Angels and Elves- Act I

by William Collins

  She still couldn’t believe it as she walked over to join the Raging Squids.

  “I knew I’d make the team,” Jed cried, yet she could tell he was just as shocked as her.

  “Right,” Nova addressed the whole team as they huddled around her. “We begin training for the tourney as soon as tomorrow. The Raging Squids have only won the Arengi cup one time before, and now we’ve got the taste, we’re addicted. Ain’t that right, boys?” She called over to the older Realmers in the team, who replied with a cheer.

  Brooke was elated to have made the team. Things were going well. She’d almost forgotten about the Selina problem nagging the back of her mind, needling away. In fact, Brooke’s daily anxiety and dread had lessened with each passing week. Surely if anyone at Velkarath had believed Selina she would’ve heard about it by now.

  Chapter 8- Lineage of Evil

  Selina Kel sipped her steaming cacodemon cappuccino as she watched the new trainees being tortured. Well, technically it wasn’t torture, just standard rookie training, but Selina remembered feeling like the workouts were torture. Of course, the training was nothing like the actual torture Velkarath also implemented.

  Currently, the courtyard was full of half a hundred Rakarn frantically running on the spot. Those who stopped to catch their breath promptly felt Lady Mephista’s cudgel.

  Selina sat on the castle steps, chuckling to herself as one boy broke rank to vomit across the paving slabs.

  “Get up!” Mephista snarled, stalking towards him, raising her cudgel, crafted from black oak.

  “Please Mistress,” the boy begged. “I can’t go on-” the boy broke off with a shriek as Mephista’s club thudded into his back.

  “Speak back to me again and I’ll have you vomiting blood next time.”

  Selina took another hearty gulp of coffee as the boy, now weeping, continued his training.

  She finished her cappuccino and tossed it to the side, walking off from the courtyard and around the other side of the castle. Here, she could see more of the Fortress. Below the ramparts was one of the worker camps, where a line of slaves was currently being whipped for working too slow. On the other side of camp, those who’d proven themselves to be strong, were instead being branded by a burly orc, signifying their rise from slave to soldier.

  Her hand itched to use her own whip on someone, it had been far too long since it had tasted flesh. She’d purposefully not departed Velkarath for any missions since her return. The queen might punish her if Selina didn’t tell her what she’d seen the moment Akirandon returned.

  She’d been waiting for weeks for Akirandon to return to Velkarath. She dare not entrust her secret to anyone else. They either wouldn’t believe her, or betray her. Looking to gain the Queen’s favour themselves by bestowing such monumental news. But no, Selina would be the only one to have that honour.

  Princess Kaelyn hadn’t been in Velkarath either, but Selina was unsure whether she’d have told Kaelyn anyway. She knew deep down that Kaelyn was as deranged as everyone whispered. She was too unpredictable to trust with such news.

  Only Prince Ralice remained at Velkarath for the time being. Selina had considered going to Ralice with what she’d learned. But she didn’t trust him. He might well insist she was lying and murder her at once. Everyone knew Kaelyn was insane, and Akirandon did not suffer disobedience of any kind, but it was Ralice, the calmest and quietest of the three, who had killed the highest amount of his own Rakarn.

  Just last week, Selina had witnessed Ralice suck the soul out of Tono in the weaponry hall. All he’d done was beat a new trainee so badly the young girl had died of her injuries. Tono had been a loyal Dark-Venator for years, and there had been accidents with other trainees before. Selina reckoned Ralice only murdered Tono now because his sister and mother were away and he could get away with it.

  She wouldn’t put it past Ralice to use his demonic sorcery on her if he didn’t like she had to say. So she kept her secret to herself.

  But Selina knew what she’d seen. The Venator girl, Brooke, had wielded demon magic. That could only mean one thing, she was a demon-spawn.

  Akirandon’s children, Ralice and Kaelyn were believed to be the only spawn who still lived. Until now.

  She was jolted out of her thoughts by the roars of a crowd in the distance. Selina looked up to see she’d walked away from the camp and closer to the Blood Pits, where every fight was to the death. Apparently, the entertainment today was forcing an ogre prisoner to battle a vampire they’d captured. She’d heard a few Rakarn placing bets. Selina didn’t bother attending the Blood Pits much. Only when a rookie was taking their final test to ascend to a full Rakarn, did she attend a fight.

  She moved away from the Blood Pits, the noise of the crowd worsening her headache. The dull, but persistant pain in her head made her want to hurt someone. As she walked the outskirts of the castle, she debated going to her next class or not. As a Rakarn who’d proved herself, Selina was one of the few who could skip training, as long as she didn’t make a habit of it.

  Beating wings abruptly filled her ears and a great shadow passed over her. Selina looked skyward as the flcok of valorcs soared metres above her. Like colossal bats, the brutes were fearsome to behold as they swept around the castle and over to the wastes, where the rest of Velkarath’s army was camped.

  A hot wind, no doubt coming from the Simmering Sea beyond the Fortress walls, rushed over her, flinging her red hair high. The wind also caused the hanging cages on the castle walls to sway and creak gently.

  Selina noted that one captive trainee had appeared to die in his cage. She poked her hand through the bars as she passed it, feeling his ice-cold brow with disgust. “Weakling,” she sniffed disaprovingly.

  The captive inside the next hanging cage stirrred, however, as Selina walked by.

  She recognised the girl, who was no rookie. She must’ve been put in the cage as punishment. She was very pretty, with dark olive skin and big amber eyes. Although now she wasn’t quite the beauty she used to be. Days in the cage left her dirty, unkempt, and gaunt.

  “You. Priya, isn’t it.” She kicked the cage, causing it to hit the castle wall where it hung, three feet above the ground.

  The prisoner turned to look at her, paling from fright, before she nodded feebly.

  “Why are you here, girl?”

  “I…” Priya choked, her throat hoarse from lack of water. “…on my mission, I didn’t follow orders and slaughter an innocent couple. My companions ratted me out once we returned.

  “Why,” Selina demanded. “You deserve this punishment. Why would you disobey orders?”

  “I believed my companions to be wrong, the young couple in the park had nothing to do with our objective, murdering them would take up too much time on an assigment whihc was time sensitive. I beleived my companions were letting their cruelty jeopadize our mission.”

  “Hmm, sound enough reasoning, you should’ve just killed them quickly.” Selina leaned against the bars, showing her a teasing smile. “Would you like me to let you out of here, little one.”

  “Yes,” Priya rasped. “I’ve been here for six days. Please, all they let me drink is filthy water, can I have regular water and a bite to eat? Please, I beg you.”

  Selina intended to give Priya hope, but then change her mind and let the girl rot, just for fun, but then she remembered something.

  “I heard the others talking a few weeks ago, about the mission, you, Jacko and Mikhail were all given. You were to capture a girl, but she badly injured Mikhail and killed Jacko. You saw it all, right?”

  Priya nodded desperately. “Please, release me and I’ll tell you everything.”

  Selina sighed before conjuring Unspring, the spell to unlock the door.

  Priya crawled out of the cramped cage and stumbled to the ground, mumbling joyously to herself.

  “My cuffs too?” Priya extended her bound hands, where the Uqari cuffs sat, cutting off her magic.

  “No, that’s for the Mast
ers to decide.”

  Priya’s face fell but she nodded obedience before telling Selina everything about the girl.

  “So you didn’t see what she did to Mikhail?” She asked after Priya was finished.

  “No. Jacko and I thought she was dead, and after I saw what the girl did to Jacko, I thought she had to have killed Mikhail too. I didn’t know until later that Mikhail had managed to get back here and get patched up. He has a scar though, I heard.”

  “A scar,” Selina muttered. Most spells could be healed, but demon magic always left a mark. She’d thought it strange that a girl supposed to be brought to Velkarath as a new trainee had bested three Rakarn, now she knew why. She’d have to speak with Mikhail next.

  “Why didn’t you tell anyone else how this girl killed Jacko?”

  Priya avoided her gaze, staring at the ground as she mumbled. “I didn’t think anyone would believe me.”

  Selina nodded, knowing how Priya felt.

  “Can I go now?” Priya pleaded.

  “Yes, once you kiss my boot, that is.” She raised her foot a few inches off the ground. Priya hesitated for a moment before her hunger and desperation got the best of her and she sank to her knees to kiss the point of Selina’s boot.

  “Good. Now go to the feast hall and stuff your face, you greedy pig.”

  She had duties today, but why should Selina do them when those of lower rank could perform them for her. “But once you’ve eaten, I want you restock the Alchemy supplies larder for me. I’ll check in on you this evening. If you’ve done a good job, I’ll let you have dinner. If it isn’t to my satisfaction, I’ll have you back in this cage for a week. Understand?”

  Priya nodded before hurrying away. A truly pitiful creature. Selina shook her head as she watched the Dark-Venator go.

  “What’s this?” A new voice asked. “Selina Kel, toying with the younger Rakarn again. What a surprise.”

  She turned to see Darcy and a group of his friends walking toward her across the ramparts. They all carried metallic crossbows.

  “That’s right,” Darcy saw her looking. “My boys and I are going hunting. This year’s Culling has begun. The new recruits got dropped off weeks ago and now it’s time for us to join in and pick off the weakest ones. Oh, I love this time of the year. Do you want to join, Selina? I bet I can bag more trophies than you.”

  “I’m busy. Some of us are entrusted with more important duties.” She flashed her teeth at him.

  “Oh, sure. I’m sure the Masters completely trust a former Venator.” Darcy looked over to his mates and laughed, triggering them to do the same.

  “You’re such a hypocrite,” she snapped. “You came from Blutopolis, just like I converted from Veneseron.”

  “Ah, yes,” Darcy said. “But I betrayed Blutopolis willingly. You were exiled from Veneseron and had nowhere else to go. Velkarath took you in like the wretched stray dog you are.”

  It didn’t matter how many times she’d proven herself, to some Rakarn she’d always just be an ex-Venator. But she hated Veneseron more than any of them.

  “Our pasts don’t matter, Darcy. What does is our accomplishments here, and mind far outweigh yours.”

  “Yeah, right,” Darcy snorted. “I could best you, any day.”

  “Why not, right now?” Selina grinned, unsheathing the dagger at her belt. “Or are you a glarqing coward?”

  Darcy looked ready to take her up on her offer, but then his expression changed to panic at something behind her.

  “Holy Ushk, the Prince is out of his quarters.”

  Selina whirled around and went cold as she saw Darcy spoke the truth.

  Not only was the demon prince walking Velkarath in public, he was heading straight toward them.

  He was beautiful, and the only man Selina feared.

  Prince Ralice’s blood red cloak billowed out behind him in the hot winds that rushed between the towers. The rest of him was clad in the deepest black, matching his hair.

  He was tall and lithe, his skin bronze and hair spilling to his shoulders. His face was a cold mask of quiet anger, with the slightest etches of exhaustion.

  Selina diverted her eyes, so as to not meet his mismatched gaze.

  The right eye was bright purple. The other eye had once been purple too, but had been so shot through with red the original colour was barely visible. Prolonged demon magic had weird effects on Ralice and his sister, but that’s all Selina knew.

  She was as attracted to him as much as she feared him. Part of her wanted to dive into his bed, whilst the other wanted to plunge her knife into his heart. Though Ralice had shown nothing but disdain for her.

  The prince was flanked by four dark-Venators, all of whom wore their helms, the horns glistening in the dying light. And of course, the demon was there too. Ralice’s familiar resembled a wild wolf, only the size of a horse, with tangled, shaggy fur and vivid green eyes that held an eternally hungry gleam.

  Ralice halted before them, but offered no greeting. He instead turned to Darcy’s friends. “Leave us.”

  The Dark-Realmers scurried to obey.

  “My prince,” Darcy said quickly, “what an honour it is to be in your presence.”

  Selina forced herself to parrot a similar compliment, trying to ignore the way her heart quickened.

  She needn’t have bothered, as Ralice ignored both of them, instead observing a class of struggling trainees in the distance. After several moments of silence, he muttered, “The Masters spend too much time trying to thin the herd, don’t you think? They say they’re weeding out the weak, keeping only the strong. But even those who seem the weakest can become the most useful.”

  “I, uh…agree completely, sire,” said Darcy.

  “I doubt it,” Ralice responded. “Like most of your kind, you think those who do not show and aptitude for cruelty and destruction are no good to us.”

  “No, I-”

  The black wolf growled abruptly and Darcy cut off.

  “Quite right, Agoth,” Ralice stroked the beast’s great head. “It is inconsequential. I came here to speak with you on other matters, Darcy.”

  Selina felt a flicker of sorrow as she realised Ralice hadn’t come to talk to her, but stamped it out angrily. Why did she care if Ralice wanted her or not?

  “I want more Venators captured,” Ralice ordered. “If only I knew where Veneseron was, I’d sneak into the realm myself.”

  “To destroy them?” she asked, grinning at the thought.

  “To study them,” Ralice replied. “Veneseron might still be hidden from us, and our realm hidden from them, but we can still capture those out on missions. I want to bring them here and find out all I can about Veneseron, and the other strongholds if we can find those Realmers too.”

  “What’s the point of learning about them if we’re just going to burn them all to the ground?” Selina replied. “Besides, you can learn all about Veneseron and Blutopolis from me and Darcy.”

  Darcy looked at her in horror, likely mortified by the tone she’d taken with the prince. She knew she shouldn’t speak to him like that, but she couldn’t help it.

  Ralice only looked at her, as if truly noticing her for the first time, and then he smiled.

  She felt her heart beat faster still.

  “Selina, wasn’t it?” he asked.

  How could he not remember my name? she seethed.

  “I forgot how refreshing my interactions with you were. I’m so used to being called by my royal titles by everyone, I hardly notice the things they say to me. But you’re wrong, I’m afraid. I have asked you both at length about your former homes, but it’s been years since your times there. I’d like more recent news of their inner-workings.”

  “You need to speak with Lok then, he’s the one over in the trenches.” Darcy replied.

  “Indeed,” Ralice murmured. “If he ever comes back to us. I fear he will fail. But that’s why I wanted to speak with you. You met with Lok recently, yes?”

  “Yes, your liege.
I personally ensured that Lok could pass over the four Realmers from Veneseron. He was having some trouble until me and my team arrived and sorted it all out.”

  “And where are these Venators now?”

  Darcy shrugged. “I dropped them off at the prisons. They’re likely in conversion now, although Lok warned that they’ll be hard to convert. Veneseron practically brainwashes their trainees, telling them Rakarn are all heinous monsters.”

  “You should’ve informed me the day they arrived.” Ralice’s tone was soft, but his mismatched eyes held a glimmer of anger, which made Darcy pale visibly.

  “I-my deepest apologies-your grace,” Darcy stammered. “I didn’t think you’d want to be bothered by something so trivial. I told the Masters, I swear.”

  “It’s no matter.” The prince gestured toward Darcy as if waving away a fly. “I’ll just have to interrupt their conversation to question them about their home.” He turned to leave, but Darcy started speaking again.

  “Uh, your grace. My friends and I are just heading out to hunt. We would be most honoured if you’d like to join us.”

  Ralice raised an eyebrow. “What are you hunting.”

  “Humans, your grace. A group from America were captured and released into the Wildwastes not long ago. We need to hunt them down quick before Velkarath’s wild demons get to them all.”

  “What folly,” Ralice remarked, distaste marking his tone. “Where’s the skill in hunting helpless humans? Why aren’t you challenging yourselves with superior prey?”

  “Oh, I…I agree your grace. It wasn’t my idea. I didn’t…”

  Selina couldn’t help but smile at Darcy’s misfortune.

  “Besides, I must tend to the army, shortly” said the Prince. “One of the Nephilim commanders fought with a Mandon general last night. These fools must learn to save the bloodshed for when we need them, not waste time killing each other.”

  “Yes, quite, my prince,” Darcy simpered. “Much of the army are barbaric monsters. Only you can control them. They are in awe of your power, as we all are.”