A Dark Force

Aldwyn was grim, having seen the aftermath. It had happened again, was all he could think, striding towards Titus's chamber. He had not even bothered to knock. There was no time, much less announce his arrival as he had always done. Aldwyn had stormed in without thought.

"My King," He cried, falling to one knee over the scarlet carpet, embroidery in gold, that threaded into the crest of House Lazarus. "Zariel," He said, stammering to complete his thought. "Zariel has done it again, my Lord.

"Again?" Titus said, lifting his gaze that was fixed over the finances of his Kingdom; he had read each day religiously, around noon. He settled his fiery gaze over his chancellor. Realization soon dawned.

"What—"

"The children were saved," Aldwyn hastily informed, but Titus could see he was hiding something. Something that made his soul tremble. The King rose from his chair menacingly, arms bulging through his elegant regal attire. Aldwyns head lowered even deeper. He dared not look up.

"The Redwoods, my Lord, a fifth of it, imploded on itself like how a neutron star would implode. My Lord, the damage is so grave that if we do not act soon, we predict the damage will spread throughout the Redwoods, and we will lose all of it."

King Titus shuttered at the tarnished seed he saw to plant into a whore; he saw one drunken night, injured and helpless for the taking. It was a careless action he had done so many times, but now…Now.

Titus cursed, then again, and again, over and over. Till he slammed his hands over his desk, scattering his documents, pens, and portraits over the floor. Almost like a wild whirlwind had spun through his chambers, chaos ensued: Prized carpet was in disarray, antic furniture tattered beyond recognition, and on his knees, trembling in fear, Aldwyn.

The Redwoods had long since devoured the blood of Gods and Immortals and were an excellent resource for the Kingdom. The blood of the Aethurions had made the Redwoods. They had allowed Zyphis to flourish more so than any other God Realm.

"What of the Black Hand? Where the hell were they?" He then asked, in a harsh chorus of words stained black with bloodlust.

"My Lord, time is of the essence," Aldwyn hastily informed. The Redwoods were burning.

The light taste of blood turned heavy within Titus' mouth. He clenched his teeth and swallowed hard. "Blockade the planet, send seven ZT-7X, try to contain what you can." Titus strenuously commanded, dishing out a few more commands one after another in quick succession.

Chancellor Aldwyn nodded, stood to his feet, with one hand poised behind his back, and another resting horizontally over his sternum, "By your will, my Lord."

—

Alos.

Aurelia's golden eyes snapped open and landed over a strange beauty of a woman. She was breath taken under the rain of snow; winds whirled through her long dark hair, which trailed loosely like a leaf fluttering thew the breeze. The Stranger smiled as their gaze met, one gold, the other a jade green.

"Aurelia Morningstar, a pleasure to meet you; our master has spoken very highly of you," She said, her voice light as a faery. She leaned over and offered her hand.

Taken by the beauty, Aurelia took her hands and was hoisted to her feet without issue. The Stranger giggled, covering her beckoning, cheery lips with her palm "you are far cuter than I would have ever thought. You have so much potential."

Eilin Fel was amazed; she had never seen a monster like this little girl before. And she had appeared ignorant of her gift, of her very linage, brokered in her blood. A bit of temptation seemed to flicker through her jade eyes, 'I wonder,' she swiftly thought, contemplating if she would awaken her bloodline.

"Who are you?" Aurelia asked, feeling awfully safe near this big sis, whose smile appeared so warm and lovely to the eye. The Fallen bore a smile and wiggled her nose, taken in the scent of lilacs and lavender. She drew near, seemingly captivated, before a stranger she knew nothing off.

"Countess Eilin Fel, a pleasure," She greeted rather nobly, and Aurelia stared, admiring the noblewoman, draped in emerald robes that seed to enchant her Jade eyes. The very way she spoke and carried herself seemed so enticing. Aurelia wanted nothing more than to fall into the ample bosom of Eilin.

"A bit of warning, my dear." Eilin glanced at Zariel's cold body, and her gaze and demeanor seemed to change to that of a cold blade, frostier than the snow fluttering from the heavens. "You should watch yourself of this one. There is no bigger murderer than this child, Zariel Snow. His kill count exceeds the very atoms of this entire planet. The number of children, babies, elderly, and women he has killed is still being calculated, Aurelia. He is the most wanted demon, in Iluthath, to date. It makes me sick that he is also my Junior Brother."

An array of emotions whipped through Aurelia as she heard the rumors about her Dumb-Dumb once more, she wasn't so naive as to dismiss these warnings, but she somehow could not have cared less. She did not know the ones who died, nor did she care if they were children or not. Why should she care? She had no connection to them, no karma, no relation. Why did it matter? Zariel had always helped her, even if his methods were rather crude.

The Fallen narrowed her eyes, and the bit of warmth in her heart melted to ash, birthing a dark flame that seemed to smolder with a powerful evil, radiating the power of the deepest part of The Nine Hells. A coldness formed, and a force of malice seemed to crown its queen. She opened her mouth, but a set of silver eyes locked heavily onto her, and like a flip of a switch, the dark flame was gone.

Zariel had awakened.

Pushing off the snowy training field, limped with exhaustion, his gaze never seemed to leave Aurelia Morningstar. He had sensed something, something dark. Something that didn't belong to Iluthath, much less any of the Twelve Planes of the Exalted Wheel.

"You, Eilin, is it. Resuscitate me as quickly as possible." Zariel coldly said as his body fell limp and the flame within his soul went faint.