Ares arrived at the house; standing on a branch he surveyed the house. Smoke was coming out of the cobblestone chimney, other than that there was no way he could tell who was home. Flying to the ground he transformed into a mouse, sneaking through a hole in the door, entering the house. It was as he had left it, he could hear sobbing from a room upstairs.

Transforming into a human he extracted his sword, he was thankful for the spell he had found that made the sword shrink to whatever size he was, otherwise he would be unarmed if he had the need to transform. He walked into the first room; the bed was still on its side. The sobbing was coming from the next room, as he walked in he seen a woman crying, a man’s corpse laid on the bed. She looked up and screamed in fear; Ares slowly walked up to her and asked, “ Who is this man? Who killed him?”

Her lower lips quivered in fear, she looked at him straight in the eyes. Her whole body shook in fear, Ares wondered if he really looked that menacing. She replied “Adonis, my son…” she cried some more, for some reason this was invoking sadness within Ares. He hated himself for feeling this; he could not feel this because it made it weak. She continued “ he snapped his neck with one kick, he did it for me. I loved my husband very much”

The fact Ares was a demon had left the woman, she ran to him and started crying on his shoulder. Ares had a mission to do, the quicker he did it the better it would be.

He whispered in her ear “ do not resist, you will not feel a thing” she sighed in relaxation, knowing her future. He twisted her head 180 degrees, snapping her neck. As her corpse fell on the floor, he turned and exited the room quickly.

The whole house was ablaze; Ares was a raven once more. Standing on the branch of a nearby tree he watched the house burn, no matter what he did the demon could not get rid of his regrets. Lord Krale spoke in his mind “ I am ready, come to the prison”

Ares glanced one last time, seeing Adonis come to the house. Before going he had something to do, something that would turn Adonis into an enemy of the Royal Kingdom. Glancing at the bag of gold he had also enchanted he put his plan into action, it would be far more efficient than killing him.

 

Her vision was blurred; all she could see was the distorted images of the objects around her. A pulsing headache hit her like a hammer on nails, sending pain throughout her whole body. Jolene did not know where she was; there was a high-pitched noise, highly distorted by the pain inhabiting her head. She deduced it was most probably the sound of a door opening as she saw two distorted figures appear out of nowhere.

 

One of them said “ Hallo bonny lass. You are a prisoner of the Royal Kingdom. If you do not resist, we will not harm you…” noticing the look of agonizing pain and confusion the other guard said, “ the effects of the drug will be wearing off soon.”

Jolene attempted to get up but found herself bound to a cold metallic chair by heavy chains. Her vision suddenly returned, she could finally see her surroundings, and she wished she couldn’t. The dark mucky walls gave a feeling of timelessness, as though in this place time had frozen at one moment, one moment of eternal torture.

A squealing sound could be heard, she looked down to see there were two rats running along the floor fighting over a little piece of bread. The guard spoke but she did not hear him, her full attention was on the rats. One large gray rat covered with scars seemed to be winning, using its superior strength and size over the smaller white rat.

The guard caught her attention by hitting her in the face with a baton; she looked up blood running down from her nose. Her captors were dressed in the Royal Kingdom armor, the golden dragon’s head on their chests. She asked, “ I have done nothing against the laws of the kingdom, I demand to know what I am charged with?”

 

She wriggled in her bindings, unsettled by the sight of the larger rat eating the white rat’s corpse. The lead soldier answered, “ You are in a position to demand nothing, we were ordered to arrest you, and arrest you we did. But if ya want my personal opinion, I be guessing you somehow upset our almighty Royal Highness. She does have quite a temper, ever since her husband died that is.”

Before she could reply the doors flew open, slamming hard against the wall. The guards looked at each other with worried looks, one guard withdrew his broad sword and went to investigate. Before he was halfway to the door a look of pure fear took over his face, all blood draining leaving him corpse white.

His whole body trembled in fear, his skin suddenly started rotting away with every panicked breath he took. He screamed in pain but the sound never got out of his mouth. As the skin rotted and blood began coming through, he fell to the ground trying to stop the affliction. He grabbed at his skin, only ripping it by himself, exposing his muscles and bones. He finally stopped moving and died.

The remaining guard who had been in shock suddenly came to his senses and tried to escape. Suddenly there was a blur in the corner of his eye, turning around there stood a wolverine replacing the rat. As his hand dived for his sword the wolverine jumped on him, taking a large chunk of his face off in one mouthful. The guard flopped on the ground, blood pouring out of where his face had been.

As the wolverine began eating the still living guard Jolene doubled her efforts to escape. The feeling of rusted metal against flesh burnt her wrists, but she felt like she was making progress. A dark robed figure entered through the open door; stepping over the corpse he looked very sinister. Horns sprouting from inside his hood she knew he was a demon.

He spoke “ Fear not my young one for I have come to rescue you” He seen her fear regarding the wolverine and said “ he shall not harm you without my express order” he motioned with his hand and the wolverine stopped eating and sat down. The stranger continued to speak “ The corrupt Royal Kingdom shall not claim yet another victim”

 

The chains snapped in two like paper, a loud clank resounding throughout the dungeon, she was free. She started talking to him very quickly, having much on her mind “ My home, my family, they’re in danger from that terrible demon, I must go save them, my brother…”

The robed figure chuckled lightly, although even this positive emotion sounded demonic. He said, “ That terrible demon was there to save you. We know that the Royal Kingdom was observing you so we spied on them. We are what the monarchy has labeled the rebellious Coronian Empire.

Recently my spy discovered your brother was a royal spy. He had been paid one million gold pieces to kill you and your family.”

A look of disbelief filled her face, so the stranger continued “ I sent Ares to save you and your innocent parents by killing your brother. But you interrupted him and your brother escaped, the Royal Kingdom guards came rushing in on your brother’s order and they took you away, killing your parents and burning all your property…”

 

She could no longer contain the anger building up within her, she said, “ Its not true, my brother would never do such a thing, why should I take the word of a demon and his lackey. He loved his family very much.”

Ares growled at being called a lackey, saying mockingly “ Then I suppose his family was one million gold pieces I suppose?”

 

The robed stranger muttered a word and they found themselves at her house, except it was now burnt down. Everything was in ashes on the ground, and she saw the bodies of her parents. She rushed to them. Her mother was still lived.

Ares was confused he had snapped her neck. He smirked at the realization that was not her mother.

Jolene knelt down, holding her mother’s hand, Her mother pulled her down and whispered her last words “ Your brother is…” she died before she could finish the sentence, her fragile life snuffed away like a breeze blowing out the weak flame of a candle. Jolene screamed in anguish, smashing her fists against the charred ground in rage.

 

Out of the corner of her eye she seen the wolverine transform into the demon from the night before, standing beside her rescuer. She turned and looked at it, regarding it for a second with pure hate but accepted it had contributed in her rescue and was therefore not her foe; he certainly was not her friend. She turned to the robed demon and said, “ I want justice, and I want vengeance!” Her yell echoed far and wide, she breathed a bit and resumed talking “ I do not like to ask this but can you help me?”

Her rescuer nodded and replied, “Certainly my dear, I shall train you very well. You will train along with Ares here. He has been in many battles, as you can tell by his scars. One of those scars was inflicted by you”

She looked him over, seeing the power in this demon as he grinned maliciously, his sharp teeth still covered with fresh blood.

Despite this and his pale skin she found him rather attractive, she hated him and yet she felt attracted to him. Her rescue resumed talking “ He shall help you avenge your mother’s death. But you must swear your alliance to the Coronian Empire and to me”

She bowed on her knee and said “ I swear on all that I live for and on my mother’s pure soul that I shall serve loyally the Coronian Empire and you”

There was a slight pause, Ares spoke in a mocking tone “ There’s a little more to the process than that princess”. She suddenly felt a sharp sensation on her face it burnt her. A cut formed from the top of the left side of her face, going down just above her eye and continued below her left eye to the bottom of her face.

The cut scarred over, she wiped the blood from her face as the robed demon spoke “ A mark of your allegiance, I Lord Krale along with Ares welcome you to the Coronian Empire.”

 

The streets of Leando were packed with strangers from all over the world. They were mostly human with a small variety of elves and man orcs. Adonis did not pay much attention however; too busy pushing his way through the thick crowds. Nor did he pay much attention to the many preparations in the streets for the big festival.

 

Bane the former leader of the turtle gang walked by, seeing Adonis he pulled him backs. Adonis following his instincts grabbed his hand and pulled it, shoving Bane down to his knees. Bane made a noise of pain and exclaimed “ Take it easy silver boy, I ain’t here to hurt you none. I was just gonna ask if I can tag along with you, we cool?”

Adonis let him go, as he got back on his feet Adonis replied “ sure, just don’t do anything stupid and don’t rob me and I won’t kill you. What’s your real name anyway?”

The former leader smiled, many teeth missing.

He replied “ My name be Mal” He extended his dirty hand, Adonis shook it and they resumed walking. Adonis was still distracting, not noticing all the dirty looks from the villagers for even hanging around Mal. The thought of rescuing his sister overruled such petty concerns; he had 200 copper coins he had saved up. At the time he had been saving up to buy a present for Julia, but buying supplies for the quest was more pertinent.

Plans were running through his mind, suddenly in the middle of the jungle of thoughts one came on top of the rest. Adonis turned to Mal and said “ Want to make it up for bullying villagers for nearly a decade and killing my horse and ox and making it look like a wolf attack?”

Mal nodded and said, “ Most surely, I cut off me own left arm and feed it to a dog if that’s what ya wanted me to do”

 

Adonis shook his head and replied, “ Please, nothing as drastic and disturbing as that, my sister has been kidnapped. We are going to find her and rescue her” He agreed so they departed, darting through all the narrow and curved streets, shoving people aside, they finally made it to the blacksmith where his friend Jacob worked.

Jacob saw him approaching and said in his usual happy tone “ Hey buddy, happy…” He noticed how glum Adonis appeared to be and the fact he was with Mal and asked “ What be troubling ya now? Not going to war are ya? Nasty business war is if you ask me”, he had asked this because of the large axe now on his back.

 

Adonis replied seriously “ Jolene’s been kidnapped, I’m forming a group and I will find this demon that took her”

Jacob and Mal both looked nervous, Mal suddenly regretting he had agreed to help. Jacob cleared his throat and said “ by demon, I assume you be using a figure of speech, as in a …” seeing Adonis’ answer locked in the graveness of his face he kept on talking “ Well, I wouldn’t be much of a friend if I didn’t help now would I. After all, you did save me life. But maybe we three should think twice before facing a demon, they be pretty fast in a fight I’ll bet”

 

Adonis replied “aye, but what other choice do I have, if it had been a giant one eyed ogre that had taken her I would hunt it down as well.”

Before Jacob could respond a villager yelled, “Fire! There’s a fire at the Murgal farm!” The trio looked up and sure enough a thick cloud of intense black smoke was rising from the distance. They rushed past everyone as fast as they could to get to the house.

 

They arrived quickly, running past a raven. The house was engulfed in flames, Adonis ran to see if his mother had survived but knew they had perished in the blazing inferno when he seen their corpses, black as lantern oil. He fell to his knees and cursed his ill fortune he had killed his father in cold blood, his sister was kidnapped and his mother was now dead.

That was when someone tapped him gently on the shoulder. He turned to see a tall black hooded monk. His face was not in sight, hidden deep within the darkness of the hood. The monk said “ I am sorry for your loss my young one. Here is some money to help you”

 

He handed over a heavy satchel. Adonis dropped it, surprised at its great weight. He looked inside to find one million golden coins inside. He looked up in disbelief to see the dark robed monk replaced by the demon from the night before.

He winked as Adonis plunged for him, vanishing in a wisp of smoke, leaving behind the strange scent of sulfur. Adonis landed on his stomach, he got up and shook the dirt off his shirt. The mayor along with the entire village arrived to see the demon give the money; the mayor pointed at him   “ Its him! He’s been paid by the coronian Empire to burn down the house. Kill him!”

All the villagers ensnared by pure malice and betrayal, all turned to Adonis. He looked around and Mal and Jacob were gone, he began to run quickly, putting the satchel over his shoulder as he ran. He had a head start but the villagers were catching up, suddenly one of them plunged and landed upon him.

That’s when Mal came running beside him, kicking the man off.

They began to run, but soon found themselves surrounded. Mal smiled and said “ this happens to me all the time, learn from the pro” he whistled and a wagon came charging toward them. Jacob at the reigns the people cleared the way as Mal and Adonis jumped on, going as fast as the horses could out of the village.

The police soon arrived; three horses close on their tail. The lead police officer yelled, “ You are under arrest! Stop the wagon!” Before anyone could say anything an arrow hit the wagon inches away from Mal’s foot. He moved it back; the police were armed with crossbows.

Mal turned to them and yelled in a mocking tone “ We are under nothing but the thunder of freedom, you three however are under a lot of pain” He grabbed the wooden apples from the wagon and whipped them at the lead officer’s horse. Hitting it on the head the horse fell forward unconscious, sending the police officer to the ground. Another horse tripped on the fallen horse, leaving one police officer left in the chase.

It rode right beside them, Mal jumped on the horse behind him. The guard tried to shake him off, Mal stabbed him in the heart, as his corpse fell to the ground Mal jumped back on the wagon. The pursuit was ended they had escaped the village.