by C C Morgen
“Indeed, we are.” She pressed her lips against mine. “Umm, you taste sweet.” Her lips tried to meet mine again, but I turned my face away, kissing my cheek instead. “Don’t you find me attractive?”
“You’re beautiful,” I said, avoiding her eyes. The beat of my heart moved to hers, feeling the connection between twin flames. She caressed my face with her hand and guided it back towards her. “Please don’t,” I begged.
“But why?” Claudia kissed my lips again. “I’ll allow you an evening with me.” She kissed my neck, over my scar. “You make my mind go crazy you know. Ever since our eyes met for the brief second.” She whispered in my ear. “Don’t you want to become intoxicated by me?”
“Are you teasing me?”
She banged my head hard against the wall and it stung as she gripped my chin. “Do you think I’m blind? What do you want from my sister?”
“I just want to talk to her,” I said.
“Well, I’ll be the bearer of bad news—she doesn’t want to speak to you. She told me herself this morning. She wants nothing to do with you while you’re here.” Claudia’s playful looked changed to something evil. “You go near my sister, I don’t care if you are under the protection of the king—I’ll make you disappear. Does that sound clear enough for you?”
I didn’t understand what was going on. She shoved me against the wall and then walked off as if nothing happened. What did she mean Angelica wanted nothing to do with me? We were just together last night.
CHAPTER 10
Angelica
AVOIDING ALI WAS THE HARDEST TO ENDURE. I thought I wouldn’t feel bad knowing who she is. However, my heart ached slightly, because we connected last night and that I promised to see her today. To go back on my word, hammered me with regret.
I knew she was looking for me after the ceremony, so Claudia agreed to help keep her away. Anything related to me, she is more than willing to unleash her dark side, threatening whoever gets close to me. My sister was always better at being cruel than me. It left me powerless for rejecting someone who wanted to get close as either a friend or lover.
I entered my chambers sighing in relief I escaped in the crowd unnoticed. Ali shouldn’t be able to find me since I live in a restricted area of the castle, hallways heavily guarded by my family’s soldiers. All I had to do was to keep avoiding her until she left the empire.
A sick feeling grew stronger when the image of her sad eyes found its way into my thoughts. The feeling of her vulnerable body etched on my skin last night. She was so frail compared to a Harpy. It felt bad to treat my savior like my enemy, after she fought so valiantly for my life, not even knowing who I am.
Was I being too harsh? Nevertheless, she will become a Harpy, regardless how I think now. If I get too close, I would risk my family name for a young Dark Elf. Whose family killed countless of my kind during the Demon wars and even murdered some previous lords under contracts. Knowing all of this, there is no reason to feel bad about rejecting her now. She will forget about me and move on. I’m sure of it. It was just one night.
Suddenly, there was a thud at the balcony window. I jerked my head, standing in a defensive stance, manifesting a black energy ball, ready to attack the intruder. It was Ali, opening the window and stepping inside. As I met her golden eyes, the energy ball extinguish in my hand.
“Ali!” I became frantic at the sight of her. “What are you doing here? This is a restricted part of the castle.”
“I apologize for the intrusion,” she stepped closer. “I knew none other way to see you. You avoided me after the ceremony.”
I created another ball and threw it at her feet. Her eyes didn’t flinch nor blinked. She just stood there looking at me with confusion that made my heart swell to my decision.
“You need to leave,” I ordered. “Now!”
“I don’t understand what’s going on. Can you please talk to me,” she begged with her sad eyes, stepping closer without fear.
“Stay where you are,” I ordered in a sterner tone. “Any closer or I’ll summon the guards.” Oh, please the ninth heaven make her not come any closer. I don’t want to hurt her in that way, but she’s giving me no choice.
“Do you think I deserve an answer for this,” she asked. “I thought…”
“You thought what?” I interrupted her. “That we could be friends—is that it? I’m a Demon lord. My status doesn’t associate with warriors and the lower class. Besides, I absolutely cannot be friends with a Harpy heir.” Ali’s eyes widened to my response. “Your mother is Alphard am I right? The Princess of the Harpy clan.”
“How did you find out?” she asked casting her eyes away from mine.
“Unfortunately, there’s only one Demon that is a ripper. It just happens to be your mother,” I answered. “The faction knows that your mother is half Demon even though she’s the Dark Princess. That makes you the second princess that succeeds after her.”
“I was right,” she uttered. “You are beautiful and smart. I didn’t take you as naïve. You are the type that notices details. I just don’t understand, what does my mother and my family have to do with me? Why do you have to treat me like I’m your enemy? I shouldn’t have to share who I am with anyone nor plea my heart to my friends. No one should judge me when I’ve been exiled from my home.” She paused at the sight of my face tensing in shock.
“They exiled you?” The words fell out of my mouth unintentionally, in the thought of her being this vulnerable in a room with only me. She was hurt, and I was the one that inflicted the wound on her soul that turned a shade of black before my eyes.
“Since we are being honest, I will tell you this to ease your mind. They gave the choice to me; I chose to not be reborn as my mother and grandmother. I left them all behind, Angelica. My destiny ended the day I walked away from my family, my birthright. Do you know what it’s like to be a Harpy? Do you understand they are hated, because they have lost their love to become as powerful as they are? To stay with my family, I had to sacrifice that. A Demon can still love. You are a powerful race, but you can love your partner equally and more. You don’t have to feel the pain from losing the one you love, because of a curse bestowed on you since birth. Your companion can stay with you as long as it pleases both of you. Do you think I want to lose my ability to love to become a Harpy? Do you really see me as them, when I am this now? I’m Alucard the next general of the Dark Elf army if I so please. I am not the heir to any dark throne. My life is mine, while I still breathe as a Dark Elf raging into battle. Don’t you see—this is my freedom.”
Ali walked over to my nightstand by the bed. She then laid a rose on the stained wooden surface, sparkling like diamonds. The pedals were bright red as the roses in the rose garden that the Fairies protected.
“Ali,” I called out to her when she stepped onto the balcony. She didn’t bother to look at me. “I am thankful you saved me and my sister. Please enjoy what the king offered during your stay. I have told no one who you are. So just, be with your men. This will be the last time we speak in this way. Do we have an understanding?”
She didn’t bother to answer my words and just leaped over the balcony. The tight feeling in my chest grew into heartache after listening to her story. They exiled her for her choice. That means she was truly alone in this world, only intending to fight until another formidable opponent is strong enough to end her life.
I kept Alucard’s intrusion a secret when Claudia barged in worried as always. “Are you ok, sister?” she asked. “Why are you barricaded in here?”
“I needed rest,” I answered, lying through my teeth. If she knew the truth, she would kill Ali without a second thought. My sister is one lord that kills on impulse. The dramatic lord is the last thing I need to worry about. “Events like this are too much to endure.”
“You should drink with me.” Claudia sat in the armchair by the vanity near the balcony. “There will be plenty to play with—maybe a potential suitor for you.”
“No sister,�
�� I answered. “I’m not in the mood today for anyone. I just want to lay here quietly and sort my thoughts about everything that’s happened.” More like I needed to reflect on my cruel judgement towards Ali. The look of her disappointment etched in my mind, making my heart sore with regret.
“What do you think about that friend of Alucard’s? — Eric is his name I believe.”
“What about him?” I answered with another question. “He’s like a Casanova. Enjoys the company of beautiful women to gaze upon.”
“He’s been staring at me a lot like he’s in heat.” She glanced at herself in the mirror. “Am I really this beautiful enough to attract so many mindless puppies? Will they ever just look at me for me, not my beauty or my lineage? By the way, I played with Alucard a bit earlier. She is quite the bashful one.” Claudia’s fingertip grazed her lips. “It was refreshing to kiss someone so innocent.”
“You kissed her?” Suddenly, jealousy overwhelmed my thoughts with her confession. “Why did you do that?”
“Why not?” she answered. “She’s not half bad looking, and she actually didn’t look at me like how everyone else does. She looks me in the eye, and I feel strange, like I’m looking at myself. She didn’t take advantage at all when I flirted with her and I told her I would let her have me for the evening. Actually, she seemed more persistent to find you. What spell have you cast on her to have her ignore me?”
“I can’t believe you kissed her, Claudia,” I said in anger. “You told her it was ok to have a night with you. Are you really that in need of attention?”
“Why are you so upset sister?” She asked. “I haven’t seen you this angry before. Did you have an urge as well to have a taste of that innocent Dark Elf? Her life force smells delicious like sweet chocolate and strawberries. My favorite flavors on a mortal.”
“I just didn’t ask you to take it that far.” The jealousy grew stronger. I couldn’t believe how jealous of my sister I was over Ali. The anger made my blood boil until I could feel my ears flushed.
“What does it matter, my dear sister—she will most likely depart this empire within a week. Warriors like her itch for blood on a battlefield,” Claudia pointed out with good reason. “Sister, are you sure you were not into that girl? You seemed to care a lot about her yesterday. Then today you wanted nothing to do with her.”
“I have my reasons,” I answered vaguely. “I just don’t want to lose respect over a Dark Elf. Like you said—she and those barbaric warriors will leave eventually and that will be it. No point in dealing with unnecessary associations. It’s a waste of time where it can be spent elsewhere.”
“You sound like a good actor, sister,” She grinned seeing through my lies. “Your lies are sounding real. Maybe you will believe them yourself.”
Claudia didn’t give me any more ease than Alucard finally keeping her distance from me. There was something about her that wavered in my heart and the choice gave no comfort, just regret.
Until a summons interrupted my racing thoughts by the king for all lords and the council members to meet in the war room. We haven’t met up there like this since the time of the Demon wars. My sister grabbed my arm and pulled me along with her. Both of us didn’t know what was going on or why. All lords gathered around the table, the king and princess at the head. The king whispered to the guard next to him in soft words.
Summon the seven.
CHAPTER 11
Ali
IN THE EVENT OF FINDING SOLITUDE in the halls, the castle appeared dreary after being judged by the race that plagued my family with misfortune. The white tile of the long corridors had no stories to tell in silence. I wonder if something was invoking such emptiness, walking in the dim light into the atrium. No one was here. The men were not loud at this hour, nowhere in sight.
A voice echoed outside the halls. It was Eric calling out my name with urgency in his tone. I jogged out towards the voice. He was at the end of the dark hall where his face appeared shadowed, so I couldn’t read an expression to see if something was wrong.
“Eric, what’s wrong?” I elevated my voice so he could see me. “Where are the others?”
“Where have you been?” He rushed towards me. “The king has summoned us. All the men are already in the grand council chambers. We need to hurry!”
I raced after him to where we needed to go. The heaviness in his step and his stressed face gave me no comfort. This was more than just a summons. We are about to be employed.
The chambers we entered were in silence at the sight of us, most of all, me. Achilles, Leonidas, Gabriel, Ethos and Romulus waited at the edge of a stretched table and at the other end the king and the princess. Eric grabbed my arm, keeping me focused on standing with the men. The air of the room seemed grim, as if bad news has plagued the surrounding audience.
“Since we are all here, we can now begin,” the king announced, leaving me clueless on what the matter was. “Our informants have discovered key details to yesterday’s attack. It was an attempt to assassinate the lord’s, and all bloodlines associated with the council.” The room gasped at the news. “Indeed, if they succeeded, it would have sent the empire into chaos. I know you are all worried. All control over lower level demons would no longer follow under the laws if they kill our members. We the empire have known the only reason we have kept peace within the realms is for us to uphold the laws and keep the Ghouls and lower younglings from wreaking havoc. Someone has rallied a large army of Ghoul in the shadows of our laws. War is nearly upon us if we allow more under our rule. However, we cannot do this alone. The light of the sky weakens us, so all soldiers must stay in the kingdom to protect us from another attack. Our lords must survive this foolishness to bring back the old ways.”
“Who has declared war against us?” Derex asked, stepping forward to the table. “Who has dared to bring chaos after so many years of peace?”
“Lord Derex, I was just about to discuss this,” the king replied in a calm composure. “The old Demon lord of the original faction has risen from his exile.”
“Castilian!” Claudia blurted out.
“Castilian. The Demon lord of the south. The heir to the fires of the burning mountain known as Ashhedge,” Derex recited his title. “I thought he and the old lords were extinct by now. Why, and after all this time?”
“That is still a mystery, why an old lord would resurface to take back the empire,” Princess Armenia answered. “We in theory believe a resistance have motivated some old lords to bear arms to create an army to go against us. All is still unclear who has stirred this anarchy, but because of the circumstance, our concerns focus on the fortress. Blackhaven is harboring an army of Ghoul. They are in a place where our soldiers cannot go. The fires of the mountain have burned hotter than ever and have engulfed any solid ground to send our army. The Demon lord is being protected there. We cannot lure him out, and he hasn’t once left the obsidian castle for nearly a century. Facing him would be a hard fight for any of our soldiers, who are too young to face one of our oldest lords since our birth into the world. We are in a devastating circumstance.”
“What my daughter is trying to bring to your attention is that we cannot just employ anyone to go to the south. But not doing anything at this point will lead to more deaths of our soldiers and maybe even the death of our current lords.” The kings eye directed at us. “Seven Warriors—you have already done so much for our kingdom. The request we are about to ask of you—you need not accept. There will be no consequence. You may stay until you leave as part of my decree. If you do agree, there is a high guarantee you will lose your lives.” The king gathered his words. “The mission I will give you is to travel to the south to the mountain of Ashhedge, and to give your best efforts to annihilate the old lord. I’m not going to hold anything back. This is a suicide mission. You will not have the aid of my army. There will be just eight of you up against an army of ghoul and the lord that threatens our balance in the Demon world.”
“I apologize your majesty,”
Eric spoke. “Eight of us?”
“Yes, you heard me correctly,” the king answered. “Only eight will embark on this mission. You seven and one of our lords.” The room gasped at his words. “One of our own will need to accompany them to the south. We have trained you all since birth the routes of the Underworld and the layout of the kingdoms. In addition, one of you will have to help fight the old lord. A lower level is no match against him. One will have to volunteer for this mission for it to even have a chance of success. Otherwise, our future will be set and this faction we have worked hard to build will end.” Everyone stood in silence. “I understand this is a hard decision to make. I will not order you to lay down your life. This will be a choice. This empire will hold nothing against you if it’s too much.”
The silence in the room carried as the Demon lords glanced at each other, wondering which one will volunteer to relieve them from a gruesome fate. The king and princess waited patiently, gazing at the room with hope leaving their eyes that a lord would step forward to the task. My eyes cast down at the residual burn on my arm from the Ghoul. I can imagine what it would be like to face an old lord more powerful than a ghoul and can out match the Demons standing around me. None will step forward knowing they will die on this mission.
All of a sudden, a familiar female voice spoke from behind me in the crowd. “I will go.” I turned to see Angelica stepping forward. Her sister Claudia gave a look of terror as her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She grabbed Angelica’s arm, but she pulled away and stepped towards the table to stand near the king. “I will guide them to the south. And I’ll fight Lord Castilian.”
Claudia gasped in anger, when I glanced at her, hearing her heavy huff. “Sister you are too young to face the fire lord. I’ll go instead.”
“No Claudia,” Angelica raised her vocals to oppose her sister’s plea. “You are next in the seat after mother, not I. You are needed here. I volunteer my service to the empire to succeed this mission. This is all I can do as the second daughter to my family.” Angelica glanced at me for a brief moment before meeting her gaze back at the king and princess. “Your majesty—it will be my sincerest honor to help these seven warriors on their mission. I may be young, but the dark arts have served me well. I am not weak to face Castilian and the horde that follows him.”
