Draven Youngblood: I Relived My Life As a Vampire God

The year 16 May 33 AD.

Many years have passed since I created my first vampire general, Julius Caesar on 15 March 44 BC. After Caesar's death (that's what the world thinks) and at a heavy cost of lives and fortunes to those involved, the former Roman Republic transitioned into the Roman Empire under the invaluable guidance of an unknown soldier with the name of Joseph Klein.

Whispers on the battlefields firmly maintain that this same man appeared in Rome around the time the Dictator Julius Caesar had beensavagely attacked, resulting in his untimely death.

The brutal death of a man who was not only unarmed but, sadly, unprotected by bodyguards ascended the Dictator Julius Caesar into martyr status much to the chagrin of his enemies. Ironically the unassuming Joseph Klein was in reality none other than the martyred Julius Caesar. In order to be successful, Klein needed to blend in with the persons forming the new Empire. And blend he did.

I'm currently leaning against an Olive tree. Throngs of Jesus's followers are standing shoulder to shoulder watching as their proclaimed son of God slowly ascending above them, his arms are outstretched, open scarred palms raised in adoration to His Father in Heaven.

I was pondering my next move, but the sky darkened, and a figure appeared directly in front of me. He had a full head of black hair, strong handsome features, and tanned white skin instead of red, like I'd seen on him before.

"Hi Lucifer," I said.

 He arched his left eyebrow then replied, "hello Draven."

 A loud explosion came out of absolutely nowhere. I felt like the bullseye in a target. I glanced to my right. My eyes focused on the figure floating about five feet above the ground. It was Death Dealer.

Black energy was swirling around him. I could tell by the angle of his shoulders that he was about to launch all of the fury straight at Lucifer when he stopped and questioned, "Lucifer?" the black swirls immediately dissipated about the same time he silently landed next to me. "Sorry about that Lucifer, you scared me. I thought Draven died when that shockwave moved through."

"I can see why, sorry about that, I had some, uh … complications." Lucifer quickly said.

"Lucifer," I added, "how are you even here? I thought God locked you up in a way where you can't leave Hell, like ever."

"Well, it's like this, as long as I can get a proper and suitable host, I can leave Hell for a little while."

I couldn't contain himself, "then how were you there when you created me? You clearly weren't in a vessel."

"It was quite simple," Lucifer responded easily, "I had gathered enough energy, so I created you. Frankly, it was lucky for me that you wandered into that cave when you did. You entering the cave allowed me to use my remaining energy to give you knowledge."

"Ooookay, well …"

Lucifer continued, "I have been looking for a host for more than sixty-five years. When I finally found one, it took me a couple of hours to find you. It's hard to find a good host now compared to before. I don't know why that is."

"All right, that makes sense."

"Listen closely, I only have a few minutes before this body rejects me. I have three gifts to give you." He pulled out two metal bracelets and tossed them over to me. Before I could react, the bracelets locked onto both of my wrists and automatically adjusted to a perfect fit. Each bracelet consisted of evenly measured black and red sections with my name written in the red area. DRAVEN.

"Ummm."

"These bracelets can turn into any weapon, including mystical weapons. In addition, if you turn both of your bracelets into the same weapon and merge them together it becomes a super weapon. As an added bonus, if you happen to lose it in the bracelet form, the weapon form, or the super weapon form, it will reappear on your wrist in bracelet form. Also you can command them to instantly return to your wrist in bracelet form."

I laughed, "thank you Lucifer."

I looked down at my new bracelets. I actually was excited for this. I was planning to find a forger and with his help try to create something strong that I could use besides my fist. Luckily for me Lucifer had just solved that problem and it was better than what I was going to make.

Lucifer flicked his right hand, a rounded swirl formed into a red bubble around Death Dealer, Lucifer, and myself. The scene moved from Mount Olive to the Garden Tomb where Jesus' crucified body had been laid to rest.

Hot dry air moved over the rough surface of the hillside outcropping of rocks. The expanse of starkness led one's sightline to the dark opening into the side of the hill. Uneven rock formations led to the opening of this cave. I could see beyond the darkness. But for now, the area around this cave was filled with hardy green vegetation. Low shrubs and stunted limbs of windswept trees wore green leaves, and smooth green needles respectively broke the monotony of brown on brown on brown in the desert landscape surrounding the city walls of the city of Jerusalem.

I look around not seeing anything that explained the reason why my dad dragged me here, so I asked, "why did you bring us here?"

"To give you your second gift," Lucifer inclined his head toward the entrance of the cave. "Follow me." Death Dealer and I followed him into the darkness.

I was underwhelmed. The cavern was small and basic. No frills. The walls had been roughly chiseled as if the workers had been in a hurry. I had only managed three paces into the cavern when I caught sight of a raised alter area to my right which had probably borne the wrapped body of the crucified victim. A discarded woven cloth lay in a heap on the floor.

I froze when my eyes locked onto the object above the alter area. A cross symbolizing hope and the anchor of the Soul surrounded by two Greek letters, Alpha meaning the Beginning and Omega meaning the End had been painted on the back wall about five feet above the surface of the alter.

Lucifer pointed to the red cross. "Draven, press your full palm against the cross on the wall."

"Why?"

"Just do it. It will only work for you."

With nothing to lose, I raised my right hand and placed my opened palm flat against the symbol of Christianity managing to cover about three fourths of the cross beneath. It glowed; its hue began pulsating a fiery red as if it had just been resuscitated by my touch. A round opening gradually formed behind the pulsating cross. More round than oval, the colors changed from frosted grays, blues, pinks, whites and threads of silver paving the way through a gossamer haze.

"What's this frosted portal looking thing?"

 "Well, since you put it that way." Lucifer sighed then continued, "it's your afterlife, Easlum."

"Afterlife? Easlum? I'm not dead!" I quickly thought about the last thirty minutes but couldn't find a reason what would have caused my death.

 Lucifer chuckled. He lowered his voice and spoke. "Not yet."

 "Come again?"

 Lucifer quickly continued, "Easlum will be the place where vampires go where they die or selected people who gain your favor and humans that worship you."

Nodding my head. "All right, tell me, how are you able to do this?

"I am a fallen archangel and the son of God, which makes you Draven, the grandson of God. Plus, I have secrets that you don't need to know about right now. Think of those as being on a need-to-know basis."

"Okay," I nodded. That's not what I meant. I didn't fail to notice that he didn't tell me how he created the afterlife. There should be no reason to hide it.

Lucifer nodded. He turned and walked outside. Death Dealer and I started to follow him.

"Now, my son, that final gift before this host body of mine explodes."

"What?!" I said with alarm.

With the flick of his hand, shining purple balls the size of the palm of one's hand flew out of Lucifer's chest. The purple balls flew around him in a tornado formation and headed straight at me and penetrated into my chest with ease not creating a wound.

"Come on! Really! What the heck was that?" I roared in anger.

"I have just given you command of a group of gods; I have given you their souls as well. As a matter of fact, they used to be human, and being mere humans, they wanted more power. This I granted to them in exchange for their souls. I'm calling them the Norse gods.

 After getting an explanation my anger diminished. "Thanks, but —"

 Lucifer interrupted. "One last thing before you go."

 A basketball sized purple ball burst free from Lucifer's chest, nailed the invisible bull's eye on my chest and disappeared within me.

"Now go forth into the entrance of Easlum," he paused, "the lead Reaplum will explain every —" He exploded.

*****

Chapter 5 will be posted within a day.

Then 1-3 chapters weekly.

Thanks for reading.