The heir

"Graakis, I must have the Kalus for me, for I have decided that the time has come to show our neighbours that I, Zeiztaar, high lord of the demons, will have what I desire.""But, my lord, the Aengels have stopped all our attacks since the beginning of time, what makes you think that this time we can do better then before?"
"Are you, insignificant lesser creature, in doubt of my supreme power over all beings? I shall leave you alive to make you witness my absolute victory against all those who will not bow infront of me!!"
"I am your slave and eternal follower, praise Zeiztaar, the almighty ruler of all worlds."
"That's better...prepare to visit Durbas, I am in need of his services"
"Durbas! The chaos bringer?! He was left in the cave of Varn for millennia now, he is the most powerful and uncontrollable force in this plane! What if he rebels and attack us?"
"I don't think so...I have something that will make him behave! Ha...Ha...Ha!"

The battle between good and evil, is something that goes on from the first creation, when nothing was, but from it depends the life of all creatures, the balance must be maintained for life to exist. In many human religions, before the Rifts changed Earth, good was depicted by angels, beings of light and splendour, and evil was represented by demons, diabolic creatures of darkness that where the reincarnation of cruelty. After the great change, some of demons came in from Rifts and brought devastation but few knew what was going on between what we call angels and demons.

"Princess Ilithia, our guards at Durnan, reported demeon activity in a much larger scale then usual. We think that they are up to something."
"Well, we do not have to worry, the fortress of Durnan will stop any attack. It's not the first time that we had countered their attacks, but to be doubly sure, send more guards to watch the eastern side."
"Yes, milady."
At the same time, another guard came in the magnificently built throne room of the regnant of Deamor, from one of the various windows in the ceiling, used as doorways. The hallway was filled with colourful paintings and items of unique beauty, which were nothing compared to Ilithia, the princess of all Aengels.
The bird like man, landed gracefully and kneeled infront of his queen to be (she was the eldest of the three daughters of Atilius, King of Deamor, who had vanished after the Kalus was used to defeat Klindras, brother of the hated Zeiztaar).
"Princess, we are having reports of strange dark figures which seem to roam Istar at night. Our soldiers are afraid to leave the keep unprotected to scout the area. As you may know, the western side is not that defensible, we may need to send some help."
"(If only father was here) Good Aengel, do not worry, we will find a way, but I need to call the council, I need all the support they can give."
"As you wish, my princess"

Earth, a strange world full of surprises, even for those that dwell upon it. The Ley lines keep flowing into the air full of magical energy which give immense powers to those that know it's ways. Due to the Rifts, which are created when two or more ley lines do intersect, many portals to other dimensions and worlds are opened and creatures known only in legends and mythology become real…sometimes in a very destructive way.

"Let me free…I want to get out of here, NOW!!" shouted Durbas from his magically constructed cage. Darkness was all that the demons could see, and although they were the manifestation of all that was evil, they felt that the horror that was left in that cave was much greater then they could have ever imagined.
"Oh, you seem to be pretty upset, but I managed to find the way to liberate you from this prison and give you the freedom you deserve" replied Zeiztaar, the only one to be able to move in the aura of fear that spread all through the cave.
Curious by the courage (or madness) of Zeiztaar, the monster said "And who are you that dare to speak with me and promise things that you will not be able to keep?"
This was the first time that Zeiztaar could see part of Durbas (because he allowed him!); one of his eyes, moved near the Demeon lord's face just few centimetres from the bars and observed him.
"My name is Zeiztaar, high lord of all the demons, keeper of the horn of Beldazar and rightful ruler of Deamor" as he finished, Zeiztaar pronounced a magic word, and with a flash of light, a black horn materialised in one of his hands (if you could call them so!!). After examining the seemingly ordinary object, the eye shuddered and returned back to the darkness.
"I shall do thy bidding master of the horn" roared Durbas after a while.

Back to the Tower of Dusk, Zeiztaar was very pleased of himself, the ancient artefact was found by luck in one of his demons' incursions to other dimensions. Everything was going as he had planned, the next step was to open Durbas' cage. This was a task to be performed by one and only one person, the king (or queen) of the Aengels.

"Princess Ilithia, we need to talk, urgently. We must go out of this place, where ears can't hear and eyes can't see," whispered Elenia, the second daughter of Atilius.
"Please don't call me that way, you're still my sister. Why can't we talk here?"
"I believe that there are traitors in your council. Follow me and we shall talk of the great danger that Deamor will face if we won't stop it."
"Yes, sister, I shall come with you" agreed Ilithia without further questioning.

The two sisters, found themselves just outside the great walls of the fortress from a secret passage built for the royal family. They kept flying until the fortress was not visible any longer.

"Elenia, where are we going?"
"Be patient we're almost there."

After another couple of hours, they landed in a dead forest.

"Ilithia, wait here, let me bring the prove of what I said."

The younger Aengel, hurried her way and disappeared before some trunks. Suddenly, the earth started to rumble and before realising what was happening, two hands, made of rock, sprung from the cracks created by the small earthquake and held Ilithia by her legs. In the same time a couple of trees became alive imprisoning her hands, while a dozen of demons jumped from their hiding place.
Although being prisoned, she managed to call her powers and disintegrated some monsters, but to her great surprise, Zeiztaar stepped in together with her sister holding a scroll in her hands.
"Sansariil Ducuma Der'Bit le suum" where the words Elenia uttered while opening the scroll of power. Ilithia was hit by a beam of energy fired by her sister's scroll, draining her life force but leaving her alive.
"Sister, I am the proof of conspiracy" and started to laugh while embracing Zeiztaar.

"What!? Where am I? Elenia!" shouted Ilithia with pain, now chained by a wall which was keeping her alive but at the same time unable to use her powers.
"I am happy to see that our distinguished visitor is awake. Let me introduce myself, I am Zeiztaar, lord of demons and soon enough king of Deamor. And by the way, your sister sends her regards and thanks for you being so stupid to fall in a such obvious ambush" finished Zeiztaar while starting his usual inhuman laugh.
"What do you want from me? Why am I here?"
"Good question. I need your royal service, to open my pet's cage. Does the name Durbas tell you anything?"
"Are you mad? That creature nearly whipped out all the realm wasn't for that cage."
"That's true, but this time the story is quite different. Enough now with this, I want you to open the cage or I shall personally torture you to death!"
"Then you can start, I shall never aid you to destroy my people"
"No big deal, I thought you would react that way. All I need is a queen, so if you die, your sister becomes queen and she will do my bidding. Am I a genius or not?! Aghhhaaaaahhaaaaahahaa!
But before torturing you, I can have some demeonic fun" as he said that, Zeiztaar tore Ilithia's clothes with his huge claws and licked all her body leaving her full of acidic saliva…

There was total silence as the princess was near death, locked in a chamber in the Tower of Dusk, without nothing more then the sound of the blood dropping on the cell's floor. She knew that the devil's spawn was inside her and it was growing rapidly. Strangely enough, although demons did not reproduce that way, she was having a child from Zeiztaar without him knowing. Her first reaction to this finding was disgust, but then she realised that her child could be the only salvation for the realm. She knew the legend of Durbas' cage which said that only the rightful heir to the throne of Deamor could open the cage and fortunately her child would be the heir and not her sisters. So if the child lived, Zeiztaar's plan was ruined.
Pregnancy took just five hours and through lots of pain the child was born. At that point and almost dying, she made her wish of death (an Aengel queen, upon giving birth, can cast a wish to protect her baby), "By the will of Ilithia daughter of Atilius, queen of Aengels and ruler of Deamor, I wish that my child be safe, away from Zeiztaar, and in the hands of Lindar the old, with the knowledge of what happened."
As she died, a burst of light filled the dungeon, and a humanoid shape made of pure light, took the baby and disappeared. Lindar was cutting a crystal with his tools, in his lonely home deep in the forest of Dhar, when an aengel without wings appeared in front of him with a strange child in his hands. After telling him who the child was and the queen's wish, he handed the baby to the old man and disappeared.

"Come Elenia, now that your sister is dead, you are the queen. Open the cage so we can rule all the dimensions and worlds ever created."
Elenia closed in and read the words inscribed on the walls of the cave,
"I am the queen of aengels, I command the cage of Durbas to open infront of me."
When she finished reading, she moved towards the cage and touched the golden lock that kept it closed. To her and Zeiztaar's surprise the cage did not open, and just when Zeiztaar realised that she was not the rightful heir, Elenia started to turn into a crystal statue.
"Zeiztaar…help…help…I want to be a queen…please don't…", was the last thing she said.
There was nothing left, his plan was ruined, he could not use his horn with Durbas still in his cage, in his rage, he destroyed the crystalline statue and flied back to his tower.

"By the lords of light, Atilius' grandson, a child of a demeon. I shall teach him all that an aengel must know but how he will grow only the gods know", exclaimed Lindar while looking at the grotesque baby.

Several years passed by and the child grew strong and healthy under the guidance of old Lindar. The boy was very different from the other children, first of all his wings were black whilst the others' were white, and other physical attributes which marked him as a mutant. Although he was taught the way of the aengels, he was very aggressive even when he played. The boy was always in some sort of conflict, like a battle was being fought inside his head.

The attacks by the demons where always increasing, Zeiztaar was without control he wanted the Kalus and to destroy every aengel in the realm. The new queen, Amaria, Ilithia's youngest sister, was very worried about the current situation. It was open war, and her army was being beaten, the only way to defeat the enemy was to use the Kalus. The problem was that, if she died, then the royal family would be wiped out, and anarchy would destroy her people.
The council had just started the meeting, when Amaria spoke,
"We must use the Kalus to defeat our enemy!"
"But milady, it is very dangerous, what if something goes wrong" said one of the counsellors.
"My queen and friends, the situation is critical, but I know a way to use the Kalus without losing our queen" replied Lindar (being the sage of the royal family). "I know something, that was hidden from all of you for several years now. My queen, I had to keep a promise which could not be broken, but since I realise that this is a crucial moment, I must reveal what I know." After regaining his voice, Lindar continued, "Your oldest sister, and former queen of Deamor, that died under the hands of our enemies, had a child. I have been his putative father for all these years without telling nobody nothing. He is the heir to the throne and so has the capability to use the Kalus as good as you, my queen." Amaria was shocked, but in the same time happy to have a nephew. "Come in Gabriel, and meet the council" ordered the old aengel to the boy.
Gabriel entered the room, flapping his dark wings (a sign of nervousness) and while looking towards the floor, he bowed infront of his queen. Everyone was bewildered, but Lindar broke the ice by saying
"Yes, as you can see, his father is not one of us. Unfortunately, his mother was raped by Zeiztaar before she died. But I can assure you that he is a good lad and devoted to our cause."
"NO! He is a monster!" one started.
"The enemy in the council! Never!" continued another.
But the queen rose and moved towards Gabriel who was very much confused, and said "Young man, come to me…I want to have a look at you". She examined the boy and said "Your eyes are like your mothers' and I see good in them. You shall be the bearer of the Kalus, so I have decided."

The Kalus, the most ancient artefact ever known to all races of Deamor, can only be used by few people; those of the royal bloodline of the royal family of the aengels and the lords of demons. In the hands of the aengels, the item was used for defence, but in the hands of Zeiztaar only the gods know what would happen.

"Lindar, I'm scared, I never thought that I would really come to hold such an artefact in my hands, how can I use the Kalus if it's so powerful?" asked Gabriel to his mentor.
"Remember, son, the blood of the royal family is in you, you are the only one that can save us. May the light protect you." After giving him a warm hug, Lindar showed him to the sacred room where the Kalus was held.

The demons were approaching in thousands, with Zeiztaar as their leader. Gabriel looked at the Kalus, a crown full of jewels, but being insubstantial, no one could touch it. He moved his hands forward and suddenly the crown became solid giving him the unique opportunity to wear it on his head.

"Surrender or die to the almighty Zeiztaar!" shouted aggressively the leader of the demons.
Then he saw a boy wearing a crown, moving towards their army. He recognised the crown to be the Kalus, but could not figure who the boy was although he felt a certain bonding with him, as if he was part of him.

The boy was ready, he was instructed by Lindar long ago how to use the Kalus as part of his training to becoming a sage.
"By the power of the Kalus, I…" as he was chanting, suddenly and out of nowhere, energy ripped the sky in two, and light was coming out of it. It was some sort of portal, but too powerful to be one. Lindar, recognised the phenomenon as a Rift through space and time, triggered by all the power that was being exhibited by both parties and possibly from another dimension.
"…comand you to be gone " finished Gabriel.

……………………………..……………………………..

A huge explosion was the last thing I remember, then I woke up in the middle of a forest and see a Rift closing up. Well this planet is not that bad, even though it would be much easier to live without the damn coalition. I must refrain from using my powers and this irritates me, but nevertheless this can be advantageous. Everyone thinks I'm just a common guy, mainly because I can take the form of a normal human being (the first being I saw in this planet).
Finally, I have my own truck, which is not a state of the art piece of equipment but it's good enough. I love travelling and meeting new people (or creatures) giving me the opportunity to earn more money and buying more cargo space. Maybe someday I will return to my home world and find out what happened to my people, but now I'm still here, so what the hack, let's do some adventuring!

To be continued…….

N.C.