The words cut him to his core. For over twenty-five years, he'd been the favored son. Batar never came close. And then one day, everything was different. Once Altheus noticed things beginning to change, he became jealous of his younger brother, but he never took it out on Batar. Ashamed, Altheus buried his jealousy deep inside, but somehow Verago saw right through to it.
"It's true," the prince said in a hushed voice. "I love my brother, but he was a Dardan fool. And then, out of nowhere, he's the pride and joy of the kingdom."
Verago stroked his chin in an exaggerated manner. "Hmm. It's almost as if he received some help, perhaps during one of his trips."
"Batar didn't travel much outside of Light's Haven. But now that you mention it, this all started after he went to Memorial City. He told me he received a letter from a champion bloodseeker and was going to spend a month there, training. I thought it odd he had to travel at all when the paladins in Light's Haven were already teaching him. When he came back, though, he was completely different."
"Your brother never met with any Champion of the Light in Memorial City. The letter was a fake, sent by the Brotherhood, to lure him out of Light's Haven."
"A fake?"
"That's right," Verago said. "The Brotherhood set up a tent outside the city where the Para Paya gather. A lot of desperate people seeking help go there when they have nowhere else to turn."
"What kind of help?"
"Fortune-telling, energy reading, and whatnot. Once Batar showed up, Agalia did the rest. You probably know her better as the Seductress."
"Her again?" The prince groaned. "She's a plague to my family. She killed my little sister."
"Yes, I know. You may not believe me, but I'm truly sorry for that. I would've never given such an order. Unfortunately, she's a product from a time before my rise to power among the demons, and so I have little control over her."
"What did she do to my brother?"
"Honestly, nothing. She merely offered him an opportunity on my behalf."
Altheus narrowed his eyes. "What opportunity?"
"Batar was given the chance to rule the Surface. First, Agalia gave him a seed which—"
"A seed?" Altheus interrupted. "What do you mean? What seed?"
"Your anger is misplaced. There was no deception. I'm merely explaining the events that took place. May I?"
The prince folded his arms across his chest and nodded.
"Thank you. As I was saying, Agalia gave him a seed. This is my method of storing spells, so they can be brought to the Surface. This particular seed gave your brother wonderful abilities. It made him smarter, stronger, and more appealing. His life was enhanced in every way."
"And the price?" Altheus tapped his foot, afraid he already knew the answer.
A crooked smile appeared on Verago's face. "Free. As a man who once lived in the shadow of his older brother, I understood his plight. But the effects were temporary. After one month, he would return to his old self."
"But the effects didn't wear off. He's been this way for years now."
"Before Batar left the tent, Agalia presented him with a gift, a small box containing nine more seeds. But none of these spells were the same as what he'd first received. If he wished to make his new qualities a permanent fixture in his life, he had to complete her instructions before the month's time was up. First, he had to plant the eight gate seeds within the walls of the castle in Light's Haven. And second, he had to ingest the binding seed and willingly link his soul to mine."
"Soul binding," Altheus said with disgust. "I knew it. You tricked him, or he was seduced."
"Consider the following. Even if he were seduced at the time of the exchange, the effect would've worn off long before he returned to Light's Haven. And the binding seed simply doesn't work through deception or coercion. Both parties involved in the link must understand exactly what is happening and accept the result. Batar knew exactly what he was doing."
The prince bit down so hard, his teeth ached. "Lies. And more lies. Batar would never consort with the likes of you or the Brotherhood. You're wasting your breath."
"The truth can be hard to accept. I don't blame you for your reaction, but I think you underestimate the power of jealousy. You had the strength to bury yours, but you only felt it for a short time. Tell me, Altheus, do you know what it's like to live in someone's shadow your entire life? To be a prince with so much expected of you, but you're never quite as good as your older brother?"
Altheus had no response. He had never considered that Batar had to endure such a struggle.
"Well, I do." Verago grasped the arms of his throne and strolled toward the prince. "It can breed desperation. Prevarra excelled at everything. I was certainly no fool, but I was always compared to my brother. It made it impossible to live up to anyone's standards, including my mother. In the end, my greatest contribution to this kingdom came with my own death. Now that is a level of desperation you could never truly understand."
There was a long pause as Altheus stood face-to-face with the Devil. What if he was right? What if everything that had just happened was because of some arrangement Batar had made with Verago? The prince took a deep breath. "I'm not saying I believe you, but assuming you're telling me the truth, why am I here?"
"Years of planning were thrown to the wayside when your brother went back on our deal. Seven years of bliss at my expense, and he thought he could take advantage of me. He was in the royal gardens tonight to destroy the gate seeds he'd planted. So rather than let him ruin everything, I activated the gate to claim my prize."
"But he was wearing the Talisman."
The Devil sneered. "Yes. Apparently, having won favor with the Prima using the gift I gave him, your brother convinced her to let him wear the Talisman, making him invulnerable to my attacks."
"So…you took me instead."
"Something like that. I captured you because I thought he'd give himself up to save your life. When he refused, I realized that he meant for you to take his place. He must've lured you to the gardens."
"What? He didn't lure me."
"Didn't he, though?"
"No." Altheus's response lacked resolve.
"Don't forget your brother is very clever. Or was very clever, I should say. I know it's difficult for you to trust me because of what you've learned, but believe me when I say your brother is the one I want. He's the one who made the agreement with me, and he needs to accept his fate."
"Why is he so important to you?"
"How is that relevant?" Verago shot back. "The point is that he's sacrificed you in his place. Even I can see how wrong that is. And to be honest, I want what was promised to me. The unfortunate part is that there's only one way I see that happening."
"And what way is that?"
"You must become my demon lord and kill your brother. It's the only way I can take what's mine."
Altheus stepped back. "You're going to kill me?"
"If I was just going to kill you, do you think I would've spent all that time explaining what your brother did? If you died right now, your soul would transcend. I can sense how little burden you carry."
"Then what?"
"Well, I need you to stay on the Surface."
"You want me to willingly stay? You can't really believe I'd do such a thing. You want me to doom my soul for your benefit?"
"Doom your soul?" Verago feigned offense. "I hardly see it that way. But I'll tell you what. Despite what my descendants teach up there, I'm a fair man. You have another choice."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
"I can let you go."
Altheus rolled his eyes. "You would just let me go?"
"Of course. I can't force you to do anything. But before you decide, do you know why the priests have never tried to invade the Depths?"
"I can't say that I do."
The Devil took an exaggerated breath through his nose. "The air down here is so saturated with dark energy that no human can enter here unprotected by holy light. I
f they did, they'd instantly go insane."
"Then how is it that I stand here with no issue?"
"I've cleared the immediate area of dark energy. However, if you refuse to help me, I'll have no reason to keep it that way. Now, as you make your decision, bear in mind that it's Batar's fault you're here in the first place. If your brother cared for you, if he had any sense of dignity, he wouldn't have cast you aside as his replacement."
Altheus pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, let me get this straight. The two choices you're giving me are either I return to the Surface as a demon lord and kill my own brother, or I stay here in the Depths and go crazy for eternity?"
"Essentially, yes. Again, he's supposed to be here, not you. I'm just trying to make things right."
"Make things right," Altheus repeated as he weighed his options. How could his brother have been so foolish to not consider the consequences of his actions? Why did it always fall on Altheus to save his brother? His contempt for Batar grew, but in the end, the prince spoke his heart. "Nonetheless, he's still my brother. Whatever mistakes he's made, I will not throw my life away just to get revenge."
"Interesting, but it seems to me that the only choice where you throw your life away is the one where you don't get revenge."
Altheus pitied the Devil. "Have you been down here for so long you don't know what life is anymore? Do you really consider dying and becoming your demon lord to be a reasonable alternative?"
"Dying? Who said anything about dying?"
"You did. Earlier. Didn't you?"
"Actually, it was you that mentioned it."
"But people have to die before they can become demons. Everyone knows that."
"Not necessarily. There is another way." Verago gestured to the two demon wolves behind him. "I give you the Denhauli, two of the most powerful demons I've ever created. Ordinary wolves that never died."
"This is a trick."
The Devil chuckled lightly. "Altheus, I've been nothing but straightforward since you've arrived down here. I'm a strategist, not a deceiver. I learn as much as possible, and then I take the actions I deem best for achieving my goals. For example, I know you have a wife and daughter. Taking my offer is the only way you can be with them again."
"But it's not possible."
"Yes, it is. It just takes a lot of time and energy. And, there will be some drawbacks."
Altheus shifted uneasily. "Drawbacks? Such as?"
"You'll have no home. You're not going to die, your body will still be human, and so the Depths will infect your mind. But your soul will be infused with so much dark energy, you'll become the most powerful demon on the Surface. Which means, you'll suffer the agony while you're up there. During the day, you'll appear human, but your tongue will still be warped. Also during the day, holy energy may have little or no effect on you. But at night, when the demon inside you takes over, the light will burn you. The more you're physically wounded, the more the dark energy will heal you and pull you further away from your humanity."
"What happens if I die?"
"A fair question. Again, I'm no deceiver. When a demon dies, its energy returns to me. Your soul will be intertwined with dark energy. If you die, your soul will be dragged back to the Depths. However, if you succeed in your purpose, then I'll remove all of the dark energy from you properly. You'll return to being alive, human. It'll be as if you had never come to the Depths."
Altheus rubbed his lower lip. "This is a lot to consider."
"I agree. I'll give you three days to make up your mind. In the meantime, you'll stay here as my guest. Anything you need, let me know. Allow me to show you where you'll be staying."
Verago motioned for the prince to follow him out of the chamber. As they reached the threshold, Altheus glimpsed at the inscription over the door.
"Demons are humans. They are the forgotten."
As someone who was alive, it was easier to view demons as something else, something nonhuman. It made it easier to despise them and make them the enemy. But deep down, the inscription was right. Every demon was a human soul. Dark energy or not, he would still be the same person. Altheus halted. "I'd like to request a favor."
The dream blurred as the demon lord was thrown forward in time. It was as if they never left the Devil's throne room. When the image became clear, Altheus stared at the claws that had replaced his hands. He tugged at a strand of long white hair that hung before his eyes. This body felt like his, but at the same time it wasn't. There was something dark within him.
"Master Verago, I present to you your new demon lord." The voice was from a ghostly figure that manifested as an old man with a crooked nose.
"Thank you. Great work. Welcome back, Altheus. May I introduce you to Umaro Lijjo. Or as you may have heard the humans call him, the Zaidon. Although he's merely a wanderer now, his ability to pass on his knowledge of dark energy to others has proven him invaluable in your transformation process."
Altheus pressed his temples. "Nibti zag nolua?"
"Three years. How do you feel?" Verago asked.
"Stronger, but confused," he said in Kisejjad. "What am I speaking? How am I understanding? I don't feel like myself."
"That's normal. Everything has gone according to plan. As I told you before, your tongue would be twisted by the process. The disorientation is caused by the dark energy, which I need to activate the gate. It'll wear off once you leave the Depths, which is why we must hurry. Are you ready to return to the Surface?"
"Yes."
"The gate seeds have already taken root. I've given you all you need to defeat your brother. Know that your father has fallen ill, and in your absence, Batar has taken your place on the throne as the new king."
"I understand," the demon lord said quietly.
"Before I send you back, listen closely and remember my words. A lot of planning has gone into this, and the preparations have been made. Whatever happens up there, remember that until you fulfill your objective, you are my weapon and you answer only to me. This is no simple task, and you need not go it alone. I have a vast army on the Surface, some roaming free, some in captivity. They are meant to serve you. Gather the demon army if you wish to complete your objective. There are many like you, but none are your equal.
"Be wary of the Candelux priests. They are your greatest enemy, especially the Prima. Truthfully, humans in general cannot be trusted except for the Brotherhood of Prevarra. Their numbers have dwindled greatly since the Assault, but if you need help, seek out the Brotherhood. They have always been loyal to me. And remember, when Batar is dead, justice will be done, and you will get your life back. It's time now. Go and fulfill your purpose. Kill King Batar."
Altheus was escorted by Verago and Umaro Lijjo to the opening in the roots that had burrowed to the Depths. The demon lord held his head as he stood in the designated spot. Verago waved his hand, and the roots twisted together. The ground beneath Altheus shot up and forced him to his knees. The disorientation was beginning to wear off just as Verago had promised. And after a single moment of clarity, his mind was assaulted by the agony.
Altheus dug the heels of his palms into his eyes and wailed. Snippets of his life raced through his mind. Voices slithered into his ear as the memories jumbled together into a nearly nonsensical burst of thought. Now that he was trying to awake from the dream, he was suffering the consequences of unlocking his identity. Parts of his mind that had originally been closed off were now opened wide like floodgates and revealed everything in a matter of moments. For a few seconds, he stood in the royal courtyard with Sir Bix.
"One day your father will pass his legacy on to you, Altheus."
The scene switched to some workshop where the prince discovered his brother working on something. The boy seemed younger, perhaps only seven or eight. Batar must have heard his footsteps because the boy frantically hid his work from Altheus.
"Don't look! It's a surprise!"
The prince was viciously thrown into the midst of the Assault. As each new memor
y forced its way into his mind, the pain worsened. He recognized the scenes from his previous meditation a few days earlier. The paladins were ushering him and his brother through the outdoor walkways of the castle. Bix was there when the Shade attacked. And then, they all vanished.
Alone in the darkness, the demon lord gasped for air, trying to recover from the mental anguish. But, he wasn't allowed any reprieve. A final series of images streaked through. Images of spells, dark clouds bringing panic and fear, tall spikes rising from the ground, wanderers being turned into demons, humans falling under the caster's control, a large blade with mangled steel. It was too much. It was just too much, too fast. He regretted everything. Why had he agreed to kill his brother? Why had he listened to the traitor of all humanity? The agony peaked, and just before Altheus was pulled from his dream, before the demon lord Erynion would awaken to his true identity, a single voice called to him in the darkness.
"Your brother is not so innocent. You have been betrayed."
Chapter 30
Flee or Perish
At the center of Royal Oak, Mashira, Sundancer, and a few dozen humans formed a ring around the four remaining kindred demons. The rest of the demon army had abandoned them once the two giant wolves bolted for the rectory. But that didn't make the situation any better. If these iymed weren't dealt with properly, the city might suffer at the hands of one very angry and seriously powerful entity.
The flooding made it difficult to summon the Blessing of Restraints from the ground, and so the priests tried to lasso the beasts by hand. The effort was uncoordinated, and as the brutes flailed about, they sent the brown robes flying.
"How are we supposed to kill them at the same time?" Sundancer asked
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