. The curse and dark room

The dark room was like a place out of time, a place to rest withought consequence.

The darkness in that way, was a sanctuary, a place to recharge and forget the thing the world said had to be done.

It wasn't that Azazel couldn't or wouldn't, but rather he needed that time of stepping out of his insatiable thirst for blood for a while. So, in the darkness that stole even his own form, he decided to remain.

In this room lies his past memories of terror, agony and pain which he choose to never recollect. And life wasn't fair to him because the curse led him back to his anguish.

Every forth night of the month, he stayed in the dark room because on that day, he becomes a blood sucking demon. A natural devil itself!

His insatiable desire for blood was a curse placed on him and no one except his fated one could he his tranquilizer. He needed to find his weakness! But it was hard! Nothing and no one could harm him! He was untouchable and immune to all forms of emotion.

Where could he find his weakness?

Flashback

In the dark room

"Whip him!" said emperor Lucian.

The whip snapped across Azazel's back and he clenched his teeth. He held his breath like he always did to avoid letting a single sound slip from his mouth.

He knew what would happen if he failed to seal his lips, so not a single sound escaped his lips .

"You should have fought back when you had the opportunity. I trained you to be dangerous just like me, your father."

The emperor ranted as the whip descended on Azazels back one more time.

"You will be the emperor soon but I cannot leave my empire in the hands of a pathetic son." He said.

Once more, the whip slashed his back.

"Let them fear you with just your aura. Let them have not the slightest boldness to look at your face and fear your eyes!"

The emperor kept ranting but the words flew past Azazel's ears as all he could think of was how to end his misery.

"You choose to be a coward, so this is what you will face! Whip him harder!" Lucian ordered with a thundering voice and the impact of the whip on his skin echoed.

His clothes whistled through the air, shredding into million pieces as the guard whipped him continuously.

The dark room was filed with nothing but the sound of the slashing whip against his skin and the groaning of his voice.

A Few hours later, the torture still continued and the inhabitants of the castle shuddered.

The castle maids stood outside the dark room and conversed amongst themselves.

"Did you hear that sound?" Clara asked.

"Heard what?" asked Trisha.

"Yes, I heard it!" Susan said with a pitiful nod. "The prince is being whipped again."

"I heard king Lucian want to make his son a mighty terror." Trisha said.

"Yes and I'm a bit worried for the day he becomes king!"

Sly finally noticed Azazel, who had come out of the dark room but was standing motionless, with an unseeing look in his eyes. He traced his sight and found him staring at the maids with a deadly glare

"Don't you have anything doing rather than gossiping? It looks like you don't value your life!" Sly said and the maids flinched. "Get out!" He yelled. And they scurried away like little mouse.

For a certain, Azazel knew everyone called him a cursed prince behind his back but he could not say anything about it. They should all pray he doesn't remember them personally on the day he takes over the throne.

He wanted to yell at them for whispering behind his back but there was no steam in his voice. Taking whip lashes was bad enough, but to know that his subjects dreaded the day he'd grow up and become king made him infuriated.

"Sly!" He called. "Is that what they call me?" Azazel asked and Sly nodded

"I know they must fear me!"

"More likely!" he nodded again. "And honestly, that is all that matters."

"Do you also fear me?" He asked and Sly hesistated for a moment.

"I did. But not anymore."

Sly took Azazel to his room and saw that the whip lashes, which had echoed for hours in the dark room, had been healed. Not surprised, he said,

"You should have killed that man." Azazel shook his head.

"The whip is tormenting to me but, it's what I must endure! Father will not take it lightly if I kill one of his subordinates!"

"If not that you are a devil, these wounds, which are now healed, could've really killed you!" said sly.

"And that is why father does not hesitate to go all out!" He said with a menacing grin.

"You need a bath." Sly said and he nodded.

"Hmmm!" He got up and started heading for the bathroom.

Sly watched his bloody back and wondered. The prince was suffering simply because he was a devil. Was it his fault that he was cursed?

The emperor, Lucian, Azazel's father, was a really cruel king. He knew his son would never be able to follow in his footsteps so he cursed him.

A cruel king he shall be! And until he sheds blood, he ould have no rest. He would have no peace. Like a mad dog, he would kill all that he came across and no one could stop him.

This was all to make him a cruel and fearless king with no weakness whatsoever.

And that was how he became what he was today.

Azazel, the devil and a bloody killer. Azazel, the man with no emotions! Azazel, king of the underworld!