Notes

“But she is barren M’lord. She has always been such. I have checked her womb every day and every night for twelve years. There is no possibility that she could bare a child. And especially at this time. With no warning. I have suspicions that this is some form of magic that has been used upon your lady...” The local physician of the kingdom of Babylon had told the second lord of the great king of Persia. The night was stormy and the rain was shaking the very ground. Yet there was silence. No one spoke. No one dared to pray. The rain itself did not fall in its regular diagonal direction but in fact straight down. And in a way that almost made it seem afraid to make a sound. Yet it was then. Soon after the physician had spoken with the lord that the cries of a healthy baby could be heard throughout the city. “He is the devils child M’lord.” The lord refused to believe this. His wife was incapable of conceiving a child. It had been medically proven by the best physician of Babylon. Yet somehow she had had a child this night. He refused to believe it was magic. He refused to believe she had bedded another man for he loved her too much. And he refused to believe it was a miracle of God. For this child had caused his wife great pain. Pain he never wanted to see her go through. “What shall we do M’lord?” The second lord now faced away from the raindrops softly tapping the window. As if indicating a sign. A message from God. “Then if this is the devil’s child. We shall treat…” He paused as he tilted his head towards the physician in which he in turn left to look at the lady. This gave time for the lord to tremble. Show weakness when no one was around. What was he to do? He now had a child that he must look after. What was he to do…? It was then that the short and stumpy man returned with a slight grin on his face. “The boy.” He said with his ears perked. It was a boy the lord thought. At least his heritage could be gathered up. But he feared otherwise. “Then we shall treat the boy as such. But we will give him a home. He came out of the wife of the second lord of Babylon. Imagine what the commoners would think if their king’s lord was framed for using witchcraft to conceive a child. It would be improper and cause a rebellion. No. We will look after him. But we will not take responsibility that another other parent could…we can’t…” Was the last word that would be heard from the lord as he turned his back to the physician and towards his cambers to where he would face his new son.

The son of the second lord of Babylon was nameless for a year after his birth. It was only when his personality was revealed did a name dawn on them. And thus they decided to call him Shayatan. Shay grew up to be a rather rude child. Rebellious. Always disapproving of what his parents told him. His so called parents. He was known by the kingdom to be the devils child. But he did not care for such names as he knew they would not say it to his face. Else they would be in danger of facing the king. He had always been out casted. Always thrown to the doges when he did not need a bed to sleep in. And in this he spent most of his free time outside of the city. Watching the knights of Babylon who preferred the outside accommodation. He watched their techniques. He watched their movement. Their abilities with a blade. And the armour they donned. He wished to be just like a knight. His eyes scanned the courtyard and watched the knights swinging rotation of his wrists and rapid movements of the arm. Moving the blade as if it was nothing but a stick between his thick palms of flesh. It amazed Shay’s eyes. And as always. When the knights left for the city once more. The young boy would sneak into the courtyard and steal one of their overly large swords. He would then practice alone with this large sword. Struggling to use it at his will as he was but a wee child. But that never stopped him. Soon he began to train just like a knight. Perhaps even more. Training every minute of the day. Getting into fights that would provide experience with his hand to hand combat. And it was a pleasure to those who were allowed to fight him. They would be able to get a punch out of the devils son. However it was soon turned around as they swallowed their words. He grew to become quite the warrior. But also the troublemaker. The number of times that the second lord was called up to the palace in discussion of the disturbances his son had been causing. There was no solution to this but one. He was opted for knighthood. They accepted this. Glad to get rid of the pain in their behind. They had even hoped he died. By now he was at the age of 17. A young and quite handsome boy if it wasn’t for the marks that covered him head to toe. And the constant bloodied nose. It was there that he met her.

His eyes looked over the candidates for knighthood. They skimmed over a boy with stubby hair. A rough and chubby build. It had been looking like he had pigged out on the local butcher. Stealing his hidden supply of meats. He then came across one that looked rather thin to be wearing such gear and wielding a blade such as the common longsword. But then his eyes fell upon her. A girl radiating with such light that almost blinded his eyes. She did not wear the usual gear that the men were wearing. In fact she was a girl. How in the heavens did she ever gain a place in the ranks of a squire? He did not know. He was indeed confused about it all. But her beauty was what stunned him the most. Her hair was pure black like the night sky. Her eyes white as the heavens that shone above them. And she smelled of such grace that his nostrils had never sensed before. Such cleanness. Such innocence. Such loveliness. And now he was drowned in aura. That was to be short lived when knights began to pour out of the barracks and towards them. All of the other candidates started falling in line. Saluting them as they came past. Shay did not show any of this. He simply stood where he was. Helmet under arm and blade sheathed. Yet his fingers twitching for a good fight. However he was a squire. And if he wished for a nice bed then he was to fall in line. Shay soon found out who his knight was to be. And in fact it was a rather stubborn man. He went by the name. Gydeon. This man was stronger than any man he had seen before. Yet he had flaws. He was constantly drunk. Carrying a bag of alcohol with him wherever he went and caused Shay to carry it. And the trials he gave were blasphemy. He was told to lift boulders up a mountain. He was strong. But he was not that strong. He struggled to lift the boulder even a quarter of the way before his muscles gave way and he passed out in the cold and wet snow of the mountain. He was then given another trial where he was told to survive in the wilderness alone. But with a disability. A rupture to his right shoulder blade. A wound cut straight through the muscle and dislocated the bone. It was impossible. He would of died if the drunken knight. Gydeon did not come to his recuse. But he persisted.

He tried and tried again to be what Gydeon wanted him to be like. He had only ever received one piece of gear. A chainmail torso. He wore this every day and every night. Training. Slowly his figure began to grow and grow with his excessive use of large swords and the trials that were given to him. He slowly learnt why he had to lift that boulder up that mountain over and over again. For it helped build his muscles that were all used to bring such an object to the top. And at the top of that mountain lay a blade. Custom made for him, by Gydeon. He used it proudly. Feeling the flow of the blade easily. However the wilderness trial he repeated over and over until he finally learnt the lesion. He had to survive no matter what. He had to show that he was strong enough to do whatever it took to win. So without any hesitation he placed his dislocated shoulder blade back into its socket. At the same time he fended off an attacker with his least dominant arm. He had gotten so used to it in fact that he soon became ambidextrous. Trail after trial he learnt slowly what is was to be a knight. And more importantly what it was like to be a warrior. The drunken night after a long while soon came to like the boy’s skill. Despite the rumours about him. During this time he had occasionally met the girl he laid eyes on. He learnt that she was excellent with her knighthood. Passing every trial with ease. He first spoke to her at a hanging out with all of the knights and squires. It was there he accidently bumped into her. And soon they began to talk. He learnt that she was not from around Babylon. And he knew, she did not dress like it. He also learnt that she was once a healer. A knight that could heal was a great asset. It was no surprise why they had wanted her. But he also learnt her name. A name that would never leave him. Sama’el. He grew to like her. Then soon. To love her. And she did in turn. They shared their love. They kissed. Then they made love. It was uncommon for squires to love each other as they did. But is seemed they were made for each other. After a couple of years they were finally given the scrolls to their final stages of knighthood. The ceremony.

Shay stood before the king of Babylon. Seeing him for the first time. And the sight was not worth it. He looked like he was unable to lift a blade even if he tried. If he really wished. Shay could have taken him down with great ease. But that would have caused many problems. Especially for his already hateful parents who stared at him the entire time. Hoping he would still die as a knight. But Gydeon was there to knight him. Taking out his blade. The one he had made for Shay. In fact Gydeon and Shay had worked on the blade together. And as Shay grew in body so did the blade. Getting larger and thicker as they went on. It was an overly large sword indeed. But there he knelt. Gydeon raised the blade above his shoulder. And this time not to dislocate them. But to rather placed the edge of the large blade on each of his shoulders twice. Saying the official rights of knighthood. Shay repeated these words. With great regret. But soon after that, he was a knight. And not only him. But Sama’el.

It was at the age of 23 that he was called for his first war. Away from the patrols. Sama’el was not allow to travel with him due to the amount of men being sent. And where there was war, there was men. And men in war tended to go out of control in the face of a female. He fought his own was in the middle of the one he was sent to. Filled with rage and hate for his current life. He was covered in blood and guts where ever he went. Titled the berserker. The mad man. The devil. He was a killing machine. Able to kill on command. It was only at the age of 25 that he was sent on his first crusade. Already numbering his battles to the hundreds. It was then that his world changed. He had been too reckless. It was the first time Sama’el had been with him. And he was excited. He was mad. He rushed towards the enemy without hesitation. Without listening to orders. However that was both a good, and bad plan. For you see. This crusade was important. It determined the fate of Babylon itself. But they were ambushed. Shay was clearly out of the ambush after slaying all he could. But then he retreated to save everyone he could. He could not complete a crusade by his own. It was then that he shoved himself in front of incoming arrows. Numbered to be 106 that embedded his flesh. Impaling his body. He did this for one person. He did this to protect Sama’el from the oncoming storm. He felt his life slip. And slowly, ever so slowly he faded back into the void he once belonged to. He was now dead.

But this was not for long. Sama’el was driven with determination to save the one she loved. There upon the ground lay her lover. Dead. Dead because he wanted to protect her. And so she must do that very same thing. With all the power she could muster. The power within her. She sprouted wings from this concentration. Revealing that she was not all she seemed. Was she some God? No that was impossible. She placed her delicate hands upon his brows and brought everything she could into her spell of healing. Resurrection. But she knew it came with a heavy price. She poured everything she was into him. Her love. Her determination. Her willpower. Her rage. Her madness. Her innocence. But it was not enough. All she could do was make him mumble one word. “No…” But she would not stop despite this. And so she decided her own fate. Then and there. With one final action she pressed her soft and gentle lips upon his rough and broken surface. She opened his mouth with her own and slowly he exhaled. Releasing her entire being. Her blood into the very entity she loved. Sama’el’s mysterious blood poured into Shay. Feeling the blood enter his stream as his eyes shot open. Swallowing the blood she provided in this intimate kiss. He tried to resist her. To push her back. But she would not move. Her body was already beginning to fade. Crumble. Turn to ash. And she was telling him. In that final kiss. That she was happy to give up her life for him. She would do it again and again. But she also revealed something to him. That this was not the only life that he lived. That he was indeed the devils son. He was reborn. She saw his lost memories now. The memories of his pervious life. As the true son of Satan. Is personality shifted then. Slightly. He realised who he was. He was gaining skills he once had in this kiss. And he drew her in closer. To give her the biggest kiss she could possibly have before she too had to die. He loved her. And that would never change. And in his hands. She faded from his touch. Those lips forever gone from his. And no longer did he show any sign of happiness. He was driven by pure hate. Pure anger. Pure chaos. He canned the entire crusade. Everyone was dead. Even his mentor. Gydeon. He had lost everyone. For his parents did not count. He knew they did not love him. But what was worse. Was that he found out the ones who had ambushed them were mercenaries under the hire of the current king of Babylon. He now knew why he was reborn in Babylon. That was his homeland. He was the prince of Persia. And he would not let this slide. For the name of Sama’el. For the name of Gydeon. For the name of Babylon.

He rushed back on foot towards the city. Killing anyone in his way. He took up the mantle of the devil. For he had remembered who he was. He was the devils son. Rightly named Shayatan. And his father Satan. His mother. Sama’el. A different Sama’el. Not the one he loved. He made sure to find that out. But he no longer went under such a name. Now he called himself a new. He called himself, Gydeon. This man. Now as powerful as ever rushed up the city walls. Slaying every single man that was under the influence of the king. It was then that more memories came. Of another life after his life as the devils son. He had slain the devil himself. And thus was given the biggest punishment. To live as a human. Amongst humans. And so he was born as a human for the first time. And thus became a child servant for a band of mercenaries. It was in that life that he killed the mercenaries before becoming a mercenary himself. Before entering hell. Before being tortured for a year. Before escaping. Before killing every single demon. Counting to past one billion. Years of endless fighting. And now he was here. Facing another enemy to kill. That has been his way of the lives he lived. Only this time. He had Sama’el to be at his side. And now her blood coursed through his veins. The blood of an angel. Mixing with the blood of the devil. And slowly as he approached the king did he adapt with this blood. He became a new creature. He was human. Yet even more superior. Fuelled by the essence of Sama’el and the power of the devil. He faced the king of Babylon. And he slew him. For he begged for mercy. And Gydeon would not listen. For the last words the king was able to hear before he fell to his grave. Was “This is for Sama’el. This is for Gydeon. And this is for me.” He said. Impaling his large blade into the being. For the king was not a human. Gydeon learnt that on his way. He was in fact a God. An apostille if you will. But he learnt how to kill him. And that is why he begged for his life. Because he knew Gydeon knew about him. And with that. The king of Babylon was dead, yet again. The streets soon emptied. And the city lost to the red sands. It was then that Gydeon chose to lose his memory of all that could happen in an attempt to live another life. He took up the name Gydeon Sama’el. But forgot. Forgot it all to live again.

It was only recently that he had gathered all of his memory back after falling in love with Rose. Being the person he truly should be. The person Sama’el wanted him to be. The person he needed to be for Rose. For he loves her with all his heart. And that love he hopes would never die. For he would be there for her forever more. Over and over. But now after realising his heritage as a Sama’el. A new race that had been created through the combination of the blood of an angel and the devil reincarnate. That comes with a lot of responsibility. And that is where his adventures continue. For Gydeon now roams the world with his lover. And soon. His family. The Sama’el’s.