom the other women called Luna.

“Am I going to be able to change her mind?”

“No.”

I look back at the women cooking.

“Fine.”

“Good, my name is Ruby and I’m happy you awake.”

“The name’s V.”

“Who named V?”

“Luna, don’t make fun of other people’s names. I think V is a great name.”

This Ruby woman seemed too good for this world.

“I have a great idea. Why don’t you grab a seat and join us for breakfast?”

“I’m not much one for breakfast.”

“Well, it seems you’re not much for food. I’m not even too strong, and I was able to carry you back here. Also, you regain your strength faster when full, so join us.”

“Come on, guy, haven’t you realized that she is going to get you to do what she wants no matter what?”

“Hey, Lunnnaaa.”

“Just telling the truth, Ruby.”

“Fine, I’ll join you.”

Never been strong-armed into a bloody breakfast before.

“That’s great, sweetie. Oh, Luna, can you get his stuff out of the drawer?”

“Sure, honey.”

I could feel the life drain from me once more with all this love suffocating me.

The sound of a drawer opening, and Luna's pulled out a wooden crate.

She placed it on the table and went back to her paper.

I dragged myself over to the table and took a seat.

Checking all my equipment, it seemed to be there.

There was a bullet within the chamber, so I removed the magazine and discharged the round.

Catching it.

Checking my magazine, there were about 8 bullets, including the one I discharged and was putting back into the mag.

There were 4 more magazines and 2 grenades.

I placed each of them in my jacket.

There was also my harness for my Jerico and holster for my knife in there.

My knife was already in its holster, so I took it out and looked it over.

Seemed fine.

Putting the harness on was somewhat painful, but the bandages that covered most of my body lessened the pain.

I was also finally reunited with my oldest friend my flask, and started to slam it down.

“They say you shouldn’t drink when healing from a serious wound.”

“They can try and say that when they’re in this much pain, then I’ll stop.”

“Luna, right, V you shouldn’t drink that poison when trying to heal.”

I feel like a mother (not my mother) keeps talking to me when Ruby talks.

She finished breakfast and passed it out.

For the next few days, I healed, thinking about my next steps.

For some reason Ash Williams killing Deadites with his chainsaw and boomstick crossed my mind.

He was never cut open while fighting the evil dead.

I tried to walk around to get my movement back, and I continued my hard drinking even with all the protests from Ruby. In this battle I was much more stubborn.

A few days more have passed on, and I was healed enough to move. Even if pain still consumed me whole, how could the Devil complain about such a thing?

I dare not try to leave during the day because Ruby would just drag me back and tell me to heal a bit longer, and I couldn’t argue because she would be right. But failed to believe I deserve to stay any longer.

“I must thank you both for all your help. For letting me heal under a roof and feeding this fool. I would tell you farewell in person, but in the few days I have known you, I have realized that I could not say what I need. So farewell Ruby and Luna. And stay safe and stay in love, for in this world what more can a person have than another loving person to live and then one day die with?”

I pen it in my notebook and tear it out.

Placing it on the table where the note that told me what to do when I first awoke.

As if this note were a reply to the original.

It seems like I was actually pretty good at stealth when I had full access to my legs.

I believed that until a voice appeared behind me.

“I guess you’re the type of guy who leaves without saying thanks.”

“I left a note. It says why I’m leaving in the middle of the night. I’m thankful, but I have to leave.

“Well, all I have to say is don’t get yourself killed out there. I don’t want to carry your body back in here.”

“I’ll make sure to not be dead in your front yard again.”

“V!”

“Okay, okay, I promise to be safe out there. Promise me you will be safe as well.”

“I got Luna to protect me so don’t worry about me… Goodbye, V.”

“I have a good life, Ruby.”

I was stricken with melancholy, knowing the only thing I would witness in my journey ahead would be horrors no person should see.

I paused for a moment before pulling open the door…

And force myself to walked out.

I say my bike was parked right outside their house.

So, I got on and left.

Because I knew I wasn’t worth this.

For all the sins I committed and the blood I spilled.

These people… these nice people I couldn’t stay any longer with them.

I did want to drag them into the pits of hell with me or drag hell to them.

A warm wind hit my face.

The only sound was the engine beneath me.

I’ll once again alone, as it should be.

The only thing I could do now was to become stronger.

Before I try and find the others.

I looked through my mind and believe I found a way to grow stronger.

I didn’t feel like cutting off my right hand; the Boomstick will have to do for now.

Because…

Good...

Bad...

I'm the guy with the gun.