Samantha’s Keeper

Born out of sin. An abomination. Purged for generations. A victim of greed and possession. I came for vengeance. Your answer is the only remission.

***

Nephalem is the result of breeding between a demon and an angel. Unlike Nephilims who were the result of a union between a human and an angel, the Nephalems are considered far stronger and deadlier. Trickier in many aspects than their other half-breed cousins. They derive and possess power from both evil and the divine. They can control both demonic and angelic fires.

A full-grown Nephalem is considered one of the most feared and could even rival an archangel. In terms of moral alignment, Nephalems are mainly neutral, some others may also be considered wild cards, going to the side of good, evil, or anywhere in between.

At least in terms of deviating depictions, nephalems could be the embodiment of chaos, where they tend to value freedom over order.

Due to the nature of what they are, they were rarely seen. They were considered a scary and powerful breed.

But as powerful as they were, there was one who had been in anguish. Taken from his brethren and hidden from the light. In a dark and mold-infested cave, he awaits…

For the right one to give the wrong answers.

***

Fast footfalls echoed in the hallway.

The young man, barely able to keep the pad of his feet firm on the floor almost flew past the array of bronze and gold statues that lined his path. He huffed and tried to catch his breath as he skidded to a stop in front of a large door. He then lifted his hands upwards, past the dummy knob on the left side corner, and towards the carved lion resting in the middle of the door. There, laid a red button peeking from its mouth. With a quick tap, light instantly seeped through and illuminated the young mans face. Soon, the mechanism that controlled the door gave a faint creaking sound as the entrance fully gave way.

The young man stepped inside filled with trepidation. He never wanted to be the bearer of bad news, but there was no decision left to make other than to inform the butler of the ill faith that fell upon the second master.

He deliberately made his way toward a chair that faced a fireplace. Smoke swirled from the tobacco that the person seated on it held in his hand. The young man, too scared to face the butler remained where he was and from behind the chair, he whispered, ”Mr. Frederick, Dalton failed. ”

The low tenor of the old butlers voice echoed around the room when he answered, ”I know. ”

”What do we do now sir? He was the last of the Dela Torres. ”

The young man watched as the hand suspended on the arm of the chair flicked the ashes of the tobacco. Then flinched when a screeching sound permeated from the foot of the chair after it was pushed back when the butler stood. Slowly, the man turned to face the teen. The butler looked foreboding as the light from the fire behind him glowed, blanketing him like a menacing aura. ”Theres one more, ” he murmured. A frown lined his forehead as he spoke.

Confused, the teen questioned, ”What do you mean sir? Wasn Dalton the last heir of the Dela Torres? ”

”Gather some men and meet me tomorrow in front of the house. We will come for Sam. ”

”Sam? ”

”Yes. Shes the last of the Dela Torre. The child of the master from a previous helper inside the estate. She may be our last hope. ”

”She? ” The young man repeated. His eyes were wide and unbelieving at what the butler said.

”Yes, Harold. Samantha Dela Torre, ” Frederick answered as he turned to face the fireplace once more.

”B-But sir, a woman? ”

The butler snickered when he heard the worried tone of the young man. Frederick understood the gravity of their situation, but Samantha had the Dela Torre blood in her veins.

”Yes, Harold. A woman. ”

”But Mr. Frederick, that thing… ”

”That thing cares, for one thing, Harold. And that is for a Dela Torre to give it an answer. This is our curse and burden. We must fulfill our end of the bargain. Or else… ” The butler swallowed the rest of his words. He solemnly gazed at the flickering fire before him then dragged a breath.

”We must hurry. It is not patient, ” he added before he sent the young man out of the room.