An Unpleasant Memory

(OVERVIEW)

"So much for needing all your mana", Abigor grumbled helplessly to himself.

He stood up and walked over to Azrael who was watching some flames die out leaving nothing behind.

Abigor looked at the flames with a look of pity.

"Sometimes I think the word demon isn't enough to describe you", he said.

"Me too", said Azrael as he turned to the doors. He put one of his hands on them ,"Open"

He stepped back as they slowly swung open with loud grinding sounds. Behind the doors, multicolored energy shimmered and swirled inside.

Azrael looked back at Abigor.

"Thanks for getting me this far", he said ,"I guess I'll be seeing you in a few millennia or so"

"I'll be waiting then", said Abigor, waving as he watched Azrael walk towards the doors.

But suddenly…

Azrael stopped and stood right in front of the portal.

Abigor frowned ,"Well? Go already"

Then he noticed what was wrong. Azrael was gritting his teeth, trying to move forward but it looked like an invisible force held him in place.

"Why…can't…I…?" said Azrael in frustration.

His eyes glowed and he pushed forward with even more strength. The ground shook and cracks began to appear.

"Azrael!", Abigor shouted ,"Stop! I don't think you can get through!"

Azrael pushed forward with even more force. It felt like the entire realm was shaking and the cracks in the ground began to spread.

Abigor spread his wings and took off.

"Azrael!" he shouted ," At this rate, we'll only get found out! You need to stop!"

Suddenly, the tremors stopped.

Azrael stepped away from the doors. He was breathing heavily and sweat covered his brow. Abigor landed and approached him but kept his distance.

"Azrael…", said Abigor hesitantly ,"Are you-?"

Azrael raised his head and Abigor flinched. He could see the frustration and anger that blazed in Azrael's eyes.

"I want answers", said Azrael and he pointed a finger to where he had burned Abaddon ,"Let the dead breath once more, Resumair!"

A magic circle was drawn and particles gathered together, forming the large and bulky body of Abaddon. Abaddon looked around in surprise and confusion.

"Wha-?" he began to say.

"Shut it", said Azrael coldly ,"Answer my questions and nothing more"

Abaddon was silent.

"Why am I not able to go through the doors?" Azrael asked.

"As I mentioned before, my lord", said Abaddon ,"Only a select few may pass through the doors"

"…I see", said Azrael flatly ,"Centuries of planning for nothing. How infuriating"

Azrael's knees buckled and he fell forward.

"Azrael!" Abigor rushed forward and caught him before he could pass out ,"Come on, buddy. We'll find another way, let's go"

Azrael nodded with a bitter expression and Abigor waved his hand. Abaddon along with the doors, vanished into thin air. Abigor then spread his wings and took off for the palace with Azrael in his arms.

•

(At the palace)

"Where have you two been?"

Samira was seated on the terrace, waiting for them with her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face.

"What?" said Abigor as they landed ,"Did you get lonely without me?"

He set Azrael down on one of the chairs beside Samira.

"You haven't answered my question", she ignored Abigor ,"And why were you carrying Azrael"

"Just a bit of fun between friends", Azrael lied.

Samira narrowed her eyes ,"You're lying"

"What if I am?" Azrael shot back.

"With all due respect, my lord", she stood up and walked to Azrael ,"Her majesty was worried about you and so am I"

"Well don't be", Azrael walked past her and opened the door ,"And if you want to know where we were, feel free to ask your spouse over there"

With that, he shut the door behind him.

•

(Azrael)

'Annoying'

Was all I could think of as I walked through the dark hallways of my mother's palace. I could feel my frustration building up with each step I took.

'All that work…all that planning and preparing…all in vain!'

"Young Master-"

A voice interrupted my thoughts and I turned around. Alvah stood there and curtsied.

"Her Majesty asks whether you shall return to the party or not", she said.

"I'm afraid I shall have to retire to my palace", I said with an apologetic smile.

'All those demons will do is just annoy me even more anyway', I thought to myself.

"I shall inform her Majesty right away", she bowed and melted into the shadows.

"What a way to end a birthday", I muttered out loud. I snapped my fingers and teleported directly to my palace.

I felt a sharp pain run throughout my body. I guess I had used too much of my power tonight.

One of my maids appeared out of the shadows and bowed.

"Welcome home, my lord", she said ,"Shall I run your bath?"

"Yes, Ziera", I said as she lead me to the bathroom.

'Might as well relax while I think of another way out of here'

•

(20 minutes later)

"I shall return with your meal, my lord", said Ziera.

I had taken a nice relaxing bath and calmed my nerves. I was now in my chambers, lounging on my bed in my robes, with a goblet of Nectar in my hand.

"Thank you", I said to Ziera and she melted into the shadows.

I got up and walked over to the balcony. As I looked up at the blood red sky of Hell, I wondered for the millionth time, if I would ever see my father and grandfather.

"What do I do now?" I wondered out loud.

"You wouldn't believe the number of times I've heard that question", said a cheerful and carefree voice behind me.

I turned saw a beautiful woman was on my bed. She was wearing a plain white dress with a yellow shawl around her shoulders. Her long blonde hair flowed around her like water and her eyes were bright gold.

I frowned ,"Who are you?"

"That's disappointing", the woman pouted as she got up and stood next to me ,"I was hoping you would remember your dear Aunt C"

"Aunt…C?…Ow!", I felt a sharp pain and a vague memory came to mind.

•

(FLASHBACK)

"Mom?" I was in a forest , back when I was just a few centuries old. I had wondered off on my own without my mother and had lost my way.

Then a woman appeared from behind the trees…

"Hello there, darling", she had a dazzling smile and a kind looking face ,"Are you lost?"

I nodded.

"Don't worry", she said and took my hand ,"Aunt Ciathra will take care of you…"

•

(OVERVIEW)

"Aunt…Ciathra?" I asked as the pain and memories faded away.

Aunt C grinned with delight ,"So you do remember me, darling! I'm glad"

"To a certain extent" I corrected her ,"Who exactly are you?"

"Hmmm", she thought ,"Now that you're older, I guess I'll have to formally introduce myself"

She swept her dress to the side and gave a small bow.

"A pleasure to meet you, your highness", she said with a smile ,"I am Ciathra, Seer of the future, Apostle of the World Dragon and your hot Aunt"

•

(OVERVIEW)

"Before I kill you from where you stand", Morana said coldly ,"Why have the rest of your comrades failed to attend my son's birthday?"

Morana, Alvah and Felfir were in one of the chambers of the palace, away from the rest of the party. Alvah stood by Morana's side as the Queen scolded Felfir, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Forgive me your majesty", said Felfir ,"No excuse I have would be enough to make up for this terrible insu-"

"Gravatir" said Morana as she pointed at Felfir.

Instantly, Felfir dropped the ground with a thud and lay there spreadeagled. He was being crushed by the gravity around him and couldn't move a muscle.

"I went through a lot to make sure that today would be perfect for the one person I care for", said Morana ,"So spare me your pathetic squabble and excuses and tell me-"

Felfir's eyes were beginning to turn bloodshot. He felt like his skull was about to implode but he couldn't do anything about it.

"-where are your fellow Deadly demons?"

Morana's eyes began to glow and she held out her other hand. A ball of dark purple flames erupted and burned in her palm.

Felfir trembled in fear, his teeth clattering together. He knew what those flames were and that if he didn't say anything now, he would cease to exist. But before he could say anything-

"Your Majesty!" said Alvah in an urgent tone.

Morana focused her gaze on Alvah for a second.

Faster than a serpent, Morana was holding up Alvah by her throat. Alvah, kicked and strained against the queen's grip.

"Alvah, you dare interrupt me?" Morana asked ,"Do you wish to die as well?"

Alvah gasped for air and tried to say something but one of the other maids spoke first.

"Forgive us, your Majesty", said the maid ,"But she judged that this matter is more urgent than anything else right now"

Morana let go of Alvah and she fell to the floor, retching and coughing.

"And what is that?" Morana asked.

Alvah looked up ,"The Oracle…is at Prince Azrael's palace"

The rage in Morana's eyes intensified but this time, mixed with panic. Her aura poured out, nearly incinerating everything and everyone in the room. But she quickly regained her composure.

"Alvah, lock Felfir up in the dungeons!" said Morana as she ran towards one of the open windows and jumped out.

"Your Majesty-!" Alvah shouted behind her.

A pair of black wings sprouted from Morana's back and she flew at top speed with all her might.

"Azrael…"

•

(Azrael)

"Oracle?"

Aunt C grinned and walked slowly around me.

"Of course", she said ,"What else could I be?"

"A demon", I said ,"a god, a-"

"Okay okay!", said Aunt C ,"I get it, I could be something else but, I am the Oracle"

"Okay", I said and leaned against the balcony rail ,"And what is an Oracle doing here?"

"Obviously here to wish you a happy birthday silly" said Aunt C ,"And to give you a gift"

"A gift?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes", she raised her right hand. The ring on her index finger glowed and a clear orb appeared in her hand.

She held it out to me.

"So my gift is round glass?" I asked sarcastically ,"The disappointments just keep coming today"

"Hey!" Aunt C frowned ,"It's called an orb of foresight. And I know the visit to the gates was disappointing but my gift isn't"

I leaned forward ,"So you really are an Oracle"

"I would never lie to you, dear", said Aunt C and she walked to my bed and set the orb down.

"Okay", I folded my arms ,"Then tell me: Where is my father? Who is my grandfather? And how do I get out of here?"

Aunt C winced and put a hand on my shoulder ,"As much as I'd like to tell you, I can't. If I did ,everything would change"

"Figures", I scoffed ,"Another disappointment"

"Come on, Kiddo", Aunt C smiled at me ,"Let me tell you something else instead. There's always more than one way to get what you want"

"Like I haven't heard that before" I grumbled ,"Thanks anyway"

"You're welcome", she pulled me in and hugged me ,"Now you might wanna block that fireball from killing us"

"Wha-?"

BOOM!

A huge ball of dark flames hit the balcony and exploded, shaking the entire palace.

"You couldn't have pointed that out sooner?!"

The dust cleared. Luckily, I'd raised a barrier around us just in the nick of time time. If I had been a second slower, she might have died.

"Remember", she said cheerfully as if nothing had happened ,"If I say anything, it won't happen"

I would have argued with her but then I noticed something. The color of the flames that surrounded us were dark purple.

"Primordial hell flames", I muttered ,"Aside from me, the only other demon who can use them is-"

"CIATHRA!"

I looked up and saw my mother flying above us, her eyes lit with intense rage. She snapped her fingers and the fire around us extinguished.

I dropped the barrier ,"Mom, why did you-?"

My mother's expression softened and she landed next to me.

"I'm sorry, darling", she said and caressed my cheek ,"I didn't mean for it to hit you. I was aiming for that vixen!"

Mom fixed her eyes on Aunt C. I could feel the enormous killing intent that was pouring out from her.

"Hey, Morana!" said Aunt C with a smile ,"What's it been, 3000 years?"

Mom glared at her ,"Don't act like you don't know. You know everything, don't you? Well then ,you know that I want you to get out!"

Aunt C looked at her with a sad expression ,"What will it take for you to forgive me?"

"Hmmm, how bout-", Mom lit another ball of primordial hell flames in her hand ,"-you burn!"

She hurled the flames at Aunt C. The ball hit her and the flames spread instantly, completely engulfing her.

"Mom-!"

"Relax", she said in annoyance ,"If it were that easy to kill her, I would have killed her long ago"

I looked at Aunt C and saw what she meant. The flames were slowly dying out and Aunt C hadn't burnt at all.

"Well", said Aunt C ,"I hope that helped-"

"It didn't", Mom cut her short.

"I'd best be going then", a portal opened up behind her ,"Oh Azrael-?"

She looked back at me and gave me a knowing smile.

"-I'll see you soon"

With that, she walked through the portal.