Chapter Seven: Not The Time

Alice fell deep in thought as she stood next to Damien, Astris, and Zirian. Making sure the System was currently in its 'sleep state', she began thinking about the things about Earth and a dominant human society. 'Am I in a different universe, or a different time?'

Zirian nudged Alice as the giant airship landed, bringing her back to reality. "Get ready. Remember, don't do anything that would make us look bad." His face was serious, but his mind was barely calm. 'I hope you'll be okay, my daughter.'

Astris decided to pat her back a second before the airship's door opened, revealing beautiful stone streets, and massive buildings. They were made of stone, wood, marble, and were painted multiple colors. The sun was high in the sky, and reflected off the river to the right of the landing zone. Fish jumped in the river and people stared at Zirian and his siblings as they walked down the boarding ramp. The three of them wore a variety of black and red, which gave a sense of pressure as they approached the carriage from before.

It had been loaded onto the airship shortly before take off.

On each side of the ship, Demon and human knights stood at attention, ready for anything to go south. Some people were still against the Demons, so it was clear as to why they were there.

Zirian turned around to look back into the airship. Zirian motioned for someone to follow him, and this was all being broadcasted. The people broadcasting all turned to the opening in the airship, awaiting whoever was to walk out.

Alice took a deep breath in. 'Now's not the time for this. I have to be a princess.' She stepped down the ramp, and the moment she came into the light, everyone's jaws dropped.

She wore an innocent white dress with some accents of pink running through it. It had flower designs on it, and on her neck sat a beautiful pink and white pear necklace. Instead of a tiara, there was a beautiful white flower in her hair. She walked elegantly while her flowing pink hair blew softly in the wind. Her hands were covered by silky white gloves, that went up to just above her elbows.

She made everyone's hearts well up with a sense of wanting to protect her.

People began to chatter amongst themselves. "She's so cute! I wonder who she is?"

"She could be the princess. We don't know if their king is married or not."

"I've been to their kingdom and I can say he's not, at least the last time I was there."

A person stared on from a roof a little ways away. He wore a black hood and had two short swords, one equipped on each of his sides. He held his head in frustration. 'I thought there were just two.'

He jumped down from the roof and walked quite the distance, before walking into an alley way. He knocked on a seemingly normal wall, before it opened up, revealing a woman in a black hood, with a knife on her side. Streaks of golden hair came out from under the hood.

"Did you see the targets?" She asked, allowing him inside.

The person took off his hood once inside, revealing the face of a fourteen year old elf. "Yes, but there was another person. She looked like a princess."

The woman removed her hood as well, although she was human. "We must report this to the High Court at once. We'll call off the assassination until we gather sufficient information. Don't worry, rookie. We'll get you your first target soon."

The boy nodded as they walked into the dark passageway, disappearing.

Zirian, his siblings, and Alice arrived at the castle. Stepping out of the carriage.

They were greeted by Emperor Stravos and two of his youngest children. "Hello, Lucifina Royal Family. How were your travels?" He spoke, his voice still raspy.

Zirian bowed slightly before shaking his hand. "Travels were good, Nathaniel. I assume you remember my daughter, Alice?"

Nathaniel Stravos, finally given a first name, nodded. "Yes, however when I saw her, she was but an baby, much like my two boys here. She's grown into a beautiful young lady. These are my sons Jason and Zachariah Stravos, eleventh and twelfth in line for the throne. Jason turns twelve in a few days, and Zachariah turns ten next month."

Jason has short brown hair and green eyes, while he stood in a position that made it seem like he had built up energy. Zach had blonde short blonde hair, and a green and blue eye. Zach seemed like the calmer of the pair. They both had light skin, and smiled at Alice.

Zirian shook their hands. "Zachariah, Jason, this is my daughter Alice. She is my sole heir. She turns nine on the seventeenth of the ninth month, Felli."

This world has twelve months, renamed after the Holy Wars, just like Earth to Astrea. The months, in order, are Korelin, Saturine, Daliah, Hurmandy, Yvestil, Dracmere, Gildmere, Triaphere, Felli, Zerelli, Merelli, Dekerin.

It was currently Dracmere.

Alice played the shy card and hid behind Zirian. "What's wrong Alice? I thought you wanted to meet humans?"

She nodded. She said something quietly in his ear.

Zirian shook his head. "Hey, Zacha- can I call you Zach please?" Zach nodded. "Can you and Jason take Alice and maybe play with her a bit?"

They nodded excitedly, happy to have someone new to play with. "Sure! Dad, we'll be in the courtyard!"

Nathaniel nodded. "Don't be too rough, and don't use magic unless she uses it first. Then it's fair game!" He motioned for Zirian, Damien and Astris to follow him. "I will show you to your rooms. We will sign the treaty in a few days, at least two."

Zirian and Nathaniel were talking about their kids as they arrived in a long hallway.

Nathaniel stopped walking in front of a row of doors. "These are your rooms. You can bring Alice to show her where her room is after dinner. I'm taking my leave. I've got business to attend to, I am Emperor Nathaniel X, of course!"

Without realizing, they already walked the distance to their rooms. The castle was very large on the inside, as it should be. When you looked out the windows, you could notice guards and cannons on the outer walls. You also saw the beautiful gardens and trees. The interior had red carpet flowing everywhere like an endless blood river, and the gray walls had paintings of past heroes or imperial family members.

Zirian walked into his room, laying down a bag of seemingly no importance. He laid down on the king sized bed after kicking off his shoes and spread his demonic wings.

Damien did almost the same thing, except for the fact that he took off all his clothes, throwing them randomly all over the room. He also fell asleep.

Astris took off her heels and laid down slowly on her bed. Looking out the window, a smile formed on her face. "It feels so great, being here after all these years." She closed her eyes, with a cynical smile on her face. She mouthed some words and disappeared from the room.

In a room deep underground, two people stood in front of seven black hooded figures. The torches on the walls of the room flickered, as if their was a shallow current of wind in the room.

It was the elven boy and human female with golden hair.

"You're saying the Demon King has a daughter?" One of the figures spoke. Their clothes each had an added accent to it, putting them above the pair. This one had a white cross on its left shoulder.

"Yes, Master Charity. I'm not sure, but when I looked at her, I also felt a sense of uneasiness." The young elf spoke, looking at the ground.

Another figure spoke, this one with a feminine voice. "Can you elaborate on this feeling, Apprentice?" Her right sleeve was missing, and on her shoulder was the tattoo of a burning wing.

He nodded. "Master Hope, it was a sense of danger, not like the Fallen Angels, but not like the Lost Monsters either. It's unique, and it scares me."

The figures whispered amongst themselves, coming to a consensus. The middle most figure spoke, his voice like a Lost Demon, deep and terrifying. He had giant black wings. "Apprentice, what is your name while you don your hood?"

"I do not have one yet, Grandmaster Justice. I have yet to be assigned a target."

The Grandmaster nodded. "Then, as the Grandmaster of The Seven Holy Virtues of Hope, Faith, Charity, Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, I hereby grant you a name. You will be known as Abel. You're target will be this princess. You will wait as long as possible until you believe her to be in a weak position, and then you will kill her."

Abel nodded. "Yes, Grandmaster Justice. I will wait, even if it takes years."

The figures, now known as The Seven Holy Virtues, all said something together, which was repeated by Abel and the golden haired girl. They were kneeling on the ground as they repeated:

"Let God lead us to her garden."

As they stood up, the seven figures were gone, and only one torch remained lit on the walls, as it too died out.

The girl gave Abel a pat on the back. "Congratulations, Abel. You're officially in. You won't really wait years, will you?"

Abel nodded. "I'm going to complete my first assignment, Mary. I will carry out God's will until my death."

He and Mary walked out, back through a dark hall. They arrived at an entrance far on the other side of the capital city.

Waving goodbye, Mary teleported away and Abel removed his hood, putting it in his red S-Ring, returning to normal society.

'I'll wait as long as it takes.' He walked off into the crowd, blending in as if he was just a civilian.