Secrets Unveiled
Chapter 7: Secrets Unveiled
In the midst of eerie darkness, the mysterious creature loomed, its form and features obscured by the swirling obsidian mist enveloping it. The shimmering red light of the demon's eyes fell on the infant girl and the next second the girl and the demon disappeared.
"ALIZA.." Lawrence ran into the room and just caught the glimpse of the demon vanishing with his daughter when the time resumed again.
"Ahhh..." Aliza screamed as the pain wrecked her already frail body. Lawrence, who was just about to follow the dark trial stopped in his tracks and turned to look at his wife. They were expecting twins and the ceased time worsened the young queen's condition.
"Aliza. Wife. Are you able to hear me? I am right here. Just don't give up. I am here." Lawrence shouted at the Midwife who was horror struck after finding the baby missing in her hands. Lawrence stayed there, sharing his life source with his wife while she worked hard to bring their baby into the world.
Thankfully the baby came out soon. Midwife handed the baby to Lawrence who immediately stormed out of the room to save his other daughter. The servants and the midwife were left perplexed looking at their king sprinting away with his new born daughter.
The time went still again, and this time it was Lawrence who ceased it. Dashing out, he jumped down from the huge balcony with one hand taking support on the balustrade while the other secured his daughter into his chest.
Loren, his ancient griffin, and also his loyal companion on battle field flew towards his master in the right time to land the king and the baby princess on it's back and followed the dark energy trial.
"Urcula .." Lawrence gritted his teeth in rage. He shouldn't have left the palace. Loren roared, and Lawrence cloaked his daughter with his royal robes knowing that Loren was going to go faster.
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"URCULA, Don't even dare to touch my daughter. It will not end well for you." Lawrence's voice thundered in the sky. Urcula, who just took the eldest princess into her arms smirked defiantly hearing the familiar voice. Her black hood masked the hatred in her eyes, but it still got reflected in the way she held the baby. Careless and Unbothered.
She walked into the forest, not even bothering to look up into the sky. Loren dashed straight towards the mystic woods and Lawrence had his lightening-charged ball ready in his right hand to attack.
BOOM ...
Lawrence aimed it at Urcula, and a resounding explosion reverberated, but it just ended up destroying the hundreds of dark souls that suddenly stood in the way to protect Urcula.
"Fuck.. Loren. Go higher." He order but it was of no use now. They were caged in a sphere of dark energies.
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"Time to go little princess. Bye. Haha. Don't blame me for this little Isabella. It's all your parent's fault but alas, you will pay the price. Hope you enjoy your new life in hell." Urcula dropped the baby into the lake and left.
Just when everything almost settled down, Loren soared in the sky above the lake and an pure arcane energy replaced the dark magic of the place.
On Loren, Lawrence had his hand on his daughter's chest removing the power of hell to it's fullest and directed it towards the lake. The baby cried. The power being drawn out of her roots were too stubborn to leave her and her father was even more obstinate to leave it inside her.
As the gates of hell which were opened to trap the eldest princess forever almost closed, Lawrence directed the hell power he took from his youngest daughter to the closing gates, yielding them open to pull back his daughter from falling into it and immediately closing the gates.
As the gates closed, the life around rejuvenated, but the hell power was not made for Lawrence to control. It only and only belonged to the youngest princess of Mythiopia. The last remaining remnants of hell power exploded, going against the wielder and pushed the eldest princess into the human world before the gates closed forever.
"AHHHH... You LOWLY WIZARD. ..." Urcula fury rent the air as her machinations crumbled. All her efforts to appease the lord of hell went futile. She gazed at the sky. Loren was still circling high above, but Lawrence was too shocked to take a note of Urcula. He was almost there. His eldest baby was almost there. He was going to take both the daughters back home. Why did it end up like this?
Urcula squinted her eyes to look at Lawrence. Her eyes widened when she caught the sight of the true bearer of hell power. That demonic creature didn't have intellectual abilities. He was told to bring the new born baby and he did. But up until now Urcula wasn't aware of the royal couple going to have twins.
She trembled as she realized something. No matter how dark she was, she wasn't darker than hell. And she had just offended the Devil by sending the heaven's child to his door. Without delay, Urcula fled to the hunger realms, seeking refuge from the wrath she'd unwittingly invited. She could always come back later. For now she had to think of a way to placate the Satan.
Loren flew away from mystic woods and landed in the safe woods of Mythiopia. Lawrence sat by a tree, his eyes empty, silently staring at his youngest.
"My d-daughter. F-Father is s-sorry. Very sorry. I didn't want to hurt you my child... I .. I wanted to s-save your s-sister. T-To bring her back. I-I'm sorry. F-Forgive me pleasee.. " Lawrence's voice faltered and he broke down, delicately hugging his daughter.
He failed as a father and a husband today. The greatest wizard in the history had lost today. Ashamed of himself, and scared to look at his wife and daughter. What was he going to tell Aliza? What was he going to tell this daughter whose power he had drawn out?
The sky and heavens stopped crying long ago, but Lawrence's pain didn't recede. It grew every passing minute, eating him up from within.
Lawrence finally gathered himself after a while and returned to the palace. The time was yet to be resumed by the king. As he walked through the silent corridors with the young princess sleeping in his arms, he resolved what has to be done.
He wasn't brave enough to tell his wife about their lost daughter. Hence, standing in the centre of the palace, he erased everyone's memory who knew they were expecting twins. A tear slid past his eye for the crime of erasing his daughters existence, but he was not ready to face his wife like this.
He owned to bring his lost daughter back, to complete their family. Gazing at the sleeping child in his arms, he took a deep breathe before a sad smile grazed his lips.
"Thank you my princess. For saving your sister's life. I promise. Father will make everything right." He whispered, closed his eyes and when he opened, the palace became lively, everyone around was anticipating the baby's arrival.
** Flash back ends **
Silence reigned the chamber as Lawrence revealed the past to Jayen. Jayen didn't knew his friend has bottled up so much inside him. Had they been still teenagers in academy sharing the same dorm, he would have been there for his friend. But with each of them shouldering the responsibilities of their own kingdoms, their priorities changed over time.
Jayen sighed. "Were you able to open the gates again?" Jayen questioned to which Lawrence shook his head. He tried, but failed every single time.
"But there is someone who can open the gates." Jayen expectantly looked at his friend to know the answer. If it was possible, then they both will together open them this time. Now that he knows about what his friend went through, he wasn't going to leave him stranded, alone to fight his battles.
"Who? Let us go and meet that person. Let us just open the gates and get your daughter back." Jayen stood up from his seat to leave as soon as possible and meet that person.
Lawrence chuckled looking at his friend. Always ready to help him. "We don't need to go anywhere. You already know that person. And I cannot ask for help until I am sure of something."
Jayen frowned. What kind of answer was this. Shouldn't he be rushing to get his daughter back. It was good that the baby didn't end up in hell, but there was no guarantee that she was all safe among the humans.
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Who do you think can open the gates again? Hmm?