Ria
" I want to know everything"
Everything? That would take a while. Where should I start? What should I say?
I decided to start from the beginning, telling the story exactly how I'd been told since I was little.
" Once upon a time there were evil creatures called demons. They were so evil that the whole world trembled in fear in their presence"
Without meaning to I begun telling the founding tale. The story of how the demons were pushed back and ultimately annihilated.
Looking around the room at the soldier's faces that hadn't been the smartest choice.
" And then the angels won" I skipped the whole part about how they won with the help of their powers and how they were the only ones fit to rule over everything now that the demons were all gone.
I also skipped the part of how the demons, even the families and children, had fought back, refusing to accept the angels as their masters. I also skipped how they were all brutally murdered and were now exposed in towns to showcase the angel's power and what would happen to anyone that dared to disobey them.
" Now they rule over all the realms"
" All the realms?" Arsheus looked pissed as he sized up my words. I flinched and tried to back away. His gaze was so scary it made me want to turn and run. His eyes were those of a man ready to destroy everyone and everything.
" Yes. All the realms, or so they say. In reality they haven't stepped foot here since the great war"
I could tell Arsheus it was because the remaining demons, those who had to watched their families being dragged away and executed by the angels, managed to push them back at the last second at the cost of their lifes, but didn't feel like it. I could've also told them that lately the barrier had been weakening and that was what let this realm's moon cross over to our own when the right conditions were met. I also shouldn't say that.
As I spoke the soldiers's faces turned darker and darker.
" Once everything was in peace the elders took their seats at the top of the hierarchy and have been there ever since"
I shut up, watching their reactions. All of them looked up at me silently, waiting for the continuation of the story.
" That's it"
There was nothing else to tell. The angels had won the war and settled where they thought was best, in their original realm.
Then why did they start a war with the demons in the first place?
I didn't know that. According to them the demons started it first, though now that I looked at them they seemed way too devastated about the outcome of a war for having started it themselves. I didn't know who to believe now.
" Do you know the name of those elders?" Arsheus's voice had an edge as he asked, as if he already could guess the answer but wanted me to confirm it.
" No" I shrugged, avoiding eye contact with everyone except Arsheus and the handsome man from earlier. They felt safe.
I was sure they had told me at some point in my life, but since I was not interested at all in history classes if they told me I didn't remember it.
Murmurs erupted everywhere. All the soldiers turned to look at each other and whisper, guessing who they thought could be the new ruler.
" Was it Raphael?"
Arsheus's question caught me off guard. I thought we had gotten past who ruled now, but oh well.
" Raphael?"
Was there an elder called Raphael?
I remember something with that name, but I wasn't sure what it was.....
I looked upwards, searching for divine inspiration.
If I thought hard enough I could remember who he was. He had been....
I opened my mouth to speak up when the whole mountain rumbled, the floor shaking.
I held onto the table and tried to keep my balance as Arsheus closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them back up his face was pale.
" Let's go"
He grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the room as the soldiers unsheathed their swords and followed suit behind us.
" What's going on?" My voice was shaking with fear as I asked the question.
What could be happening that would scare Arsheus? He hadn't even flinched when the Albayroo had attacked us, so what was it that he looked so afraid?
The soldiers behind me were the same as me, their eyes twitching and their heads snapping at any little sound. They were just as scared as I was. That was never a good sign.
" The angels have found this place"
Wait, what?
The barrier had gotten weaker but I thought it still stood strong. Maybe bringing an angel into their domain had finished breaking what was left of it.
It was unfortunate and I would have to run from them now, but it wasn't that bad. Was that really all?
I thought there would be some ancient creature chasing us or something that we couldn't defeat, but they were just angels. What was the problem with that?
" Why are you so afraid of them?"
Arsheus frowned as he turned to look at me, our hands still intertwined. " It's not them I fear"
" Than what do you fear?"
" What they've brought with them"
I stared at him, confused. What had they brought with them that infused so much fear into Arsheus?
" What is it?"
Arsheus looked at me and opened his mouth, ready to speak. A second later he closed it back up.
" You can't know "
"So, the same as always then"
Arsheus flinched with my words, but he had to know they were true. He never gave me any information.
He didn't speak to me anymore as he dragged me down dark tunnels.
" Where are we going?"
" We're getting out of here. They have us surrounded"
" How do you know that?"
Arsheus looked at me and smirked.
" I'm that powerful and great"
I should've know he'd answer like that. His ego was from another world. I would have to take him down a notch sometime. It was just like what had happened back at my room. He was still as proud as back then.
Speaking of my room. Where were my gems?
I looked down at myself and saw a shirt and pants.
Crap, I hadn't put them on!
I had to go back and get them. I needed those gems if I were to escape and live back in my own realm.
" Can we go back to my room for a second?"
" Did you forget something?"
Yes, I forgot the dress with the most expensive gems I could find.
The plain shirt and pants I had chosen for commodity wouldn't cut it when it came time to sell the jewels and make a new life for myself.
As we walked Arsheus turned to look at me and smirked, all his hatred and disdain in that fake smile.
" The jewels were fake"
I stopped on my tracks, shocked. The gems were fake? They hadn't seemed fake to me. Could he be lying?
It didn't matter. Either way the fact that he knew I was interested in the gems wasn't good.
My heart raced and fear gripped me when I heard his words. Did he know what I planned to do with them?
The smirk on his face told me he knew and yet all he had done was warn me that they were fake. Maybe he wouldn't react on the attempted theft.
" What are you two talking about?"
I almost jumped up in fear when the handsome demon caught up to us and begun speaking to us as if we were having a stroll and a chat and not running away to try to save our lives while the whole passage shook and threatened to come down.
" Nothing"
" She tried to steal the gems sewn into the gowns "
I blushed red. It sounded way worse than what it was. I just wanted some quick cash.
" Did you know he kidnapped me?"
I didn't know why but I felt like I could trust that demon. That and I didn't want to be seen as a thief when the guy that had accused me had literally stolen a whole person.
" Oh, so that happened?"
The demon didn't looked faced for even a second as he walked alongside us.
" He's not that bad. He probably just wanted you to himself"
That was right. He wanted me to be his little doll that did whatever he wanted.
The demon was wearing a smirk as he regarded his friend.
" Shut it. We're almost outside"
The atmosphere changed in a second.
The chatty demon shut up as his face darkened, his weapons ready and on hand.
" Could you give me one?" I pointed at his twin daggers and made my best shaking, afraid voice, which wasn't very hard taking into account I was so afraid of what the angels would do if they caught me that my whole body was shaking.
" Sure" The demon handed me a dagger with a tense smile.
It wasn't as pretty or as small and manageable as the one Arsheus had given me at the beginning but it'd have to do. I just wanted it to slash Arsheus and get his blood after all.
I eyed Arsheus through the corner of my eye.
I could try to get his blood and then run. Problem was I didn't have the slightest idea of where I was and I didn't even know if the trick of smearing blood on the wall to get home would work everywhere or just in an specific spot. Better not to risk it. I only had one chance.
" Don't even think about it" Arsheus's voice had an edge to it as he warned me.
I diverted my eyes and placed them back in our path.
" What are you talking about?" I gave Arsheus my most innocent smile. The one that said I was up to no evil.
Arsheus huffed and proceeded to ignore me again.
My victory.
The handsome demon, I really had to ask his name one of these days, leaned in so close to my ear I could feel his breath.
" Don't worry. He secretly likes it"
What was he going on about?
I gave the demon my most confused look.
" He likes to be stabbed by pretty women"
I flushed red and stopped walking.
Just what kind of relationship did he think we had?
" We're not like that!"
I all but screamed as I answered, but the smirk didn't leave the demon's face.
" Sure"
I gritted my teeth. Another demon I would have to either stab or run away from in the future. Just great.
" Shhh!!" Arsheus glared at us and signaled us to shut up.
Now that I thought about it there wasn't a single sound that could be heard in the tunnel, only our voices.
Once we stopped talking the silence hit me at once. It was an eerie silence. Once that hid monsters in the dark.
My fear spiked and I held onto Arsheus's arm tighter. I wanted to get out of here.
A few minutes later of snapping at every little sound and creak the mountain did we finally reached the light.
" We're here " Arsheus didn't sound specially thrilled about finding the exit, which made me stop in my tracks.
Arsheus hesitated when he reached the end of the tunnel, where a soft light could be seen.
We were outside. Just where the angels trying to kill us were.
I got scared and backed away, stopping and trying to run back.
" Are you sure it isn't more safe to just go back and hide?"
Please let him do what I wanted. I didn't want to go outside. I didn't want to face the angels. He hadn't seen what they had done to the demons so long ago. Not even their corpses found a respite after death. I didn't want to end up like that.
" Shhh" Arsheus placed his hand on my mouth as an answer and walked forward.
I quivered as I held onto him. Oh, God please don't let them see me. I didn't want to die yet.
" Calm down. Everything's going to be fine"
Arsheus reassured me while holding my hand.
I would've believe him if I didn't see the fear in his eyes. Even the demon who had been mocking me a few minutes ago was now serious, his eyes unwavering as he looked forward.
" What do we do now?" The demon seemed concerned as he asked.
Fuck. Just what was wrong?
Arsheus spun to look back, where the whole army was gathered, the soldiers's faces pale with fear.
" We'll go to the lake. We should be safe there" Arsheus whispered his answer with an unsure tone.
It was the first time I hadn't seen his ego emerge when he spoke and that scared me the most. I didn't want to move on with his plan if he wasn't even sure of it.
I knew I was going to look like an idiot but I had to ask.
" Why don't we just use the rock to go to another place just like how you took me to my room?"
The handsome demon was the one who answered my question in whispers.
" The rock is a path. It can lead you wherever you want inside the realm as long as it's connected to the mountains"
" Then why don't we use that?" I didn't see the problem.
" The angels know that trick too. That's why they're trying to destroy the whole mountain and bring it down"
I stared at the walls in fear. They no longer felt safe but rather oppressive now that I knew they could come down and crash me at any second.
" Can they really do that?"
The demon smiled sadly as he looked at the ceiling.
" They've done it before "
My body shook even harder and I held onto Arsheus. I had to get out of here before I had a panic attack.
" And my realm?" I looked at Arsheus as I asked the question. " You already took us from there to here"
Arsheus gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
" Moving betweeen realms takes too much power. I can't bring everyone to safety "
I looked back at the soldiers and then at Arsheus. He might be a bastard but at least he knew how to take care of his men. I could respect that.
" Fine. What do we do now?"
I gathered all my courage to take a step forward.
" I'm taking us as close as possible. Then we'll have to run to a safe place"
" Is the lake safe?"
Arsheus didn't answer and neither did the other demon, which was answer enough. There was nowhere safe here.
" Fine"
I held onto Arsheus harder as we resumed walking and crossed over to the light.
Once we stepped outside I noticed we were no longer at the peak of the mountain. We were down, on the flat land.
What from the top had seemed so tiny was actually a vast landscape of snow.
We hadn't even taken a step out of the trembling mountain when Arsheus spun me around and made me look at him in the eyes.
" From now on you do as I say"
I wanted to fight him, but that wouldn't be wise. Instead I nodded while I held onto his hand with my right and onto the dagger with my left, the idea of running away discarded for now until we were in a safe spot. At least now I knew as long as I was near a mountain I could go back home. It was a start.
Arsheus turned around to face his men and spoke in a decided tone.
" We'll walk straight through the clear and onto the lake"
As he spoke his eyes never left the peak of the mountain.
I twisted my head to see what had him so entranced and paled even more.
We were fucked.
On the peak hundreds of angels, their numbers doubling the number of soldiers, used their powers to attack the mountain, the fire they were using to try to bring it down visible even from afar.
Their metal shields and armours shone lightly with the moonlight as they moved in perfect coordination, their white wings in stark contrast with the dark blue sky.
They seemed ready for anything and decided to take us down.
We had to go.
" If anyone spots an angel sound the alarm"
Arsheus finished his speech and took my hand again.
" Now follow me"
I was still scared but I'd seen Arsheus come back from the dead. I was sure he could survive this too.
We were going to be fine.