Faru nodded. “I apologise. I merely wished to show you the other side first hand. I felt it beneficial for you to experience the whole process as completely as possible to help you understand better.” He paused. “Perhaps it was a little too soon.”
“Yeah perhaps! Or perhaps you could’ve given me some warning before you fed me to a celestial grinder,” I seethed. “Give me my hands back please.”
I tugged against Faru’s shackling grip. He seemed to weigh up the options for a second before releasing my wrists. I glowered at him as I rubbed the sore spots.
“I am sorry. I promise that you will come to no more harm whilst you are on this mind journey.” He attempted a friendly smile.
For a moment I said nothing. Then I softened. It was difficult to stay angry at someone who kept apologising. Plus I was starting to feel more comfortable around Faru. Something about him I hadn’t noticed before; maybe because I’d been so initially shocked by his appearance. He seemed noble — kind even. Even his white eyes appeared to give off a soothing glow.
I sighed. “It’s okay. I’m sorry too. It’s just that all this…it’s a lot to take in you know?” I turned away from Faru and froze. I’d been so busy being angry, I hadn’t noticed the place we’d travelled to…until now.
It was terrifying.
There was no other word that could describe what my eyes could see and even that failed to truly capture the horror. Menacing clouds the colour of fresh bruises dominated the sky, making the scene as dark as a moonless night. The only source of illumination came from the constant stream of jagged lightning bolts, which forked down on the horizon. They were immediately followed by thunderous booms like battle cries from a war God. The ground was as black as midnight, with pale, jagged rocks jutting out of it like broken bones. To the right, an angry sea heaved waves onto a blood red beach. In the distance, I could just make out the twisting spire of a towering fortress. It resembled a gnarled finger, accusing the skyline.
A fierce wind picked up and whipped around us, yanking at my trousers and seizing my hair. Faru’s robes billowed around him as if they were alive.
“W-what is this place?” I shouted above the roaring of the wind.
Faru clicked his fingers and the tempest died down in an instant. He became a statue, staring into nothingness with his dead eyes. After a few moments he spoke.
“This is my world.”
12
"Your world?” I choked, recoiling in horror.
“Yes Alexander, I am not from Earth.” He gestured towards the grim landscape. “This is Pandemonia, the realm I call home.”
The name seemed fitting for the chaotic world that surrounded us.
Faru looked sad for a moment. “I have not visited it physically for many years.” Sighing he added, “Please stop backing away from me, I mean you no harm and it’s quite distracting.”
I stopped moving and pointed a shaking finger at him instead. “So that’s the reason you can do all this crazy mind stuff, because you’re not…human.”
He made an agreeing noise. “I am indeed what you would consider to be a supernatural creature.” He inverted the last two words with his fingers. “In fact most of the creatures from your legends and folklore are actually Pandemonians who passed through the Veil.”
“You mean like that woman in the waiting room — Iralia?” I said. “She’s a Succubus right?”
Faru frowned. “I see Gabriella has been revealing more than her role permits.” He waved a hand. “No matter, you are correct. Like myself, Iralia’s true home lies on this side of the Veil. However, unlike me, she is Umbra.”
In the same way I knew what the description on the Temple doors meant, I knew the word mean shadow. I said it out loud.
Faru folded his arms behind his back. “Yes. The Liberi Umbra or Children of the Shadow are the darker creatures of our world. You see, Pandemonia has countless different species and sub species just like your world. Instead of mammals, invertebrates or reptiles etcetera, ours have been categorised into three main types or classes. The first is the Umbra, as I already mentioned. The second are Liberi Luminar — Children of the Light. They are the Umbra’s natural enemies. Finally, the third…neutral type if you like, are the Liberi Fera — Children of the Wild.
I folded my arms across my chest. “Okay, so if Iralia’s a Succubus, then what legendary creature are you?” I said, not really sure if I making a joke or not. Faru smiled and turned towards me. He opened his arms wide, as if waiting for a hug. “I am a Seelian.” I blinked. “I have no idea what that is.”
Faru looked a little deflated. “Hmmm…well no of course you don’t, Seelians have always been very careful to keep human exposure to a minimum. Allow me to explain. Seelians are the nobility of the Luminar. More specifically the Seelian are a species of Fae.” He scanned my face for a reaction. “Or Faerie,” he offered finally. “You…you’re a Fairy? “As in Tinkerbelle?” Luckily, Faru didn’t react to my accidental insult. “But you don’t have any wings,” I pointed out. “So I assume fairies can’t fly then, for real.”
“Actually you are incorrect. Several species of Fae do have wings. I myself possessed a magnificent set at one time. Unfortunately Seelians shed them after their prime years, when they are no longer of any use to us. I lost mine many cycles ago.” He smiled at me. “That is one element of your legends which is actually based on fact. However, much is inaccurate.”
“How do you mean?”
“You see Alexander; Pandemonians prefer to remain anonymous to the human race. It’s easier that way. Nonetheless over the centuries the inevitable sightings have been made, or humans have fallen foul to rogue predators. As nothing was known about their true nature, guesses were made. These rumours warped over the ages — akin to Chinese whispers I dare say — and became legends. Some have factual elements to them, others are simply just nonsense. Most of what fills your books and television screens are based in pure fiction and are the result of nothing more than wild imaginations. Others are based on misinformation. Take werewolves for example.” “Werewolves exist?” I choked. “Not really no. The Lycanthrope myth is based on what we refer to as Skinshifters.” I let the word roll about in my head as Faru continued. It sounded creepy.
“Skinshifters are a species of Fera similar in appearance to Earth’s canines, although far larger. They have the ability to metamorphosise into other animals, via a method known as imprinting. That is, they can alter their appearance and actions to perfectly impersonate another animal. This includes humans. But whereas a Skinshifter can emulate an animal indefinitely, they run into difficulties when acting as humans.” “Difficulties?” “A full moon. You may be aware that lunar activity has the ability to affect humans in various ways. Hence the term lunatic.” I nodded. “In this case, it somehow displaces the Skinshifter, forcing it to shed its new skin and resume its old shape.” A light bulb flicked on in my brain. “And at some point someone mistook it for a human changing into a beast.”
“Exactly and thus the legend of the werewolf was born.” Faru laughed as if the stupidity of how such a mistake could be made was beyond ludicrous. I stayed quiet, arms folded, heart thumping against my chest. “So what other creatures are real?” I asked finally, not sure if I wanted to know. “There are far too many to go through. Although, I suppose the most well-known would be the Vampire.” “Vampires exist?” I gasped. Faru rubbed at his forehead in a weary manner. “Yes Alexander, Vampires do indeed exist and most originate from my world.
Most? I thought. What does that mean?
“Hivemind Vampires are the most common,” he continued, “but by contradiction are the least known in your folklore. This is presumably because it is very unlikely any human would ever survive an encounter with them. They are lethal creatures who travel and hunt in packs. Hiveminds are indigenous to the Darklands, an area of Pandemonia completely devoid of natural light. As a result, they evolved to be effective night hunters and developed intolerance to sunlight.”
/> Faru turned and placed an arm around my shoulder. He began to walk as he talked, gesturing me forward. I moved like a robot, scanning the ground to make sure I didn’t cut my bare feet on sharp stones. I needn’t have bothered though, when I did manage to stand on one, it squashed down under my feet as if it were made of foam. When I lifted my foot back up, it sprang back into shape. I guess Faru wasn’t lying about me coming to no more harm.
I had a suspicion that it would be a very different story if I were in Pandemonia for real.
“In every Hivemind litter, one Vampire will always evolve further than its siblings,” he explained. “They become another type of Vampire known as a Bloodseeker. Fully formed Bloodseekers are intelligent, humanoid creatures which look and act very similarly to humans. Typical to most evolved species from our world, they have a lifespan on average about five times that of humans, but are not immortal. They too are susceptible to sunlight, but nowhere near as much as their feral counterparts.
“Whereas Hiveminds are carnivorous and will consume their prey until nothing is left, Bloodseekers only require blood to survive. Therefore a normal Vampire attack would consist of the leader draining the prey’s blood then leaving the carcass for their pack to devour. Furthermore, male and female Bloodseekers can mate with one another. Their offspring become Hiveminds and thus the cycle continues.”
We walked closer to the shoreline. The roar of the sea grew louder as we drew nearer. In each burst of lightning, I watched as the waves smashed against rocks in the distance, sending dark spray spitting high into the air.
I frowned. “So something I don’t quite follow. You said most Vampires come from Pandemonia.”
“Indeed I did. But I fear we are getting off track. Rest assured you will learn everything in time, but for now we must concentrate on what is most important.”
“Okay. But can I just ask, are all Vampires evil?”
Faru shook his head. “Alexander, I fear you misunderstand me. Vampires are not necessarily evil. They simply do what is in their nature. Just like humans, all the sentient creatures of Pandemonia have free will. When presented with a choice, some chose to be benevolent, whilst others choose malevolence. Only then are they evil, not before. Do you understand?” I nodded. “Morality exists in Pandemonia, just like Earth.” Faru looked impressed. “Exactly. Now to continue.” The Seelian stepped forward and gestured out towards the grim view in front of us.
“Despite its macabre appearance, Pandemonia was not always like this Alexander. Long before my time, it was a peaceful place of immense beauty.”
Looking at the fierce landscape, it was hard to imagine it ever being anything other than terrifying.
“Like your world, Pandemonia was once split into two halves by the Veil,” he continued. “The Umbra populated one side and Luminar the other. The Veil ensured that the two sides never met or interacted with one another. In addition, it acted to protect your world from us and vice versa.”
“How did it do that?”
“It gave off a vibration which could imbue a sense of chronic fear and danger. This meant that instinctually no creature would ever venture too close.”
I nodded. “So what went wrong?”
“Over time — as it did in your world, the Veil broke apart. For the first time, the separate halves of Pandemonia met. By this time several life forms had evolved to a sentient state. You see, in your world, humans are the only fully sentient creature. In mine there are many.”
Around us, the thunderous booms grew louder and more frequent, adding a sense of tense drama to everything that Faru said.
“It all went well to begin with,” he said. “The two halves of our world traded and lived in a peaceful truce for what would be centuries in your world. In this time several smaller creatures mixed and bred and produced new species of Fera.”
As I listened to Faru, I noticed my palms had started to sweat profusely. I frowned at them, then wiped them on my trousers and dumped them in my pockets. “So I’m guessing that that truce fell apart. What happened”?
The Seelian gave a long sigh. “Greed. The darker side of nature began to show itself. Some weren’t content with their lot and on both sides there were murmurs of war. Umbra have their own nobility known as Demons.”
Demons. Now there’s a word I’ve heard before.
“Demons are renowned for being particularly fierce and bloodthirsty, but equally intelligent and cunning. One in particular shared the desire for war. He desired to control the whole of Pandemonia and for Umbra to become the dominant class.” Faru gave a shake of his head. “Unfortunately he was also in a position to achieve that desire. His name was Azraiel, King of Demons.”
As if to add menace to the name, another loud crack of thunder burst overhead, making me jolt.
“Azraiel roused a colossal army and sent them against the Luminar. He expected it to be a walkover owing to the Umbra’s natural predatory nature, but the Luminar were more powerful than he anticipated. We all have a fierce lust for life and will not go down without a fight.” I saw a glimmer of a smile as he provided that piece of information.
“Nevertheless, the Luminar were pushed back into smaller pockets of land, losing most to the Umbra. We never gave up and fought back under the leadership of Kishen the Wise.” He stopped for a moment and put two fingers to his forehead before placing them over his heart.
A salute of some kind? I wondered.
“So began the Ageless war.”
Faru lowered his hands and folded them behind his back before continuing.
“Like its name suggests, the war itself has been raging for as long as anyone can remember. Today, the original leaders are long gone and their descendants have inherited the war. The Umbra are now ruled by the Demon King, Hades. He is as thoroughly evil as his forebears — the absolute epitome of all things unjust. He rules his domains with an iron fist and destroys anyone who displeases him or even questions his decisions. His opposition comes in the form of the Seelian Prince Ashan.” Faru repeated the action of pressing his fingers to his forehead and then holding them over his heart.
Okay he’s definitely saluting them. I guessed they meant a lot to him.
“Prince Ashan is a benevolent leader who cares for each and every one of his subjects. The areas and cities of Pandemonia he still rules over are fertile and more beautiful than you could imagine. Furthermore, he is a noble warrior who fights alongside his people, unlike Hades who commands from behind the walls of his impenetrable fortress, allowing his followers to suffer and die for his cause.” Faru gestured towards the foreboding structure in the distance, an unmistakable look of contempt on his face. Lightning crackled around the spire, illuminating the shape in the gloom. Faru swept a hand around to indicate the rest of the cursed land. “What you see before you is an area of Pandemonia touched by the corruption of this mindless war.”
I stared out at the scene in front of me again. It didn’t matter how many times I looked, it still filled me with terror. A flash of lightning arched down towards the ground only fifty yards or so ahead, blinding me. I instinctively covered my eyes. As I did, I felt something rush past me, close enough to touch my skin. It made the hairs on my neck shoot up. I jerked my eyes open and stared until I could just about make out a dark shape moving at an incredible speed towards the beach.
In the bursts of illumination that the torrent of lightning provided, I watched the running creature launch itself with a feral scream at another dark shape standing on the blood red sand. It slashed out with clawed hands and a black jet of liquid sprayed out of its victim’s throat. The wounded creature let out a piercing howl of agony, which faded into gurgles as it collapsed onto the dark sand. Other silhouettes appeared from nowhere, running onto the beach, tearing and biting at each other. The bursts of lightning exposed the carnage like macabre photographs. Every time the battle was lit up, more horrifying details seared themselves into my brain. Bodies slumping to the ground, flaps of skin being shredded off bodies, blood
pooling around the dead. Each crack of thunder was accompanied by screams of anger and agony.
I couldn’t take any more. I turned away and covered my eyes. “Stop please!” I begged.
The sounds faded. Once again there were only the rushing waves and the angry crack of the thunder, which was rolling away. I peeked through my trembling fingers; the creatures were gone. Letting out a deep breath, I composed myself.
Before I could say a word, Faru put up a hand. “I am sorry. That was something you needed to see to understand the dire turmoil Pandemonia is in. Hundreds die every day.” He sighed and shook his head slowly, dealing with some kind of inner anguish. “After all of this mindless fighting, the Ageless war is coming to a close. Unfortunately it is Hades who is winning. “Because they’re stronger?” “No. Because of the arrival of another.” I frowned at Faru. “Who?”
“Not who Alexander… what. An unstoppable force. No one knows where it came from. It simply appeared about one hundred years ago and joined the Umbra. A soul eater known only as The Sorrow.”
The words sent a fierce shudder running through me, as if they were unmentionable. It took a few seconds before I was able to speak. “By soul eater, you mean-”
Faru looked grim. “Exactly that. The Sorrow feeds on the souls of others to feed its own twisted soul. The poor victims become deformed husks with no recollection of their former selves. The Depraved as they are known have no purpose other than to serve The Sorrow without question.”
The Seelian cast his blind gaze downwards. “The Sorrow is worse than anything you could possibly imagine.” For the first time I saw something different in his eyes as he spoke. Something which made my skin grow cold.
Fear. Faru was scared of The Sorrow.
“So…is it some kind of Umbra?”
Faru shook his head. “No one knows. Some think it’s a primordial Demon. One of the first, somehow woken by the everlasting battle. Others think it is evil incarnate, created by all the misery and death of the war. All we know for certain is that it serves Hades. Although, that could be because it serves its own purpose, which as yet is unclear.”
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